74 THE WOOD. 



removing the inhospitable visitor, that the tree be 

 not stripped of its clothing all at once, lest it 

 should be killed by a sudden exposure to cold, 

 from which it had been previously screened. 



And now that the rain has passed away, and 

 the sun is shining with a splendour which seems 

 to be redoubled, owing to his rays being reflected 

 from the wet leaves, we will sally forth from our 

 hiding-place, and continue our ramble. The first 

 thing we meet with worthy of remark is the pe- 

 culiar odour which floats in the air ; an odour only 

 observable in woods which are either damp from 

 their situation, or have been moistened by rain. 

 This proceeds in great measure from decaying 

 vegetable substance, and from Mosses generally, 

 but more particularly from some plants belonging 

 to a genus called Jungermannia. These, when 

 moistened, emit an odour which, though few per- 

 sons would class it among perfumes, is, from its 

 association with woods and streams, most deli- 

 cious. Few of the plants belonging to this genus 

 attain the size of three or four inches ; several are 

 so minute, that a magnifying glass is required to 

 ascertain even their outlines. The most fragrant, 



(I use a word to which, 

 unless you love with 

 all your heart every 

 thing that the coun- 

 try produces, you will 

 probably object,) and 

 one of the common- 

 est,* rarely exceeds 

 an inch and a half in 



JUNGERMANNIA RESUPINATA. length. It gTOWS Oil 



* Jungermannia resupinata. 



