438 TRANSACTIONS AND TROCEEDINGS OF THK [Skss. Lxviii. 



We rolled along over the waves at about eight or nine 

 knots an hour. My doings for the rest of that day and 

 the night following are of no particular interest to anybody, 

 but there was then developed the sole tinge of sadness tliat 

 pertains to my recollection of the trip. Going on deck 

 next morning we were running along under the low rocks 

 of Minorca, and presently entered the splendid harbour of 

 Port-Mahon, passing on the left the graves of our soldiers 

 for whose loss, and that of the forts they defended. Admiral 

 Byng was condemned and shot. Masses of warm grey 

 rock, houses tier above tier — dazzlingly white, with red 

 roofs and bright green shutters, — • the " sapphire sea " 

 below, and a sky of as deep a hue above, formed a scene 

 not easy to describe, but which is familiar to most 

 Mediterranean travellers. Before the vessel had moored 

 we were boarded and welcomed by Don J. Eodriguez, the 

 veteran naturalist, whose name is indelibly impressed on 

 Minorcan botany. He had been advised of our coming by 

 my old friend Mr. E. M. Holmes, well known in Mahon 

 and elsewhere as " le premier algologue Anglais." After 

 lunch, three gentlemen, botanists of Mahon, were intro- 

 duced, and under their guidance we at once started on a 

 walk to Gala Mesquida — a lovely bay four miles to the 

 north-east, where many rare plants abound. On rocks 

 skirting the road we saw a big shrubby wormwood 

 {Artemisia aTloresccns), the largest European species, and 

 Capparis spinosa, not yet in flower. Next, Ferula communis, 

 a gigantic umbellifer nine feet high, two species of 

 Franhenia, and two of Asphodel. The smaller asphodel 

 {A. fistulosus) is only about a foot high, while the larger 

 {A. albus) reaches four to live feet, and is among the 

 commonest, as well as the most ornamental, plants in the 

 islands, growing everywhere indifferently on the highest 

 hills or on ditchbanks in the lowlands. It appears that 

 this plant bears locally three different names at three 

 stages of its growth. Before the flowering stem appears it 

 is " Purrasa," when flowering it is called " Au Bo," and 

 finally, when dry, " Caramusha." My informant insisted 

 on this being written down, as he knew no similar instance. 

 A strong spinous shrub bearing delicious-looking yellow 

 fruit, much like a small choice apple, next arrested 



