"26 Field Medings. 



and the botanists had to be content with a few small pieces, 

 knocked down with stones. The most of the party entered 

 the Piper's Cove, and traversed it for about an hundred 

 yards, but lights having gone out they had to desist from 

 further exploration, without having noticed anything worthy 

 of mention except an uiiviistakeahle odour of whiskey — 

 perhaps a relic of the old days of the smuggling fraternity. 

 Passing onwards, the Rock Rose, the Sea Pink, Sea Campion, 

 Ragged Robin, Rock Saxifrage, and Cranesbill were noticed 

 growing in boundless profusion, and adorning the rocks with 

 gorgeous masses of colour. Many ferns were also noted, the 

 Sea Spleenwort being of course plentiful, but although care- 

 ful search was made, the Royal Fern was not found, and it is 

 now supposed to be extinct in Colvend. At Port-o'-Warren, 

 that peculiar plant the Sea Radish (Rajihanua maritima) 

 was found, and further on the rare Astragalus glyciphyllus. 

 On the top of Castlehill some fine specimens of the stately 

 Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) were secured by Mr Shaw ; 

 and near to Rockcliflfe no less than four species of roses wei'e 

 gathered — Rosa canina, R. rubigmosa, R. spinossissima, 

 and R. jyiinjjernelifolia. Several of the less common birds 

 were noticed during the walk — among them, however, the 

 Peregrine Falcon was conspicuously absent. This noble bird 

 had an eyrie near Port-o'-Warren, but of late years it is 

 supposed to have been destroyed. The preservation of 

 game has led to a serious disturbance of the balance of 

 iSTature by the almost total destruction of so-called enemies, 

 thus allowing others to increase to an extent prejudicial to 

 many interests. We may instance the enormous flocks of 

 wood pigeons, which now make a living on the farmers' 

 crops, and the vast swarms of field mice, which have appeared 

 in many parts of the country, and which are so destructive 

 to young plantations and upland pastures. From an agri- 

 cultural point of view, birds of prey are not only quite 

 harmless, but absolutely necessary for keeping other birds 

 from increasing out of all proportion to their place in Nature. 

 A breeding-place of the Herring Gull was very interest- 



