158 BIRDS AND MAN 



reds, as in the Gloire de Dijon rose, the effect is 

 most beautiful and the expression most marked. 

 But the expression in flowers of a pale dull, impure 

 yellow, where there is an expression, is unpleasant. 

 It is the yellow of unhealthy skins, of faces 

 discoloured by jaundice, dyspepsia, and other 

 ailments. We commonly say of such flowers 

 that they are " sickly " in colour, and the associa- 

 tion is with sick and decaying humanity. Gerarde, 

 in describing such hues in flowers, was fond of the 

 word " overworn " ; and it was a very good word, 

 and, like the one now in use, is derived from the 

 association. 



It will be noted by those who are acquainted 

 with many flowers that I have given the names 

 of but few — it may be too few — as examples, and 

 that these are nearly all of familiar wild flowers. 

 My reason for not going to the garden is, that 

 our cultivated blooms are not only artificially 

 produced, and in some degree monstrosities, 

 but they are seen in unnatural conditions, in 

 crowds and masses, the various kinds too near 

 together, and in most cases selected on account 

 of their gorgeous colouring. The effect pro- 

 duced, however delightful it may be in some 



