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A few yards farther on, in the spring or early summer, was to be found that rare 

 plant Thlaspi perfoliatum ; and this is now perhaps the only locality for it in Britain, 

 as I am given to understand that the rapacity of unprincipled collectors has nearly or 

 quite destroyed it in its old habitat at Burford quarries. Two years since, on another 

 of the small hills beyond the one at the base of which we have been tarrying so long, I 

 gathered a plentiful supply of Anemone Pulsatilla ; and at the same time I acciden- 

 tally stumbled on the Thlaspi. In the vale below, on the brook side, is our only ha- 

 bitat for Saxifraga granulata. 



Leaving this most interesting spot we pursued our journey to the large and opu- 

 lent village of Bourton-on-the-Water, plucking on our road a few specimens of An- 

 thyllis Vulneraria and the pretty little Geranium columbinum ; which latter plant, 

 associated with Acinos vulgaris, occurs plentifully on all our hilly lands which have 

 been subjected to cultivation. 



Next morning we had to await the ending of a thunder-storm before we could re- 

 sume our wanderings ; and then, having to pass over a considerable tract of country 

 which we had already examined, we hired a vehicle to convey us to the woods between 

 Bourton and Winchcombe, having previously fixed on the latter place as the termi- 

 nation of our second day's journey. On arriving at Guiting woods we left the chaise 

 and proceeded a little distance along the lane, the grassy sides of which were thickly 

 strewn with Gentiana Amarella ; this species is very abundant all over the hills, but I 

 have never found G entiana campestris in this neighbourhood. 



Having fairly entered into these woods we made it a point to trace up the Wind- 

 rush to its source, expecting to meet with a picturesque wood scene, and perhaps find 

 some good plant, which might be accurately localized from growing in such a situa- 

 tion. In the former expectation we were disappointed, as the spring rises out of a 

 swampy piece of ground, and presents nothing remarkable ; but three grasses amply 

 satisfied us on the latter score, these were Elymus europaeus, Calamagrostis epigejos 

 and Poa nemoralis, all three of rare occurrence here. Alchemilla vulgaris was very 

 fine ; this plant is not common here, while A. arvensis is found everywhere. Rham- 

 nus catharticus and Viburnum Lantana were observed in this wood ; and the grassy 

 glades in the wood and fields around were thickly studded with Colchicum autumnale. 

 This plant is very plentiful all over the Cotteswolds, and even in the vale we have 

 whole fields of it : the roots and seeds of the Colchicum are collected in great quanti- 

 ties from this neighbourhood, for the London physic-market, as the plant still holds a 

 high reputation for the cure of gout and rheumatism. 



The above are some of the most important plants seen by us this day, the grass 

 having been so wet as to prevent our examining the country with the requisite indus- 

 try and circumspection ; moreover, we were rather anxious to reach the old-fashioned 

 town of Winchcombe, whither our friend the General had preceded us. Soon after 

 emerging from the wood we fell upon a large stone-quarry, which of course claimed a 

 share of our attention. And this reminds me that I have not yet said anything on the 

 geological construction of this neighbourhood, a subject which I consider highly im- 

 portant to the proper illustration of the Botany of a district ; perhaps therefore the 

 following remarks may not be deemed out of place. 



The vale of Gloucester is composed of the blue clays and marls of the lower lias 

 formation, presenting us with all the fossil remains peculiar to this formation, such as 

 the Ichthyosauri, many Ammonites and bivalve shells, and occasional remains of 

 plants. This bed of lias clay is occasionally covered to the depth of from 20 to 30 



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