WOODLAND PATHS 



often purple or even lavender, yet they 

 would do, lacking a more pronounced 

 shade. But I could not find a hepatica in 

 bloom as yet. Their tri-lobed leaves are 

 still green and show but little the wear 

 and tear of the winter's frosts and thaws. 

 In the center of each group is the pointed 

 bud that encloses the furry blossoms, itself 

 as softly clad in protecting fur as the body 

 of my moth visitor, but no hint of color 

 peeped from it as yet. You need to look 

 carefully in very early spring to be sure 

 of this, too; for the hepatica is the shy- 

 est of sweet young things, and when she 

 first blooms it is with such modesty that 

 you have to chuck the flower-heads un- 

 der the chin to get a glimpse even of 

 their eyes. Later on the coaxing sun 

 reassures them and they stare placidly 

 and innocently up to it like wondering 

 children. 



