62 



THE YOUNG- NATURALIST. 



Variation.— Varieties are rare. A very 

 beautiful one in Mr. Vaughan's cabinet is 

 figured in Mosley's "Illustrations of Varieties 

 of British Lepidoptera;" Vanessa, plate 3, fig. | 

 3, A similar one from Mr. Ingall's collection 

 is figured in Newman's British Bntterliies, 

 page 64. Another in Mr. Stevens' collection 

 is figured in the Entomologist, vol. 7, page 345. 

 In these the black is confined to the costa 

 and tip of the forewing, and a row of paler 

 rings appear on the hind margin of the hind 

 wing. A variety without the white apical 

 spots is in the collection, of the late Alfred 

 Owen's of Maghull. Pale and dwarf specimens 

 also occur sometimes, and an abberration in 

 which the spots are confluent, has been called j 

 Elymi, Rhr., an Australian variety is also ■ 

 named, Ktrshawii; M'Coy. We do not know 

 its distinguishing characteristics. 



Parasites.— None known to us yet. 



THE FOUR SEASONS: 



A Story from the Book of Nature. 

 By Lucy Fern. 



Chap. IV. 



A BOTANICAL LESSON. 



Before Spring had finished her sketch the 

 two girls were returning with faces as rosy as 

 an evening sky. The run and the draught of 

 crystal water had warmed them thoroughly, 

 and ever after Sunshine and Shower might 

 be seen chasing each other over the fields in 

 order to drive away the chill. 



" Do you know, Spring, we found a bird's 

 nest, down in the lane, with four beautiful 

 blue eggs spotted with black." 



" Yes, it would be a thrush's, it is one of 

 our earliest birds to build. In mild seasons 

 I have often seen young ones by this time. 

 Hark ! yonder is one of the birds, how 

 sweetly it sings ! people in tropical countries 

 would give anything to hear a bird sing like 

 that ; though their birds and insects beat 



ours by far in color, yet they have nothing 

 that can compare with our birds for song." 



Shower taking up the sketch that was just 

 finished, expressed a wish that she could 

 paint like that, whereupon Spring took her 

 to task, and gave her a lecture upon the folly 

 of wishing. " Try " would learn anybody, 

 he was not particular as to his pupils, but if 

 she allowed " I can't" to have his own way 

 she would neither learn to paint, nor any- 

 thing else. 



The three now returned home, and Spring 

 spent the greater part of the day in perfecting 

 the little scene she had taken in the forest. 



In the evening Spring and John had taken 

 a walk along some of the beautiful woodland 

 paths that abounded in the neighbourhood. 

 They were returning, and had gathered a 

 pretty bouquet ot wild iiowers, primroses, 

 anemones, sweet violets, and the scentless 

 purple ones, daisies with their petals touched 

 with rosy, and other early gems, for she was 

 always delighted to have the air of her room 

 purified by the refreshing influence of flowers. 

 In the garden a few snowdrops and crocuses 

 were added, and the whole bunch was taken 

 within, and arranged in a glass of water. 



John was beginning to feel interested in 

 those objects which gave Spring so much 

 pleasure ; he had learnt the first letter in the 

 alphabet of that Great Book which she had 

 read go attentively, and so well. Spring 

 broke a momentary silence. 



" John, Is not gathering flowers, and study- 

 ing their habits and structure, a delightful 

 exercise ? There are many exercises which, 

 as such are good for the body, but they are 

 of no use to the nr'nd. If you only knew 

 how much pleasure I have derived from the 

 study of nature I think you would not be long 

 in sharing with me in those tastes. The 

 study of nature, John, has to me been one of 

 the greatest pleasures of my life, when all 

 things else have failed, this has never failed ; 

 it has taken me into the pleasantest of places, 

 and among the best of people, and had it not 

 been that this study had taken me out into 



