160 THE OPEN BOOK OF NATURE 
cut, and its hairlike segments are longer than those 
of the Water Crowfoot. It has adapted itself to 
the more powerful stream. How wonderfully all 
things in Nature are suited to the situations in 
which they exist ! 
There is plenty of the Lesser Spearwort (Ranun- 
culus flammula) about, but I do not see any of its 
flowers. ‘There are some buds, however, and some 
flowers should be out in a week or so. ‘This plant 
has rather small Buttercup-like flowers. Its leaves, 
observe, are shaped like long lances ; they are very 
different from those of the ordinary Buttercups. 
Then here is the Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) 
in great profusion. What lovely big golden flowers ! 
Well might some people call them “ Kingcups.” 
This plant is another member of the Ranunuculus 
family. Its leaves at present are comparatively 
small, and they are not divided ; later in the year 
they will grow much larger. Why should this be ? 
Well, the flower is all-important just now ; it wants 
sun and air, and the visits of insects; big leaves 
would be in the way, but later on, when the flowers 
have done their work, the leaves can grow freely with- 
out injuring the prospects of the flowers. Indeed, 
the leaves are very busy after the flowering season ; 
they transform carbonic acid out of the atmosphere 
into food, and store it away for next year’s growth. 
Another plant here is a common colonist of damp 
ground—the Cuckoo Flower, or Milkmaid (Car- 
damine pratensis). Its stem, though slender, is 
rather tall; it grows in a slightly zigzag way, and 
reaches a height of from one to two feet. The leaves 
are pinnate. The flower has four petals, which are 
