72 Alexander Goodman More. [i855 



Clinopodium vulgare (basil), Anthyllis (lady-fingers), Hip- 

 pocrepis (horse-shoe vetch), Hypericum hirsutum (hairy 

 vSt. John's wort), Lithospermum officin ale (grom well), Inula 

 conyza (ploughman's spikenard), Centaurea scabiosa (greater 

 knapweed), Orchis pyramidalis, Habenaria chlorantha 

 (greater butterfly orchis), Poterium (lesser burnet), Pyrus 

 aria (white beam-tree), Carduus acaulis (ground-thistle), 

 C. nutans (musk- thistle) all of which we found more or 

 less about the edges of the road. 



" Having proceeded nearly right over to the other side 

 of the hill, we turned back, exploring the Fir (&c.) Copse 

 on the high slope, but with small success. We then struck 

 the steepest part of the upper Beech Hanger, where a 

 most characteristic feature was very noticeable. No plant 

 flourished under the baneful shade except Cephalanthera 

 grandiflora (white helleborine), which was in profusion, 

 all in seed. A few plants of Mercurialis perennis (dog's 

 mercury] existed in a clearing, as well as Prenanthes (wall- 

 lettice) near the edge ; but within, dry leaves, moss, and 

 fragments of chalk formed the subsoil, out of which rose 

 the clear smooth trunks of the beeches, springing at a very 

 acute angle. The climbing here was quite severe. As 

 usual, numerous shells were clinging to the bark; Clausilia 

 nigricans, and a larger species ; a few Helix lapicida, 

 which was in plenty, dead, at the roots. I looked long for 

 H. obvoluta, which should occur in this county, but in 

 vain ; neither could we find the edible snail, but the 

 weather was perhaps too dry. 



" Crossing through the pines at top of the hill, we came 

 out upon the Great Chalk-pit, and clambered down the 

 rugged sides of the crater, where of course the calcarians 

 were abundant ; Origanum (marjoram) and Echium (viper's 

 bugloss) particularly, all in dried-up state from their arid 

 situation. One Polyommatus adonis (' Adonis ' blue 

 butterfly) was flitting about, but escaped our hats. 

 Orchis pyramidalis was plentiful here ; so was Ononis 

 arvensis (rest-harrow). Emerging from the Chalk-pit we 

 turned right up the hill, excessively steep, but with varied 

 vegetation, not all beech. Near the top we took the left 

 through some hazels, and a clearing, where the Phyteuma 



