ALPINES AT HOME IN SWITZERLAND. 43 



and larger than the Mother-of-thousands which dimbs 

 about our flint waUs, there is the Httle yellow Violet 

 (Viola bi flora), which makes amends for its diminutive 

 size by growing in compact clumps . There are Crocuses, 

 white and purple, somewhat starved looking, it must 

 be admitted, as though sunshine and warmth were 

 still rather rare. The white starry Saxifrages are much 

 more in their element, and the yellow Draba and pink 

 Androsace are full of vigorous life ; it would seem that 

 their one aim is to see how completely they could hide 

 their foHage in the multitude of flowers. But see the 

 side of that stone, it is as though garnets had been 

 bestrewn with a lavish hand over a clump of freshest 

 moss. Mossy Campion without doubt, but more dwarf 

 than when last seen on the ledges of Glyder-fach, in 

 Wales. And there close to it is the purple Saxifrage, 

 its foUage absolutely hidden by its purple beUs. Could 

 any embroidery be more lovely than that which it 

 gives to the big boulder, along the edge of which it 

 flourishes ? 



Then there are white Buttercups, one kind appearing 

 to brave the cold with easy assurance, another wrapping 

 its petals round with downy sepals as with a blanket. 

 The big white Anemones have a similar habit, and the 

 beauty of their pure white blossoms is enhanced by 

 the delicate shade of lavender in the fluffy coat which 

 surrounds them. And last of all there are the 

 slender pendent bells of the Soldanella, and the large 

 deep blue trumpets of the Gentian. We met with the 

 smaller species ere we left the Pine wood, and now we 

 have both it and the much larger Gentiana acaulis. 



