8 RAMBLES ROUND FOLKESTONE. 



were afloat during the summer of 1879. In the 

 neighbourhood of Eton and some other spots, it 

 was noted that the ponds of water after rain were 

 covered with a yellow powder. Forthwith it got noised 

 abroad that there had been a shower of sulphur, 

 and it was not reckoned polite by some persons to 

 guess where it came from ; one good wife in describ- 

 ing it, said " it smelt awful strong," filling the air 

 round about with its odour ; many good people 

 guiltless of botanical lore "improved " the occasion, 

 others (true Englishmen) wrote to the papers about 

 it. A certain botanist, however, who possessed a 

 microscope, annihilated (or attempted to annihilate) 

 all their speculations by declaring the yellow dust to 

 be merely the pollen of the Scotch Fir. Some one, 

 hailing from the Emerald Isle, declined the annihila- 

 tion, and in his turn wrote to the papers, saying that 

 whatever the powder might prove to be in England, 

 it was neither more nor less than genuine brimstone 

 in Ireland, and rashly offered to send some to the 

 learned botanist. The offer was accepted, and once 

 again (as I need hardly remind my readers) Ireland 

 was robbed of her hopes by the Saxon. 



I must now add N.B. Caution to Botanists. You 

 will find on some parts of these slopes specimens of 

 lona fide garden flowers, the seeds of which were 

 scattered about by a friend of mine in order (he said) 

 to increase the attractions of the cliff. I know what 

 the opinions of many botanists concerning such 

 practices are ; I express none, I only give an expla- 

 nation which might possibly be needed. 



To the Entomologist I can only give a few directions. 

 Many lepidoptera are common enough here, but 



