46 NATUEAt HISTORY 



Daphne laurevla, spurge laurel, in Sel* 

 borne-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 eldef, walwort, 

 or danewort — among the rubbish and 

 ruined foundations of the Priory, 



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 dawn- 

 ings of Spring ; many when the Spring is 

 established ; some at Midsummer, and 

 some not till Autumn. When we see the 

 helleborusfcetidus and helleborusniger blow- 

 ing at Christmas, the helkborus hyemalis in 

 January, and the helleborus viridis as soon 

 as ever it emerges out of the ground, we do 

 not wonder, because they are kindred 

 plants that we expect should keep pace the 

 one with the other. But other congene* 



