THE CLIFFS AND SEA-SHOBE. 201 



The Sea-Heath (Frcmkenia Icevis) lies amongst the 

 grass on the cliff-tops. Its fine and thin but rigid 

 leaves and stem are very small ; its rich-coloured flowers 

 are bluish and sometimes of a pink hue. The petals 

 have a long stalk, and the foliage is much darker than 

 the grass amongst which it lies. 



The Fennel (Fo&niculum vulgare) the common 

 fennel, so common in our fishmongers' shops grows 

 wild at the sea-shore. Its thread-like foliage grows 

 out of large sheaths, and its savoury odour is familiar 

 to all those who have eaten fennel sauce with their 

 mackerel. Its umbels of white flowers appear in 

 July. A somewhat similar flowering plant is the 

 Lovage (Ligusticum Scoticum), but its stem is no 

 more than twelve inches high, and striated. The 

 leaves are composed of numerous leaflets. It is 

 commonly eaten in the north, and it is said to have 

 some carminative virtues. 



The Sea- Pea (Latliyrus maritimus) blooms in July. 

 It is sufficiently like the sweet garden pea to remind 

 us of that flower. Its purple tassels and green leaflets 

 are not uncommon on some shores, trailing amongst 

 the stones. There is a legend about this pea being 

 sent in a time of famine to relieve the hunger of the 



