304 AUTUMNAL LEAVES. 



on two of its four sides. The margin is scolloped 

 into a series of little bays formed by prominent 

 points, which, so to speak, bound them the bay 

 between each two points being sharply indented, 

 whilst the base of the leaf, which may be said to 

 form two short sides of it, is unindented. To 

 each of the prominent points of the serratures 

 branches run from the mid vein in straight, parallel 

 lines and in opposite pairs the venation between 

 them, inconspicuous to the unaided eye, being 

 very finely reticulated. 



The Birch foliage does not offer a great variety 

 of tints as a contribution to the splendours of 

 autumnal colours, but the motion of its pretty 

 little, glossy leaves which are always ' twinkling ' 

 in the sunshine, adds life and intensity to their 

 hue. The normal colour of the summer leaf is a 

 bright, fresh green. As the wane of the year 

 commences, freckles of yellow and orange begin 

 to appear upon the verdant tissue, and, gradually 

 spreading, form many pretty effects and give rise 

 to varied contrasts. Sometimes one side of a 

 leaf will remain green whilst the other is fast 

 changing into yellow, golden brown, or orange, 



