Notes and Comments. 5 
Briefly stated, the theory is that vegetation in any habitat 
starts in one form (e.g., lichens and mosses), and progresses 
through a succession of phases (e.g., grassland and scrub) till 
it reaches a final phase which on many soils is a type of wood- 
land. The study of these progressive phases of vegetation 
has bec»me an important part of botanical surveys. 
THE OXLIP AND PRIMROSE. 
Mr. R. S. Adamson gives a short account of the ‘ relation- 
ships of Primula elatior and P. vulgaris to soil conditions’ in 
The Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, Vol. 24, 
pp. 84-86. He says that the oxlip (P. elatior) is extremely 
intolerant of non-calcareous soil, it demands a soil with high 
water content, especially in spring, but not a saturated one. 
This must be combined with a moderate but not excessive 
amount of lime. Where either of these conditions 1s not fulfilled 
it ceases to flourish and P. vulgaris occurs alone, which makes 
much less demand on the soil. The flowering season of the 
oxlip is very short; it starts a week or more later than the 
primrose and ceases a considerable time before, and how far 
this character influences the distribution would make a very 
interesting study. In the same number, Mr. A. Bennett 
gives an analysis of the British species of bladderwort (Utricu- 
lavia), and this is followed by an account of a visit to Teesdale 
and Kirkby Lonsdale by the Scottish Alpine Botanical Club. 
RIGHT OF WAY AT BRIDLINGTON. 
It will be remembered that at the Bridlington Meeting of 
the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union Mr. Sheppard proposed a 
resolution in reference to the attempt to close the footpath 
south of the town at Bridlington. He followed this up by 
correspondence with the Commons and Footpaths Preservation 
Society, the Secretary of which, under date December roth, 
writes as follows :—‘I was directed to visit Bridlington in 
order to confer upon the matter with a Special Committee and 
the Corporation which has been dealing with the case. As a 
result of the Conference an interview took place with Mr. Pitt, 
who is the landowner concerned, and I am glad to say Mr. 
Pitt met in a very friendly manner the suggestion which I 
ventured to put forward, that, without inquiring with nicety 
into the somewhat complicated legal issues involved, an effort 
should be made to arrive at an amicable setttlement. Mr. Pitt 
expressed his readiness to fall in with any fair arrangement, 
and an agreement prepared by the Society is in the hands of 
the Corporation, and will, I trust, be signed in the near future. 
It would obviously be improper for me to divulge the precise 
nature of the proposals which have been agreed to in principle 
by Mr. Pitt, but you may rest assured that under the settlement 
the needs of the public will be very fairly and even generously 
met.’ 
Ig13 Jan. 1. 
