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flourish at Croxteth, but Wood Crowfoot has become 

 very scarce. Hale and Speke Avoods are celebrated in 

 the Flora as containing several botanical rarities, and 

 though some of them have been lately sought for in 

 vain, 1 do not therefore doubt that a further search 

 might be successful. 



It is no slight amount of investigation that is required 

 to ascertain all the species, even of flowering plants, 

 that belong to any given locality ; much more when the 

 cryptogamia are included. In confirmation of this, I 

 may mention a little unlikely-looking wood, called 

 Hangsdale's Wood, at Rainhill. This wood being near 

 my house, can be examined by me much oftener than 

 distant localities : it has produced a surprising list of 

 Fungi, and of flowering plants. Woodruff, Cow-ioheat, 

 Sanicle, and Saiv-toort, besides some good carices and 

 grasses. 



The remarks which I made vipon the formal and unin- 

 teresting character of our neighbouring woods, do not 

 apply to Knowsley Park, where there is some fine forest 

 scenery. A large portion of the domain is left as much 

 as possible in its natural condition : in some spots the 

 oaks are of great age and size ; and wlien the mellow 

 tints of autumn are reflected from the Bracken, and 

 gleams of the retiring sun fall upon the grey and knotted 

 trunks of the venerable trees, under which are browsing- 

 herds of red and fallow deer, the scene is one for any 

 lover of nature to rejoice in, but for a Gilpin only to 

 describe. The species of flowering plants in the park 

 are not very numerous ; but it is the only locality that I 

 know of for Various-leaved Fond-weed and the Lesser Skullcap. 



Before leaving this part of the subject, I may notice a 

 remarkable contrast between the woods of the Wirral 

 and those on this side of the Mersey, in respect of 

 Lichens, and Mosses that grow upon trees. In Cheshire, 



I 



