208 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Several members of the Cruciferse may be men- 

 tioned. The bitter-cress [Cdrdamine hirsuta), and 

 the vernal whitlow-grass [Erophila vulgaris), are very 

 plentiful on and near the sand-hills in spring, and 

 are represented by their seed-pods in early summer. 

 The horse-radish [Coehlearia armoracia), which is in 

 full flower in June, is common on some parts of the 

 hill?, while the sea-rocket {Cakile maritima) grows 

 more or less abundantly on the loose sand on both 

 sides of the hills. 



The sea-purslane (Arenaria peploides) is abundant 

 in one or two spots, but is not generally distributed 

 in the district. The stork's bill (Erodium cicutarium), 

 which sometimes produces white flowers as well as 

 pink ones, is abundant on the sand-hills and on the 

 sandy places by the sides of road which runs along 

 the landward foot of the hills, and the crane's-bill 

 {Geranium molle) is one of the most abundant flowers 

 on the hills. On the sand-hills also are numerous 

 cushions of the biting stone-crop, or wall-pepper 

 (Sedum acre), so familiar on old garden walls, the 

 flowers of which appear towards the end of June, and 

 are very showy. 



Of the large order Umbelliferoe, one species may 

 be mentioned, viz. the wild celery (Apium graveolens), 

 at once recognised by its smell. It is common by the 

 sides of the drains and in moist places near the sea. 



The common ragwort (Scnccio yacobaa) is very 

 abundant, and, as might be imagined, brings with it 

 in large numbers the larva? of the cinnabar moth 

 (Euchelia jfacobcza). 'When I visited Mablethorpe in 

 June, this insect was in the imago state, and very 

 plentiful. I also found their pale-yellow eggs on the 

 under-sides of the lower leaves of the ragwort. 



The yellow bedstraw {Galium verum) is extremely 

 abundant on the sand-hills, and in summer, when it 

 is in flower, Lagria hirta and the pretty Agelastica 

 hahnsis swarm upon it. 



The salt-marshes at Saltfleet, which have been 

 before mentioned, are literally covered with the 

 thrift (Armcria vulgaris), and it is no exaggeration to 

 say that from a distance acres upon acres of the 

 marsh look as though they had been flooded with 

 pink paint. In these salt-marshes Hydrobia tilv<z and 

 other estuarine shells abound. 



The sea milk-wort or black salt-wort (Glaux 

 maritima), an exceptional member of the Primulaceae, 

 is growing in great plenty on the higher parts of the 

 saltmarsh at Saltfleet, and is also to be found by the 

 sides of the basin (the outlet of a large drain), at 

 Mablethorpe. 



Of the order Boragineoe, two species are conspicuous, 

 namely, the bugloss (Anchusa arvensis), and the 

 hound's-tongue (Cynoglossum opfici)iale). The bugloss 

 is common in a sandy field near the coast not far 

 from Mablethorpe, together with Papaver argemone, 

 while the pretty dull red-purple flowers of the 

 hound's-tongue may be seen on all sides as you walk 

 along the sand-hills, and are certainly more welcome 



than the ripe fruit which make it their duty to adhere 

 to the clothes of every rambler on the sand-hills in 

 autumn. 



The sea-bindweed [Convolvulus soldaiiella), grows 

 plentifully, particularly where there is loose sand ; 

 the sea-plantain (Plantago maritima), is frequently 

 come across, but is not nearly so plentiful as the 

 buck's-horn plantain (Plantago coronopus). 



I found a single plant of the mother-wort (Leonurus 

 cardiaca) some years ago, on the sandy bank by the 

 side of the road, which runs parallel with the coast, 

 but cannot find it now. 



There are large "beds" of marsh-samphire or 

 glasswort (Salicornia herbacea), near the saltmarsh at 

 Saltfleet. When I stayed at Mablethorpe in June, 

 this plant was just making its appearance all over the 

 mud-flats ; but when I visited the locality in August, 

 1SS5, it was in flower, and people were gathering it. 

 It is sold in Lincolnshire as "samphire." The sak- 

 root (Salsola kali) grows on the loose sand on the 

 seaward side of the hills at Mablethorpe. I took 

 specimens of it, in flower, in August 1SS5. 



We now arrive at the typical plant of this coast, 

 the shining silvery sallow-thorn or sea-buckthorn 

 (Hippophae rhamnoides). This shrub is extremely 

 plentiful where the hills are broad, and less so where 

 the hills are narrow and the sand loose, where its 

 place is to some extent supplied by the marram-grass 

 (Ammophila arundinacca), and other strong grasses. 

 Both the Hippophae and Ammophila are of great use 

 in binding the sand together. On the top-most 

 sprays of the sallow-thorn bushes perch large numbers 

 of those beautiful birds, the whin-chats and stone- 

 chats. Of shrubs, after the sallow-thorn, the elder 

 grows nearest the sea, then comes blackthorn, 

 bramble, and willow. On a willow on the sand-hill 

 I found numerous specimens of the weevil (Cryptor- 

 hynchus lapathi), and noticed that they were piercing 

 the young branches. I also observed Cneorhinus 

 geminatus (which together with Otiorhynchus ovatus, 

 literally swarm on the sand-hills) eating the leaves 

 of willow. 



The marsh orchis {Orchis latifolia), was growing 

 plentifully in a moist meadow near the coast, with 

 the spotted orchis (Orchis maculata), and the green- 

 winged orchis (Orchis morio). The Orchis pyramidalis 

 is plentiful on the sand-hills. 



The yellow-flag (Iris pseud-acorus) and Ranunculus 

 sceleratus were abundant in the marsh drains, as also 

 were many other water-loving plants. 



The asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) occurs on the 

 sand-hills, but is not very common. A fine plant in 

 full flower was found on the 9th of June. In August, 

 1SS5, 1 noticed it in fruit (then still green). The sea- 

 arrow-grass (Triglochin maritimum) is common in a 

 marshy place in a field just behind the sand-hills at 

 Huttoft, not far from Mablethorpe. The cotton-grass 

 (Eriophorum polystachion) was found in a certain 

 ditch at Mablethorpe. 



