142 THE OPEN BOOK OF NATURE 
Ranunculacez. On p. 10 we find particulars of the 
Order Berbeéridacez, but our plant does not answer 
to them. We go on and on through the Natural 
Orders until we come to Caryophyllacéz on p. 38. 
At last we have found an Order which our plant 
fits; but we immediately discover that this Order is 
subdivided into two Sub-orders. Sub-order Silenez 
has sepals connected into a tube. The sepals of 
our plant answer this requirement, so we conclude 
that it belongs to Silenee. We are gettin; on very 
well, but have yet to decide the genus and species. 
We go through the details of the genera on p. 38 
until we get to Lychnis ; we stop at Lychnis, for we 
are satisfied our plant belongs to that genus— 
it answers to the description in all points. Now 
we turn over the pages of “‘ Johns” until we come 
to the list of species belonging to the genus Lychnis. 
We find the list on p. 42. Our plant must be one 
of the six species described. We decide that it is 
not Lychnis Plos-Cucult (Ragged Robin) (Plate 47, a) 
because it has not deeply four-cleft petals. It can- 
not be L. vespertina, because its flowers are rose- 
coloured, and open during the day. But—yes, it 
must be L. diurna (Red Campion), for it answers 
the description exactly. 
So, after some pleasant toil, in the course of which 
we have picked up quite a lot of information, we 
have run our plant to earth—we have identified it. 
It is no less than the lovely Red Campion that 
flourishes in the hedgerows and helps to make them 
beautiful all the summer through. You will find 
a photograph of our friend on Plate 18. 
There are four more plants here for us to identify. 
