We have already dealt with flowers that grow in various damp situations, as moist meadows, woods, &c.; but there are a few such which seem to be particularly partial to the banks of rivers, streams, and ditches: short descriptions of these will be placed separately in the present chapter. It will be understood from the foregoing remark that the species taken here form only a small proportion of the flowers that actually grow by the river side; for although the numerous species commonly seen in moist fields and meadows may flourish quite to the water's edge, yet there are not many which require the extreme wetness of soil that restricts them to the sodden banks of rivers and streams. Our first example is the Common Meadow Rue (_Thalictrum flavum_). It belongs to the order _Ranunculaceæ_, but its pale yellow flowers do not, at first sight, suggest a resemblance to the buttercups, anemones, and other favourite flowers of this group, for they have no petals, very small sepals, and are rendered conspicuous only by their densely-clustered stamens, with their long, projecting, bright yellow anthers. The plant is erect, from two to four feet high; and flowers during July and August. Passing over the Monk's-hood (_Aconitum Napellus_), so well known as a garden flower, which is occasionally seen wild near the banks of streams and ditches, we come to the Blue Meadow Crane's-bill (_Geranium pratense_)--one of the several species of pretty Wild Geraniums (order _Geraniaceæ_). It is a downy plant, varying from one to four feet high, with an erect stem, swollen at the nodes; and opposite, roundish leaves, deeply divided into five or seven lobes with sharp segments. The flowers are of a bluish purple colour, an inch or more in diameter, usually arranged two on a stalk, the two pedicels spreading while in flower, but turned downwards when in fruit. The five sepals have long points, and the five petals are slightly notched. As in other species of the genus there are ten stamens, five shorter than the other five; and a five-lobed ovary, with an equal number of long styles, all attached to a long, central beak. The five carpels separate when ripe, and are raised by the curling of their styles. This flower is common in wet meadows, especially in the southern counties, and is usually more frequent along the banks of rivers and ditches, but it is sometimes also seen in wet thickets. It flowers in June and July. [Illustration: THE COMMON MEADOW RUE.]