HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



221 



conspicuous and characteristic. Commencing with 

 the shore with its peculiar glaucous vegetation, we 

 find growing in the shingle and the sand :— The sea 

 holly {Eryngktm viaritimuin), with its foliage and 

 inflorescence well-armed with spines against the 

 pilfering visitor. The yellow-horned poppy ( Glaiuinm 

 luteum) is fast becoming a rarity at this, as well as 

 at other watering-places. The henbane (Hyoscyamus 

 niger) has retired to Clarach Sands. The scurvy 

 grass grows in profusion on the cliffs, and in some 

 parts depends in trellis-forms to the water's edge. 

 The sea plantain (Plantago marilima), convolvulus, 

 plantago and spergula are also represented. On the 

 castle grounds we meet with rest-harrow {Ononis 

 spinosa), mallow (M. rotundifolia), white and 

 yellow stonecrop, and here thrift (Armeria vulgaris) 

 makes good its name and adorns the grassy soil and 

 the bare cliffs. This little plant is outside the pale of 

 protection, and thoughtless folk grub it up 

 mercilessly. The wild thyme ( T. serpyllum) carpets 

 the dry slopes, and the scurvy and whitlow grasses 

 and the pennywort find a living in the crannied walls 

 of the old castle. On Plascrug Road, the swine 

 cress (S. coronopus), common yellow rocket 

 (B. viclgaris), common hedge mustard (Sisymbrium 

 officinale), and the common vervain ( Verbena 

 officinalis). On the flats the yellow flag (Iris 

 pseudacorus), willow herbs (E. hirsutum and 

 parviflorum), and in and near isolated shallow 

 pools are water crowfoots (R. aquatilis), meadow 

 queen (Spiraea), pondweeds (Potamageton natans and 

 lanceolatus), bur-reed (Sparganium ramosum), and 

 the myriad duckweed often give Pwll Simon the 

 appearance of a miniature Sargasso Sea. The 

 spurge, fumitory, pimpernel, and the ground ivy 

 grow in profusion about the cemetery, while the 

 yellow fumitory (Corydalis claviculata), St. John's wort 

 (Hypericum perforatum and montanum), centaury 

 (Erythnca centaurium), peppervvorts, white dead- 

 nettle (Lamium album), common columbine (Aquilegia 

 vulgaris), greater celandine (Cheledonium majus), 

 poppies (P. Rhccas, Lamottei and Argemone), the 

 dog's mercury (Mercurialis perennis), in every patch 

 of which the male plants far outnumber the females, 

 and the wild hop may be found about Rhydfelin. 

 The hills abound with wild sage, yellow bedstraw 

 (Galium verum), heath, heather, the Burnet rose 

 (R. spinossissima), and the whortleberry. The 

 metalliferous slates of the higher hills produce a fine 

 variety of pansy (yellow), and damp places are the 

 battlefields of the butterworts (Pinguicula vulgaris) 

 and the sundews, where they capture and devour 

 hosts of little insects that invade their strongholds. 

 We should not leave unnoticed the tiny milkwort 

 (Polygala vulgaris), with its quaint flowers of various 

 hues, and the golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium 

 oppositifolia), which gilds with bright golden many 

 a watery clod. Orchidacae are represented by 

 0. maculata, latifolia, pyramidalis, and the lady's- 



slipper (Cypripedium calceolus). Ferns have become 

 quite rare, but among others we have observed the 

 hart's tongue (Scolopendrium vulgare), Asplcnhim 

 trichomanes, A. adiantum-nigrum, A. marinum, and 

 A. ruta-muraria, as well as "that most aberrant of 

 the families of ferns," the adder's tongue (Ophioglossum 

 vulgatum). 



It may not be amiss to notice here the important 

 part played by plants as agents of reconstruction. 

 This is well illustrated in many parts of the wild 

 west coast of Wales, where the tenacious clasp of 

 vegetation arrests the drift of the dunes despite the 

 fierce gales which blow across the Atlantic. Fore- 

 most and first to appear on the moving sand are the 

 sea maram (Psamma arenaria), with its creeping 

 rhizomes, often several yards long, and the sand 

 carex (Carex arenaria). Then follow the knotgrass, 

 Silenc maritima, Convolvulus soldanella, Erodium 

 maritimum, Rumex maritimus ; and the silverweed, 

 Burnet rose, and innumerable grasses bring up the 



rear. 



G. Rees. 



CURIOUS ORGANS OF THE LARVA OF 

 THE CLICK-BEETLE. 



VERY recently I became possessed, by exchange, 

 of a slide of the larva of the click-beetle, 

 better known perhaps in agricultural circles as the wire- 

 worm. In such a common and well-known larva I 

 did not expect to find anything strikingly new ; but 

 from inquiries I have since instituted, it would 



appear that very little, if anything, is known about 

 some remarkably curious stalked organs very 

 readily seen in both the larvae on my slide. It is an 

 ordinary balsam mount, and the flattening process 

 has very materially increased the difficulties of inter- 

 pretation. 



