SHINGLE VEGETATION OF SUFFOLK SHORE 95 



seaside all of hard stone and pibble, called in those parts 

 a shelfe, lying betweene the townes of Orford and Aid- 

 borough, whereof the poore people gathered above an 

 hundred quarters," we learn from Stowe's Chronicle 

 that all men counted it for a miracle. The " miracle " 

 has not yet exhausted itself. On the dreary " shelfe " 

 of shingle towards Orford lighthouse the sea-pease or 

 peason, as the old writers call it, still flourishes as in the 

 sixteenth century, and in many places along the shore 

 the dull grey surface of the pebble beach is relieved by 

 bright patches of this beautiful plant. I have also met 

 with it at Felixstowe, at Shingle Street, at Aldeburgh, 

 where Crabbe gathered specimens for his herbarium, 

 and on several spots between Dunwich and Walbers- 

 wick. 



This last stretch of seashore produces several inter- 

 esting species of shingle vegetation. A wide belt of 

 pebbles, in places mingled with sand, separates the sea 

 from the Westwood marshes. On this exposed ridge, 

 some four miles in length, the haunt of the ringed plover 

 and the lesser tern, a large number of plants flourish. 

 The yellow horned-poppy is again strongly in evidence, 

 though not in such abundance as on Benacre denes. 

 With it will be seen tall, red spikes of rumex, large com- 

 pact cushions of the pink sea-mil kwort, and spreading 

 tangles of sea-beet. The dainty sea-campion is plen- 

 tiful in places, especially towards Walberswick, and all 

 along the beach are scattered plants of the uncommon 

 clammy Senecio (S. viscosus, L.), an unattractive 

 species but interesting on account of its rarity, and 

 one characteristic of the Suffolk shore. Where sand 

 mixes with the shingle the beautiful sea-holly is 

 plentiful, with yellow sedum, and rest-harrow, and 



