Music of the Wild 



have a spot of lilue. In company with Troilus, 

 Archipjjus, and Ctienia, these handsomest of all 

 marsh bntterflies flntter slowly from fioA\er to 

 flower, ])roviding most beautiful pictures where 

 everj'thing is a component part of one great, bril- 

 liant panorama. 



\^^lat a <piantity of gold there is in a marsh 

 when it even takes wing and flies through the air! 

 Pure Gold So many of the ])lants and flo^\'ers are yellow that 

 in August the colcjr predominates all around the 

 borders; yes, and even more. It lifts above the 

 water as A\ell; for there is tlie yello^\' lily, the pur- 

 est gold of all, sturdily erecting its unalloyed head 

 above the min-ky surface. 



Its hal)itat is a short distance farther out than 

 the arroM'head lih^ and tlie blue flag. It requires 

 more water. The Avhite pond lily leaf and bloom 

 rests directly on the surface, tlie yello^^■ raises its 

 thick, M'ooUy leaf and flower stems above. The 

 blooms have six cujii^y, deeply overlapping petals 

 of purest gold at the tip. green at the base outside, 

 and maroon of bright color inside. In tlie smallest 

 species the inside maroon is almost red. The 

 stigma is a deep yellow disk, very large; and as it 

 ripens the stamens seem to peel from it and grow 

 dusty ^vith ])ollen, while the floAver unfolds. 



On the first day of bloom the petals open so 

 narrowly tliat any bee entering must of necessity 

 trail the pollen adhering to its fvizz, across the 



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