HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



fact by supposing that the particles of the cloud are 

 in the transition state — changing rapidly from the 

 condition of half-fiozen water into the vaporous state 

 of cumulus or nimbus. We say half frozen, for the 

 cirro-cumulus scarcely ever exhibits, like the various 

 forms of cirrus, prismatic effects, which it undoubtedly 

 would do if it were composed of fully formed ice- 

 crystals. If then, we allow the accuracy of the ob- 

 servations recorded, as to the chilling effect of this 

 cloud on the atmosphere beneath, we may also be 

 justified in inferring that, for the most part, it is a 

 transition cloud between cirrus (the proper ice-cloud) 

 mid some other more -watery species, e.g., cumulus or 

 stratus, rather than an intermediate stage between 

 these and the cirrus itself. 



(To be continued.) 



A RAMBLE ON THE KENTISH HILLS. 



I THOUGHT that an account of some of the 

 spring plants to be found on the hills near Otford 

 and Kemsing might be interesting to the readers of 

 Science-Gossip who had never botanised in this 

 locality. My first intention was to call this article 

 "A Walk on the Chalk," but thinking the title 

 might mislead, I changed it — "A Walk on the 

 Chalk" generally being considered in London "a 

 milk walk !" 



Three of us started from Otford platform — it can 

 scarcely bear the dignified title of station — at about 

 eleven o'clock in the morning, walked through the 

 village, admired the old castle (where, by the bye, 

 a blacksmith has erected a smithy), and then through 

 a gate, over a ploughed field, up the hill ; what 

 with the hill and the field, it rather tired us, it 

 being extremely warm. Halfway up, on a gras.sy 

 bank, we espied Ophrys mnscifera and Aceras anthro- 

 pophora ; a little higher up two or three clumps of 

 Cynoglossum officinale; on the brow, under the trees, 

 we passed Daphne Laureola and Atropa Belladonna, 

 both in profusion ; then we caught sight of a fine 

 spike of Orchis fusca, which amply repaid our blow 

 up the hill. A short distance on we found Neottia 

 Nidus-Avis, its brown stalk and flowers exactly match- 

 ing the colour of the ground. Down the hill again 

 more fusca, then a large specimen of Habenaria chlo- 

 rantha, measuring about 28 inches in height, and 

 a quantity of Habenaria bifolia a little farther on. 

 Out of the wood, and on to a grassy knoll, where we 

 had a fine view of Kent stretching for miles and 

 fading away into the Sussex hills. Just a bit of 

 lunch ; then Ave turned into a copse on our right ; here 

 we found Cephalanthera grandiflora in full bloom and 

 plenty of it ; out again, down a disused chalk-pit ; 

 here growing were Helianthemum vulgare, Hippocrepis 

 comosa, Pyrus aria, Viburnum Lantana, and a few 

 stray specimens of Aceras anthropophora. Left here 

 and walked down to the small village of Kemsing, 



noticed the quaint old church, which has lancet-shaped 

 windows, and, if report says true, is built on an old 

 Roman temple ; next came to St. Edith's Well, which 

 originated, not from the chalk hills, as we profane 

 moderns think, but from St. Thomas a. Becket's staff; 

 he, good man, travelling by the pilgrims' way, feeling 

 thirsty, stopped at Kemsing and struck his staff into 

 the ground, from whence, we are told, gushed the 

 water. After taking a good draught from it, and 

 gathering some of the Asplenium Ruta-muraria, 

 which grows on the wall built round, we set out on 

 the dusty road. Before we got far, one of my friends 

 drew my attention to the curious laciniated variety 

 of Elder (Sambucus nigra laciniatd) growing in the 

 hedge ; further on we came to a specimen or two 

 of Lathma squamaria, which the road-man had 

 tried hard to destroy by throwing a heap of stones 

 on it ; but no, he had left three untouched, all 

 with seeds ; one we gathered, and left two. Turned 

 back a little way, and down a lane past an old 

 farmhouse, where we found on a wall Ceterach 

 officinarum — this, by the way, a rarity in Kent. We 

 must scarcely mention a closer description of the 

 locality than this, or the herb collectors would be 

 after them, but enough to say, if any botanist 

 searches for it, he will be rewarded. Over a field, and 

 narrowly escaping wet feet by plumping into a boggy 

 ditch, out into a pretty country lane ; we walked down 

 here for about half a mile, and then came to the 

 (L. C. & D.) railway bridge, under which we pass, 

 and into the meadow on the left-hand side ; here 

 we gathered Orchis mascula, latifolia, and Morio, 

 also Valeriana dioica by the side of the ditch. Out 

 into the road, and a little higher up we found a beauti- 

 fully variegated variety of Sambucus nigra, all the 

 veins being surrounded with a- broad cream-colour 

 border. 



Up the short but steepish hill, the road delight- 

 fully overshadowed with the" green foliage, and re- 

 lieved here and there by a bit of blue sky ; then on 

 to the Chart (Seal) ; here Junipcrus communis is 

 very common ; among the fir-trees we found Con- 

 vallaria majalis flowering very sparingly ; this, I 

 believe, is the characteristic of the uncultivated 

 plant Lomaria spicant, of course growing abundantly 

 here. 



On looking at the time, we find it to be five o'clock. 

 And now we are close to Ightham ; here I part with 

 my friends and make my way through Inghatch (here 

 by the roadside is a clump of Lamium macula tu/u), 

 and on to Plaxtol, but go a bit out of my way to the 

 copse at the bottom of Sheet Hill, where Paris quad- 

 rifolia and Ophioglossum vulgatum grow, the first- 

 named plant being rather a local one in Kent. Gather- 

 ing a specimen or two of each, I walk on to Plaxtol, 

 and thence home, after having spent a most enjoyable 

 day. 



Hadlvw. F. W. E. S. 



