62 AUTUMNAL LEAVES. 



out in strong relief against its background of 

 woodland and sky, whilst the brown thatch of 

 another cottage is made sombre by the vividness 

 of a great patch of light, golden-green moss 

 which covers nearly half of the roof-surface. 

 Beyond the village we come upon an expanse of 

 open forest which stretches away on our right 

 towards the west until the rise of the uplands, 

 at the near horizon, ends the view. Here the 

 ground is spread, as far as the eye can reach, 

 with Gorse and Heather. The Heather is now 

 on the wane, but its late blossoms still empurple 

 the ground and contrast with the brown of the 

 faded floral cups which, on the same flower- 

 stems, encompass the tiny but expanding seed 

 capsules. The Gorse, though blossomless, pre- 

 serves its hue of green, the sober uniformity of 

 which is enlivened by the blossoms which peep 

 out from beneath its prickly clumps blue Hare- 

 bells, golden Torment ils, and purple intermingling 

 Heather-bells. 



Continuing our way the road dips as we pass 

 through the little hamlet of Battramsley and is 

 here bordered by enclosures on our left-hand side 



