MAGPIE FIELDS. 175 



number of hawthorn trees, which stand apart, and 

 are aged like those often found on village greens and 

 commons. Upon some of these hawthorns mistletoe 

 grows, not in such quantities as on the apples in 

 Gloucester and Hereford, but in small pieces. 



As late in the spring as May-day I have seen some 

 berries, then very large, on the mistletoe here. Earlier 

 in the year, when the adjoining fountain was frozen 

 and crowded with skaters, there were a number of 

 missel-thrushes in these hawthorns, but they appeared 

 to be eating the haws. At all events, they left some 

 of the mistletoe berries, which were on the plant 

 months later. 



Just above Molesey Lock, in the meadows beside 

 the towing-path, the blue meadow geranium, or 

 crane's-bill, flowers in large bunches in the summer. 

 It is one of the most beautiful flowers of the field, 

 and after having lost sight of it for some time, to see 

 it again seemed to bring the old familiar far-away 

 fields close to London. Between Hampton Court 

 and Kingston the towing-path of the Thames is 

 bordered by a broad green sward, sufficiently wide 

 to be worth mowing. One July I found a man at 

 work here in advance of the mowers, pulling up yarrow 

 plants with might and main. 



The herb grew in such quantities that it was 

 necessary to remove it first, or the hay would be too 

 coarse. On conversing with him, he said that a 

 person came sometimes and took away a trap load 

 of yarrow; the flowers were to be boiled and mixed 

 with cayenne pepper, as a remedy for cold in the 

 chest. In spring the dandelions here are pulled in 



