256 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



year at least, it must have been ten days or a fortnight 

 earlier, for we found most of the plants to have nearly 

 shed their petals on the sixth day of the month. 



It is curious, if it be the fact, that this plant should 

 be only found in this one locality. But a glance at 

 the geology of the district may throw some light upon 

 the subject. The plant grows upon an isolated hill. 

 It seems to be of sub-alpine habit, for it grows at an 

 altitude of 650 or 700 feet, and it is not found lower. 

 But Greensand caps the summit of the hill, and 

 apparently it is not found upon the Greensand, which 

 (by the way) is of more limited area than the map 

 would lead one to suppose. Why is this ? It may 

 be that the soil of the Greensand does not suit it. 

 More probably it cannot cross the boggy boundary 

 which marks the junction of the Greensand with the 

 Red Marl of the Trias, for it grows in as high an 



micrasters out of chalk flints. In the meantime my 

 thoughts are turned to the hill opposite, "Dane's 

 Hill." There seem to be many traces of the Danes 

 in this neighbourhood. A few miles to the south are 

 the remains of some old trenches, which go by the 

 name of Honey-ditches, which my good friend Mr. 

 Hutchinson, of Sidmouth, has lately explained to mean 

 Hannen's ditches, Hannen being the name of a 

 Danish chieftain. And what is true of Honi-ditches 

 is doubtless true of Honi-ton, not many miles distant 

 from the trenches. 



But we have time on our hands, and I summon my 

 young companions to decide upon the disposal of it. 

 We decide to take the train to Seaton, where the 

 breeze blowing directly off the sea is perhaps as 

 refreshing as that of the hill-top we have left. I feel 

 tempted to enter into the geology of Seaton, and to 



Danes Hill 



Shute Hill 



A30LJT TWO MILES 



Fig. 164. — A. Red marl. Ai. Zone of L. urens. A2. Zone of springs and bog-plants. B. Greensand. C. Alluvium. 



altitude in the Trias as it can, without entering the 

 wet soil of the boundary. The latter is given up to 

 Drosera, Narthecium, Anagallis tenella, and moss. 

 A figure will make this more clear. 



As L. urens cannot get across the wet ground 

 upwards, so also for some different reason (? in- 

 sufficient altitude) it does not cross the alluvium 

 downwards. Nor, on account of its acrid juices, will 

 bird or beast assist in its transfer. Even the donkeys 

 on the common leave it almost untouched. Some- 

 times the leader is bitten off, but one bite appears to 

 have been always enough, even for a donkey. 



Our work is done, sooner by far than we expected, 

 and it is only luncheon time. But let us dwell for 

 one moment upon the recollections of that enjoyable 

 repast. It was nothing but sandwiches and sherry ; but 

 even if it had been cold bacon and sour beer, what, 

 could be more enjoyable than the rest and refreshment 

 under the circumstances ? The pure fresh breeze of 

 the hill-top, the short grass of the common, the clear 

 blue sky, the glorious view of Devonshire hills and 

 vales, while in the foreground centaury and pimpernel 

 are expanding their petals to the utmost, in promise 

 of continued fair weather, to say nothing of the secret 

 satisfaction of havinp achieved our task and found 

 what we came for. We prolong the halt. My young 

 companions cannot sit still and are off to turn stones 

 over and disturb the ants, or to attempt to hammer 



show how a fault and a synclinal bring in the chalk 

 so as to abut against the Trias and Greensand at 

 Beer Head, which stands out a bold white promontory, 

 contrasting with the red rocks of the rest of the coast. 

 But this is the history of a definite day's work, 

 which has reached its close. My lads have added 

 nothing that is worth recording, and I, stretched upon 

 the shingle, have achieved nothing further than 

 writing the outlines of the present memoir upon the 

 sandwich paper. 



SCIENCE DIRECTORY. 



Forest ITill Scientific and Microscopical Society. 

 President, E. L. C. P. Hardy ; Hon. Secretaries, 

 R. H. Cowley, 46, Dartmouth Road, and A. C. 

 Perrins, 12, Sunderland Villas. 



Reading Literary and Scientific Society. President, 

 J. II. Blake, F.G.S., Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., of 

 H.M.'s Geological Survey of England and Wales. 

 Hon. Secretary, W. G. Wellman, Cholmeley, 

 London Road, Reading. 



The mammoth {Elcphas pritnigenius) is reported 

 to have turned up, in the fossil state, in the eastern 

 part of ^Yashington Territory, U. S. A. 



