820 



wood along the shore west of Ryde, which, as far as his memory 

 serves, agreed with specimens of E. pilosa, /,., since seen by him at 

 Oxford. Nothing of the kind has fallen in my way there yet. 



Euphorbia Paralias. On sandy or pebbly sea-shores. In vast 

 profusion along the wide beach of the south shore of Hayling Island, 

 more particularly amongst the drift sand towards its western extre- 

 mity, where this elegant species occurs for nearly a mile over some 

 hundreds of acres, springing up by tens and hundreds of thousands, 

 and forming bush-like clumps or tufts on the otherwise bare sand. 

 First communicated to me by the Rev. G. E. Smith, and subsequently 

 by Miss G. E. Kilderbee !!! Not known to me on any other part of 

 the Hampshire coast, although we have other sandy tracts, but more 

 limited in extent, both in the Isle of Wight and on the mainland, ap- 

 parently as well fitted for its production. It is indeed remarkable 

 that the seeds of this Euphorbia should not have been long since 

 wafted across from Hayling Island to the almost opposite sandy spit 

 or neck of land that nearly closes the mouth of Brading harbour, and 

 which is barely seven miles S.W. from the nearest point of Hayling 

 beach, where the plant most abounds. A similar sandy spit occurs 

 at Norton, on the Freshwater side of Yarmouth harbour, and like that 

 below St. Helens, is very similar in its vegetation to the Hayling 

 beach, but does not produce the sea spurge. Desirous to know whe- 

 ther or not the absence of the Euphorbia in these stations, apparently 

 so perfectly adapted to it, were merely accidental and unconnected 

 with climatic or other causes hostile to its spontaneous growth, I last 

 year planted roots and scattered seeds in the loose sand at each place, 

 a few of which have vegetated, and should no natural obstacles exist 

 to prevent its spreading, it is probable the Euphorbia will establish 

 itself abundantly on these sandy spits, and become completely natu- 

 ralized to this island. To prevent, therefore, its being announced as 

 a new station for the species, or taken for an aboriginal Isle-of- Wight 

 plant, I have put the fact on record, that before the year of grace, 

 1848, Euphorbia Paralias was an utter stranger on Vectian ground, 

 and should it spread and become plentiful at these two opposite ends 

 of the island, I hope by this free confession and announcement to 

 stand acquitted of all intention to mislead or deceive others into the 

 belief of its being a native. I likewise trust for the experiment's 

 sake to be pardoned this attempt to naturalize so beautiful a plant on 

 the shores of the Solent, by those who, with myself, hold such assis- 

 tance given to Nature in flinging abroad her productions, a disservice 

 done to Botany and its votaries, and as a general practice, highly re- 



