THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
3 
the openings among the pines the sward is carpeted with 
violets, making the pastures as verdant as those of fabled 
Westward the path winds through the fragrant pines, 
until one reaches the pretty mountain lake — so long called 
Fish Pond. It, having silently pleaded for a more suitable 
name, was christened Aurora's Lake by the writer in 
April, 1904. 
The swamp -like pockets surrounding this lake are fed 
by springs and streams which once supplied that early 
lake of dawn. Above these slowly drained marshes are 
acres of boggy pasture land, blue with innocence, dog's 
tooth lilies, iris and shrubs of lamb-kill, Everj^where 
violets bloom — such violets as only Old Highland Berk- 
shire can boast. Here is a rich field for him who would 
specialize upon this group of flowers. 
In the slowh' drained tamarack swamp north of the 
lake near the Pine Park an unfathomable area exists, 
where luxuriant piles of sphagnum cover deeply buried 
stumps and logs. Here the pitcher-plant is at home and 
is seldom discovered by those wandering along the paths 
to the park beyond. High huckleberries and shad-bushes 
offer their blossoms and fruits unseen, and wither un- 
known to the neighboring cottagers. Along the north 
edges in the shades of pine the trailing arbutus lingers 
later than is usual in the woodman's clearing. 
A small stream rises in the pastures on the Scully 
Farm above the lake, along which bluets and a few spring 
beauties, dog's tooth lilies, dwarf cornel and yellow, blue, 
white and varigated violets drape the fern fringed borders 
toward the heart of the swamp. Higher along the hillside 
clearings beneath the scattered chestnut and birch trees 
man\' pink moccasin-flowers and small round-leaved 
orchises dwell and in the ravines near, the j^ellow mocca- 
sin-flower blooms sparingly. 
The swamp is encircled w-ith pine and hemlock which 
corapleteh^ hide the wild meadows of the interior from the 
rude gaze of passers by as they stroll over the hiUs. One 
