140 



feet with fine sand, especially in many parts upon which the town of Cheltenham is 

 built, the greater portion of which deposit is derived from the neighbouring hills by 

 which the vale is bounded on its eastern extremity; on tracing up the escarpments of 

 these hills we meet with the following beds, namely, the middle lias or lias marlstone, 

 the upper lias, corresponding with the alum shale of Yorkshire, immediately on which 

 rests the inferior oolite, which forms the greater portion of the Cotteswold hills. And 

 it should be remarked that although the members of the lias formation make up the 

 greater portion of the acclivities by which the higher hills are approached, still these 

 slopes are so thickly covei'ed with the debris from the oolite which forms the upper 

 stratum, as to render this, so far as the Botany is concerned, a district of oolitic lime- 

 stone, whilst the vale, as I have before remarked, offers us the stiff clays of the lias. 

 And here I would refer my readers to an article by Mr. Spruce (Phytol. 101), and it 

 will at once be seen that notwithstanding this neighbourhood and Yorkshire are so 

 much alike in lithological character, scarcely two plants of the same species were found 

 in the three days' ramble of the two parties, plainly showing that in these instances 

 we must seek for some other causes of variation besides the soil, of which altitude and 

 climate may require some consideration. It may be worthy of remark that our high- 

 est elevation is little more than 1 000 feet. 



After duly examining the quarry which has led us into the above geological disser- 

 tation, we proceeded on the even tenour of our way along the lane, the banks of which 

 were thickly strewn with that everywhere found and universal favourite, the harebell, 

 intermixed with Gentiana Amarella and the common Hieracium Pilosella. Having 

 arrived at the Tracey Arms at Winchcombe, and packed up a hamper of specimens, 

 we refreshed ourselves, and then finished the second day's ramble with an examination 

 of the fine ruins of Sudely Castle, whence we gathered, as a memorial of our visit, 

 that constant attendant on old ruins, Cheiranthus Cheiri. 



Notwithstanding certain gloomy appearances the previous evening, the early dawn 

 of our third day was as favorable as one could desire. The sun, at rising, was shroud- 

 ed in clouds of mist — a sure indication of a fine day ; these being gradually dispelled, 

 he soon shone forth in all his splendour, the fierceness of his rays being tempered by 

 a delightfully refreshing breeze. Early on a morning of such promise did Mr. Lees 

 and myself once more wend our way to the Cotteswolds, this time with the iutenti(»n 

 of examining their western escarpment. Proceeding from the town of Winchcomb 

 towards Postlip, near the paper-mills, we fell in with a tree of Rosa sarmentacea ; the 

 greater stoutness of the stems, its more compact mode of growth, with the larger bright 

 scarlet fruits of this rose, distinguish it at first sight from Rosa canina. In ihe same 

 hedge-row were some fine trees of Salix Russelliana ; and further on, nearer the mill, 

 great quantities of Lathyrus sylvestris presented themselves. At the once stately 

 mansion called Postlip Hall, we spent a little time in sketching the beautiful Norman 

 arches of a ruined chapel. Immediately below the chapel, on the banks of a hill ri- 

 vulet, we met with Triglochin palustre, Blysmus compressus, Spergula nodosa, and 

 quantities of Valeriana dioica ; and following this little stream up a ravine, we were 

 soon presented with some fine specimens of Polypodium calcareum, and on the side of 

 the hill to the left were some splendid plants of Atropa Belladonna in fine fruit. We 

 then passed over Cleeve Clouds in the hope of finding Astragalus hypoglottis, as I 

 had seen a specimen from thence, but in this we were disappointed ; however, in exa- 

 mining a field covered with Calluna vulgaris, we were amply rewarded by securing 

 many specimens ot Gnaphalium sylvaticum. We next examined the clifls over- 



