198 A BOTAN^ICAL RAMBLE ON TITE BANKS OF THE DART. 



On starting in a field opposite Totnes Weir, I found the Yellow Rattle, 

 (Bhinanthus crista-galli,) with its purplish streaked stem and yellow flowers; 

 deriving its name from the seeds^ when ripe, rattling in the large seed-vessel; 

 the Purple Trefoil, [Trifolium pratense;) with here and there the bright 

 yellow flowers of the Silverweed, [Potentilla anserina,) and Spring Cinqucfoil, 

 (Potentilla verna,) scarcely to be distinguished one from the other, but by 

 the digitate leaves of the latter. By a ditch side, a little way on, the white 

 flowers of the Common Watercress, (Nasturtium officinale;) and in the same 

 place, the Ragged Robin, [Lychnis flos-cuculi,) with its delicate rose-coloured 

 jagged petals; the Cuckoo flower, too, (Cardamine pratensis^ of various hues, 

 from a delicate lilac to a bright pink — • 



"By the meadow trenches blow the famt sweet Cuckoo flowers." 



Tennyson. 



and just coming into bloom, the Wild Angelica, (Angelica sylvestris^) and, as 

 Carrington says — ■ 



"That okl favourite — tlic daisy — bom 

 By millions, in the balmy, vernal mom." 



Onwards I went to Berryman's marsh, where the Early Purple Orchis, 

 (Orchis mascula,) still appeared, though not so abundantly or in such beauty 

 as it did a month since. I was tempted to turn into the pretty copse near 

 Darlington Hill; the ground of which was covered with the blue flowers of 

 the Wild Hyacinth, (Hyacinihus non-scriptus,) ^^Lushest Bluebell beds," as 

 Keats calls them; white specimens of which, by the bye, I have frequently 

 found in woods in this neighbourhood, but much more delicate than the 

 blue, and more resembling wax flowers, A few Wood Anemones, (Anemone 

 nemorosa,) still remained, with which the ground was covered as with snow 

 but a little time back. The greenish yellow plants of the Wood Spurge, 

 (Euphorlia amyydaloidvs,) a common plant hereabout, and one well worthy 

 of notice, from its flowers being enclosed in a kind of cup; the Red Campion, 

 (Lychnis dioica,) its bright red flowers contrasting beautifully with the white 

 ones of the Stitch wort, (Stellaria hohstea;) and the Broad-leaved Garlic, 

 (Allium ursinum,) commonly called Ramsey in Devonshire, well known on 

 account of its disagreeable smell; and the delicate green of the numerous 

 Ferns spread about in all directions. The hedges were filled with the Yellow 

 Weasel Snout, (Galeohdolon luteum) now in great perfection, with its pale yellow 

 flowers spotted with red — the leaves resembling those of the nettle, but very 

 much smaller. The Hawthorn, (Mesjnlus oxyacantha) shedding its fragrance 

 in every direction. On the copse wall I found very fine specimens of Herb 

 Robert, (Geranium Rohertianum,) Shining Crane's-bill, (Geranium lucidum,) and 

 Jagged-leaved Crane's-bill, (Geranium dissectum.) Leaving the Copse, I sallied 

 on towards Folly, and there, as I anticipated, found the water covered with 

 the white Water Crowfoot, (Ranunculus aquatilis,) in great pi-ofusion, with 

 its threc-lobed floating leaves, and five hairy-like leaves immersed in the water. 



