1 10 Wesi Kilbride and North Ayrshire Coast. [Sess. 



with their little pools and crannies, afford a habitat to many 

 species of marine molluscs, crustaceans, algae, and other 

 organisms. In the sandy fields, thin pastures, and waste 

 ground near the shore, occur numerous interesting plants, 

 araonw which may be mentioned the Isle-of-Man cabbage 

 {Brassica monensis), shepherd cress (Teesdalia midicaulis), 

 spring vetch {Vicia lathyroides), bird's-foot (Ornithopus per- 

 pusiUus), sea holly {Eryngium viaritimum), prickly saltwort 

 (Salsola Kali), Ray's knot-grass (Polygonum Baii), and moon- 

 wort (Botrychiicm Lunaria), with the mosses Tortula rurali- 

 formis and Brachythecium albicans. The last-named species 

 often produces its capsules in fair abundance during the 

 earliest months of the year. (See ante, p. 97.) 



At Chapelton, about three miles north of Ardrossan, the 

 sandy shore is interrupted by a small salt-marsh lying between 

 two protecting dykes of trap-rock. Although of very limited 

 extent, the marsh yields several notable plants, including the 

 parsley water-dropwort {(Enanthe Lachenalii), tassel pond- 

 weed (Bttppia rostellata), long-bracteate sedge {Carex extensa), 

 and sea hard-grass {Lejptumis filiformis). Here also occur 

 Pottia Heimii, a neat little moss ; Tetramyxa 2)oi,^'(^sitica, a 

 remarkable aquatic fungus, which forms small potato-like 

 growths attached to stems of Buppia ; Geoglossum difforme, 

 found on moist turf in early winter ; Sclcrotinia Curreyana, 

 growing from a sclerotium produced in dead culms of common 

 rush; and Cystopus Icpigoni, forming white spore-masses on 

 stems and leaves of Buda. In the neighbourhood of Chapelton 

 are also found the tutsan {Hypericum. Androscemum), water 

 parsnip (Sium erectum), pendulous sedge {Carex pendida), 

 sea spleen wort {Asplenium marinum), and adder's -tongue 

 {Ophioglossuvi vulgatum). 



The farm-steading of Chapelton derives its name from a 

 small chapel or place of worship which existed near by in 

 pre-Reformation times. It is believed to have stood about 

 half-way between the farm and Seamill Bridge, and was 

 surrounded by a little hamlet or " toun," which has long since 

 disappeared. On the adjacent slope a considerable hoard of 

 old coins was turned up by the plough about thirty years 

 ago, and consisted chiefly of silver pieces of the reigns of 

 Elizabeth, James VI., and Charles I,, with a few others. A 



