THE MEADOWS AND PASTURE-FIELDS. 221 



The seed-ball is larger than the dandelion, each seed 

 is on a longer stalk, and altogether the ball is of a 

 browner hue. The habit of the plant, which gave it 

 its singular country name, is not peculiar to this 

 plant, which formed a portion of the floral clock of 

 Linnaeus, from its closing its eyes at noonday, when, 

 in the language of Cowley, it " shuts its flowers at 

 noon and goes to sleep." It does not open its petals 

 during rainy weather. 



Besides this giant species, there are thousands of 

 yellow-rayed flowers in the meadows and by the way- 

 side, from August to September, belonging to the 

 Hawkbit or Hawkweed tribes. The former are dis- 

 tinguished from the latter by the long flower-cups 

 being covered with long hairy scales. The Hawk- 

 weeds (Hieracwm) are very numerous, varying in 

 size and colour, but all of a yellow tint, and having a 

 general resemblance to the dandelion. The Mouse-ear 

 Hawkweed (H. pilosella) is of a pale primrose hue, 

 and, from its creeping habit, frequently appears in old 

 pastures in great profusion. The old tradition runs, 

 that the hawk fed on the hawkweed, and fed its young 

 with it, in order that it might gain clearness of vision. 

 Another small star-like plant is the Hairy Thrincia 



