440 Clovetty. 



spreading fronds four and five feet long, are worth coming all 

 the way from an} 7 where to see. Wherever the ferns grow 

 flowers abound. At the end of May blue bells and rose lychnis 

 were the most conspicuous, and in quantity sufficient to be no- 

 ticeable half a mile off. With June foxgloves came in season, 

 richer in the colour of their crimson-purple bells than the 

 garden sorts, and commonly as high as a tall man. Near 

 the coast sea pinks swarm, together with shepherd's purse. 

 Lichens abound, the hairy sorts (Usnea hiria, florida, etc.) 

 make a thick matting on the trees ; the "oak lungs " (Sticta 

 pulmonaria) is frequently found in the woods both east and 

 west of the village, and is a very striking object, looking like 

 extensive patches of oak leaves, some green, some brown, 

 growing out of the bark. The cup lichens, which form beau- 

 tiful low-power objects for the microscope, are plentiful in the 

 Hobby, and rocks facing the sea are often covered with the 

 scaly species, white, drab, yellow, orange, and black. Mosses 

 vie with lichens in covering the banks and trees, the most 

 conspicuous being the feather sorts, and the Polytrichums, 

 with their flowers and long-stalked urns. 



Fungi are no doubt iound in considerable variety. We 

 saw several sorts, and had practical experiences of three kinds. 

 First, on the high ground near Hartland we gathered the 

 giant puff-ball in its young state, when certain botanical 

 writers pronounce it an epicurean luxury. We tried the ex- 

 periment, telling the presiding genius of the kitchen, who 

 was astonished at our desire to feed upon " toad-stools," to 

 take off the outer skin, cut the balls into slices and delicately 

 fry. The result was the appearance of a pretty-looking dish 

 on our breakfast-table, and a jury of three was empowered to 

 try the important case. The first decision was embodied in 

 unanimous exclamations of " how nice, just like omelette, or 

 fine batter." Second thoughts were less favourable, and a 

 sickly aftertaste induced the experimenting triad to give up 

 the "toad-stools," and resort to other food. 



Our second fungoid adventure was in the Hobby woods 

 one evening, when the clouds gave us a respite after some 

 thirty-six hours of pelting rain. On arriving at a bend in the 

 road our noses were greeted, but not gratified, by a stream of 

 perfume not at all recalling gales from the " spicy shores of 

 Araby the blest." The abominable and peculiar character of 

 the stench suggested its probable origin, and a slight search 

 revealed the offender to whose agency is was due, for among 

 the more respectable but rank vegetation, up stood an im- 

 pudent stinkhorn {Phallus impjidicus) in the shape of a stout 

 drab coloured column, ornamented with honeycomb markings, 

 and surmounted by a nightcap of oval form. How " any 



