THE HAREBELL. 



compared to the rosettes of London-pride, 

 which are similarly clustered, but which 

 do not die down as the flower-stem ad- 

 vances. 



About June, however, the harebell plant 

 has eaten and drunk enough to venture upon 

 leaving its caterpillar stage behind, and 

 sending up the loose cluster of waving blue 

 flowers which represent its butterfly. In 

 order to do this, and overtop the tall grasses 

 which have sprouted meanwhile, it with- 

 draws the whole of the living green-stuff 

 from its heart-shaped root-leaves, and uses 

 up the active material they contain in build- 

 ing its flower-stem. Thus, as the stem 

 lengthens, and the buds begin to swell, the 

 lower leaves die away altogether ; only a 

 few quite dissimilar and very narrow blades 

 on the ascending branches now represent 

 the original foliage. After the flowers have 

 set, even these last disappear, or dry up 

 on the stem, their living material being 

 withdrawn in turn to supply food for the 

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