COAST-FLOEA OF JAPTGIA, S. ITALY. 527 



the poisonous principle. At Tarauto and Ghllipoli Juncus 

 acutus, L., is used for manufacturing the large conical cages or 

 fish-pots ; some of them are 6 feet in height, and used by the 

 fishermen of the Japygian coasts for the capture of several 

 species of the finny tribe. Two stems, bound together by twine, 

 are used for the bars of the pot, while hoops of the same material 

 serve to strengthen the structure, which is capable of much wear 

 and tear, as it is frequently sunk in tideways, that must try its 

 solidity not a little. What English botanist, floundering about in 

 a bog in quest of a specimen of Schcenus nigricans, would ever dream 

 that the plant could be utilized for the manufacture of rope ? Yet 

 such is the case ; the primary material being very abundant on the 

 sea-coast, especially in marshy places, where its growth is more 

 luxuriant ; although one is surprised to observe the species all 

 round the Italian shores in spots with no unusual moisture. It 

 is gathered by pulling the stem from its sheath, never by cutting ; 

 and, after drying, is subjected before use to soaking in water. 

 Afterwards the stems are beaten with some blunt implement and 

 become pliable and fit for manipulation, the strands being twisted 

 together by the fishermen in leisure moments. Eopes of all 

 thicknesses are made, and have the credit of being more durable 

 than hempen ones when constantly immersed in water; for this 

 reason they are employed for lowering well-buckets as well as for 

 mooring the fish-pots we have already described. 



Eleocharis ovata, B. Br., from the shores of the Alimini 

 lakes near Otranto, has very black and shining seeds instead of 

 the usual brown ones, a character which has been observed 

 elsewhere, although not noticed in text-books, I believe. With 

 this we will conclude our remarks on the peculiarities and 

 uses of some members of the general flora, and pass on to the 

 enumeration of some good species belouging to the Southern 

 Mediterranean Flora, which are met with, though rarely, 

 throughout its whole longitudinal extension. 



Clematis cirrhosa, L., var. balearica, Eich., finds its eastern 

 limit in our district, after passing through the Italian islands. 



Fumaria agraria, Lag., a species first observed in the Iberian 



peninsula, but since found in Italy. Our plants from Gallipoli 



agree exactly with Spanish specimens I have in my herbarium. 



Sinapis dissecta, Lag. | Helianthemum glaucum, Boiss. 



Helianthemum leptophyllum, Dun.— This species was found at 



Leucaspide, near Tarauto, by Mr. C. C. Lacaita, and having been 



