248 WILD FLOWERS. 



Flora's choice buttons, of a russet dye (?) 

 Is hope even in the depth of misery." 



We have in Britain but one columbine, the Aqui- 

 legia vulgaris, which though rare in some places, is 

 frequent in others, and is well known from its fre- 

 quent occurrence in gardens. A theory, based on a 

 tradition, exists, that it is not a native plant, but a 

 Roman introduction, only occurring in a really 

 wild state in localities at some period occupied by 

 these colonists. I am not aware whether obser- 

 vations tending to settle this question have been 

 carried out on any systematic plan, but so far as 

 my own chance observation extends, there appears 

 to be good ground for the supposition. At any rate 

 it is worthy of further inquiry. 



Dr. Withering refers to the columbine as afford- 

 ing an interesting illustration of the wonderful gift 

 of insect instinct. It is impossible for the bee to 

 gather the rich stores of honey furnished by this 

 flower by entering the elongated nectaries ; but he 

 is not to be daunted, and his keen sense of smell 

 discovering the exact spot in which the treasure is 

 secreted, he pierces through calix and blossom with 

 his pointed proboscis, and so extracts the sweets. 

 The same ingenious contrivance is employed both 

 by bee and wasp for the extraction of honey from 

 the Cuphcea and other plants ; and I have frequently, 

 on a bright, warm day, vainly sought in a bed of 

 these plants for a single fully-expanded blossom, 

 the long thin tube of which had not been thus 

 pierced at its base. 



