648 BOTANICAL SKETCHES, [December, 



period of floration. We have seen it in parts further sonth in 

 flower two months later than the time usually assigned. Pim- 

 pinella Saxifraga is met with sparingly. (Enanthe Lachenalii is 

 plentiful in ditches at some distance from the coast. The wild 

 Carrot appeared here and there in the pastures. Hydrocotyle 

 vulgaris occurs, but not in flower, so far as oiu* observation went. 



Galium verum, Our Lady's Bedstraw, is nowhere more abun- 

 dant and showy than on these hills, where the vegetation is 

 somewhat of the scantiest. 



The most conspicuous plant of the Composite Order, as an 

 architect would name this family, is Senecio Jacobaa, common 

 Ragweed. This plant, inelegant though it be, had a remarkable 

 effect on the scene. The Goat's-beard {Tragopogon minor, we 

 supposed) was far from scarce ; but it had flowered long ago, and 

 was now in fruit. Hypochoeris radicata was nearly as abundant 

 as the Ragweed. The only Hieracium noticed was what we 

 have usually seen called H. vulgatum. H. sylvaticum of some 

 authors is probably but a variety of that comprehensive species. 

 A plant or two of Ei'igeron acris was noticed, but not yet in 

 flower. Aster Tripolium was also absent. 



Saline marsh plants were necessarily absent, for there is no 

 marsh in these parts. The seaside Feverfew appeared sparingly 

 on some sandstone rocks below the town. This plant differs but 

 slightly from Parthenium inodorum {Matricaria inodora, L.). 

 The two common Achilleas, A. Millefolium and A. Ptarmica, were 

 plentiful enough. 



Campanula rotundifolia, the pretty Harebell of Scotland, that 

 " raised its head elastic from the airy tread " of the fair recluse 

 of Loch Katrine, is surely as large and of as intense a blue as in 

 the " land of the mountain and the flood." It could compete 

 with the fairest of bonny Scotland's fair flowrets. We " who are 

 not gifted with the mens divinior," can only maintain that we 

 never " saw fairer flower." It did not adorn a fair maid's brow 

 at New Brighton, as at the island under "Benvenue's bold cliff's," 

 but it was eminently beautiful notwithstanding. Flowers are 

 graceful ornaments, whether wreathed as a garland, amorously 

 entwining the clustered locks of a Grecian or a Scottish beauty, 

 or only giving interest to the hillocks of sand thrown up by the 

 waves and winds. 



Another plant of this family was also very conspicuous, viz. 



