176 NATURE STUDY REVIEW [10:5— May, 1914 



The earliest and bravest is the spring beauty. Hardly has the 

 snow melted away before its two slender leaves, with flower bud 

 between, appear above the ground. Frost is still in the earth 

 and cold nights chill, and cold winds blow. But in spite of these 

 conditions the leaves grow and the buds expand, and some warm 



t^opyrignt 19 13 



Fig. 2. The nodding blossoms of the 

 ■Dog's-Tooth Violet 



bright day, on the sunny side of some giant of the woods, you will 

 find a few pioneer blossoms, pink, purple-lined things of beauty. 

 These are, as has been said, only the pioneers. They are trying 

 out the conditions. For with the advance of the season their 

 numbers increase greatly, and many woodlands will you find 

 whose open places are carpeted with these delicate forms, so 



