HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



35 



and manufacturing neighbourhoods in these utili- 

 tarian days. I am glad to be in a position to inform 

 bim and others interested in such matters, that the 

 above-named rarity must not be at present — and I 

 see no reason for it to be for many a long day to 

 come— included in the catalogue of "lost species" 

 from the cause named. During a short excursion 

 to Anglesea in the month of August last, in com- 

 pany with Mr. H. S. Fisher, we made a special 

 point of searching for this rare species, and, comiug 

 down the mountain-side immediately above the 

 South Stark Lighthouse enclosure — about halfway 

 down to the roadway — we found it growing in 

 tolerable plenty upon the ledges of rock where 

 there was any slight covering of the heathy soil. 

 At the time of our] visit the plant was a full six 

 weeks past its best, and the larger specimens were 

 nearly all withered and not worth gathering ; but of 

 seedlings, a quarter-inch to one inch high, hundreds 

 might easily have been picked. I hope that this 

 statement will not lead in any way to that most-to- 

 be-reprobated cause of botanical losses, and of 

 vexation to botanists — the scarcity of botanical 

 treasures through the rapacity of collectors who 

 visit localities of rare plants, and gather without 

 consideration of those who will succeed them. The 

 Helianthemum also grows— but very sparingly and 

 very small — in the mountain gully which opens on 

 to the road shortly before coming to the steps which 

 lead down to the Lighthouse buildings. This 

 habitat has been in print a good many years. I can- 

 not say whether it holds its ground at Almwch, the 

 only other distinct station recorded for it, and shall 

 be glad to know if it has been gathered there in 

 recent times. 



I believe that Mr. Lees is correct in classing 

 Cineraria maritima with the defunct rarities so far 

 as the old Holyhead locality is concerned, also that 

 he assigns the correct reason for its loss. I some 

 time ago identified the habitat particularized by 

 Davies in "Welsh Botanology," and had no doubt 

 that the harbour improvements had quite destroyed 

 the plant, so that I did not think it worth while to 

 examine afresh this year. 



There has been doubt expressed by some whether 

 Elatine hydropiper was still to be found in its 

 Anglesea locality of Llyn Coron (or Llyn-Cwm, as 

 given in Hooker's "Student's Flora"). We found it, 

 but in much smaller quantity than its near relative, 

 E. hexandra, which was obtainable in plenty by 

 wading some six or eight yards into the lake, at its 

 south-east border. It may be a serviceable piece 

 of information to some to tell them that, when ga- 

 thering the Elatines, the small Callitriehes, and other 

 plants that grow in shallow water partly imbedded 

 in the soft soil at the bottom, the best plan is to 

 bring up a good handful of the plant and soil toge- 

 ther, and by a gentle movement of the hand through 

 the surface-water wash away the soil or mud. The 



specimens in a perfect state will float out during 

 this operation, and should be picked up carefully, 

 so that the slender stems do not run together, 

 each specimen being laid, there and then, between 

 pieces of paper, and deposited in the vasculum, 

 unless the collector possesses a collecting-book. 

 The trouble is very trifling, and, instead of a shape- 

 less mass of mere fragments, as are the generality 

 of the specimens of small water-plants, we have 

 perfect and clear specimens. Those who have seen 

 the specimens of the Elatines distributed by the 

 late Mr. Salmon, or Mr. Stratton's specimens of 

 CJiara alopecurioides, will know what a little care 

 and judgment can accomplish. 



Whilst upon the subject of Anglesea plants, I 

 wish some of your readers could throw light upon 

 the record of Trifolium stridum as an Anglesea 

 species ; this either by conveying their knowledge 

 through your pages, or by referring me to sources 

 whence I can obtain a reply to the following 

 queries : — Where did the record first appear ? Was 

 an exact locality described ? Were specimens dis- 

 tributed to botanists ? Was the plant considered 

 to have native claims, or was it traced to a casual 

 introduction ? and, finally, Was the correct species 

 given, or was a more common trefoil found and the 

 name stridum wrongly applied ? Mr. Watson, in 

 his Compendium to his "Cybele," says, "Once seen 

 in Anglesea ;" and in his Supplement gives the 

 authority, " Dr. Dickenson." This is all I knov7 

 about it, except that I have in memory the locality 

 was stated to be near to Aberffraw, and I also think 

 it spoke of the plant occurring over a considerable, 

 but a circumscribed, extent of ground. 



I may mention that Rosa TFilsoni still flourishes 

 in its original locality by the Menai Straits, but a 

 notice-board close by bears the ominous intelligence 

 — " Eligible building land to be let on lease," &c. 



F. M. Webb. 



THE SKULPIN. 



THE Callionymtis and TJramscopus mentioned 

 by Pliny (Hist. Nat., lib. sxxii. c. 2'i) are 

 identified by M. Ajasson with the white Eascasse 

 of the Mediterranean, and I think we may look 

 for its identification in this fish rather than in the 

 Yellow Skulpin, according to Couch. M. Ajasson 

 remarks (see notes to his edition of Pliny) that the 

 former fish has the eyes so situated on the upper 

 surface of the head as to appear to be gazing at 

 the heavens. At Genoa this fish is, commonly 

 known by the name of prete (priest). It belongs, 

 no doubt, to the Linnrean genus Uranoscopus, 

 the principal characters of which are the vertical 

 position of the eyes and mouth. The members of 

 it are found, too, in the Mediterranean Sea. We 

 believe this is the only genus among fishes in which 



