188 Signals of Autumn 



other unexpected places on their unconscious search 

 for a new seed-bed, and even hovering in the 

 London streets. The great willow-herb follows 

 it by the water-sides, and reaches its full height in 

 August. As the month goes on, the caterpillars 

 of the elephant hawk-moth can be found resting 

 on its leaves, with their intimidating pattern of 

 glaring eye-balls. The spires of the purple loose- 

 strife and the lilac blossoms of various mint-plants 

 multiply in the same river-side beds. Simul- 

 taneously a tide of purple spreads from the corn- 

 fields and streams and woodlands to the bare 

 moors and the open fringes of the sea. Heather 

 bursts into bloom when the freshness of the early 

 summer verdure is spent ; and, like a dream of 

 heather borne with the drift from distant hills, the 

 stain of sea-lavender flushes the tidal estuaries. 

 High on the downs the flowers of later summer 

 lightly fleck the sward with the same pervading 

 hue. Here the dwarf scabious replaces the tall 

 scabious of the lower fields, and has the same 

 late summer dye. Thyme streaks and splashes 

 the turf with the purple blossom that seems to 

 exhale the very spirit of August afternoons. There 

 is often a tinge of purple in the harebell's delicate 

 blue ; and the small autumn gentians obscurely 

 star the turf in strong sunshine, and sleep closed 

 in the flurrying rain. 



