30 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



Viola arvensis, Lapsana communis, Myosotis arvensts, and 

 Veronica agrestis may be named as instances. The absence 

 of such species as RapJianus Raphanistruin, Veronica Jiederce- 

 folia, and other very common weeds of cultivated ground 

 was also noteworthy. In 1893 the number of species and 

 varieties was greater (192), though the soil was bare, or 

 nearly so, in many spots. Here and there the herbage grew 

 more strongly, but no species showed a marked preponder- 

 ance over the remainder ; hence the vegetation was more 

 varied. In 1894 the number of species had fallen to 122 ; 

 and I noted, as compared with 1893, the great increase in 

 grasses of coarse habit, and other plants of vigorous growth, 

 such as thistles, docks, the larger melilots, etc. The addi- 

 tions to the list of plants observed in 1893 were Sisym- 

 brium pannonicum, Medicago sativa, LitJiospervinni arvense, 

 Mentlia arvensis, Phalaris ccerulescens, and Festuca pratcnsis, 

 and six others less noteworthy. Thus 82 species had 

 disappeared. A large portion of the ground was covered 

 up at this period by the rails and cinders laid in summer. 

 Proliferation was very frequent in Trifolium hybridwn, and 

 enlargement and branching of the inflorescences in Lolium 

 perenne. 



In 1895 the changes in the type of vegetation continued, 

 large portions, where not covered with cinders, bearing a very 

 coarse vegetation of grasses, thistles, and other rank herbage. 

 A few plants observed in 1894 were not noticed in 1895, 

 but a few others (bringing the total for the year to 120) 

 were detected that had not been observed during 1894. 

 Some of these were growing on the cinders, others as single 

 examples here and there. In 1896 the area under cinders 

 had been considerably widened, and several species not 

 previously observed were found on them, as also a few already 

 noted in 1893 but not observed in 1894 and 1895. The 

 number was thus raised to 132. Woody species, both 

 shrubs and trees, were beginning to be more noticeable on 

 the cinders, as well as on the area not yet covered over, 

 which still occupied a large portion of the eastern end and a 

 narrow strip along the south side. On this uncovered area, 

 with the exception of the thinly covered roads, the vegetation 

 had become extremely coarse, and almost all the smaller or 



