A VILLAGE BY THE SEA 197 



In the marshes, at certain seasons of the year bright 

 with the beautiful flowers of the sea lavender, not far 

 from a dark reedy pool, which in winter-time is a 

 favourite haunt of wild-duck, several interesting plants 

 have their home. In the swampy pasture beside the 

 pool, if diligent search be made exactly at the right 

 season, the uncommon little fern known as the adder's- 

 tongue will be found. This curious and delicate plant, 

 with its simple egg-shaped frond and solitary fruit- 

 spike shoots up every year among the rank herbage 

 of the marsh, and after a brief sojourn again dis- 

 appears. Later on, especially in wet summers, two 

 handsome and conspicuous grasses, nearly related to 

 each other, appear in considerable plenty beside the 

 pool. Their family name is Polypogon or beard grass, 

 so called from the nature of their spike-like panicles, 

 which are long and silky. And the plants are as rare 

 as they are beautiful. Only in our parish, and in a 

 salt marsh just beyond its borders, are they found 

 within the area of the county. But there on the same 

 spot, beside the same sedgy pool, have those two 

 grasses flourished for centuries. On the chalk hill 

 several species of orchids may be found. In some 

 seasons the beautiful bee-orchis is abundant ; and on 

 one spot the fly-orchis comes up every May. The 

 down in places is covered with the curious trailing 

 root-parasite, the bastard toad-flax; while in a chalk 

 pit hard by several noble plants of the dwale or deadly 

 nightshade come up every year. 



From the hill a fine view of the parish is obtained. 

 How peaceful it looks, with the smoke of cottage 

 chimneys rising up between the trees ! The long 

 village street is as old as the days of the Romans, 

 whose legions must have often traversed it. Then 



