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CHAP. 3.

CHAPTER III.

Natural productions of Derbyshire. Observations. Plants: beasts: birds: fishes: reptiles and insects.

THE distinguishing natural feature of this county is to be sought in its Natural geographical and geological aspect; the diversities of which have been the Productions. subject of the preceding chapters. In its vegetative, animated and intellectual characteristics, there cannot be expected to exist many very decided peculiarities; and consequently, in speaking of plants, beasts, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects of Derbyshire, our observations must be liable to be regarded either as too general or too confined. There are undoubtedly varieties in both the botanical and zoological productions of every district, and many of these varieties, as they exist in this county, have been traced and pointed out by intelligent inquirers. Some beautiful flowers are found in abundance among the rugged grit and limestone rocks of the Peak, which seldom are met with in equal perfection elsewhere; around the dreary hills that encompass Middleton, violets are in greater profusion than the common daisy, and there is a species of the Orchis which is said to be known only to our northern valleys. Among the reptiles and birds, some peculiarities, not, however, sufficiently marked, have been noticed; but considerable doubt attaches to such notices, and the natural history of the county is still open to very considerable research.

tions.

With respect to the elegant and interesting pursuits of the botanist, there Observacan scarcely be a field of richer diversity than Derbyshire, where, as we have already seen, the aspect of the county is varied with rocky eminences and deep valleys, with plains, and with the gentle undulations of the red marl hills and cavities in the southern district. The soil varies also, and the climate of the High Peak differs from that of the Low Peak, which differs still more from that which is experienced on the banks of the Trent. Hence the flora of Derbyshire must embrace a variety of species, while the individual plants will also be found to vary in colour, in size and in beauty.

"In botany," says an amiable writer, "all is elegance and delight. Its pleasures spring up under our feet, and as we pursue them, reward us with health and serene satisfaction. None but the most foolish or depraved could derive any thing from it, but what is beautiful, or pollute its lovely scenery with unamiable or unhallowed images.

"Whether we walk forth in the early spring, when the ruby tips of the hawthorn-bush give the first sign of its approaching vegetation; or a little later, when the violet welcomes us with its scent, and the primrose with its beauty; whether we contemplate, in succession, all the profuse flowery treasures of the summer, or the more hidden secrets of nature, at the season when fruits and seeds are forming-the most familiar objects, like old friends, will always afford us something to study and to admire, while new discoveries will awake a train of new ideas. The yellow blossoms of the morning, that fold up their delicate leaves as the day advances; others that

CHAP. 3. court and sustain the full blaze of noon; and the pale night scented tribe, which diffuse their sweet fragrance towards evening, will all please in their turn. The more we study the works of the Creator, the more their wisdom, beauty and harmony become manifest, even to our limited apprehensions; and while we admire, it is impossible not to adore.

"Soft roll your incense, herbs, and fruits, and flowers,

In mingled clouds to HIM, whose sun exalts,

Whose breath perfumes you, and whose pencil paints !”

In giving the following extensive catalogue of plants and flowers, we beg to acknowledge ourselves debtors, and return our thanks to Mrs. Lucy Hardcastle of Derby, and Mrs. Margaret Stoven of Newbold near Chesterfield; the former lady so highly talented in discovering and delineating the beautiful characteristics of the floreal region, the latter so eminent for her complete and scientific botanic collections.

The following lines, hitherto in manuscript in the album of a young lady of Derby, will not be considered inappropriate as an introduction to a list of plants and flowers.

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11 DODECANDRIA..

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Nine stamens

Ten stamens ...........

Familiar Examples.
Mare's tail, Wa. Starwort
Speedwell, Brooklime
Grasses, Crocuses
.... Teasel, Plantain
Honeysuckle, Primrose
Harebell, Snowdrop
Wintergreen

Twelve stamens, or more (fixed to the
receptacle).....

12 ICOSANDRIA...... Twenty stamens (fixed upon the calyx).
13 POLYANDRIA..... Many stamens (fixed to the receptacle)
J Four stamens, two of them longer.
1 pistil. Flowers ringent......

14 DYDYNAMIA ...............

15 TETRADYNAMIA

One

Six stamens, four of them longer.
pistil. Flowers cruciform.....

One

Mezereon, Willowherb
Flowering Rush
Pink, Stitchwort

Houseleek

Strawberry, Thorn
Poppy, Buttercups

Foxglove, Deadnettle

Stock Gilliflower, Wallflower

16 MONADELPHIA.. Threads united at bottom, but separate at top Mallow, Cranesbill 17 DIADELPHIA........... Threads in two sets. Flowers butterfly-shaped Pea, Clover

18 POLYADELPHIA Threads in three or more sets.....

Anthers united. Five stamens. One pistil. Į Dandelion, Daisy,
Flowers compound.....

19 SYNGANESIA .....
20 GYNANDRIA...... Stamens upon the pistil......

21 MONOECIA

Thistle

St. John's Wort

Orchis

Stamens and pistils in separate flowers, 1 upon the same plant.......

