154 Floristik, Geographie, Systematik etc. 



ser raaterials. The principal topographical regions of a shingle bank 

 have names allotted which will facilitate reference. Thus the main 

 bank exhibits a crest separating the sea face with its Storni shelf 

 from the back or land face, which may be a gentle slope or present 

 a series of eroded ravines and outstanding buttresses descending to 

 a landward terrace. The back is the principal region for Vegetation 

 which varies according as the substratum is unstable e. g. Lathyrus 

 maritimus), or stable (e. g. Lichens and Geranium robertianum v. 

 purpureum) The terrace, well represented in Chesil Bank, is warm 

 and sheltered and is the gathering ground for halophytes. Repre- 

 sentative plants are briefly considered. The soil on shingle banks 

 is derived from drift from the sea and from the land ward side; it 

 is rieh in organic matter and seeds. The water supply of the shingle 

 spit is abundant according to the author's experience, and it is fresh 

 water unless at the lowest margin, and he regards it a serious 

 error to classify shingle banks as xerophytic because of inadequate 

 water supply. W. G. Smith. 



Phytogeographical Excursion (International) in the British 

 Isles. (New Phytologist. X and XI. 1911 and 1912.) 



A series of papers contributed by members of the Excursion. 



I. Tansley, A. G., The Inception of the Excursion. 

 (Vol. X. p. 271 — 275.) The tendency to divorce the study of syste- 

 matic botany, mainly carried on in the Herbarium, from the study 

 of plants as living organisms is pointed out, and the necessity of 

 organised excursions into various parts of the world is empha- 

 sised. The larger excursions held in recent years in connection with 

 the International Congress of Botanists, and with Swiss and other 

 universities have demonstrated the great value of these as a means 

 of study. The rise and spread of the study of Vegetation demands 

 such expeditions, and the British Vegetation Committee organised 

 one for August 1911, the preliminary stages of the arrangements 

 being indicated in this paper. 



II. Tansley, A. G„ Details of the Excursion. (Vol. X. 

 p. 276 — 291.) This part deals in considerable detail with the itinerary, 

 which need only be briefly outlined. The party assembled in Cam- 

 bridge on August Ist, and thence proeeeded to the Norfolk 

 Broads and Blakeney. On Aug. 7th Derbyshire was reached 

 and the Vegetation of the mountain Limestone examined. The 

 silieeous area of the Pennines was visited from Manchester 

 on two days, followed by a day on the sand dunes at South port. 

 The margin of the Lake District with lowland bogs and the sum- 

 mit of Crossfell with upland peat introduced the visitors to phases 

 of moor retrogression. Edinburgh was reached on Aug. 14th and 

 a week was spent in Scotland. At Dunkeid lake Vegetation and 

 woodlands of the highland Valleys were.seen. Ben Lawers gave 

 the opportunity for an examination of arctic-alpine Vegetation. Loch 

 Katrine gave an example of oakwood with heathy ground Vegeta- 

 tion. From Glasgow the party proeeeded to Dublin (Aug. 20th) 

 and next day proeeeded to the west coast of Ireland, where at 

 Clifden, Craigga More, Ga]wa3% and Killarney the varied and 

 interesting types of Atlantic Vegetation were demonstrated. Leaving 

 Cork for Plymouth (Aug. 27th), the party then went to Cornwall. 

 The numerous excursions from Portsmouth in connection with the 

 meeting of the British Association completed the tour. The Provision 



