OBSERVATIONS ON GRASSES. 385 
becaufe it affords a mod wholefome nourifhment 
to all kinds of cattle, but chiefly fheep •, and he 
obferves that the fepulchral monuments of the 
antient Tartars are moftly found in places that 
abound with this grafs, which fhews, adds he, 
that it has long been valued amongfl: them. 
I have among my grades a fpecimenof it, but 
do not remember where i found it. I am cer- 
tain it is not common in any of the places where 
i have been. Perhaps upon examination it may 
be found on places famous for our bell mutton, 
^s Banftead Downs, Church-Stretton in Shrop^ 
Ihire, fome parts of Wales &c. 
ADDITION. I have fince found this grafs in 
great -plenty in many parts of England and Wales ; 
indeed on all the fineft fheep pafiures in Hereford - 
Jhire^ Berkfhire , Oxfordjhire , Norfolk &c, tfhe 
reafon why i thought it not common was , that it 
is an early grafs , and had Jhed its feeds , before i 
ufually made my fearches in thofe places where it only 
grows . Jmuft alfo obferve fbat 7 contrary to what 
TJmitfus fays , either the fheep or fome other animals 
do eat the flowering ftems of this grafs , for upon 
Banftead Downs there was nothing to be feen but 
the radical leaves of it , unlefs amongfl the bujhes 
near the hedges , where it was guarded from the 
fheep , 
C c 
1 
Genus 
