The Natural History of Selborne 307 



Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, opposite golden saxifrage, in the 

 dark and rocky hollow lanes. 



Gentiana amarella, autumnal gentian, or fellwort, on the Zigzag 

 and Hanger. 



Latbr<ea squamaria, tooth-wort, in the Church-litten- coppice 

 under some hazels near the foot-bridge, in Trimming's garden hedge, 

 and on the dry wall opposite Grange-yard. 



Dipsacus pilosus, small teasel, in the Short and Long Lith. 



Lathyrus syfaestris, narrow-leaved, or wild lathyrus, in the bushes 

 at the foot of the Short Lith, near the path. 



Ophrys spiralis, ladies' traces, in the Long Lith, and towards the 

 south corner of the common. 



Ophrys nidus avis, birds' nest ophrys, in the Long Lith under 

 the shady beeches among the dead leaves ; in Great Dorton among 

 the bushes, and on the Hanger plentifully. 



Serapias latifolia, helleborine, in the High-wood under the shady 

 beeches. 



Daphne laureola, spurge laurel, in Selborne-hanger and the High- 

 wood. 



Daphne mezereum, the mezereon, in Selborne-hanger among the 

 shrubs, at the south-east end above the cottages. 



Lycoperdon tuber, truffles, in the Hanger and High-wood. 



Sambucus ebulus, dwarf elder, walwort, or danewort, among the 

 rubbish and ruined foundations of the Priory. 1 



Of all the propensities of plants, none seem more strange than 

 their different periods of blossoming. Some produce their flowers 

 in the winter, or very first dawnings of spring ; many when the 

 spring is established ; some at midsummer, and some not till 

 autumn. When we see the helleborus fcetidus and helleborus niger 

 blowing at Christmas, the helleborus hyemalis in January, and the 

 helleborus viridis as soon as ever it emerges out of the ground, we 



1 In the first edition this letter ended here ; but in the quarto edited by 

 Mitford the following passage was added to it. The additional paragraph has 

 appeared in all the subsequent editions which I have consulted. I do not know 

 whence Mitford derived it, nor on what authority he added it in this particular 

 position. ED. 



