THE BEECH. 65 



all these parts are leaves metamorphosed, while in 

 the seed-pod we often find the leaf scarcely altered, 

 as happens in the legnme of the pea. Just as the 

 ribs in the human skeleton are so curved and dis- 

 posed as to form the great pectoral cavity in which 

 lie the most vital organs of the animal fabric, so in 

 the pod of the pea we find the edges of the leaf so 

 brought together as to convert it into a casket for the 

 seeds the most important part of the plant, and 

 round the history of which are concentrated all the 

 most admirable phenomena of its existence. Leaves 

 scarcely altered, except in texture, similarly consti- 

 tute the seed-pods of the larkspur, the aconite, and 

 that gay golden blossom of spring, called the marsh- 

 marigold ; and exactly conforming with all these are 

 the great seed-follicles of the South American trees 

 called Sterculias. 



The great glory of the beech is disclosed in the 

 month of October. The leaves then assume many 

 shades of yellow and amber, and the surface being 

 well adapted to reflect the light of the setting sun, 

 the spectacle, when the weather is fine and mild, is 

 most effective. Amid the immensely varied hues 

 supplied by oak and chestnut and elm, the beech 

 still lifts its magnificence distinct and unrivalled, 

 and even the crown of its concluding moments has a 

 richness superior to that of any other. Leaves, it 

 may be well to say, assume these beautiful tints in 

 autumn, through failure of their power to appropriate 



