1862.] EAST ANGLIAN BOTANY. 331 



and the ocean, on a very steep grassy bank, but not near a 

 garden, Saponaria officinalis was well established. While looking 

 at this well-naturalized British species, some children on the cliff 

 shouted to us that it was poisonous. This we had never heard 

 before. Many plants have the vulgar and unenviable reputation 

 of being dangerous, but this was the first time that deleterious 

 qualities were popularly attributed to this species. Salvia ver- 

 benaca grows commonly on dry banks here, and in many other 

 parts of our perambulations. 



The village of Gorleston is built on the cliff on the south side 

 of the rivei' Yare, which separates it from Yarmouth ; and this 

 cliff extends along the shore all the way to Lowestoft, which is 

 about eight or nine miles distant. 



Our walk was sometimes on the sandy shore under the cliff, 

 and sometimes on the verge of the cliff, where there is a good 

 path, from which good sea and land views are obtainable, and 

 also good botanizing is afforded in the adjoining fields. The 

 weather was all that could be wished, not too warm, for the day 

 was cloudy, but there was a brisk wind from the east or south- 

 east, the usual sea-breeze. 



The crops were wheat, barley, and oats, with here and there a 

 field in turnips not far advanced, and a few' fields where the hay 

 crops had l^een carried ofi". In one of these, among the Clover, 

 abundance of Orobanche minor grew. Apera (AgrostisJ Spica- 

 Venti, or else its near relation A. interrvpta, was a rather com- 

 mon cornfield plant; and Silene anglica was far from uncom- 

 mon. Here however it attained to a height and luxuriousness 

 which it rarely reaches in Surrey. Silene noctiflora grew beside 

 it here, a species which has rarely or ever appeared with S. an- 

 glica in Surrey, except in places where both grew accidentally 

 but not naturally. Their seeds were probably conveyed to their 

 place of growth by accident. 



Lychnis Githago and L. vespertina were concomitant species. 



Papaver hybridum and P. somniferum were not quite so plen- 

 tiful as P. Rhceas, but far more so than P. Argemone. 



Valerianella dentata ? is another common cornfield plant of 

 this district. Euphorbia exigua and Fmnaria officinalis, Knautia 

 arvensis, Lycopsis arvensis, Anagallis arvensis, and still com- 

 moner species, bring up the rear of the above rather brief list of 

 agrarials. 



