84 PURBECK WILD FLOWERS IN DECEMBER. 



allowed no sufficient period of repose, the result being that, when 

 the proper time again arrived for them to burst forth into fresh 

 bloom, they had not the full amount of strength required for the 

 effort, and, consequently, only came into flower very late, and in a 

 comparatively feeble and half-hearted sort of way. 



Thinking that it would be of great interest to take advantage of 

 such an exceptional state of things in the middle of an English 

 winter, the Rev. Lester Lester, of Langton Matravers, the Rev. 

 Owen L. Mansel, of Church Knowle, and the writer of this paper 

 agreed to make separate lists of all the strictly wild flowers which 

 they happened to notice within the limits of the Isle of Purbeck 

 during the first fortnight of December ; and the following catalogue 

 embodies the result of their combined observations. It must be 

 here stated that our researches were not carried on at all syste- 

 matically, or no doubt many more plants might have been added ; 

 but we simply noted down those that we happened to meet with, 

 and a large proportion of the species for which I am responsible 

 were gathered, or noticed, while I was engaged in shooting. 

 However, in spite of this, the list has assumed very respectable 

 proportions, and when it is found that it comprises 105 different 

 species of wild flowers (exclusive of all grasses, ferns, and kindred 

 orders) it will probably be admitted that such a record is almost 

 unprecedented for the time of year. There is little doubt but that 

 a few additional names might have been inserted; but, unfortu- 

 nately, owing to an insufficient knowledge of botany to which I 

 must plead guilty, and lack of spare time to work them out, a 

 few puzzling species, which could not be satisfactorily determined 

 had to be omitted. 



In amalgamating the three separate lists it was, of course, found 

 that a fair proportion were common to all three ; but, of those 

 species which were only noticed by one observer, Mr. Lester 

 appears to have recorded 7, Mr. Owen Mansel 5, and I am 

 responsible for exactly 40. 



The following are the names of the wild flowers noticed or 

 gathered ; 



