CHAPTER III. Natural productions of Derbyshire. Observations. Plants: beasts: birds: fishes: reptiles and insects. CHAP. 3. 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, 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. "Bring, bring me flowers,- bring flowers of every shade : — Blue hyacinths that emulate the sky, And gold crysanthemums that never fade, Their beauties from the breeze, till of its fervour sure. "Bring, bring me flowers, fair Fancy, bring me flowers, "O let not one, with fraudful beauty, bear, Let all be honest, though not all be fair : I would not miss the hare-bell there, though bent So widely sweet, though with its shade content : That glistens o'er green fields, like pearls in emerald set ?" N.. A SKETCH OF THE BOTANY OF DERBYSHIRE. TABLE OF THE CLASSES. Classes. 1 MONANDRIA...... One stamen... Two stamens 2 DIANDRIA 3 TRIANDRIA ... Three stamens... Four stamens (all of the same length) Six stamens (all of the same length) Eight stamens............................................... Nine stamens 4 TETRANDRIA Ten stamens Twelve stamens, or more (fixed to the Strawberry, Thorn Six stamens, four of them longer. ********.. {Stamens and pistils in separate flowers, Hazel upon same 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.... Familiar Examples. Mare's tail, Wa. Starwort the} Houseleek LATIN NAME, ENGLISH NAME, WHERE FOUND, WHEN IN FLOWER, COLOUR OF THE FLOWER. REFERENCE, A annual, P perennial, B biennial, S septennial, &c. MONANDRIA.-MONOGYNIA. Chara vulgaris, common chara, stonewort, pools, July, a petal DIGYNIA. Callitriche aquatica, stargrass or starwort, ditches, April to October, white Ligustrum vulgare, privet, hedges, May to June, white Flaxinus excelsior, ash, woods, April to May, a petal, abundant on limestone rocks officinalis, male speedwell, or fuellen, 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 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. 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. Mack worth Utricularia vulgaris, hooded water milfoil, stagnant water, July, yellow Lycopsis europæus, water horehound, river banks, July to August, white, P. Derby, Pinx ton, 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 Circæa Lutetiana, enchanter's night shade, shady places, June to July, reddish, Matlock 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 CLASS 3. TRIANDRIA.-MONOGYNIA. Valeriana dioica, small or marsh valerian, moist meadows, June to July, flesh coloured, in officinalis, great wild valerian, moist meadows, June to July, flesh coloured, on locusta, common salad lettuce valerian, corn fields, April to May, blue, in a corn fœdia olitoria, strong scented garden valerian 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 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 Cyperus longus, sweet cyprus or English galingale, ditches, July caespitosus, dwarf rush, heaths, July, near a sheet of water in Allestree park 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, 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, common Phleum bocheneri, purple stalked cat's tail grass, meadows and pastures, August pratense, common cat's tail grass, meadows and pastures, June to October, stem 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 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 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 Holcus lanatus, woolly soft grass, meadows and pastures, June to July 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 ovina tenuis, slender sheep's fescue grass, dry pastures, June 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 arvensis, meadow brome grass, corn fields and meadows, July |