18 



WILD COLUMBINE. 



In spring, Wild Columbine greets 

 us on rocky hillsides and in dry woods, 

 its handsome pendent blossoms nod- 

 ding a welcome to every breath of 

 air. Columbine is a hardy species 

 under cultivation but, although the 

 blossoms attain a larger size, they 

 lack the very daintiness that apneals 

 to us in the wild plant. The slender, 

 wiry. brandling stem is set with three- 

 parted leaves ; but it is the blossoms 

 that droop from the thread-like pe- 

 duncles that interest us the most — 

 bright red outside and yellow within ; 

 each of the five petals is funnel- 

 shaped, terminated with a spur and 

 extending backward from between the projecting sepals. 

 Nectar is contained in the tips of the slender spurs and it 

 must undoubtedly be a long-tongued creature that is able 

 to drain the cups legitimately. Small bees, that are un- 

 able to get at the nectar in the proper way, are wise enough 

 to gnaw through the spurs and steal the sweets. The big- 

 bumblebee, however, swings back down from the swaying 

 flower with all the abandon of the trained gymnast on his 

 trapeze and drinks to his heart's content. Yet this is not 

 the creature for which the Columbine is waiting, although 

 the large bees can fertilize the flowers. If we are fortunate 

 we may see the visitor for which the flower flaunts its 

 flaming red advertisement; with a buzz of wings a tiny 

 Hummingbird appears and, hovering before each blossom, 

 quickly inserts his bill successively in the cornucopias. Red 

 is the favorite color of our Hummingbird and whenever you 

 see a long-tubed red flower, you may be quite certain that 

 the smallest of birds will sooner or later visit it. 



Goldthread, shown on the right of the same plate, is a 

 small woodland plant, so named because of the bright yel- 

 low, threadlike roots. 



