388 CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. [1879—80 



To Henry Groves, Esq. 



RowsLEY, Auff. 21, 1879. 



My dear Sir, — You will see that I am in Derbyshire, and so 

 unfortunately cannot meet you at Waterbech. I do not know of 

 anyone who knows the place of the plant, to send with you. I fear 

 that there is very little chance for you in such a season. The water 

 ought to be low for hunting for Cluira in the ditches : and now they 

 are probably quite, or more than quite full. We gathered the Chara 

 by lying down on the side, and hunting under Avater for the plant, 

 I have not been there for some years, and so do not know what is 

 the state of the place in ordinary seasons. But if you do go, you 

 must ask at Waterbech Station for the footway to Bottisham Lode 

 (and take care to ask if it is now passable, which I rather doubt 

 from the water). Cross the river there, and go down the river-bank 

 to the place where a bridge will take you over the " Lode " (a large 

 affluent of the river), turn up its left-hand side as far as a farm, then 

 cross it by a plank to the " Turf Fen," and then hunt every ditch 

 you find, especially some at right angles to the "Lode," soon after 

 you have crossed. If you can get on to the land, which is doubtful, 

 you may find many plants of interest. I shall be glad to hear what 

 you do find. Please write to Cambridge. Mr. W. Hillhouse, 

 F.L.S., of Trinity College, might perhaps go with you ; but he does 

 not know the district. — Yours very truly, Charles C. Babington. 



To Alfred Fryer, Esq. 



Cambridge, Feb. 16, 1880. 



My dear Sir, — I am sorry that your letter and plants of 

 December 19 have remained so long unnoticed, but it has been 

 unavoidable. I am sorry that I cannot name the bramble from 

 Holme Fen with any certainty, on account of the growing (barren) 

 stem being wanting, and the otherAvise imperfect state of the 

 specimen. In fact, giving any name is purely guess work, and 

 perhaps better not attempted ; I am very sorry, for the interest is, 

 as you say, considerable. I think that the Barharea is not stricta, 

 and I am not ready to name it. I am obliged for the Poly gala 

 depressa and Cardamine amara. The former I did not distinguish 

 when the "Flora" was written ; the latter has been found in a few 

 places since its publication. I think that the Juncus from Sutton 

 is compressus. The Trefoil from the Horseway, Chatteris, is filifmine. 

 I shall be glad to learn more about j'our Lobelia, and the Oenanthe 

 sildifolia. Many thanks for the list of new discoveries in your 

 district. I am sorry that my answer is so unsatisfactory, after so 

 long a delay.— Yours truly, Charles C. Babington. 



