lo Flowers and their Pedigrees. 



of his judgment. But there is a way in which one 

 can really to some extent throw oneself into the 

 mental attitude of a human being reduced in size so 

 as to look at the moss-forest with the eye of a beetle, 

 while retaining all the distinctive psychological traits 

 of his advanced humanity : and that is by making 

 himself a microscopic eye with the aid of a little 

 pocket-lens. Even for those who do not want to use 

 one scientifically, it opens a whole universe of new 

 and delightful scenery in every tuft of grass and every 

 tussock of wayside weeds ; and by its aid I hope to 

 show you this morning how far the eyes and aesthetic 

 tastes of insects help us to account for the pedigree of 

 our familiar childish friend, the daisy. No fairy tale 

 was every more marvellous, and yet certainly no fairy 

 tale was ever half so true. 



I propose then, to-day, to dissect one of these 

 daisies with my little knife and glass, and unravel, if 

 I can, the tanked skein of causes which have given it 

 its present shape, and size, and colour, and arrange- 

 ment. If you choose, you can each pick a daisy for 

 yourselves, and pull it to pieces as I go along, to check 

 off what I tell you ; but if you are too lazy, or can't 

 find one within reach, it doesn't much matter ; for 

 you can at least carry the picture of so common a 

 flower well enough in your mind's eye to follow what 



