502 



this latitude, as characteristic plants of a district. In returning we 

 met many of the plants loving a wet situation, and among them Oste- 

 ricum palustre and Aira uliginosa. 



The next morning I crossed the Sologne, by railroad to Vierzon. 

 In point of beauty the scenery is better than that between Etampes 

 and Orleans ; the ground is more varied, and there is more wood ; but, 

 as Sologne, it did not appear to me so well characterized as in a short 

 excursion I had formerly made into it, between Blois and Roraoran- 

 tin. As far as is visible from the railroad, Erica scoparia disappears 

 before leaving the Sologne ; and I met with none of it in two rambles 

 from Vierzon, where the nature of the soil seems to be the same. An- 

 themis mixta and the Astrocarpus still showed themselves, but in small 

 quantities. Asphodelus albus grows in the forest of Vierzon. This 

 is also said to occur in the forest of Orleans, which is probably quite, 

 or nearly, its northern limit. West of Vierzon a little water, oozing 

 from below the crest of a hill, supports a few bog- plants, and among 

 them Spiranthes aestivalis ; but in general the soil is a very dry and 

 hungry sand or gravel. 



After leaving Vierzon, from thence to Bourges, Nevers, Moulins, and 

 almost to Clermont, the eye only catches an occasional glimpse of any 

 plant not English. There are, however, three species very rare in Eng- 

 land which obtrude themselves everywhere — Eryngium carapestre, Ver- 

 bascumpulverulentura, and Euphorbia Cyparissias. The scenery, for the 

 greater part of the way, is not more interesting than thebotany ; but there 

 is one more plant which deserves mention. I first observed Cuscuta 

 Trifolii near Bourges, but in small quantity, on lucerne ; afterwards, 

 from the diligence, from Nevers to Moulins, and from Moulins to 

 Varennes, I noticed it laying waste, to a great extent, the fields of 

 lucerne and clover. On descending into the fertile valley of the Li- 

 mogne it disappeared ; and between that and Clermont I saw only 

 two or three small patches of it ; but M. LeCoq assures me that he 

 sometimes meets with it in the Limogne. 



During all this route the woods are few and of small extent ; broken 

 banks none ; and we pass no points which excite the imagination of 

 the botanist, and make him long to examine them. 



Clermont, as everybody knows, is among the volcanic soils of Au- 

 vergne. There are, however, beds of limestone ; and these afford the 

 best botany of the neighbourhood. Xeranthemura cylindricum here 

 makes its appearance, and Phaenopus vimineus and a few other plants 

 of the south. Avcna tenuis is very abundant, and is probably the best 

 example in the district of a plant generally very rare growing plenti- 



