THE OX-EYE DAISY. 87 



of obtaining specimens should resort to such spots before 

 the long- swathes of grass and blossom fall beneath the 

 keen edge of the scythe. It will ordinarily be found in 

 blossom by the middle of May. It is at its best for about 

 a month after that date ; but isolated specimens that 

 have escaped the general massacre of the hay-field may 

 be met with throughout- the summer, and even late into 

 the autumn. 1 is the Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum of 

 scientific nomenclature. The genus, deriving its name 

 from the Greek words chrisos, golden, and anthos, flower, 

 contains only two indigenous species, this under present 

 consideration and the C. segetum, or corn-marigold. The 

 two species may readily be distinguished. In the ox-eye 

 the central disc is yellow, and the rays surrounding it are 

 white ; while in the marigold the whole flower is yellow. 

 The specific name of the ox-eye signifies white flower, and 

 is, like the generic name, Greek in its origin. 



The plant ordinarily grows from one to two feet high. 

 The stems are hard and wiry in texture, furrowed, very 

 slightly branching. The leaves are coarsely toothed. Those 

 near the root are somewhat rounder in form than those on 

 the stem, and are on long stalks ; while those that spring 

 from the stem are stalkless. The flower-heads call for no 

 lengthy description. They are clearly shown on our plate. 



In the north of England and Scotland the daisy is often 

 called the gowan. Where this name is current, the ox-eye 

 daisy becomes the horse-go wan. Many names have " horse " 

 as a prefix. It is ordinarily used to imply that the plant is 

 rather large and coarse, and in the present instance serves 

 very well to mark the difference between the large showy 

 blossoms of the ox-eye and those of the "wee, modest, 

 crimson-tipped flower," the little daisy. Gowan means 



