554 WILD FLOWERS OF 



trasts with the golden, or cream-coloured lichens 

 amongst which they grow, thus contributing to the 

 formation of those harmonious tints, that, painted on 

 the sombre weather-worn brow of the impending ma- 

 ritime cliff, inspire glorious imaginings in the mind of 

 the true worshipper of nature. Thus, nothing is made 

 in vain ; and to behold in the dead of winter, these 

 curious plants spreading their labyrinthal mazes pro- 

 fuse with auburn fairy urns about the dark boles of 

 the patriarchal trees of the wood, unquestionably 

 inspires admiration, and leads the contemplative mind 

 to the consideration of that power whose eye never 

 sleeps, and whose wonder-working finger is always 

 tracing out some latent object, as if to extort astonish- 

 ment and praise from the thoughtless and unenquir- 

 ing. None of these plants are in the slightest degree 

 hurtful, and many of them possess a peculiar fragrance, 

 which makes the "fine-nosed herbalist" sensible of 

 their presence, when he is perhaps about to cross the 

 rustic bridge of some bubbling brook, chafing the 

 round stones among which it gurgles, while perhaps, 

 the blue kingfisher darts, like an arrow, across the 

 water, to hide among the platted roots of the old 

 alder ; or the yellow wagtail quivers its bright-stained 

 plumage on the little pebbles where the waters undu- 

 late with simmering bubbling. 



Of the lowly JtwgermwmicB, above two hundred 

 species have been enumerated ; and as much labour 

 and microscopic research must have been required to 

 elucidate their history, the late Professor BURNETT 

 has justly observed, that " the study of these plants 

 has forcibly struck me as being a more decided proof 

 of a disinterested love of science than the investigation 



