250 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Sess. lxxviii. 



therum avenaceum, Beauv., at first included among the 

 commonest shingle-plants, have now fallen out ; while 

 Scutellaria galericulata, Linn., and, finally, Rumex Aceto- 

 sella, Linn., become very frequent. Rumex crispus, Linn., 

 and Matricaria inodora, Linn., are now seen venturing 

 to situations below high- water mark, while several species 

 characteristic of the woods and pastures which slope down 

 to the lochside, frequently encroach on the domain of the 

 shore plants, and obtain a footing in the shingle. These 

 invading plants include : Polygonum Hydropiper, Linn. ; 

 P. Persicaria, Linn. ; Senecio Jacobaea, Linn. ; Cnicus 

 arvensis, Hoffm. ; Cn. lanceolatus, Hoffm. ; and occasionally 

 Rumex Acetosa, Linn. ; R. obtusifolius, Linn. ; Plantago 

 lanceolata, Linn. ; P. major, Linn. ; Urtica dioica, Linn. \ 

 Lychnis Flos-cucidi, Linn. ; L. dioica, Linn. ; Scrophidaria 

 nodosa, Linn. ; Sonchus oleraceus, Linn. ; Galeoj)sis Tetrahit, 

 Linn. ; Lythrum Salicaria, Linn. ; Polygonum Aviculare, 

 Linn. ; and Circaea lutetiana, Linn. In addition, Carda- 

 mine hirsuta, Linn., and Montia fontana, Linn., are 

 found in places where the shingle is wet with outflowing 

 little burns, or with moisture dripping down from the 

 banks. In such situations Iris Pseudacorus, Linn., also 

 comes down to the shingle's edge. 



In many places Rubus fruticosus, Linn., Salix aurita r 

 Linn., and Alnus glutinosa, Gaertn., come down to the 

 very edge of the turf, while, in the northern half of the 

 shore under review, the bordering vegetation is that of 

 the moors, and includes Euphrasia officinalis, Linn. \ 

 Potentilla Torment ilia, Scop. ; Calluna vulgaris, Salisb. ;. 

 Erica cinerea, Linn. ; E. Tetralix, Linn. ; Myrica Gale, 

 Linn. ; and Molinia coemdea, Moench. 



Towards the northern extremity the " shingle fringe " 

 becomes scanty, and some of the typical plants disappear 

 or become less frequent. Potentilla anserina, Linn., and 

 Rumex Acetosella, Linn., predominate here. Here also the 

 turf frequently forms an abrupt edge where it gives place 

 to shingle, and the narrower strip of shore, with a less 

 abundant and typical seaside vegetation, gives an appear- 

 ance approaching somewhat to that of a freshwater loch. 



2. Rocks. — The fringe of shingle plants, to which the 

 foregoing description has chiefly referred, is interrupted 



