Music of the Wild 



The bloom, sometimes an inch across, is a head of 

 fine petals, and reminds one of a painter's brush, 

 filled with exquisite color. Each little flower is 

 folded sej^arately, and at maturity ojjens, one at 

 a time, around the outer rim until the whole is a 

 mass of shaggy, delicately colored petals. The 

 seed slightly resembles larch fruit or Norwegian 

 pine cones, on account of being similar in shape 

 and covered with scales, but these are pvn-plish-red. 



One of these plants bears stamens, and another 

 pistils, so that they are unable to reproduce them- 

 selves; and were it not for the work of the bees 

 and butterflies in cross-fertilizing, they would 

 become extinct. They have enough stamens and 

 jiollen to give a golden glow to the base of the 

 petals, and are of sufficient j^erfimie to attract bees 

 and butterflies. Archippus, Coenia, and Troilus do 

 the ^\ork necessary in carrying pollen back and 

 forth lietween plants. 



The most excjuisite roadside bird of which I 

 ever have succeeded in making a series of studies 

 The is the goldfinch, commonly known in the country 

 ?old- as file "wild canary." tlie "lettuce" and "seed bird." 

 These are almost our latest migrants, wait luitil 

 July to l)uild, and bring off but one lirood in a sea- 

 son. The nest is a dainty affair of intricate con- 

 struction, and takes long-er to complete than that of 

 any otlier bird I know. I have seen a pair of orioles 

 build their nest in three days; but the goldfinches 



278 



Finch 



