249 



Serrafalcus commutatus ; and thus occupied we proceeded on our way 

 till we reached the inn in the twilight. 



At an early hour next morning we left North Berwick on foot, to 

 botanize along the coast on our return, and were successful in meeting 

 with a number of plants which w^ere new to most of the party, and se- 

 veral of them peculiar to that part of the county. On the sandy shore 

 near North Berwick, and as we proceeded along the extensive sand- 

 downs stretching to a considerable distance inward from the shore, 

 we gathered Astragalus hypoglottis, Thalictrum minus, Equisetum 

 variegatum, Habenaria viridis, and Eryngium maritimum. Amongst 

 the numerous sandy knolls which hav^e been thrown up in the interior, 

 we found abundance of Ammophila arenaria and Carex arenaria, the 

 long creeping stems and roots of both of which plants serve the useful 

 purpose of preventing the sand from drifting further inland upon the 

 cultivated fields. Cynoglossum officinale was also found growing 

 profusely on these knolls, and occurred in other parts of our morning 

 walk. In the same neighbourhood we picked Tragopogon minor ; 

 and in marshy spots on the common, Veronica Anagallis and Helos- 

 ciadium repens. On Dirleton Common, after a good deal of search- 

 ing, we found Acinos vulgaris and Silene conica in small quantities, 

 the station having evidently suflered from the depredations of previous 

 botanical visiters, equally entitled with ourselves, there is reason to 

 believe, to the designation of Radicals. From the common we ram- 

 bled into the adjoining fields, which presented us with a favourable 

 example of the cultivation and fertility for which the county of Had- 

 dington is celebrated. Here we gathered Reseda lutea, Papaver Ar- 

 gemone, dubium and Rhoeas, the two latter growing in great abun- 

 dance, — a characteristic of the eastern district of the county. When 

 these species occur near Glasgow, they appear to be chiefly in fields, 

 sown perhaps with grain brought from the east. We picked also Si- 

 lene inflata and noctiflora, Galium Mollugo, Trifolium arvense, Anagal- 

 lis arvensis, Fumaria capreolata, officinalis and raicrantha. Alyssum 

 calycinum also grows in small quantities on the common. The ram- 

 ble fi-om North Berwick to Dirleton by this circuitous route, occupied 

 about four hours, and as the weather was most agreeable, and our suc- 

 cess had fully equalled our expectation, we arrived at Dirleton in 

 high spirits, with full vasculums and empty stomachs, and a keen 

 relish for breakfast, which we afterwards flattered ourselves must have 

 made the statistics of that repast somewhat memorable to the hostess 

 of Dirleton Inn. And Dirleton, we all confessed, when we had time 

 to draw breath, to be the most perfectly beautiful village we had ever 

 Vol. II. 2 i 