Bryony, Hazel

Ferns, Mosses, Flags.

22 DIOECIA............ Stamens and pistils distinct, on different plants Hop, Willow
23 POLYGAMIA Stamens only, others pistils only, others both Orach
24 CRYPTOGAMIA... Flowers inconspicuous....

LATIN NAME, ENGLISH NAME, WHERE FOUND, WHEN IN FLOWER, COLOUR

OF THE FLOWER.

REFERENCE, A annual, P perennial, B biennial, S septennial, &c.

CLASS 1.

MONANDRIA.-MONOGYNIA.

Chara vulgaris, common chara, stonewort, pools, July, a petal

hispida, prickly chara, pools, July to August, a petal

flexilis, smooth chara, pools, July to August, a petal

Aphanes arvensis, parsley piert, cultivated land

Hippuris vulgaris, mare's tail, ditches, May, a petal

DIGYNIA.

Callitriche aquatica, stargrass or starwort, ditches, April to October, white verna, water chickweed, ditches, March to October.

CLASS 2. DIANDRIA.-MONOGYNIA.

Ligustrum vulgare, privet, hedges, May to June, white

Flaxinus excelsior, ash, woods, April to May, a petal, abundant on limestone rocks
Veronica arvensis, wall speedwell, old walls, May, blue, Derby

officinalis, male speedwell, or fluellen, barren ground, May to June, blue, Matlock
alpina, alpine speedwell, high situations, July to August, blue, on Masson moun-
tain, Matlock

serpyllifolia, smooth speedwell, or Paul's betony, meadows and pastures, May to June, blue, P. Derby and Pinxton

Beccabunga, brooklime speedwell, rivers, July, blue, P. wet ditches and small running streams, Chester green

Anagallis, water speedwell, marshes, July, blue, P. Kedleston, South Normanton,
common in wet ditches

scutellata, narrow leaved speedwell, marshes, July to August, flesh coloured, P.
near Derby, in ditches on the Ashbourn road and Allestree
montana, mountain speedwell, madwort, or stalked speedwell, woods, April to June,
blue, Nutwood, Darley, near Derby

Veronica Chemædrys, wild germander speedwell, meadows and pastures, May, blue, com. agestris, procumbent germander speedwell, or chickweed, cultivated land and rubbish, April to October, blue, A. Derby

hederifolia, ivy leaved speedwell, or henbit, corn fields and rubbish, April to Oct. blue, A. in the plantations at Markeaton, near Derby

Pinguicula vulgaris, butterwort, bogs, May to June, violet, P. Mackworth

Utricularia vulgaris, hooded water milfoil, stagnant water, July, yellow

Lycopsis europæus, water horehound, river banks, July to August, white, P. Derby, Pinxton, South Normanton, &c.

Salvia pratensis, meadow clary, dry pastures, July, violet, P. Crich, near Hallowes

verbenaca, wild clary, dry pastures, June to October, violet, found often in church yards. Ray says this plant was made use of as an instance of Popish superstition, on account, perhaps, of its use in medicine

Circæa Lutetiana, enchanter's night shade, shady places, June to July, reddish, Matlock bath, Quarndon well, Newton wood, Sutton spring, &c.

alpina, alpine night shade, mountains, July to August, reddish, Matlock, Lover's walk

Verbena officinalis, vervain, roadsides, July, purple.

DIGYNIA.

Anthoxanthum odoratum, sweet scented vernal grass, meadows and pastures, May, about Derby, common.

CLASS 3. TRIANDRIA.-MONOGYNIA.

Valeriana dioica, small or marsh valerian, moist meadows, June to July, flesh coloured, in a meadow at Thornhill farm, near Derby

officinalis, great wild valerian, moist meadows, June to July, flesh coloured, on the banks of the Derwent, near Derby

locusta, common salad lettuce valerian, corn fields, April to May, blue, in a corn

field near Quarndon

fœdia olitoria, strong scented garden valerian

dentata, oval fruited valerian, June to July, purple

Crocus vernus, spring crocus, meadows, March, yellow, in the Holmes and Old Meadows,

near Derby

nudiflorus, naked flowering crocus, meadows, October, violet, in the Holmes and Siddals, near Derby Iris Pseudacorus, yellow flag, flower de luce or water flag, moist places, July, yellow, on the banks of the Derwent near the old silk mill, Derby

fætidissima, stinking gladdon, shady places, June to July, lead colour

Nardus stricta, small mat grass, heaths, July, common

Schænus Mariscus, prickly bog rush, bogs, July to August

nigricans, black-headed bog rush, bogs, June

Cyperus longus, sweet cyprus or English galingale, ditches, July

Scirpus palustris, club rush, marshes, June to July

caespitosus, dwarf rush, heaths, July, near a sheet of water in Allestree park
fluitans, floating club rush, heaths, July to August, shallow waters

lacustris, bull rush, rivers, July, common about Derby

setaceus, least club rush, wet ground, July to August

triqueter, triangular club rush, marshes, August, wet pastures near Derby

sylvaticus, millet cyprus grass, July, moist shady places

Eriophorum angustifolium, many-headed cotton grass, meadows, March, Dovedale, meadows

near Wirksworth

vaginatum, hare's tail rush, moss crops, or single headed cotton grass, April, Eastmoor, Dovedale

polystachion, moss crops or cotton grass, April, Dovedale.

