VOL. XVIII. (3) EXCURSION— WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND, &c. 223 



At Lulworth Cove (Plate XXVI., fig. 2), about forty Members of the 

 Bournemouth Natural History Society joined the Club. The combined parties 

 crossed the little cove in boats and proceeded, under the guidance of Dr. Ord, 

 to study the " fossil forest " in the Purbeck Beds in the cliff a little to the 

 east. 



After tea at the Cove Hotel, the Members did what they chose, some 

 botanized, others geologized. 



At 6 p.m. the return journey was commenced, and it was agreed that more 

 pleasant weather could not have been desired. 



As regards the botanical work done on Wednesday, the ground examined 

 was very different from that of Portland and Weymouth ; notably the 

 heathland between Wareham and Corfe, and the chalk at Lulworth. At 

 Wool, the river Piddle and its margins produced hixuriant masses of CEnanthe 

 fluviatilis, fistulosa and crocata ; ■ and the roadsides, the American invader 

 Matricaria suaveolens. The ramparts at Wareham had Salvia Verbenaca, 

 Plantago Coronopus, Jasione, Trifolium striatum, Inula squarrosa, Hypo- 

 chcsris radicata in a lax prostrate form, Chenopodimn Bonus-Henricus , Rumex 

 pulcher, and Mercurialis annua. As we were hurried along the roads, we 

 picked out the Wayfaring-tree, plenty of the lovely Chicory, and Jasione. 

 Two or three of us were left by the main party to spend an hour on a bog half 

 way between Wareham and Corfe : a very spongy sphagnum-hog with plenty 

 of Drosera, both D. rotundifolia and D. longifolia, Potentilla palustris, Pingui- 

 cula lusitanica, Nartheciiim, Anagallis tenella, Scutellaria minor, Schoenus 

 nigricans, Eleocharis multicaiilis, Scirpus fluitans, ccsspitosus and setaceus, 

 Rynchospora alba, Myrica Gale, Molinia, etc ; all the characteristic consti- 

 tuents, in fact, of a Western bog-flora. Lycopodium inundatum, however, was 

 sought in vain : so was Malaxis, which has been found there. Viola lactea 

 grew among the heather ; Ulex nanus was mixed up with U. Gallii, Rosa 

 spinosissima fringed the roadsides, and Verbena grew near houses. Later on 

 by the roadside in suitable places, we found Butomus umbellatus, Iris fcetidis- 

 sima and the like. 



At Lulworth, on the chalk and near the sea, many of the more familar 

 and beautiful things were seen : the Horned Poppy climbed to the top of the 

 cliffs, with the Wall-flower, common Mullein, Houndstongue, and \'iper's 

 Bugloss. In the village we saw Ranunculus Drouetii, a very long-leaved form 

 of Parietaria, robust plants of Apium nodiflorum, var. viilgare, and Mer- 

 curialis annua. On the grassy slopes of the hills were Thesium of a yellower 

 hue than usual, Spergularia rupestris, and the like. It was interesting, as we 

 climbed Bindon Hill, to note the reduced form of Campanula glomerata, less 

 than an inch in total height in the most exposed ground ; though, where it 

 was protected by Brachypodium primatuni — a grass which apparently no 

 animal will eat — the species grew to a height of six or seven inches. 

 We could not find Senecio campestris on the hill-top ; July is too late for it. 

 But the flora of the bare wind-blown chalk ridge has a peculiar interest ; 

 among other things it produces Hypericum pulchrum in some quantities, a 

 considerable hollow was filled by a flourishing gooseberry bush, and the 

 stoniest parts near the very summit were occupied by large quantities of 

 Mercurialis perennis. The species here was rather dwarfed, and the foliage 

 tough, thick and leathery, no doubt owing to exposure, and of course its 

 presence indicates a wood once there, now vanished. Viola hirta was also 

 present in quantities, and a flowerless Sedum, which, from its taste, 

 appeared to be Sedum anglicum ; some Bryonia, but not much ; some 

 Inula squarrosa ; the Carline Thistle ; quantities of Cowslip and Tettcrium 

 Scorodonia ; and the Bee Orchid. [H.J.H.] 



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