38 POPULAR GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



though he is partial to dining on hare, and such dainty 

 dishes, in their season, in summer he prefers a light diet of 

 the fruit of the Service-tree. He is making the most of 

 his merry time ; for in winter, when the skin of the sable 

 is handsomest, there is regular war declared against them 

 by Russia."* 



It was indeed to be feared, if we once began to watch the 

 ways of these little animals, that we should spend too much 

 time upon them ; but we must remember the object for 

 which we came into the forest, and attend to business. We 

 no sooner cast our eyes on the ground than we find one 

 or two kinds of little Rhododendrons ; and next come two 

 familiar friends, Marsh Woundwort (Stachys palustris) , and 

 Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica) j we shall certainly 

 think sometimes of the forests of Siberia when we meet 

 them in our country walks, and that, we all know, will be 

 often enough. Here too are the blue flowers of the com- 



* The business of hunting and shooting sables used to be carried on by 

 the unhappy exiles of Siberia ; and when Russia has had no nobler prey in 

 view, detachments of soldiers have been sometimes quartered in Siberia for 

 the same purpose for several years together. " A colonel from seven years' 

 service in hunting sables may draw of clear profit four thousand crowns ; 

 the subalterns in proportion, and each soldier six or seven hundred." Rela- 

 tions de la Muscovie, etc., quoted by Buffon. 



