84 GALAN'THUS NIVA'LIS EXAMINED. 



between the stamens, and each of them consists 

 of a little heart-shaped substance, beautifully 

 fringed with bristles : every bristle bearing on its 

 extremity a transparent yellow ball, which looks 

 like melted wax. Here is a little drawing 

 that will give you some idea of their figure. 

 The English name of the Parnas'sia palus'- 

 tris is Grass of Parnassus. 



But let us return to our Snowdrop. " The fila- 

 " ments, in the genus Galan'thus, are very short, 

 " and the anthers end in a fine point like a bristle. 

 " The pistil is longer than the stamens ; the style 

 " thread-shaped ; and the germen is rather large, 

 " roundish, and inferior ; " that is, placed below 

 the blossom, so that you can see it without pulling 

 off the petals. The specific name of the snowdrop 

 is Niva'lis. 



EDWARD. 



You have not described the leaves or the root. 



MOTHER. 



It is not necessary to do so, for the purpose of 

 distinction^ when there is but one species known 

 of any genus. The character of the genus, as I have 

 told you, depends upon the structure of the flower; 

 and the distinctions between the species, principally 

 upon differences in the roots, leaves, or other parts. 

 But where there is only one species, as of Galan'- 



