THE WONDERS OF VEGETATION. 



Nymphese in full bloom, with which the sculptors of 

 the Pharaohs have sometimes intermingled bunches 

 of dates. 



There is no Egyptian monument on which Iris 

 is not represented surrounded by the lotus, or holding 

 bouquets of it in her hand. This flower was the in- 

 dispensable ornament of the immortal goddess. In 

 the Hindoo temples it also serves as a seat for Bramah, 

 who is represented sitting and holding in his hands 

 the sacred Yedas. 



Poetry has exhausted all its resources in telling of 

 the perfume and color of flowers. Nature has sur- 

 passed art, and the pencil of Apelles and Reubens 

 could not reproduce them in all their magnificence. 

 And yet one color, black, is wanting amid this multi- 

 tude of varied tints. Some corollas, such as those of 

 certain Scabiosse, are, it is true, of a sombre purple, 

 but a perfect black is never seen in this organ. 



One phenomenon occurs in respect to the coloring 

 of flowers which has been a good deal talked about ; 

 it is the mutability of it. Pallas, when exploring the 

 banks of the Yolga, remarked with astonishment that 

 a species of anemone, the anemone patens, sometimes 

 bore white flowers, sometimes yellow, and sometimes 

 red flowers. This phenomenon, still unexplained, 

 appeared so abnormal that it was mentioned every- 

 where. It is, however, common enough ; and we may 

 observe it any time in France without encountering 

 such a long journey. 



The field pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), so com- 

 mon in our country districts, frequently displays this 



