154 BIRDS AND MAN 



do indeed resemble the white of the eyeballs and 

 the teeth in human faces ; but we may see that 

 this human white colour by itself has no human 

 association in a flower. 



The whiteness of the white flower where 

 there is any red is never unhuman, probably 

 because a very brilliant red or rose colour on 

 some deUcate skins causes the light flesh -tints 

 to appear white by contrast, and is the complexion 

 known as " milk and roses." The apple-blossom 

 is a beautiful example, and the beloved daisy — 

 the " wee, modest, crimson-tipped flower," which 

 would be so much less dear but for that touch 

 of human crimson. This is the herb-Margaret 

 of so many tender and pretty legends, that has 

 white for purity and red for repentance. Among 

 other common examples are the rosy-white haw- 

 thorn, wood anemone, bindweed, dropwort, and 

 many others. In the dropwort the rosy buds 

 are seen among the creamy white open flowers ; 

 and the expression is always very marked and 

 beautiful when there is any red or purple tinge 

 or blush on cream -whites and ivory -whites. 

 When we look from the dropwort to its nearest 

 relative, the common meadow-sweet, we see how 



