192 AUTUMNAL LEAVES. 



the marginal teeth and the other entering the ad- 

 joining one. It is interesting to note, in different 

 leaves, the different manner of the forking of the 

 veins. Sometimes it commences almost close to 

 the principal stem, sometimes midway between 

 that stem and the leaf margin and sometimes 

 almost close to the latter. Held against the light 

 the venation can be seen with great distinctness, 

 but the aid of a rnagnifying-glass will be required 

 to note the ramification over the leaf surface of 

 the minute veinlets; and it is noticeable that, in 

 the Elm leaf, there is not the same gradation, as 

 in some leaves, between the principal veins and 

 the ultimate veinlets, for the latter are almost im- 

 perceptible to the unaided eye where they ramify 

 in the spaces formed by the course of the almost 

 parallel veins. 



There are three principal stages of colouration 

 of the Elm by which we mean the familiar and 

 best known Ulmus campestris or Small-leaved 

 Elm of the field and hedgerow. There is the 

 light green of spring, the dark, and almost sombre, 

 green of the summer and the yellow of the 

 Autumn. So bright sometimes is the autumnal 



