222 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
the primitive character of the tree-growth is not wanting in the fine oaks,
hawthorns, and other trees. The remains of the old "Doodle Oak" were viewed
with much interest ; it is now but a leafless ruin, but must once have been a
magnificent tree, and is somewhat doubtfully conjectured to have given the
name of "Broad Oak" to the neighbouring parish. The park is very numerously
stocked with fallow deer, and a glimpse was caught of two or three of the small
herd of red deer which sprang from a hind hunted into the forest in 1875. The
great flocks of wild duck which rose from the lakes were also interesting sights.
The season was too advanced for much work to be done in collecting
flowering plants and grasses, a department attended to by Prof. Boulger. It was
remarkable how complete a list of the plants of the forest the late Mr, Gibson
seems to have made for his flora. Among the more interesting are : Ranunculus
circinatus, Nymphaea lutea, Stellaria graminea, Hypericum quadrangulum, H.
The Lodge by the Lake, Hatfield Forest. Drawn by H. A. Cole.
hirsutum, Oxalis acetosella, Euonymus europaeus, abundant, and the brilliant
orange-coloured "arils" surrounding the seeds were much admired ; Trifolium
medium, T. fragiferum, T. filiforme, Rubus idaeus, Rosa micrantha, found in 1889,
but not mentioned by Gibson; Epilobium palustre, Helosciadium repens, H.
inundatum, Sison amomum, Sium angustifolium, Galium uliginosum, G. elongatum,
Valeriana officinalis, V. dioica, Dipsacus sylvestris, abundant; Eupatorium cannabinum,
Bidens tripartita, Senecio erucifolius, S. aquaticus, Arctium minus, A. intermedium,
Carduus nutans, Thrincia hirta, Cynoglossum officinale, very abundant; Lithospermum
officinale, Veronica scutellata, Lycopus europaeus, Nepeta cataria, Galeopsis tetrahit,
Anagallis tenella, not seen by us, though recorded by Gibson, Lysimachia
nummularia, Polygonum laxum, Populus alba, P. canescens, Alnus glutinosa, Carpinus
betulus, very fine trees ; Juncus lamprocarpus, J. supinus, Alisma plantago, A.
lanceolatum, Triglochia palustre, Typha latifolia, Sparganium ramosum, S. simplex,
Lemna trisulca, Potamogeton rufescens, Eleocharis palustris, Scirpus lacustris, S.