30 



■Seem like those of some florist's pet. I have found it by hedgerows near Yattorl. 

 Year after year I greet the tiny yellowish blossoms and hard shiny seeds of 

 Grorawell (Lithospermum officinale). The plants are always to be found in the 

 same spot, but do not increase cither in size or in number. Snowdrops appear 

 every year in considerable numbers. They grow amongst the roots of the Alders 

 near the ford below the village ; and are thoroughly established there, if not 

 really wild. 



The small, white flowering Teazle (Bipsacus pilosus), armed with bristles 

 instead of hooks, occurs in two small patches near the village. The Moschatel 

 (Adnxa, moscftatellina) thickly covers the ground in small patches under trees in 

 early spring. The Musk Mallow (Malm moschata), abounds here. The beautiful 

 Wood vetch (V. sylvatica) covers the lower trees in some spots. Some of the 

 woods are full of Whortleberries, or Whimberries as they are here called, but 

 they do not bear much fruit. The only heath here is the Common Ling, which 

 is very abundant. The pretty creeping plants, Lyshnaclihi vcinorum, L. Numinu- 

 laria, and Hypericum luimiftisiun, are abundant, especially the first. 



That beautiful plant Allium ur.unum, so attractive to the eye and so 

 repulsive in other ways, fills the lower part of the wood on the right bank of 

 the river near Lye Pole with its powerful smell and clusters of white starry 

 flowers. 



The Comfrey, so ornamental on the river side and in shallow water, 

 may be found abundantly near Aymestrey-bridge and mill. Polygonum, bistorta 

 grows plentifully in one patch in the meadow behind Yatton Court. The large 

 blue Geranium occurs in some shady spots on the edges of woods. 



There is one inhabitant of these woods which I have not mentioned yet> 

 less innocent, or at any rate less innocuous, than those we have been considering. 

 Adders abound ; at any rate, so I have been assured, but I must confess that I 

 have seen very few either dead or alive. Blindworms are more frequent. 



But it is time to conclude these notes and reminiscences. I will only say 

 that if it be true (as Kingsley, I think, has somewhere said) that the best 

 naturalist is the man who knows thoroughly the natural history of a single 

 parish, I cannot imagine any better field for study than Aymestrey. A man 

 who knew thoroughly what is to be known about this parish, would know more 

 than most of his neighbours. He would have before him objects of unusual 

 variety and interest ; and may without much difficulty make Aymestrey as 

 much a household word as Selborne has long been. 



