A natural Rain-Gauge 183 



of the stein, and while the plant is young are connected in 

 a curious manner by a green membrane, or continuation of 

 the lower part of the leaf round the stem, so as to form a 

 cup. The stalk rises in the centre of the cup, and of these 

 vessels there are three or four above each other in storeys. 

 "When it rains, the drops, instead of falling off as from 

 other leaves, run down these and are collected in the cups, 

 which thus form so many natural rain-gauges. If it is a 

 large plant, the cup nearest the ground — the biggest — will 

 hold as much as two or three wine-glasses. This water 

 remains there for a considerable time, for several days 

 after a shower, and is fatal to numbers of insects which 

 climb np the stalk or alight on the leaves and fall in. 

 While the grass and the earth of the bank are quite dry, 

 therefore, the teazle often has a supply of water; and 

 when it dries up, the drowned insects remain at the 

 bottom like the dregs of a draught the plant has drained. 

 Round the prickly dome-shaped head, as the summer 

 advances, two circles of violet-hued flowers push out from 

 cells defended by the spines, so that, seen protruding above 

 the hedge, it resembles a tiara — a green circle at the 

 bottom of the dome, and two circles of gems above. 



Some of the grasses growing by the hedge are not to 

 be handled carelessly, the edge of the long blade cutting 

 like a lancet : the awn-like seeds of others, if they should 

 chance to get into the mouth, as happens occasionally to 

 the haymakers, work down towards the throat, the attempt 

 to get rid of them causing a creeping motion the oppo- 

 site way. This is owing to the awns all slanting in one 

 direction. 



On the sultry afternoons of the latter part of the 

 summer the hedge is all but silent. Waiting in the gate- 

 way there is no sound for half an hour at a time, no call or 



