32 FAMILIAR FEATURES OF THE ROADSIDE. 



along the road, beside the river, and in meadow bor- 

 ders throughout the North. The dogwoods all have 

 ovate-pointed leaves, variable in size, with long veins 

 which run almost parallel with the edge which is de- 

 void of teeth. In the case of C. sericea and C. asperi- 

 folia the leaves are downy beneath, but in the other 

 species they are smooth through- 

 out ; C. altemifoUa, however, is 

 minutely downy. These 

 shrubs are commonly 

 found beside the high- 

 way, particularly where it 

 crosses some thicket - bor- 

 dered stream. They are ex- 

 tremely beautiful in late 

 spring when their thin foli- 

 age furnishes the most deli- 

 cate, sober green which we 

 can find during that season ; 

 and in late summer their 

 handsome berries, many of 

 them ruddy stemmed, con- 

 tribute some of the prettiest 



bits of color which enliven the shaded depths of the 

 woodland. At this time we may catch a glimpse of 

 the purple finch and the red-eyed vireo, who venture 

 down from the tree-tops to feed on the berries which 



Cornus paniculata. 



