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of the Forest. Here Carduus palustris presented itself, and also Hy- 

 pericum Androsaeraura plentifully. In a somewhat shady portion of 

 elevated ground, at a distance of about two miles from Balcombe, and 

 near the line of the tunnel, we had the good fortune to find Polypo- 

 dium Phegopteris in the most beautiful condition. The fronds were 

 unusually large and luxuriant, averaging when measured, together 

 with the long, naked rachis, more than two feet in length. Its luxu- 

 riance and delicate colour combined to render it a beautiful and truly- 

 interesting object. This fern, though occurring plentifully in the 

 northern and north-western counties, is excessively rare in the south- 

 ern and eastern, only one Sussex habitat having been previously 

 recorded, viz., near Forest Row, as recorded in Newman's ' Ferns,' p. 

 118. In the Balcombe locality it occurs in large patches, and is a 

 most interesting addition to the Flora of this delightful neighbourhood. 

 In marshy ground near the same spot we observed Anagallis tenella 

 in fine order, accompanied with abundance of Ranunculus Flammula. 

 Heavy storms of rain now compelled us to turn for Balcombe ; and, 

 having taken refi-eshment at the Railway Inn, we proceeded to the 

 rocks known as the Forest Ridge. This is the central or anticlinal 

 axis of the wealden, formed of the upheaved rocks belonging to the 

 Hastings-sand formation, which are conspicuous for the peculiar forms 

 caused by the continued action of water during their upheaval. In 

 a copse about a mile south of Balcombe, upon the extreme top of 

 some perpendicular rocks, were some fine trees of Pyrus Malus, cer- 

 tainly wild. The roots were in many cases quite exposed, hanging in 

 festoons, and some of the roots projecting through the interstices of 

 the stone, and forming young trees. In water near here we observed 

 Potamogeton natans, P. plantagineus, P. heterophyllus, P. perfoliatus, 

 and P. crispus. Equisetum fluviatile was also very fine. On the 

 main ridge of rocks Hymenophyllum Tunbridgense is in a sad condi- 

 tion, from the dryness of the spring. It is nearly all dead at present, 

 although the late beneficial rains may restore the roots. Lastrea 

 recurva occurred in plenty, and very fiiie. Can it be a fact that this 

 has been confounded with either L. raultiflora or L. spiuosa ? No- 

 thing can be more conspicuous than the differential characters of the 

 two species, even at the greatest distance. In the first place, L. mul- 

 tiflora was growing at the base of the rocks, side by side with L. 

 recurva and L. spinosa, thus affording a fair opportunity for compari- 

 son ; L. multiflora exceeding five feet six inches in height, while its de- 

 licate and sweet congener, L. recurva, did not exceed eighteen inches. 

 Its beautifully incurved pinnules are so plainly observable, that all 



