176 EYE SPY 



has gradually been pushed upward and out by the 

 growing seed-tuft. In another hour, perhaps, the 

 calyx will again open, and bend down against the 

 stem, while the bed at the bottom to which the 

 seeds are attached will round upward through the 

 feathers outward in the form of a ball. This 

 rounded seed-bed, or receptacle, as it is called in 

 our botany, shortly withers, and the winged para- 

 chutes take flight at the slightest zephyr, whereas 

 at first a smart breeze would have been required. 



Now all this is by -the -way, for not every one 

 understands how the dandelion ball is made. I 

 know a little bird, however, who has found it out 

 to her advantage. I have just alluded to a cer- 

 tain mutilation of this calyx which puzzled me. I 

 have shown one of these calyxes in my title pict- 

 ure, at the right, one - half of it being torn off, 

 and disclosing a cavity. Where are the seeds.? 

 " Ah ! some rare caterpillar has done this !" I ex- 

 claimed, when I first observed the burglary. In 

 vain I hunted amonsf the leaves to find him. 



o 



Again and again I found my rifled dandelion, but 

 never a sign of the burglar. But one day I sur- 

 prised him at his work. It was no caterpillar, 

 but a tiny, black bird with a beautiful rosy band 

 in his tail, and which proved to be that butterfly 

 among the birds, the redstart. I hardly knew 

 what he was doing out there among the dande- 

 lions, and presumed he was after my mysterious 