DIGYNIA.

Phalaris arenaria, sand canary grass, meadows and pastures, June

arundinacea, reed canary grass, lanes, July, banks of rivers and moist places, Phleum bocheneri, purple stalked cat's tail grass, meadows and pastures, August

common

pratense, common cat's tail grass, meadows and pastures, June to October, stem grows to the height of six feet

nodosum, bulbous jointed cat's tail grass, meadows and pastures, June to October Alopecurus pratensis, meadow fox tail grass, meadows and pastures, May

agrestis, slender fox tail grass, in wet arable land, July

geniculatus, jointed fox tail grass, wet meadows, July, in shallow waters fre

quent

Milium effusum, millet grass, moist shady places, June to July, mountains, common paradoxum, black seeded mellet grass

Agrostis palustris, marsh bent-grass, arable land

canina, awnless brown bent grass, wet pastures and peat bogs, July

vinealis, short bearded bent, moist pastures

vulgaris, common bent, dry pastures, on road sides

alba, marsh bent, or white couch, marshes, the root will perforate a potatoe
panacea, bearded bent grass, September

nigra, black couch grass, in cold clayey arable land

stolomifera, creeping bent grass, moist meadows, July to August

Aira cristata, crested hair grass, dry pastures, July to August

aquatica, water hair grass, shallow waters, May to June

caespitosa, turfy hair grass, moist places, June to July

flexuosa, waved mountain grass, heaths, July

præcox, early hair grass, dry commons, May to June

caryophyllea, silver hair grass, sandy pastures, May to June

Holcus lanatus, woolly soft grass, meadows and pastures, June to July mollis, creeping soft grass, corn fields and hedges, July to August avenaceus, tall oat-like soft grass, meadows and pastures

odoratus repens, sweet scented soft grass, June

Melica uniflora, wood melic grass, groves, May to June

cærulea, purple melic soft grass, mountains, August

nutans, mountain melic grass, mountains, June to July

ciliata, ciliated melic grass, meadows and pastures, July

Glyceria aquatica, water glyceria

fluitans, floating glyceria

Poa aquatica, reed meadow grass, ditches, sides of rivers and canals, grows six feet high,

July

distans, reflexed meadow grass, sandy meadows, July

procumbens, procumbent sea meadow grass, July to August

rigida, rigid meadow grass, lime rocks, June

compressa, flat stalked meadow grass, walls, July to August

alpina, alpine meadow grass, mountains, July

annua, annual meadow grass, March to November, foot paths and gravel walks

nemoralis, wood meadow grass, woods, June

cæsia, sea-green meadow grass, mountains, June to July

fertilis, fertile meadow grass, meadows, June

trivialis, rough stalked meadow grass, meadows and pastures, June

nervata, nerved meadow grass, meadows and pastures, June

subcærulea, blue meadow grass, meadows and pastures, June

pratensis, smooth stalked meadow grass, meadows and pastures, June

Briza minor, small quaking grass, corn fields, July

media, quaking grass, meadows and pastures, June to July

Dactylis glomerata, round headed cock's foot grass, meadows, June to August
glaucescons, glaucous cock's foot grass, meadows, June to August
variegatæ, striped cock's foot grass, meadows, June to August

Cynosurus cristatus, crested dog's tail grass, pastures, July
Festuca ovina, sheep's fescue grass, heaths and high pastures, June
ovina tenuis, slender sheep's fescue grass, dry pastures, June
vivipara, viviparous fescue grass, limestone hills, July
duriuscula, hard fescue grass, meadows and pastures, July
rubra, creeping fescue grass, meadows and pastures
bromoides, bromelike fescue grass, dry pastures, June
myurus, capon's tail fescue grass, walls and dry pastures, June
dumetorum, wood fescue grass, woods, hedges and thickets, July
gigantea, giant fescue grass, meadows and pastures, July
loliacea, rye grass like fescue grass, moist pastures, June to July
pratensis, meadow fescue grass, meadows and pastures, June to July
elatior fertilis, tall fertile fescue grass, moist meadows, June to July

pinnata, pinnated fescue, moist meadows, June to July

Bromus secalinus, smooth rye brome grass, corn fields, July, culm three feet high, the seed is called long tail by farmers when in their corn samples multiflorus, many flowering brome grass, corn fields, July mollis, soft annual brome grass, walls and meadows, June racemosus, smooth brome grass, meadows and pastures, June asper, hairy stalked brome grass, moist shady places, July sterilis, barren brome grass, rubbish, June to July arvensis, meadow brome grass, corn fields and meadows, July giganteus, tall brome grass, moist hedges and meadows, July

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