40 NATURE STUDY 



where the tall willow-herb raises its pink 

 spikes, and the flags and lilies sway in the 

 current, while the water-hens struggle to 

 hide themselves in the green recesses; or 

 through woods under the arched branches 

 of beeches and oaks, and the more sombre 

 foliage of pines and firs rising out of deep 

 heather; or on mountains, clothed to the 

 summit with heather and granite chips, or 

 a pastoral covering of verdant grass. If 

 the appreciation of these beauties is not 

 inborn it certainly needs little training to 

 acquire some measure of it ; but the beauty 

 and pleasantness cannot be fully compre- 

 hended unless one is able to name a few 

 at least of the plants and animals which 

 impart variety to the scene, and to associate 

 with them some facts respecting their nature 

 or uses. 



Such knowledge adds greatly to our 

 interest when we visit for the first time a 

 region at a distance from our home. We 

 are then enabled not merely to admire the 

 change of scenery and environment, but to 

 compare intelligently the trees and flowers, 

 birds and insects, of the place at which we 



