144 WILD FLOWERS OF SCOTLAND 



" Sutherland, does it ? Any more ? " 

 " It appears just here and there down the coast, 

 always near the water. It never forgets that it 

 was born of the Orkney sea breezes, and scattered 

 over your island by the first spring west wind. It 

 nowhere seems to meet its woodland sister, the 

 bluebell ; at least I never heard of the meeting. 

 Your scilla is not bright blue like the other ? " 

 " No, it is pale." 



" That is because it is a child of the sea. Now, 

 the bluebell creeps up the centre of the country, 

 disappears into dens and other snug places by the 

 way; shivers back from the coast unless there is 

 abundant shelter ; and positively refuses to venture 

 into Sutherland or Caithness. Your pale seaside 

 bell forms a sort of ring, very thin and interrupted, 

 round the inland and woodland bluebell." 



" I wonder if they really do meet anywhere ? " 

 The idea of two sisters held apart affected her 

 imagination, and sentiment for the moment pre- 

 vailed over her common sense. 



" If I hear of it, I shall let you know." 

 In St. Andrews they are divided only by the 

 breadth of the town the scilla growing on the 

 links to the north, and the harebell in sheltered 

 places of the cliffs to the south. 



