554 Plants collected in the Isle of Sheppey. 



is a certain electrical tension of the atmosphere necessary to 

 cause the combustion. Thus, under common circumstances, 

 the gas is dissipated without being observed ; but, when the 

 state of the atmosphere is competent to effect its combustion, 

 the proper degree of electrical tension is lost at the place 

 where an explosion is effected ; and, until it is replaced, or the 

 gas comes into contact with that layer of the atmosphere 

 which possesses the requisite degree of electrical tension, a 

 considerable body of bog-gas may collect, and be carried in the 

 direction of the wind, so as to give afterwards rise to a sort 

 of quick fire, with occasional flashes, in those places of the 

 stream of gas where there happens to be a considerable volume 

 of it. In calm nights, the flames may play in a vertical direc- 

 tion, so as to imitate the motions of gnats; and they may even 

 appear to alight on some object ; though, when this has been 

 observed, it is more probable that the case has been one of 

 the St. Elm's fire. — TV. Weisseriborn. Weimar^ Aug. 4. 1837. 

 Plants collected in the Isle of Sheppey. — I take the liberty 

 of sending to your Magazine the localities of some marine 

 plants collected last week at the Isle of Sheppey, between 

 Garrison Point and East Cliff, by the sea, should you con- 

 sider them worthy a place in your intelligence. 



Glaiicium luteum; shore near the Typha angustifolia; ditches. 



Garrison. A'triplex portulacoides; every 



Ranunculus Philonotis; beyond the where. 



coast-guard vessel on the cliff". Zostera marina; ditches, not fre- 



Lepidium ruderale ; in one spot quent. 



only. Plantago maritiraa; marshy ground. 



Arenaria media ; every where. Trigldchin maritimum ; edges of 



peploides ; on the beach, rare. ditches, &c. 



Frankenia lrc N vis ; edge of the wall. Carex? iucurva; on a marshy plot. 



Limbardia tricuspis ; on the beach. Scirpus maritimus ; ditches. 



A'stcr Tripolium; on the beach. J uncus maritimus; ditto. 



Glaux maritima ; frequent. Rottboelliaincurvata; along the wall 



Statice Limonium ; marshy ground Poa rigida ; along the wall. 



and edges of ditches. Hordeum maritimum ; ditto. 

 — Daniel Cooper. 82. Blackfriars Road, July 26. 1837. 



Notice respecting a young Cuckoo. — I have in my garden, in 

 the country a young cuckoo, that I find every morning in a 

 somewhat sluggish state on the roof of the paling ; and no great 

 distance from it I often see a small bird of, I think, the 

 blackcap kind, with a worm in its bill, ready to feed her 

 young. I suppose she must be the mother of the cuckoo. 

 I can almost lay my hand upon the latter. When I get 

 very near it, it gently flies into a neighbouring willow tree : 

 it seems fully fledged. Is this an unusual circumstance ? — 

 Charles Cradock. Paternoster Iioxv, Sept. 15. 1837. 



Nomenclature of the Subgenera separated from Ody- 



