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the starling- is enticed by the caterpillar of the oak-leaf roller- 

 moth (Tortrix viridana), which in spring is usually abundant, 

 and the nightjar, or goat-sucker, by various night-flying 

 insects. The swallow and fly-catcher are other examples. 



Amongst the more interesting plants mention may be 

 made of two parasites — the dodder (Cuscuta Europea) and 

 the lesser broomrape (Orobanche minor), both of which 

 annually appear in the Park, the former attached to our 

 common ling or heather, and the latter to the roots of 

 various leguminous plants, as the sweet-pea, broom, and 

 gorse. In accounting for these parasites I am strongly of 

 opinion that at one time, previous to the Park being walled 

 in, Blackheath common was covered with heather, broom, 

 gorse, and other underwood, the host-plants of these parasites, 

 and in all likelihood the specimens now found growing in the 

 Park are the stranded remains of a flora once peculiar to the 

 Blackheath district, but which is now becoming gradually 

 extinct by the removal of the plants on which they grew. 



The by no means common vipers bugloss (Echiwn 

 vulgar e) is growing within a few yards of the Ranger's House, 

 the bright, blue flowers arranged in a curious one-sided spike, 

 being both handsome and conspicuous. How a seaside plant 

 such as the present found its way to the Park is interesting, 

 Both the toadflax (Linaria cymbalaria) and the perfoliate 

 hypericum (H. perfoliatum) occur on, and at the base of, a 

 portion of the Park wall. Of the mulleins no less than 

 three species and one variety are to be found in the Park, 

 two at least being in fair abundance. The great mullein 

 (Verbascum thapsus) occurs in five stations, often growing to 

 nearly five feet in height, and bearing in abundance its showy 

 yellow flowers. 



Far rarer and more refined is the white mullein 

 (V. Lychnitis), which might have been seen in all its beauty 

 by a path-side near the pond during the past summer. It 

 also is to be found in the Ranger's grounds. 



The moth mullein (V. Blittaria) may be seen in the 

 home nursery, but whether it is indigenous or a garden 

 escape I would not like to say. Equally interesting is the 

 fullers teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris), which is by no means 

 rare amongst the shrubs on One Tree Hill. It is a handsome 

 plant, often attaining to five feet in height, and much in use 

 for decorative purposes. 



