98 NORTHUMBRIAN BOTANY. [April, 



others in the neighbourhood that can well bear comparison 

 with it, — but because I am better acquainted with it than any 

 other. 



For early spring plants, this is one of the best localities in the 

 neighbourhood, and it is usually visited by those who are on the 

 outlook for the first floral harbingers of genial weather and the 

 time of flowers. On the summit is the common Primrose and 

 Cowslip, both very fine, and on the sloping bank, in front, grows 

 Primula intermedia {/3 P. elatior).^ But it afibrds greater rarities 

 in Viola hirta and Sesleria ccerulea. The Sesleria covers a large 

 part of the top ; the Violet is also plentiful, but it grows at the 

 foot and on the face of the rocks as well as at the top. On 

 walking round, other interesting plants may be seen, such as 

 Viola sylvatica, Fragaria vesca, Oxalis Acetosella, Anemone ne- 

 morosa, Ajuga reptans. Orchis mascula and 0. maculata, all in 

 considerable quantity. I have also seen two plants of Gymnadenia 

 albida, near the north end, in May, 1858, and I gathered a 

 single specimen of Habenaria viridis last June, in the pasture on 

 the east side. There is one part where the basalt rocks are 

 overlaid with limestone, and very near the top of the lime there 

 are a few dense bushes of Prunus spinosa, which always produce 

 abundance of blossoms, and shed a perfume that surpasses every- 

 thing else in the vicinity. A Cerastium, which I took to be C. 

 semidecandrum, flowers here in March, and two months later 

 the barest parts afford a few minute plants of Saxifraga tridac- 

 tylites. It seldom exceeds an inch in height, and is generally 

 very slender, but I collected one specimen 3| inches high, and 

 with the leaves large in proportion. At the same time with the 

 Saxifrage, Moenchia erecta may be collected. It grows in a 

 small field to the south-east, lying next to the crags, among 

 tufts of Aira pr(RC03c. On the banks near it are Montia fontana, 

 Myosotis versicolor, Hypericum humifusum and H. pulchrum, and 

 a Draba I made to be — from descriptions in the ' Phytologist' — 



* The following note is from Dr. Johnston's 'Flora of Berwick:' — *'The latter 

 is a very remarkable monstrosity (? variety), clistinguishecl for its sise and beauty. 

 The common stalk is strong, 4 or 6 inches long, bearing au umbel of about nme 

 flowers, each supported on a partial stalk, with lanceolate bracteas at their bases. 

 The flowers are rather less than the single ones, but the limb is equally expanded. 

 This variety is the P. elatior of Dr. Hooker''s Fl. Lond., according to Smith, 

 and probably also of Dr. Greville, FL Edin. 48, thougli the description is some- 

 what confused." 



