JANE AUSTEN AT LYME 235 



below the garden. In some of the valleys near Up 

 Lyme black rabbits may be seen scuttling about in 

 every direction. Pheasants, too, strut along the hedge- 

 rows and about the copses where the acorns fall. In 

 some meadows mushrooms are so plentiful in Septem- 

 ber as to give the appearance at a distance of chalk 

 scattered over the surface of the field. Now and then 

 a beautiful or uncommon plant delights the eye of 

 the botanist. On one particular spot the lovel}' wood- 

 vetch, with its pure white flowers streaked with bluish 

 veins, trails luxuriantly all over the tangled brush- 

 wood. Not far distant the curious tooth-wort, a 

 parasite on the roots of hazel, comes up abundantly 

 every spring, while on the hill that overlooks the 

 valley the autumnal orchid, known as lady's tresses, 

 grows. " The extensive sweeps of country about 

 Charmouth " will well repay the research of a natura- 

 list. In a damp meadow, yellow with fleabane and 

 surrounded by glorious woods, the haunt of several 

 pairs of green woodpeckers and of jays and magpies 

 without number, a large patch of purple colchicum, or 

 meadow saffron — the flower differs from a crocus in 

 having six stamens instead of three — shines in the 

 autumn sunlight. It is a sight worth walking many 

 miles to see. Not far distant the rare Helenium, or 

 elecampane, grows in abundance. One corner of the 

 rough meadow is covered with it. This splendid 

 plant is dedicated to Helen of Troy, "of which herbe," 

 says old Gerarde, " she had her hands full when she 

 was carried off." On another spot in the neighbour- 

 hood the elecampane may also be found ; and in the 

 opinion of those who ought to know there are strong 

 claims for regarding it as indigenous. 



