44. 
In East Wear Bay I have found the Rose Bay Willow Herb 
(Epilobium angustifolium), it is rather an uncommon plant, 
but in Challock Woods, near Wye, grows in profusion. In 
Sandling Park I have found the Bird’s Nest Lystera. I may 
mention that in the dykes near Mersham, the Yellow Water 
Lily (Nuphar lutea), and the Flowering Rush (Ausomus umbel- 
latus), and large Water Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis palustris), 
are found in abundance; also the Great Yellow Loose Strife 
(Lysimachia vulgaris), which is, I believe, rather rare. In 
fact along these dykes are endless treasures, and if the lover 
of wild flowers takes the train to Smeeth, and devotes a few 
hours to a ramble along them, he will be well repaid. 
Near Hythe, in one of the dykes parallel with the canal, I 
found the little Frog-bit (Hydrocharis Morsus-rane), it is very 
lovely, as I daresay you all know. I was sorely tempted to get 
some for my aquarium, but of course the finest specimens 
were all farthest from the bank. At last, with great difficulty, 
I got;down to a firm footing, and armed with an umbrella with 
a crook, prepared to make a grab; but imagine my horror 
when I saw lying, well stretched out on my lovely flowers, 
a black water snake nearly a yard long. They are quite 
harmless, these dyke snakes, but my philosophy did not repre- 
sent that fact to me at the time. Up I rushed with a scream, 
and my black friend, in a dignified manner (quite an example 
to me), glided quietly away into the dark waters. 
You will be tired of me and my snake adventures, so I will 
detain you no longer, except to say, that this Spring, when 
feeling I had searched the neighbourhood, and had, I feared, 
no more botanical novelties to find, at Beechborough I dis- 
covered the Adder’s Tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum), growing 
plentifully both in the woods and meadows. 
Uw 
