526 WILD FLOWERS OF 



the fog has frequently surrounded me ; or while the 

 storm in its utmost artilleried fury has been sweeping 

 over the plain below, some of those islet-like hills that 

 dot the level country of this beauteous part of Eng- 

 land, have shone forth splendid as meteors, wrapped 

 in the radiance of the declining sun, unscathed by 

 the hurricane around them, like men of purer mould 

 elevated above the crimes and passions desolating and 

 destroying inferior human nature. 



Lecanora numbers thirty-two British species, among 

 which L. subfusca, with its brown polished shields 

 often beautifies the trunks of old ash trees ; and L. 

 varia of a pale olive green, and the yolk-of-egg Leca- 

 nora (L. vitellina), distinguished by its bright yellow 

 colour, are not uncommon on old rails, gate-posts, &c. 

 L. atra, with its clustered black apothecia is a very 

 common object on rocks, walls, and stones in church 

 yards ; while the Crab's-eye Lecanora (L, parelld), 

 and the Cudbear (L. tartarea), abundantly adorn the 

 rocks of our higher hills and dark heathy mountains. 

 Hence their characteristic home is in stern alpine 

 solitudes, for the Lichen tribe nourish at a loftier 

 elevation than is attained by any other plants, as thus 

 intimated by DARWIN 



" Where frowning Snowdon bends his dizzy brow 

 O'er Con way, listening to the surge below ; 

 Retiring Lichen climbs the topmost stone, 

 And drinks the aerial solitude alone." 

 In the genus Sq/uamaria, the yellow wall species 

 (S. murorum), forming orbicular cracked and plaited 

 thalli, may be referred to as a well-known example ; 

 and the grey tree lichen (P. canescens), abundant on 

 most elm trees, among Placodium. There are thirty- 

 one British species of Parmelia, among which are 



