708  On  Sweet  Vernal  Grass  and  Golden  Oat  Grass , 
The  seed  which  is  extensively  supplied  instead  of  the  yellow 
oat-grass  is  the  Wavy  Mountain  Hair-grass  ( Aira  jlexuosa , 
Linn.),  Fig.  4,  b,  a grass  very  common  on  sandy  heaths,  moors, 
and  hilly  pastures,  where  it  often  forms  a considerable  portion 
of  the  herbage,  and  is  no  doubt  of  value  as  an  ingredient  in  such 
exposed  native  pastures.  It  belongs  to  the  same  genus  as  the 
Hassock  grass  ( Aira  ccespitosa,  Linn.),  so  common  in  moist  rich 
a be 
Fig.  5. — Yellow  Oat  Oras-r,  Atena  Jiivesctns,  Linn.  Ten  times  the  natural  size,  a.  Inner  surface 
of  the  seed,  showing  the  pedicel  of  the  next  seed,  with  a continuous  line  of  hairs  on  each  side  ; 
V,  side  view,  showing  the  inner  chaffy  scale ; c,  back  view,  showing  the  place  of  attachment  of 
the  hygrometric  awn,  and  the  smaller  awns  terminating  the  outer  pale. 
soils,  especially  where  there  is  some  shade.  As  the  wiry  foliage 
of  the  Hassock  grass  is  rejected  by  cattle,  it  grows  in  tussocks, 
which  are  as  objectionable  to  the  sight  as  they  are  worthless  in 
the  pasture.  The  seeds  of  this  common  grass  could  not  be 
employed  to  adulterate  the  yellow  oat-grass  without  easy  detec- 
tion, for  they  are  much  smaller  than  those  of  the  latter  grass. 
It  is  obvious  that  intelligence  is  somewhere  exercised  in  selecting 
