208 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



LETTER XLI. To THE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON 

 DEAR SIR, Selborne, July 3, 1778. 



IN a district so diversified with such a variety of hill and dale, 

 aspects, and soils, it is no wonder that great choice of plants 

 should be found. Chalks, clays, sands, sheep-walks and downs, 

 bogs, heaths, woodlands, and champaign fields, cannot but fur- 

 nish an ample Flora. The deep rocky lanes abound with Jilices, 

 and the pastures and moist woods with fungi. If in any branch 

 of botany we may seem to be wanting, it must be in the large 

 aquatic plants, which are not to be expected on a spot far removed 

 from rivers, and lying up amidst the hill country at the spring 

 heads. To enumerate all the plants that have been discovered 

 within our limits would be a needless work ; but a short list of 

 the more rare, and the spots where they are to be found, may.be 

 neither unacceptable nor unentertaining : 



Helleborus fatidus, stinking hellebore, bear's foot, or setter- 

 wort, all over the High-wood and Coney- croft-hanger : this con- 

 tinues a great branching plant the winter through, blossoming 

 about January, and is very ornamental in shady walks and 

 shrubberies. The good women give the leaves powdered to 

 children troubled with worms ; but it is a violent remedy, and 

 ought to be administered with caution. 



Helleborus viridis, green hellebore, in the deep stony lane on 

 the left hand just before the turning to Norton-farm, and at the 

 top of Middle Dorton under the hedge : this plant dies down to 

 the ground early in autumn, and springs again about February, 

 flowering almost as soon as it appears above ground. 



Vaccinium oxycoccos, creeping bilberries, or cranberries, in 

 the bogs of Bin's-pond ; 



Vaccinium myrtillus, whortle, or bilberries, on the dry hil- 

 locks of Wolmer-forest ; 



Drosera rotundifolia, round-leaved sundew ^ In the bogs of 



longifolia, long-leaved ditto S Bin's pond. 



Comarum palustre, purple comarum, or marsh cinque foil, in 

 the bogs of Bin's pond ; 



Hypericum androscemum, Tutsan, St. John's Wort, in the 

 stony, hollow lanes ; 



Vinca minor, less periwinkle, in Selborne-hanger and Shrub- 

 wood; 



