no 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



one hand trace the gradation of colour and pattern 

 to Polychloros and the butterfly aptly termed Cali- 

 fornica, and on the other hand, pass by gradual 

 transition to the north Indian counterpart of Urticce, 

 Cashmirensis, to Urticce itself, a little more modi- 

 fied in colour ; and lastly to Ichnusa and Milberti, 

 which appear as two diverging branches from Urticce. 

 The matter, drawn up in a diagram, will at least serve 

 to show how closely variation, where it may be 

 grasped, corresponds with geographical distribution, 

 while it likewise suggests to the thoughtful a line of 

 past modification and descent. For further informa- 

 tion I must refer the reader to Mr. White's paper in 

 the "Transactions of the Epping Forest and County of 

 Essex Naturalists' Field Club for June 1881," with 

 remarks by Messrs. Meldola and Butler. 



BOTANISING AMONG THE SAND-HILLS, 

 ISLE OF WIGHT. 



By C. Parkinson, F.G.S., &c. 



ST. HELENS' Spit, an extent of sand lying at the 

 mouth of Brading Harbour, Isle of Wight, is 

 one of the best botanising localities that we have in 

 England. It has been estimated by Dr. Bromfield 

 and other botanists that over 200 species of wild 

 flowers grow on these forty acres, and it is certain 

 many of our rarer plants may be gathered there either 

 in June, lor the greater number, or August for a few 

 which flower late. Many of the trifoliums may be 

 gathered here. T. arvense (hare's-foot trefoil) is 

 abundant, growing among the loose sand in great 

 quantities. T. suffocatum also buries itself in the 

 sandy road, near a small wooden house at the 

 water's edge ; it is a plant which^is explained ac- 

 curately by its name, the stalkless heads appearing 

 suffocated or choked in growth. T. subtcrrancum 

 (subterraneous trefoil) is common among the grass, 

 with about three small white flowers to each head, 

 the whole plant creeping close to the ground, and 

 therefore easily overlooked. T. striatum (knotted 

 trefoil) is also among the sandy grass ; the plant is 

 downy, with pink, sessile heads, occurring sparingly 

 here and there. T. scabrum is also hairy and pro- 

 cumbent, with sessile and nearly round heads of pale 

 pink flowers, in company with the last, only a 

 commoner species. T. glo??ieratum (round-headed 

 trefoil) differs from scabrum in being smooth, having 

 smaller leaves ; the round, deep-red heads are stalkless, 

 and the leaves often marked with white. These, with 

 two or three commoner forms, make St. Helens' Spit 

 well worth a few hours' search, even if nothing else 

 grew in the same place. In June any botanist will be 

 able to gather specimens of all the above named. T. 

 suffocatum is the most difficult to meet with, and I 

 would earnestly beg collectors to gather sparingly, 

 so that the species may not be exterminated with us. 



On the sand-hills facing^thesea, CEnothera biennis, 

 the evening primrose, grows in some profusion. 

 Hooker and many of the authorities state that the 

 CEnothera is not truly indigenous with us, that it was 

 introduced from N. America. In any case, I can 

 absolutely state that on St. Helens' Spit, facing the 

 sea and a considerable distance from any cottage or 

 garden, the evening primrose is flourishing as truly 

 wild now as any plant can be. Here we find the 

 CEnothera growing year after year in a seemingly wild 

 state, but, on the other hand, botanical writers tell us 

 it must have escaped from gardens or been otherwise 

 introduced. How long must this evening primrose 

 remain before we may call it truly wild ? 



Convolvulus soldanclla (sea bindweed), a hand- 

 some rose-coloured flower, with fleshy angular leaves, 

 is also abundant at St. Helens, perfectly at home in 

 the loose sand. Erythnva pulchella, if it be a distinct 

 species of centaury, I found sparingly ; the corolla is 

 smaller than in centaurium, in some cases 4-cleft 

 instead of 5, and invariably deeper rose-colour. In 

 long grass, almost before you reach the sandy spit, 

 Lathyrus nissolia (crimson vetchling) lies hidden. 

 It has grass-like leaves, single crimson flowers, and 

 is the only vetchling minus tendrils. Eryngium 

 maritimum (sea holly) is everywhere among the sand, 

 having the prickly glaucous foliage and bluish flowers. 

 Sedum Anglicum (white English stonecrop) and S. 

 acre (wall pepper), with white and yellow starry 

 flowers respectively, abound, the contrast being very 

 striking. Erodium maritimum, with simple leaves 

 and very small flowers, may occasionally be gathered, 

 cicutarium, the common stork's-bill, being common. 

 Glaux maritima (sea milkwort) is another of the 

 characteristic flowers, an upright little plant with 

 dark green, alternate leaves and flesh-coloured axil- 

 lary flowers. Solarium nigrum, garden nightshade, 

 is a common weed, growing even in the cart-ruts on 

 the sandy roadway across the Spit. 



Euphorbia paralias (sea spurge) is thoroughly 

 established at St. Helens ; the leaves are glaucous, 

 somewhat imbricated, the umbel 5-cleft, greenish 

 with yellow glands. On muddy patches of ground, 

 Salicornia herbacca (glasswort) and S. radicans grow ; 

 curious succulent green plants with little beauty to 

 recommend them. Arenaria marina (sea sandwort), 

 with fleshy leaves and purple star-shaped flowers, is 

 abundant near the water's edge. Silene maritima is 

 sure to be found among the shingle, almost creeping 

 along the ground, with fleshy leaves that at once dis- 

 tinguish it from other species of campion or catchlly. 

 Armeria maritima (sea thrift) is plentiful in every 

 corner of our hunting-ground. Though Staticc 

 limonium must be sought for higher up in the dry bed 

 of Brading Harbour, it is curious that this sea lavender 

 should not extend to St. Helens' Spit. Honckcneya 

 peploides (sea chickweed) grows on the sea-shore, 

 very nearly down to tide mark ; it has very large, 

 greenish-yellow capsules which attract attention 



