THE OPENING SPRING. 103 



US just come to it, it seems as if we could not be pro- 

 fuse enough in admiration.* 



THE MADREPORE. 



Mr. Ralfs, who has furnished some valuable zoolo- 

 gical and botanical lists to the North Devon Guide, 

 gives Watermouth and Smallmouth as localities for 

 Caryophyllia Smithii. To search forth is interesting 

 coral then was the object of my first excursion. Cir- 

 cumstances were favourable : it was spring-tide, and 

 the time of low-water was about eleven in the fore- 

 noon : there was no sea running, for the winds had 

 lately been light ; it was delightful weather, and as I 

 passed along the edge of the cliffs that border the sea 

 beyond Hillsborough, the long line of coast to the 

 north of the Channel, and Lundy Island in the offing, 

 that have been for several days barely visible, stood 

 out in bold distinctness, darkly blue. The lofty emi- 

 nence of these cliffs allowed me to see even the low 

 line of land that stretches away beyond the promon- 

 tory known as Worms Head, and that forms the back 

 of Caermarthen Bay on towards Tenby. 



The opening of Spring is always pleasant, but to 

 a naturalist it is like the opening of the gates of 

 Eden : and now its charm was enhanced by delay 



*I hope I shall be excused for giving- a grateful testimony to the way 

 in which our comfort was studied while in the lodging house of Mrs. 

 Williams of Xorthfield, Ilfracombe. We remained here the whole time 

 of our residence in the place, six months ; and dux-ing this period the 

 unvarying cheerfulness and kindliness, the utter disregard of self, and 

 the entire devotedness to our wishes, manifested by the inmates, were 

 such as one rarely finds, except from the warmest friends. 



