A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE east of the county a small portion about Podington and Wymington is drained by a brook, which belongs to the Nene drainage, and corre- sponds with the Nene B district of Druce's Flora of Northamptonshire ; a narrow strip on the eastern side containing the parishes of Cockayne, Hatley, Wrestlingworth, and a portion of Edworth belongs to the Cam drainage, itself, like the Nene, a tributary of the main Ouse. We may therefore subdivide the county into seven botanical districts, namely : — i. The Nene, which has its counterpart in the Harper's Brook or Nene B district of Druce's Flora of Northamptonshire. 2. The East Ouse. 3. The West Ouse, which has its counterpart in the Ouse district of Druce's Ouse. Flora of Northamptonshire and the Flora of Buckinghamshire (in preparation). 4. The Ivel, which corresponds with the Ivel district, No. 2, of Pryor's Flora of Hertfordshire. 5. The Cam, corresponding to district 1, the Cam, of Pryor's Flora of Hertfordshire. ,6. The Ouzel, which corresponds with the same district in the Flora of Bucking- hamshire. Thames. 7. The Lea, which has its counterpart in district No. 6 of Pryor's Flora of Hertfordshire. The boundaries of the above districts are briefly as follows : — 1. The Nene District is a small portion in the north of the county containing the parishes of Podington, Wymington and Farndish, having its southern limitation in the Forty-foot Lane, which is practically the water-parting of the Nene and the Ouse drainage. Lotus tenuis is the only plant recorded for this area from near Podington. 2. The East Ouse District is bounded on the north by Northants, and on the east by Hunts as far as to Cold Arbour, which is about two miles east of Roxton. From Roxton to the Forty-foot Lane near Wymington Wold in the north, the separating line from the West Ouse district is traced by Florns Wood, between Wilden and Ravensden to Tilwick farm. Then by Cross-end farm and Bletsoe Park, Harner Wood, and Souldrop village to the Nene boundary. The botany of this district is much less known than that of the other portions of the county. Keysoe Park and Melchbourne Woods should repay systematic search, and the river flora itself is sure to yield additional species to those recorded. The gravelly soils should also prove remunerative. Among the interesting species recorded for the district are : — Thalictrum flavum, L. Ouse tOmithogalum pyrenaicum, L. Between Eaton Ranunculus fluitans, Lam. Ouse Socon and Thurleigh (Abbot), Keysoe Park tCentaurea Cakitrapa, L. Eaton Socon (Abbot) ; (Bo/. Guide) not recently seen — nutans, L. Eaton (Bot. Guide) Cuscuta Trifolii, Bab. Basmeade (Pryor) Acorus Calamus, L. Ouse Hottonia palustris, L. Eaton Socon (Abbot) Orchis incarnata, L. Basmeade (Pryor) Thymus Chamxdrys, Fries. Basmeade (Pryor) Calamagrostis Epigeios, Roth. Basmeade (Pryor) 3. The West Ouse District is bounded on the north and east by the district of the East Ouse which has been described. It is separated from the Nene district by the Forty-foot Lane to Dungey Corner, from which place to Nun Wood it is limited by the county of Northampton. At the latter place the county boundary of Bucks is followed by Harrold Lodge to the river Ouse, which then becomes the county boundary as far as to the vicinity of Newton Blossomville. Thence the Bucks boundary limits the West Ouse district until the road from Broad Green to North Crawley is t before a plant name means that the plant is recorded for one district only.
- means probably extinct.
A plant name in italics signifies that it is not native in the district.
