Music of the Wild 



enemies stealing up to destroy it. I did not enter 

 the thicket again, so its fate is unknown. But 

 that a vireo and a finch should be homing in such 

 a place proves how universally birds as well as 

 flowers are distributed. Brilliant color attracts 

 bird and insect musicians not only to the water's 

 edge, but over it to the depth of the longest white 

 water lily stem, which ranges from three feet to 

 a specimen I once pulled that was sixteen. 



The five typical flowers growing in the water 



at the outer edge of all other vegetation are the 



Water arrowhead lily, blue flag, yellow lily, water hya- 



Flowers cm th, white water lily, and differing members of 



their families. They are all beautiful plants of 



fine leaf and exquisite bloom; and there are some 



who will prefer one, and some another. My choice 



is the arrowhead, not only of marsh flowers, but 



among any; it ranks well toward first with me. 



I love a red flower in the fields; it appears so 

 vital, so full of life, it excites the imagination and 

 warms the cockles of the heart; for red is love's 

 own color. A red flower or fruit or leaf appears 

 to be a consummation of something worth while; 

 the fields have done a perfect work, now I must 

 busy myself and produce results to prove what I 

 am attempting. Any day my faith weakens, a bed 

 of foxfire or cardinal flower waving salutation can 

 renew my courage and urge me on with fresh zeal ; 

 and if a cardinal bird just then comes winging 

 382 



