the shady beeches among the dead leaves ; in Great Dorton among the 

 bushes, and on the Hanger plentifully, 



Helleborine {Serapias latifolia), in the High-wood under the shady 

 beeches. 



Spurge Laurel {Daphne laureold), in Selborne-hanger and the High- 

 wood. 



The Mezereon {Daphne Mezereum), in Selborne-hanger, among the 

 shrubs at the south-east end above the cottages. 



Truffles {Lycoperdon tuber), in the Hanger and the High-wood. 



Dwarf Elder, Walwort or Banewort {Sambucus ebuhis), 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 dawnings of spring ; many when the spring 

 is established; some at midsummer, and some not 

 till autumn. When we see the Helleborus fcetidus 

 and Helleborus niger blowing at Christmas, the Helle- 

 borus 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 congenerous vegetables differ so widely 

 in their time of flowering, that we cannot but admire. 

 I shall only instance at present in the Crocus sativus, 

 the vernal and the autumnal crocus, which have 

 such an affinity, that the best botanists only make 

 them varieties of the same genus, of which there is 

 only one species ; not being able to discern any dif- 

 ference in the corolla, or in the internal structure. 

 Yet the vernal crocus expands its flowers by the 



beginning of March at farthest, and often even in 



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