268 



FLASHLIGHTS ON NATTRK 



and as the branches of gorse are green like the 

 KMVI-S, both perform the same feeding function. 



In No. 5 I have chosen for illustration and 

 comparison a full-grown shoot of the common- 

 scented yellow 

 genista, so often 

 grown in pots 

 as a table decora- 

 tion. This pretty 

 shrub begins in 

 life so much like 

 agorse-bush,that 

 if I were to show 

 you very youth- 

 ful seedlings of 

 both, you could 

 hardly discrimi- 

 nate them. That 

 is to say, in all 

 probability, both 

 are descendants 

 of a common an- 

 cestor which had 

 trefoil leaves and 

 bright yellow pea- 



NO. 5. ITS FIRST COUSIN, THE GENISTA. floWCrS. But the 



scented genistas 



happened to find their lot cast in inaccessible 

 places, on cliffs or crags, where defence against 

 browsing animals was practically unnecessary ; 

 while our ruder northern gorse had its lines laid 

 on rough upland moors, where every passing beast 



