1 6 THE EVOLUTIONIST AT LARGE. 



II. 

 A WAYSIDE BERRY. 



HALF-HIDDEN in the luxuriant growth of 

 leaves and flowers that drape the deep side 

 of this green lane, I have just espied a little 

 picture in miniature, a tall wild strawberry- 

 stalk with three full red berries standing out 

 on its graceful branchlets. There are glossy 

 hart's-tongues on the matted bank, and yellow 

 hawkweeds, and bright bunches of red cam- 

 pion ; but somehow, amid all that wealth of 

 shape and colour, my eye falls and rests 

 instinctively upon the three little ruddy berries, 

 and upon nothing else. I pick the single stalK 

 from the bank and hold it here in my hands. 

 The origin and development of these pretty 

 bits of red pulp is one of the many curious 



