6 THE SURROUNDINGS OF 



(Utricularia), too, is found in a backwater of the Nene ; 

 and bladderwort, as a natural; trap for living organisms, 

 gives interest to any stream. 



The park at Lilford, though not in reality very large, 

 appears to be so ; for, by means of sunk fences cunningly 

 set, it merges insensibly into the surrounding country. It 

 supports some three hundred head of fallow deer. 



But the glory of the park is its growth of trees. One 

 does not often see in the same area so many noble trees of 

 different kinds as here. The elms — characteristic Northamp- 

 tonshire trees — have attained magnificent proportions, and 

 the chestnuts, ash, beech and oak are not far from being 

 as fine as they can be. The box grows strongly at 

 Lilford ; it appears to do there almost as well as on its 

 native chalk hills. It forms a hedge on either side of the 

 road that brings you to the gates, and gives a warm look 

 to the coverts. But a visitor to Lilford, especially if he 

 went late in May, would probably bear away with him 

 the memory of the hawthorns more than all of these, and 

 he would be right. In many places in England, in old 

 park and forest lands, thorns with larger boles may be 

 seen — old giants these, but commonlv stunted and going 

 back. But very seldom do thorns run up so high as at 

 Lilford, or fall over from the top so gracefully, or reach 

 so low and far with the tips of their fingers, and with 

 such a foam of bloom. 



A country like this, of hollow elms and old oak woods, 

 is always a favoured one for tree-loving birds — though, alas ! 



