306 Alexander Goodman More. [isss 



lost Cyperus longus, once at least gathered (in 1773) at 

 Whitesand Bay, near St. David's. An exact copy of the 

 label attached to the British Museum specimen, and 

 minutely describing the locality, was sent him by Mr. 

 Britten ; and he applied to both Mr. Newbould and Pro- 

 fessor Babington for all available information as to this 

 and another great rarity of St. David's Genista pilosa. 

 He narrowly missed having Professor Babington's com- 

 pany on this expedition. " We are going to South Wales 

 next Thursday," Mr. Babington wrote, " and hope to be at 

 Fishguard, on the north coast of Pembrokeshire, on Satur- 

 day evening (August n) for the purpose of attending the 

 Cambrian Archaeological Association there during the 

 following week ; and then we go to visit the Dean at St. 

 David's. I hope that it may suit you to be at one or other 

 of these places, the former between August i3th and i7th, 

 the latter between the i7th and the middle of the next 

 week. We shall not have much time for Botany." The 

 dates mentioned were, however, a few days too late to 

 allow of a meeting at St. David's. 



The search for Cyperus longus proved quite unavailing, 

 but in other respects the botanical tour was successful even 

 beyond expectation, Genista pilosa being only the second- 

 best prize obtained. For this he had almost given up 

 searching before it was found. The record said, "on the 

 very western extremity of St. David's Head," but frequent 

 examinations of this spot proved fruitless. There was 

 indeed one bit of declivity on which, formerly a good 

 climber, he could not now trust himself, and the thought 

 that it might grow there tantalized him ; but a gentleman 

 staying at the same hotel good-naturedly made the descent, 

 and brought up specimens of everything he could find, 

 with the result that nothing rare was obtained. It was on 

 the very last day of their stay at St. David's that, as the 

 brother and sister were walking along the southern slope 

 of the Head (about half-a-mile away from the "western 

 extremity "), they had at last the pleasure of lighting on 

 the Genista : " scattered for a hundred yards or two among 

 the heather, close to where the Brake (Pteris aquilinaj 

 begins to vary the smoothness of the grassy hill." In- 



