458 Wheldon : Botanical Notes from the Lancashire Const. 



at present so very plentiful. Bartsia viscosa will probably 

 linger longer, as it is very partial to and appears to grow 

 most freely in the zone where cultivation and barren sand 

 dunes battle for supremacy. I saw all the plants mentioned 

 above during the present season in the vicinity of Formby or 

 Ainsdale. 



The mosses of the district are equally noteworthy. During 

 the summer of 1893, I found Bryum neodamense growing 

 sparingly amongst Hypmim Wilsoni and H. lycopodioides near 

 Formby ; and in greater profusion, Aniblyodon, Meesea, a large 

 form of Barbula tophacea, Bryum tdiginosum, B. Warneuni, 

 B. lacustre and B. pendulum. On a later date I had the pleasure 

 of taking Dr. Braithwaite and Mr. Beesley over the same ground, 

 when we saw a little Bryutn neodamense in a fresh locality, this 

 time growing amongst Hypnum intermedium ; we also noticed a 

 little Bryu7n calophyllum. On this occasion the most interesting 

 discovery was Philonotis calcarea, in small quantity, but bearing 

 male flowers. This species is new to the local Florula, and an 

 addition to the list of those of our sandhill plants, which in other 

 localities affect a calcareous soil, the necessary lime being in the 

 present instance supplied by shell debris. That very handsome 

 moss, Hypiium lycopodioides was noticed with stems 15 inches in 

 length ! 



On visiting the locality a few weeks later, with Mr. D. A. 

 Jones, the Bryum neodamense , and other Brya that had lined the 

 ditch sides, and the PJiilonotis, were gone ; and the aquatic 

 hypna much less plentiful, most of the ditches having been 

 'cleaned.' But nearer the shore we saw in abundance Bryum 

 Warneiim and B. calophyllum, the latter finer and in greater 

 profusion than I have ever seen it. Anthoceros punctatus still 

 exists near Formby, and I recently found it fruiting freely in 

 damp fallow fields near Aintree, accompanied by Riccia giaucu. 



Most of the above notes were made since the list of mosses 

 in the British Association Handbook for 1903 was compiled. In 

 that list I stated that Fissidens viridulus had disappeared from 

 the locality near Walton. I have since found it fruiting freely in 

 a new station near Aintree. 



As the flora is slowly but surely altered, no doubt many of 

 the very interesting species of beetles and lepidoptera, for which 

 the district is noteworthy, will also be lost ; but these appear to 

 have been carefully investigated, and no doubt many local 

 naturalists have several good things which will perhaps soon be 

 unattainable in the district. 



Naturalist, 



