20 



The millfoil or yarrow {Achilla millczfolium) occurs in 

 the same place with above. 



Native- trees and shrubs would include two species of 

 pyrus — the beam-tree (P. aria) and the far more uncommon 

 wild service tree (P. torminalis), of which latter several seed- 

 lings have been picked up in the Park. Both the butcher's 

 broom (Ruscus aculeatus) and the spindle tree (Euonymus) are 

 undoubtedly wild, and the same would apply to the elder and 

 hawthorn, the holly and maple, the mountain ash, broom, 

 and gorse. Seedlings of the oak, ash, birch, sycamore, elm, 

 and beech may also be picked up. Within the enclosure on 

 the Observatory Hill a large number of wild plants occur, 

 such as the giant fennel (two forms), mallow, wild geranium, 

 Achillea (two species), viscid lychnis, and the bladder campion 

 (Silene inflata). Many visitors to the Park during the past 

 summer were charmed with the pretty pinky flowers of 

 another member of the silene family, but which is of 

 Continental origin. I refer S. anneria, which first made its 

 appearance two years ago in one of the borders, and where 

 seedlings were produced so freely that last summer the 

 ground was carpeted with the plant, which for fully three 

 months was a glowing mass of colour. Very plentiful has 

 the American oxalis (O. floribunda) become ; indeed, in the 

 dell by the Ranger's, square yards of the pretty shamrock- 

 like foliage and bright, pinky flowers may be seen. Its 

 introduction might occur with any of the numerous plants 

 purchased from the public nurseries. Another foreigner that 

 has become quite established, and spreads freely, is the 

 evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) from North America. 

 It is very plentiful, and takes possession of any piece of 

 waste ground recently trenched or turned up. The above 

 must be considered as only a few of the many wild plants 

 that are to be found in the Park, commonly distributed 

 species being withheld from these notes ; while exact habitats 

 are, for obvious reasons, suppressed. Of grasses alone forty- 

 seven kinds have been collected ; but how many of these 

 are not truly wild, but introduced for pasture purposes, it 

 would be difficult to say. 



Birds. — Amongst birds one of the rarest visitors to the 

 Park is the green woodpecker (P'icus viridis), which formerly 

 nested in an elm-tree by the Ranger's House, but which I 

 have only twice seen since the opening up of the grounds to 

 the public. The carrion crow (Corvus corone) has also ceased to- 



