46 A MIDWINTER MONTH 



Aphyllanihes nionspeliensis (not in flower), also by the fine view of 

 the rocks beyond St. Agnese. But on nearly reaching the bottom 

 I found that I had to retrace my steps, for the heavy rains had so 

 swollen the torrent that it was impassable, and progress on my 

 side of the stream was stopped by the slippery gault, which was 

 weathered away into a precipitous slope, offering no foothold, and 

 extending right up to where I had started down. So there was 

 nothing for it but to turn back and clamber all the way up again, 

 after which I turned down into the Carei valley, and back by the 

 Turin road, finding on the way another plantation carpeted 

 with Anemone coronaria^ and one of the small " bloody-nosed " 

 beetles {Timanhia se?npolita). 



My next walk was to Ciotti, one of the finest walks in the East 

 Bay, the village being high up in the rocky gorge which runs 

 down to the Pont St. Louis. After crossing this bridge, and 

 gathering some flowers of the Lavatera maritwia near the road- 

 side, I turned out of the Ventimiglia road, just opposite the Italian 

 custom-house. The path skirts the side of Dr. Bennett's garden, 

 and in a sheltered corner by its side was a fine bush of the large 

 E2iphorbia dendr aides in flower, of which I collected specimens ; 

 under the adjoining lemon trees were the leaves of Gladiolus sege- 

 tum. Soon the village of Grimaldi was reached, from which the 

 princes of Monaco derive their name, and then a steep climb 

 through the olive groves, up a rough and stony path, brought me 

 out on the open hillside, where grew several bushes of Cneorum 

 tricoccon, with small yellow flowers, and leathery oblong leaves ; 

 also Dianthus saxifragiis, Helianthemiim roseum, and near by, 

 Poly gala ?iiccee?isis (a near relative of our common P. vulgaris). 

 Turning to the left, the path leads round into the rocky gorge, 

 whence there is a splendid view over Mentone — a favourite subject 

 for photographs and sketches. The fine, bold rocks on either side 

 form a V-shaped frame, with the point of Mentone in the centre. 

 Looking inland, a wild mountain valley presents itself, with its 

 lower reaches clad with olives, and its further end losing itself in 

 jagged peaks far beyond the Berceau ; a short distance up is the 

 village of Ciotti, with its church perched on an adjoining emmence. 



A little below the path is a watercourse, carried round the side 

 of the gorge to irrigate the lemons and drive an oil-mill in Grim- 



