THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 441 
ticular observation. Ewes, he states, will not bite the 
grass of a fairy-ring. 
Now, this is not true with regard to the area of the circle ; 
but it is correct when the expression is limited to its circum- 
ference, , which is truly the ring that the ewe will not bite . This 
I once satisfactorily proved by observation in the vicinity of 
Stratford-on-Avon, and probably in a field that Shakespeare 
had himself trod. In this pasture, through which was a foot- 
path, there was a flock of sheep grazing, and several rings of 
Agaricus gambosus. The exterior circle of each ring was 
occupied by a tall growth of the coarse grass called Brachy- 
podium pinnatum , among which lay nestled and concealed the 
savoury agaric. The sheep had close-grazed most of the 
herbage of the field, but the grass occupying the circum- 
ference of the rings was entirely untouched. It was, then, 
doubtless, the vernal fairy-rings to which the immortal bard 
alluded.” — E. Lees, The Woolhope Club , 1868. 
Now, it is quite clear that in this case the peculiarly innu- 
tritious kind of grass was the real reason of its being refused 
by sheep, as observed by the poet, and afterwards by the 
naturalist ; but when such favourite kinds as the Lolium in 
our home circles, and this and the Dactylis glomerata, as ob- 
served at the Agricultural College meadow, is improved by 
phosphatic manure, whether that be purposely employed or 
is derived from decay of fungi, these grasses become more 
succulent, and are consequently more relished by sheep. 
But we have stated that many of our rings are without 
fungi ; still, whether with or without these, we look upon it 
as a fact that the initiative of the circles is not necessarily 
connected with these plants, and this leads us to the inquiry, 
how are fairy rings formed ? 
Now, it appears to us that anything which may tend to 
kill a given area of grass may be the beginning of a fairy- 
ring. 
Some years since we were asked to examine a meadow in 
which the grass was said to be killed in circular patches ; as 
we were told, “ the rooks had taken a fancy to it, and were 
eating it all out.” On going to the field we observed several 
areas of variable size, in which the tops of the grass were 
turned upside down, as if for the purpose of being dried. On 
removing some of these, and turning away the soil, we were 
not at all surprised to see hundreds of the larvae of the cock- 
chafer — Melolontha vulgaris. These the rooks were doing all 
they could to exterminate. After this a friend at a distance, 
who was suffering from a like attack in his meadows, was 
desirous of keeping the rooks from being disturbed. But our 
