SUMMER IN THE ALPS 81 



is entirely different. Crumbled rock takes the 

 place of turf, and huge boulders lie strewn about 

 the steep declivity. Snow, too, still fills many of 

 the gullies. With such a change in aspect and 

 condition there is bound to be a change in vegeta- 

 tion, and we shall find few of the things which 

 people the sunny, grassy slopes we are leaving 

 behind us. Sure enough, here is a widespread 

 colony of an Alpine Crowfoot (Ranunculus glacialis), 

 with its shining white flowers, which rapidly turn a 

 madder red after the bees, flies, or winds have 

 visited them much in the manner of the Box- 

 leaved Polygala, of Micheli's Daisy, and of 

 Lathy i~us luteus. The Alpine Toad- Flax is here, 

 too, in profusion ; and an Alpine Willow-herb 

 (Epilobium Fleischeri), with its rosy flowers and 

 cottony seed ; so, also, is that brilliant and arresting 

 gem, Sempervivum arachnoideum, with its bright 

 brick-red or crimson stars enlivening the severe, 

 grey rock. Several Saxifrages are also here : the 

 violet -red Saxifraga oppositifoUa- the greenish- 

 yellow S. muscoides, and the cream - coloured 

 8. aspera, with golden yellow at the base of each 

 petal ; while on these sunnier rocks is many a rosette 

 of S. Aizoon, the commonest and yet one of the 

 loveliest of Swiss Saxifrages, and varying greatly 



11 



