74 THE WOODLANDS. 



Whether the name of "foxglove" is a corruption of 

 folk's-glove, in allusion to the "little folks" or fairies, 

 or whether it had any other origin, it would scarce 

 be profitable to inquire. In Wales it is still be- 

 'lieved that fairies lurk in the pendant bells of this 

 flower. More prosaic persons hold with Wordsworth, 

 that 



" The foxglove now in crimson tresses rich 

 Depends, whose freckled bells to insect tribes 

 Afford a canopy of velvet bliss. " 



The " insect tribes " are the only " little folks " which 

 inhabit the foxglove bells in modern times. 



The Speedwells are sometimes erroneously called 

 forget-me-not, but that name belongs to quite a dif- 

 ferent plant. Although we have several species of 

 speedwell, they are not common in woods. The 

 kinds most usually met with in such localities are the 

 common Speedwell 1 and the Germander Speedwell; 2 

 " Flower whose hedge-side gaze is like an infant's," 



indicates that it is as common on hedge-banks. The 

 closing of the flowers at night is alluded to by the 

 Ettrick Shepherd in the lines 



" When the blewart bears a pearl, 



And the daisy turns a pea ; 

 When the bonnie lenken gowan 

 Has fauldit up her e'e." 



The Cow-wheat 3 is one of those plants which annoy 

 plant-collectors by its persistent habit of turning black 

 in drying. Why it came to be called " Cow-wheat J> 



1 Veronica officinalis. 3 Melampyrum pratense. 



2 Veronica chamcedrys. 



