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part of some botanists to possess themselves of every specimeu within 

 their reach, regardless alike of those who may come after them, and 

 of the preservation of the plant. This practice, if carried on, as it has 

 been of late years, will soon have the same eflFect on others of the 

 rarities which now ornament our fields and woods, as it has already 

 had on this, and some others of our most interesting plants. 



The importance attached to having specimens with the root, very 

 much increases this danger; and unless persons can be sufficiently dis- 

 interested sometimes to dispense with a perfect specimen, rather than 

 injure the locality of the plant, it argues very strongly of the selfish- 

 ness which is too often apparent, even among professed lovers of Na- 

 ture, whether in an individual or collective character ; professed, I 

 must call them, as their love appears rather to attach to the posses- 

 sion of a complete collection, than to Nature herself. But I return 

 fi'om this digression into which the subject has led me, and which I 

 feel to be a caution specially needed at the present time. 



Another locality of Cypripedium was near Rievaulx Abbey, but it 

 does not appear to have been seen there for many years. The woods, 

 however, still present some choice rarities, among which may be no- 

 ticed Epipactis ensifolia, which grows plentifully, also Ophrys apifera 

 and muscifera, one or two Pyrolas, &c. The old man who has care 

 of the terrace is very particular about some of these plants, placing 

 sticks by them, &c. and was at first rather angry at my gathering one, 

 but finding it was not done, as often is the case with visitors, care- 

 lessly, just to be looked at and thrown away, he became very civil, 

 pointed out several plants of which he wished to know the names, and 

 allowed me to collect as many as I desired. 



Near the ancient town of Richmond, I have simply to notic£, that 

 on the remains of some of its numerous relics of antiquity, and espe- 

 cially on the massive walls of its castle, Linaria Cymbalaria was 

 growing abundantly in situations where it was very unlikely to have 

 been planted by the hand of man ; this could not but lead to the con- 

 clusion, that although in many localities it is only naturalized, yet 

 that it may really be a native of this country, and I think observation 

 upon it here, would lead others to a similar opinion, while there re- 

 quires care not to be hasty in admitting doubtful plants into our 

 Flora, as has been very much the case lately, and even those not na- 

 turalized ; perhaps, on the other hand we should not be too ready to 

 consider any plant merely naturalized, because it is so in some places. 



In a wood near Cotherstone, I gathered Pyrola minor abundantly ; 

 and in spending a few hours at the High Force, in Teesdale, the 



