56 Introductmy View of the 



yet the fact is, that the particular species honoured, as more 

 peculiarly the descendant of the beautiful youth, with the 

 title of Poetic Narcissus (N, poeticus), blooms in the open 

 fields, in elevated situations and a sandy soil. The poets 

 tell us also that Narcissus was changed into a yellow flower ; 

 yet this has white petals. The cup which it fills with tears is 

 yellow, with a border of white divided from the yellow by a 

 circle of deep crimson. Are we to believe that the flower, 

 aware of the fate of its ancestor, has learned to shun the 

 watery mirror that proved so fatal to him, and in conse- 

 quence has lost its jaundiced hue ? or are we to suppose that 

 the Poetic Narcissus usurps a title more justly due to that spe- 

 cies called 



Daffodils, 



That come before the swallow dares. 



And take the winds of March with beauty." 



Certain it is, that the daffodil is furnished with a spacious 

 lachrymatory. The reader is, doubtless, acquainted with 

 the wild daffodils found in moist woods, or thickets, in the 

 month of March, and will remember the large cup in the cen- 

 tre, which is crimped like a lady's frill; the young student 

 may be puzzled to know what name to give to this cup. It 

 is not the corolla ; that is formed of six petals, affixed to the 

 cup. Let him open the flower, and he will find that the base 

 of the cup is, more or less, elongated into a tube ; within 

 which is collected the honied treasure that awaits the bee. 

 This part is termed the nectary, a name given by Linnagus to 

 the part containing the collected honey, whatever be its form ; 

 and, in variety, it vies with the corolla itself. In many flowers, 

 the corolla performs the office of the nectary ; in others it is 

 distinct, as in that of which I am now speaking; and when- 

 ever the young student meets with any part of a flower, that 

 he is puzzled to find a name for, he will do well to consider 

 if it may not be the nectary. In many cases, he will be apt to 

 overlook it altogether, unless it be pointed out to him. 



The fritillary, Fritillaria {fritillus^ a chess-board), is a hand- 

 some, but rare plant, bearing a flower about the size of an 

 egg-cup, broad at its base, and pendulous ; the colour a red 

 purple, checkered with paler purple or white ; whence it has 

 been called the chess-board flower, checkered daffodil, &c. 

 If the student inspect this flower narrowly, he will perceive 

 within each petal, near the base, a little black line, which he 

 will discover to be a cavity secreting honey ; and will imme- 

 diately decide upon its name and office. Hence he will 

 learn that flowers have sometimes several nectaries ; this has 



