44 ARENARIA. — CERASTIUM. 



It is frequent on roads amid the Lammermuirs. On the road from 

 Grant' s-house to Penmanshiel. July-Aug. 



93. A. MARINA = Alsine marina. — Sides of the Tweed from the 

 bridge upwards to Newwaterhaugh. Coast of N. Durham in many 

 places. Holy-Island. — Our plant is the variety obesior of Koch, Fl. 

 Germ. 111. 



94. A. VERNA = Alsine verna. — B. On the coast of Berwick- 

 shire it is found on banks to the north of Eyemouth Fort, and above 

 Earnsheugh : in Dulaw dene, and on banks between it and Redheugh ; 

 but its principal and most interesting station is St. Abbs'-head, — so 

 called from Ebba, the daughter of Edelfred, King of Northumberland. 

 " Ebba the onelie daughter of Edelfred being taken amongest other 

 prisoners, and escaping from hir taker, miraculouslie got a bote in 

 the river of Humber, and with the same taking the sea alone, without 

 all humane helpe (as hath beene reported) she sailed foorth, and at 

 length safelie arrived at the point of land which stretched foorth into 

 the sea, in the mouth of the Forth, called even unto this day after 

 hir name, saint Ebbes head, where being received by the bishop of 

 that diocesse, she was professed a nun, and after continuing in great 

 perfectnesse of observing that profession, she was instituted abbesse 

 of hir house, shewing still in trade of life an orderlie example for hir 

 flocke to follow." Holinshead. Hist. Scot. p. 111. 1585*.— N. 

 Spindlestone crags, R. Embleton. Summer. 



95. McENCHiA ERECTA. — N. On Spindlestone hills, G. Tate. 



96. Cerastium vulgatum = C. glomeratum. — Fields and road- 

 sides. In the neighbourhood of Berwick this species is of rare oc- 

 currence, but it is common in other parts of the district, preferring 

 a light sandy and rather moist soil. I have seen it frequently on the 

 half-formed and devious paths which lead from the shielings amidst 

 the Cheviots. It likes also the bare gravel tracts left by runlets after 

 heavy rains. Summer. 



97. C. viscosuM = C. triviale. — Road-sides, wastes and fields, 



* Fuller's history of this lady is as follows : — " Saint Ebba was born in 

 Northumberland, being daughter to Edilfrid the king thereof. When her 

 father was taken prisoner, she got hold of a boat in the Humber ; and, 

 passing along the raging ocean, she safely landed at a place in Merch in 

 Scotland, which is called the promontory of Saint Ebb unto this day. — Be- 

 coming prioress of Coldingham in that country, to preserve her own and 

 fellow-nuns' chastity from the pagan Danes, she cut oiF her own nose, and 

 persuaded the rest to do the like ; that their beauty might be no bait, whilst 

 their deformity did secure their virginity. Sure I am, that since, more have 

 lost their noses in prosecution of their wantonness, than in preservation of 

 their chastity. As for the Danes, being offended that these nuns would 

 not be the objects of their lusts, they made them the subjects of their fury, 

 burning them and their monastery together." — She flourished about the 

 year 630. Worth. England, ii. p. 545. — There is a good description of St. 

 Abb's-Head in Chambers' Picture of Scotland, p. 22 : but that which will 

 most ])lease the naturalist is in the preface to the Flora of Berwick, p. xiv- 

 xvii. It was written by the late Rev. A. Baird of Cockburnspath. 



