46 GUERNSEY. 
April 2nd and October 6th, a period of 186 consecutive days. 
‘Thunder-storms are of comparatively rare occurrence, and generally 
of short duration. 
‘The sunrises and sunsets of the Channel Islands, but especially 
the latter, involve at all seasons some of the grandest and most 
beautiful atmospheric effects obtainable on the west coast of Europe. 
These sunsets are equally remarkable for the form and colour of the 
clouds, and the rapidity with which they change in these respects ; 
and also for the softened tints of the sky.’ (Ansted, Channel 
Islands, p. 157.) 
A large variety of exotic trees and shrubs, rarely seen in England 
except under glass, grow freely and without shelter in the open air, 
and garden flowers continue to blossom nearly all through the 
winter unless checked by an early frost. A few years ago I made a 
catalogue of all the wild plants I could find in flower during the 
month of December, and they amounted to 187 species. About 
fifty were fairly common throughout the month, and about as many 
were only seen once, and in many cases consisted. of a single flower 
only. On the 4th of December, during a few hours’ ramble, no less 
than 115 species, all well in flower, were collected—a really sur- 
prising number considering the season. Another day’s walk pro- 
duced 107 species; and on the very last day of the year, after a long 
spell of wet and stormy weather, eighty-six different kinds of wild 
flowers were gathered, of which three had not been met with before 
during the month, showing that even at the end of December some- 
thing new was to be found. 
I once noticed 110 wild plants in flower in Cornwall during 
Christmas week, and that was considered a large number; but the 
Guernsey list of December flowers so far surpasses this ‘that it is 
worth preserving, so it is given here. Moreover, to many persons it 
will convey a better idea of the mildness of the climate than mere 
figures and tables of temperature. 
Ranunculus Flammula ... ... Lesser Spearwort. 
repens na ... Creeping Crowfoot. 
bulbosus ... Meadow Buttercup. 
Fiesta... «+ Pilewort: 
Papaver Rhoeas... oo ... Corn Poppy. 
Fumaria confusa me ... Fumitory. 
Cardamine hirsuta ee ... Common Bittercress. 
flexuosa wee ... Wavy Bittercress. 
Alyssum maritimum _... ... Seaside Alyssum. 
Cochlearea danica he ... Scurvy Grass. 
Sisymbrium thalianum ... .~  Ehale Cress: 
officinale... ... Hedge Mustard. 
Sinapis arvensis ... a ... Charlock. 
incana ... ba: -. Hoary Mustard. 
