[September, 1861.] 257 



BOTANY 07 HUMPHEEY HEAD. 



By C. J. ASHFIELD. 



Having often heard of the botanical treasures of Humphrey- 

 Head, a bold promontory of limestone jutting out into the Bay 

 of Morecambe, near the crossing- place over Lancaster Sands, 

 and having read Whitaker's and several other interesting descrip- 

 tion of Cartmel and its fine old chvirch, a friend of mine and 

 myself during this present month of July resolved upon taking 

 a trip to those places. As we were successful in our botanical 

 researches, it occurred to me that an account of the latter might 

 not be unacceptable to the readers of the ' Phytologist.' We 

 reached Cark station between eight and nine ; and as the weather 

 appeared to be rather doubtful, we determined to get through 

 the botanical portion of our programme in the early part of 

 the day, leaving our antiquarian investigations until the after- 

 noon. On our arrival at Cark, therefore, we inquired our way 

 to Humphrey Head, and of the two roads which were mentioned 

 to us, we took the one (though considerably the longer of the 

 two) by the coast, expecting to meet with some seaside plants. 

 We found none, however, except a few of the common species, 

 such as Statice Armeria, Plantago maritima, etc. After walking 

 a few miles we came to some romantic sea-worn rocks of some 

 twelve or fifteen feet elevation, which were beautifully festooned 

 and crowned with plants of various kinds, such as Helianthe- 

 mUm vulgare, Centaurea Scabiosa, Campanula 7'oiundifolia, etc. A 

 very short distance from these rocks brought us to the western 

 side of Humphrey Head. The side of the hill facing us was 

 very precipitous, and of considerable elevation, and among a 

 great variety of trees and shrubs which clothed it, we saw a 

 great number of fine specimens of Taxus baccata (these appa- 

 rently truly wild), which formed a striking contrast to the silvery 

 leaves of the Pyrus Ar'ia with which it was occasionally inter- 

 mingled. We ascended the hill at its northern end, at which 

 point it can be climbed without difficulty, and made our way 

 along the top at its western edge. We soon spied out Helian- 

 themwn canum in great quantities, a good many specimens of 

 Spircea Filipendula, plenty of Thymus Acinos, here and there 

 some plants of Geranium sanyuineum and Juniperus communis, 



N. S. VOL. v. 2 L 



