268 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



great many species of Salix occur in .\rctic Norway, 

 but they were not in a good condition for identifi- 

 cation at the time of our \-isit. 



Potamogcton nitens, Weber. — In the river Pasvick 

 at Elvenes. I submitted this specimen to ZSIr. A. 

 Bennett, the authority on the genus, who kindly 

 named it for me, and pointed out that it differed 

 from most forms of the species in the shortness of 

 the spikes, tenuity of the leaves and slender stems. 



Narthecium ossifragum, Huds. — Marsh near Bodo. 

 It is stated by Bentham, in his " Handbook of the 

 British Flora," not to be an Arctic plant. 



Tnfieldia palustris, Huds. — Common in seed in the 

 bogs near Vadso. 



Several species of Canx vrere common, but I 

 parted with my specimens before attempting their 

 identification. Eriophorum zaginatum, L., and 

 E. folystachum, L., were common in bogs on the 

 Varanger, the dense, cottony heads of the former 

 being frequently larger than is usual -.vith British 

 specimens. 



Although grasses suitable for pasturage are rare 

 on the Varanger Fiord, a considerable number of 

 species, such as Molinea carulea, Moench., Nardus 

 stricta, L., Aira caspitosa, L., and A . flexuosa, L., are 

 fairly abundant. None of them, however, would 

 be verj- attractive to cattle. PhUitm alpinum, L , 

 was not uncommon at Harstad. 



In striking contrast to the southern parts of 

 Norway, ferns are comparatively rare in the north. 

 Woodsia ilvensis, Br., occurred in damp cre%4ces of 

 rocks near Elvenes, but the plants were very stunted 

 as compared with some noticed at Stalheim. 

 (To be contir.tied.) 



THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. 



Bv Alfred H. Bastix. 



iCc-ntii-.iied from page 2if.) 



\ S the steamer enters the harbour the appear- 

 ance of St. Helier does not impress one verj- 

 favourably. It seems to be a busy and rather 

 dirty little port ; the quays and warehouses convey 

 an idea of " town Ufe," which is not pleasing to 

 the traveller in search of the open country. 

 But when one becomes better acquainted with the 

 locality, and finds out how easy it is, by the aid of 

 the two small railway- sj-stems, to reach open heaths, 

 bold rock -bound stretches of coast and lovely 

 sandy bays, one soon forgets the harbour and its 

 surroundings. 



By the aid of the Western Railway, St. Aubin 

 — a distance of four miles from St. Helier — can be 

 reached in the course of half-an-hour. This spot 

 is a good base of operations, as the whole of the 

 shore from St. Aubin to La Corbiere is worth a 

 thorough investigation. For instance, a whole day 

 might well be spent at Portelet Bay. The steep 



ground sloping up from the beach is clothed with 

 vegetation, bracken, ling and blackberry -bushes pre- 

 dominating. Butterflies are numerous. I obser\-ed 

 some I had not previously noticed in the islands : 

 Gonepiiryx ihamni, Vanessa io, V. urtica and V. c-alhum. 

 V. polychlcrcs was also being found in the lanes 

 farther inland. Helix nemcraJis v.as exceedingly 

 plentiful on the herbage close to the shore. When 

 looking through a list of shells collected from the 

 beach at Jersey, a natiu-alist would at once infer 

 the extremely rocky nature of the coast. At 

 Portelet Baj* the following were collected : Nassa 

 yeti.'iilata, X. :n:yassata, Munx erinaaous, Littorina 

 Uttcralis, L. ludis, Trochus ziryphinus, T. Uneatus, 

 T. ur/ihilkatus, T. cineria. The shell of T. ziryphinus, 

 when alive, exhibits a lovely blue tint, difficult to 

 describe but exceedingh- beautiful in appearance ; 

 unfortunately this colour entirely fades a few hours 

 after the animal has been killed. Purpura lapilius 

 is found on the rocks in very large numbers, the 

 shells showing a great variety in colour and banding. 

 Limpets are everj^where strewn on the surface 

 of the stone. All that were examined proved to be 

 Patella vulgata. Farther along the coast two 

 species of the curious " coat of mail" shells were 

 found on the under surface of small stones in rock- 

 pools at low water ; these were Chiirri fasci^cularis 

 and C. cinereus. The number and beauty of the sea 

 anemones was remarkable, although the species 

 did not appear to be numerous. In some instances 

 closely-packed groups covering patches of rock a 

 yard or more square were noticed. Dead specimens 

 of Cardium edulis and Tapes palustra were picked up 

 on the sands in St. Aubin's Bay. In a little 

 " chine" called La Rosiere Thecla rubi and Zygana 

 loniiem occurred. 



So much for the Western Railway district. Now 

 let us turn our attention to Moimt Orgueil Castle, 

 on the Eastern system. The grounds of this 

 ancient pile proved quite a happy hunting- 

 ground, so far as lepidoptera are concerned. 

 Besides most of the insects pre\-iously mentioned, 

 the pretty "holly blue" {Lycana argioius) was 

 found. Numbers of these little butterflies were 

 to be seen fljTng about in the sunshine or 

 sitting wdth half-opened wings on the pink 

 blackberry blossoms. Bomhyx quercus simply 

 swarmed here. It was to be seen on all sides — 

 flying round the grey walls, settling on the ivy, or 

 soaring in the sunshine. We managed to beat out 

 one specimen of the "Jersey Tiger" {Callimorpha 

 Jiera). These few notes must not be concluded 

 without mention being made of the pretty green 

 lizards (Lacerta viridis) which abound on the 

 island wherever there are rocks and stones for 

 them to hide amongst. They maj' often be seen 

 sunning themselves in the open, but they rush 

 back into their holes Uke a flash of green light on 

 the slightest suspicion of danger. 



