226 



NATURE 



[July 9, 1903 



the Ribble with those of the sea. This district is of 

 considerable interest, as in it may be studied the ques- 

 tion of the formation of estuarian clays and their 

 attendant flora and fauna. 



On the whole, although at first sight the district does 

 not seem to offer many opportunities of study to the 

 .geologist, yet on further consideration many problems 

 and objects of great interest are to be found. 



Botany. — Turning to the flora of the district, we 

 Jlnd that, in spite of the apparent bareness of the long 

 stretch of sand-dunes, they are by no means barren from 

 a collector's point of view. In addition to the usual 

 littoral flora, which is even here thoroughly representa- 

 tive in variety, nature, and outline, the diligent seeker 

 will be rewarded by many choice finds. We must be 

 pardoned for placing as an easy first, in regard to 

 heauty as well as variety, the seaside form of the round- 

 leaved winter-green, Pyrola rotundifolia, Linn., var. 

 miarititna, Kenyon. This plant is here abundant, and 

 when in full bloom is an object of great loveliness. 

 Here also, nearer to the sea line, may easily be found 

 •quite a family group of the centaurys (locally termed 

 sanctuary). Every species now recorded in the London 

 catalogue, save one, has been gathered on this coast. 

 The rarest of them, however, the broad-leaved centaury, 

 Erythraea latifoUa, though originally found here, 

 rseems to be now extinct. Accompanying these plants 

 (there occurs, sometimes in patches like small fields, 

 another member of the same natural order (Gen- 

 .tianeae), the yellow- wort, Blackstonia perfoliata, 

 Hudson, whilst in similar patches, and even more 

 luxuriantly, there grows the Grass of Parnassus, Par- 

 nassia palustris, Linn. In higher and drier situations, 

 too, the searcher is rewarded by the discovery, in fairly 

 large quantities, of two beautiful euphorbias, both 

 comparatively rare elsewhere, namely. Euphorbia 

 Paralias, Linn., and E. Portlandica, Linn. The latter 

 is a lovely object in the autumn, its green foliage 

 -changing to a bright crimson as the plant gradually 

 fades. 



The aquatic plants of the district are well worthy 

 :serious study, and include a very interesting group of 

 ■drop-worts (Qinanthe), marestail, Hippuris vulgaris, 

 Linn., and a few miles inland whole dykes covered 

 ■over with the beautiful water-violet, Hottonia palustris, 

 Linn. To refer once more to the sand-dunes, the col- 

 lector may be interested to know that here grows that 

 wonderful botanical enigma, the yellow bird's nest, 

 Hypopitys Monotropa, Crantz, and a capital variety of 

 ■orchids, including Epipactis palustris, Crantz. On the 

 whole, to anyone in search of British wild flowers, the 

 district is rich and repaying. 



Zoology. — With the exception of its marine fauna, 

 which is very rich, and is to be specially dealt with in 

 the handbook now in preparation, Southport cannot be 

 said to possess any very distinctive zoological features. 

 No quadrupeds are peculiar to the district. But in early 

 times, probably succeeding the last Glacial epoch, when 

 the flat country around Southport was more elevated 

 than now, it is evident that the Irish elk, Cervus 

 megaceros, roamed here in abundance, many skulls 

 and other remains of this animal having been found 

 embedded in the clay beds of a large Inland lake no 

 longer existing, known as Martin Mere. It is sug- 

 ;gested by Mr. G. W. Lamplugh, in his recent geological 

 survey of the Isle of Man, that the Irish elk migrated 

 across the waning ice-sheet which lingered in the Irish 

 Sea at the close of the Glacial period. 



In ornithology Southport bears a good record, and 

 though the number must have been decreased of late 

 years, no less than 130 species of birds were known to 

 the district half a century ago. Among the birds that 

 now visit the neighbourhood during spring and summer 

 are the swallow, stone-chat, white-throat, vellow wag- 

 NO. 1758, VOL. 681 



tail, northern diver, snow bunting, black and little 

 tern, and wheatear, for many of which the numerous 

 sandhills offer congenial attractions. In winter the 

 bodies of storm-tossed birds, as the puffin, razor-bill, 

 and stormy petrel, are often cast upon the shore, or 

 become entangled in the fishermen's nets. 



Numerous lizards haunt the sandhills, where also the 

 conchologist will reap a good harvest not only in land 

 mollusca, which are very abundant, but in marine 

 species, including some of which no representatives are 

 now found on the shore, and which were, doubtless, de- 

 posited at a distant era when the sea covered much of 

 the present land. Cockles and shrimps are yet taken 

 at Southport in great abundance. To the entomologist 

 the sandhills of Southport afford a valuable hunting 

 ground, as will be seen from the number of species and 

 genera recorded in the forthcoming handbook. 



Archaeology. — The district of Southport is not so 

 destitute of interest to the antiquarian as might at first 

 be supposed. Southport itself can boast no history prior 

 to the end of the eighteenth century, but Blrkdale and 

 Churchtown, at the two extremes of the borough, can 

 both claim a respectable antiquity. Roman coins are 

 said to have been found on Blrkdale Common. 



This part of Lancashire is the " Inter Ripam et 

 Mersham " of the Domesday Survey, but the anti- 

 quarian Interest goes back to Roman times, when 

 there were Roman stations on both the Mersey and 

 Ribble, a Roman road leading from what is now 

 Warrington through Wigan to RIbchester. The 

 country west of the line of this road was, until com- 

 paratively recent times, very isolated, and consisted 

 largely of low, swampy ground interspersed with woods 

 and growing timber. The Roman station at RIb- 

 chester will receive the attention of the members of the 

 British Association on one of the Saturday excursions, 

 when Mr. John Garstang, of University College, 

 laverpool, and author of " Roman RIbchester," 

 will explain the history of the Roman occupation on 

 the site. Mr. Garstang will also read a paper on 

 Roman RIbchester before Section H. 



Close to Southport Is the site of Martin Mere, once a 

 large shallow fresh-water lake. It Is now drained and 

 used as agricultural land. Mention has already been 

 made of a large canoe dug up here, and it is hoped that 

 other antiquities (bronzes, &rc.) obtained from the site 

 of the lake may be on exhibition at the time of the meet- 

 ing. Martin Mere is one of the manj^ places which 

 claim connection with the Arthurian legend. The 

 river Douglas, the whole course of which lies within this 

 district, is reported to be the scene of some of King 

 Arthur's most bloody battles ! Claims are also put for- 

 ward by both the Ribble and Mersey, north and south 

 of Southport, as the site of Athelstane's great victory of 

 Brunanburg. 



Lancashire is rich in old halls, and many of these are 

 within easy reach of Southport. Visits will be paid to 

 Ruff'ord Old Hall, which contains a very fine example 

 of a great hall of the fifteenth century, and to Hoghton 

 Tower, an interesting and finely situated Elizabethan 

 mansion, recently restored, the residence of Sir James 

 de Hoghton, Bart. Hoghton Tower disputes with 

 Pimp Hall, Essex, the title of being the house In which 

 King James I. knighted the loin of beef. Of the lesser 

 halls in the Immediate vicinity of Southport, mention 

 may be made of Lydiate, Hurleston, Mawdesley, and 

 Heskln. Larger houses, like Speke and Smithells, lie 

 further afield, and can only be visited by special per- 

 mission. 



In ancient ecclesiastical architecture Lancashire can- 

 not be said to be well off. There is an ancient Norman 

 chapel at Stydd, near RIbchester, an opportunity of 

 visiting which will be given, but otherwise nearly all 

 the churches of Lancashire belong to the late Per- 



