76 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



In the language of flowers the snow- 

 drop signifies consolation or hope, 

 which is possibly the reason it is so 

 often seen planted on graves, especially 

 those of children. The esteem which the 

 modest flower of the snowdrop excites 

 is illustrated by a Eussian anecdote. 

 Till recently a soldier sentinel was 

 always placed on a certain spot on the 

 lawn in front of the Imperial Palace at 

 St. Petersburg. A new commanding 

 officer on taking office enquired why 

 he was stationed there. No one could 

 tell, only it had always been done. 

 Not satisfied with this answer, he 

 caused the archives of the palace to be 

 searched for an explanation, when it 

 was found that in the reign of the 

 Empress Catherine a snowdrop had 

 grown there, and Her Majesty had 

 commanded a soldier to watch over 

 and protect it from injury, and the 

 routine of office had prolonged the 

 guard long after the flower had dis- 

 appeared and been forgotten. 



The name " snowdrop originated, 

 not from a snow shower, which falls in 

 flakes, not drops, but from the droop- 

 ing closed blossoms resembling the 

 pendents or drops which, attached to 

 brooches, earrings, &c., were formerly 

 so universally worn as an article of 

 feminine adornment. Another com- 

 mon name is " Pair maids of Febru- 

 ary ^' and " Purification flower,^' from 

 its blossoming at the time when dam- 

 sels dressed in white walked in pro- 



cession at the feast of the purification, 

 February 2nd. Its French name of 

 " Perce-neige " is exquisitely expres- 

 sive, for how often may it be seen 

 after a fall of snow with its two clasped 

 leaves embracing the unopened spathe, 

 through which shines the white blos- 

 soms, and pushing its upward way 

 through the superincumbent snow. 

 Its botanic name, Galanthus nivalis — 

 gala, milk ; anthos, a flower ; nivalis, 

 snow ; — the milk-white snow-flower 

 is delightfully appropriate. It is a 

 favourite flower with the poets. Keble 

 welcomes it thus : — 



" Thou first-born of the year's delight, pride 



of the dewy glade, 

 In vernal green and virgin white, thy vestal 



robes arrayed. 

 They twinkle to the wintry moon and cheer 



the ungenial day, 

 And tells us all will glisten soon as green 



and bright as they. 

 Is there a heart that loves the spring their 



witness can refuse ? " 



And Langhorne sings — 



" Earliest bud that decks the garden, fairest 

 of the fragrant race, 



First-born child of vernal Flora, seeking 

 mild thy lowly place ; 



Though no warm or murmuring Zephyr fan 

 thy leaves with balmy wing, 



Pleased we hail thee, spotless blossom, her- 

 ald of the infant spring. 



Wordsworth calls it— 

 " Chaste snowdrop, venturous harbinger of 

 spring, 



And pensive monitor of fleeting years." 



" The dancing daifodils 

 That come before the swallow dares, and take 

 The winds of March with beauty," 



