6 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



nettle leaves seem really to reject magnifying glass, and found the sur" 



the rain ; you may look in vain for a face softly hairy ; but this does not 



leaf which clearly shows the moisture carry me very far. Experiments with 



upon it, and if you closely watch the a watering-pot as well as the magni- 



drops faUing, they seem to vanish fying glass might tell us something 



and come to nothing as they reach more. 



these dark forbidding structures. Yet No one needs to be told how whole- 

 underneath them the long swordgrass some for the life of birds is a shower 

 is sparkling with a thousand diamonds ; of rain ; they let us know it themselves 

 so is the clover, and the beautiful by breaking out into song the moment 

 silverleaf (Potentilla anserina), and the rain has passed. I seem to notice 

 above them the wild rose and the that this is more particularly the 

 honeysuckle both keep these brilliant case with our resident species, less 

 gems for a short while. It might so perhaps with those that have come 

 almost seem as if the plants that we from hot climates to bring up their 

 love best have this way of decking young in cooler regions. Or at least 

 themselves out, while those that we I shall not be wrong in saying that 

 value least have never acquired it ; few of these summer migrants will 

 for I notice that neither the docks nor sing actually during the rain, while 

 the tall acrid buttercup can use the the blackbird, song-thrush, missel- 

 rain to please the human eye. But thrush, robin, may always be heard 

 this is fancy, and for the real facts if the rain is not too hard and cold, 

 and the reasons for them, which are Yesterday (May 16) we had the first 

 doubtless to be found in the varying soft rain fragrant rain, as I like to 

 structure of the leaves and the nature call it that we have enjoyed for weeks, 

 of their surfaces, we must go to the and while it was falling the blackbirds 

 professed botanist. I have lately no- were wonderfully voiceful, and, as I 

 ticed that of all the plants in my fancied, unusually mellow. The sweet 

 garden the lupins, even with their monotonous song of the missel-thrush 

 small pointed leaves, which look as is often to be heard while a wet gale 

 though they never could retain a is blowing ; but the whitethroats and 

 drop, had decorated themselves more whinchats and blackcaps, which have 

 beautifully than ah 1 their neighbours, only lately joined us, seem to like to 

 I put a lupin leaf under a strong wait till the rain is over. I am not 



