338 THE UNIVERSE. 



its membranous wings and launches itself in pursuit of these 

 insects. Some delicate molluscs rise towards dawn to the 

 surface of the sea, and sink beneath its waves so soon as 

 ever the sun gilds its undulating ripples. 



Again we behold plants or their corollas displaying them- 

 selves and opening according to the seasons and hours of 

 the day. So exact are they in their movements that a 

 sagacious observer, attentively following up these phenom- 

 ena, soon sees that by means of them he can arrange calen- 

 dars and clocks, all the divisions of which the charming 

 goddess of flowers indicates accurately with her finger. 



It is known that Pliny, having noted with care the times 

 at which plants flower, conceived the idea that we might 

 make use of them to mark the different seasons of the year. 

 Cuvier even asserts that the Roman naturalist proposed to 

 arrange a complete floral calendar ; but the project was first 

 thoroughly carried out by Linnaeus, and it is one of the 

 most elegant conceptions of his genius. 



This floral calendar is accurate enough, and we can see 

 that each month of the year is exactly indicated by the 

 blooming of certain flowers. The first month, despite its 

 snow and ice, sees the black hellebore flower. During the 

 second the alder shakes its catkins and the mezereon seems 

 to smile on the spring, scattering its flowerets over its 

 boughs. In March the wall-flower decorates the old walls 

 with its golden corollas, and in our gardens the crown-im- 

 perial opens its treacherous bells. The following month the 

 periwinkle expands its leafy net-work in the shadow of our 

 forests. In May, flowers abound ; the iris, the lily of the 

 valley, and the lilac perfume the air on every side. Dur- 



