{August, 1862.] 22 ^ 



RAMBLES ALONG THE EASTERN COAST. 



Rambles of Two Naturalists along the Coast, etc., from Yarmouth 

 to the Hiimber. By W. Winter. 



On jMonday, the 13tli of August, myself and a friend, Mr. 

 Matliews, left Aldeby by the first morning down train to Yar- 

 mouth, our object being to raml)le along the coast from that 

 place to the Humber, to collect the beauties of nature, under 

 whatever forms and circumstances they might present themselves, 

 and also to admire any scenes in the Avay that might present 

 themselves as worthy of notice. We had about three weeks' 

 time to spend on this tour, and as time or place with us 

 was no great object, we determined to spend it and take all 

 chances, day or night, rough or smooth, as fate might determine. 

 With this determination, and having provided ourselves with the 

 apparatus necessary for collecting plants, shells, insects, etc., we 

 started from Aldeby as aforesaid, for Yarmouth. Aldeby is a 

 straggling village, about nine and a half miles from Yarmouth, 

 on the East Suffolk railway. A very pleasant ride of about half 

 an hour brought us to the town, famed for rizzars and bloaters. 

 Here, we soon started on our excursion along the coast. One of 

 the most agreeable pleasures is to ramble along the seaside among 

 the sands, either at low water or among the rocks and tidepools ; 

 and there is no more healthy occupation, "while inhaling the fresh, 

 breezy, saline air, than noting the varied forms of animation by 

 which we are there surrounded. Both the sea and the shore, 

 and their inhabitants, are at all seasons objects of profound 

 interest to the intelligent observer. No matter under what as- 

 pect we see the shore or the ocean, whether it be when roused 

 by the influence of the storm or Avhen calmly sleeping under a 

 serene sky, it is always beautiful ; on the seashore, while we arc 

 surrounded by much that is grand, we also find much that, 

 though minute, is interesting and marvellous. At our feet 

 tlie branching corallines and many-coloured seaweeds, by their 

 fanciful groupings, form mimic gardens of fairy-like beauty. 

 Further on, the bladder and larger algai hang in dishevelled clus- 

 ters or sprawl over the rough and jagged rocks, while the marine 

 stores of objects that delight the botanist are endless. Yarmouth 

 and its neighbouring coast have long been known to be a produc- 



N. S. VOL. VI. 2 G 



