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Three Days'' Walk in the New Forest, together ivith a few additional 

 Localities to Dr. Bronifteld's Hampshire Flora. By Edward T. 

 Bennett, Esq. 



The result of a short botanical excursion, undertaken a fortnight 

 since, which has been tolerably successful in the plants we expected 

 to find, though not presenting any important discoveries, may be 

 worth recording in a note or two respecting them. 



The magnificent forest scenery, enlivened by the graceful forms of 

 the deer, bounding away on the approach of the stranger, alternating 

 with boggy hollows, and wild and dreary tracts, covered with fern and 

 gorse, affords an ever-varying landscape, and constitutes the principal 

 feature of this unique part of the country. We entered the vicinity of 

 the New Forest from Salisbury, having visited Stonehenge, carrying 

 away no botanical remembrances except Spiraea Filipendula, still in 

 full bloom, and abundant, though so much after the period assigned 

 it in the books. A rubbish-heap by the road-side near Salisbury pro- 

 duced Mercurialis annua, and the hitherto scarce Medicago denticu- 

 lata, readily distinguished by its beautiful and peculiar fruit. From 

 Salisbury, down the rich and fertile valley of the Avon, to Christ- 

 church, is a charming road, commanding, at times, beautiful peeps of 

 water scenery, especially between Fordingbridge and Ringvvood. 

 Calamintha officinalis and Salvia verbenaca profusely ornament the 

 road-sides and banks in many places ; and in a turnip-field the bright 

 blue blossoms of Delphinium Consolida, apparently wild, attracted our 

 attention. Near Sopley, about three miles before Christchurch, in the 

 left-hand hedge, we gathered a few specimens of Campanula patula, 

 almost past flower ; and Carduus tenuiflorus and Chenopodium murale 

 in several places along the road. One plant, which, though not very 

 common, can hardly be called rare, was in such immense profusion in 

 this neighbourhood, that it deserves a passing notice. Chrysanthe- 

 mum segetum rendered many acres of land, as we came down the val- 

 ley, perfectly yellow with its large bright blossoms. Commencing 

 almost in the town, Hydrocharis Morsus-ranae literally fills the 

 ditches in the recorded station on the lower road towards Winkton ; 

 Utricularia minor occurs, sparingly, in company with it. A walk 

 along the marshy sea-shore towards Muddiford produced only the 

 usual sea-side plants, — Aster Tripolium, Alsina marina and A. pe- 

 ploides, Crambe maritima, Salsola Kali, Eryngium raaritimum, Plan- 

 tago maritima, and Salicornia herbacea, — but furnished splendid views 

 VOL. IV. 5 D 



