50 A MIDWINTER MONTH 



the following day. Arrived at the station at Monaco I had had 

 quite enough cycling experiences, so I put my machine on the 

 next train, and rode back on a corridor carriage, whence I saw the 

 scenery far better than on the bicycle, and the red-tinged rocks 

 and deep blue sea, reflecting the sparkling sunshine, appeared in 

 their full beauty as the train leisurely steamed along to Mentone. 

 I saw one Bath white butterfly {Fieris daplidice) near Monaco. 



In the afternoon I took the omnibus to the Quartier Garavan 

 (a corruption of " Gare a vent," on account of its sheltered situa- 

 tion), and walked round the foot of the Red Rocks. At the base 

 of these rocks are the Bone Caves, altogether six in number, 

 where the human skeletons, already mentioned, were discovered, 

 together with numberless flint instruments and bones of large 

 quadrupeds ; but the quarrying operations seem to have entirely 

 destroyed the entrance of one of the caves. After passing the 

 rocks, the path goes round a tiny little bay, and on to a small 

 plateau, where grow fine shrubs of Euphorbia deftdroides, and 

 Lavatera fnaritima. Cneorum tricoccon also occurs in one or 

 two places. Among the loose gravel grew a few of the pretty pink 

 Convolvulus Ca?itabrica, and some plants of Fumana spachii ; both 

 were in flower. A number of clouded yellow butterflies {Colias 

 edusd) were flying about, but were difficult to catch. A curious kind 

 of natural fountain is seen here when the sea is rough. The rocks 

 form a kind of hollow cavern, with several openings in its roof, 

 through which the waves project jets of water to a great height. 

 The rock pools contain an abundance of the Peacock's Tail Sea- 

 weed {Fadina pavo?tia), and other algse, besides innumerable small 

 crustaceans. The scrapings from the sides of these pools are rich 

 in diatoms. In a single " boiling " of the material I found 

 specimens of Biddidphia pulchella (abundant), Aniphitetras antedi- 

 luvia?ius, var. excavata, RJiabdonema Adriaticum, Synedra superba, 

 Cocconeis pimctatissiina^ Grammatophora marma and serpeftfina, 

 besides representatives of the genera Triceratium^ Asteroniphalus, 

 Eupodiscus^ Campylodiscus, JVavicula^ Fleurosigma, Surirella^ 

 Actmosphcenia, etc. Returning by the Red Rocks I noticed 

 several plants of Matthiola i?icana, all out of reach. 



Before sunrise the following morning Corsica was distinctly 

 visible, the long line of mountains, distant about 80 miles, stand- 



