537 



I noticed in my way to the ferry that Senebieradidyma was an abun- 

 dant weed in one of the streets at Tynemouth leading to the Den. 

 After crossing the river Teign, a fine, bold, sandstone rock, called the 

 Ness, now planted with firs, blocks up the direct way. Lathyrus 

 sylvestris here dangled from the rocks, and Origanum vulgare was 

 abundant. In waste places by the side of the road, after ascending 

 the hill, there appeared some fine patches of saintfoin {Onohrychis 

 sativa), in full flower, but it may be doubtful whether truly native 

 there, as the land is here cnltivated to the very verge of the cliffs. In 

 a field close to the road a quantity of Agrostemma Githago made a 

 very curious appearance, almost filling the ground, in regular rows, as 

 if purposely planted there. But on close examination I found that the 

 field had been sown with vetches, and that a flock of sheep had been 

 turned in. These had quite eaten up the vetches, but neglected the 

 corn-cockles, which had now grown so lofty and luxuriant as actually 

 to hide the sheep, and seem as if they were flourishing there for some 

 useful purpose. From their quantity they certainly made a brilliant 

 show, as they were at this time in full flower. 



Between Stoke Common and Minnicombe, in a wild, heathy part 

 of this road, I noticed more Rubi than I saw anywhere else in the 

 vicinity, for none were of common occurrence, except R. discolor, 

 which at Babbicombe luxuriated within the dash of the waves. The 

 following forms here occurred, in wild, heathy spots : — R. caesius, R. 

 sublustris, R. carpinifolius, R. Lindleianus (nitidus of Bell Salter), R. 

 affinis, and R. Idgeus, var. trifoliatus. 



At Watcombe a lofty mass of precipitous sandstone rises up boldly, 

 with a fine eff'ect, some distance now from the sea, though many 

 remarkable water-worn cavities upon its face testify to the surging 

 force of the waves upon it at some former period, when its face was 

 ruflBed; and geological change has now left the precipice a strangely- 

 marked and conspicuous object. This place was quite overrun with 

 thistly care. The lofty Carduus Marianus was here rampant in pro- 

 fusion along the bases of the dry rocks ; but how long such an immi- 

 grating wanderer may be likely to stay in the locality, or how long it 

 had been there, is more than I can venture to say. Carduus tenui- 

 florus also occupied the ground in great force, and, indeed, I found it 

 plentiful along the whole line of the Devonshire coast that I traversed. 



The preference shown by some lichens for a particular mineral 



composition of rock was here very apparent. A portion of trappoid 



conglomerate intervened between the honeycombed sandstone rock 



and the sea-cliff"; and just here Squamaria crassa, though deeply 



VOL IV. 3 Z 



