30 



Our Visit to H$ly Island in 1854, by Dr. Johnston. 



with its leafy rosettes ; and intermingled with it, there was 

 a maritime state of Sagina procumbens, with purple flower- 

 stalks, readily enough to be mistaken for Sagina maritima. 

 There was here also a pretty dwarf variety of Geranium 

 molle, assuming, as most of the plants did, a rosaceous form, 

 and keeping very close to the soil. Geranium Robertianum 

 grew plentifully amidst the stones at the point of Sheldrake 

 bay ; and its herbage had, in many individuals, much of the 

 character of that of G. lucidum, but all were redolent of the 

 hircine smell peculiar to the species. Near the bay, I picked 

 up a shell of Buccinum undatum, of large size, with a rich 

 purple aperture, and a Patella Icevis covered with Lepralia 

 nitida, in fine condition. Under stones, Vitrina pellucida 

 and Helix rotundata were found, but very sparingly. 



20th. The morning stroll was to the landing place of the 

 boats engaged in the white fishery. The boats, we were 

 told, had not been well fished. The landing place was 

 disgusting with filth, and it was difficult to approach the 

 boats without treading on garbage. There were a few small 

 haddocks, pouts, dabs, and grey gurnards in the bottom of 

 the boats, with mutilated crabs, partanes, and spider crabs 

 (Hyas araneus). The last appeared to be common, and 

 some of the specimens were very fine. One had the shell 

 encrusted with Botryllus Schlosseri. There was a fine living 

 specimen of Venus Islandica, with Actinia crassicornis 

 occupying the surface of one valve. 



We left this obscene spot willingly, tracing the shore at 

 the base of the fine cliffs to the north-west, the face of them 

 made beautiful with many tufts of the Silene maritima and 

 Helianthemum vulgare in full flower, and with the Statice 

 armeria. Parmelia parietina tinted the surface of the 

 rock, as it does all the seaward rocks in the island, in a very 

 pleasing manner. At the foot of the cliff, which is washed 

 with every tide, grew nothing but the commonest sea- weeds, 

 Fucus canaliculars hung like a tasselled fringe round the 

 base, where it could be reached by the tide only when at full; 

 and between it and the lower tide were Fucus nodosus, 

 Fucus vesiculosus, and Fucus serratus- — the latter in sparing 

 quantity. Chorda jilium was common, and Ectocarpus 

 littoralis was the parasite of them all. We soon got to the 

 shore opposite St. Cuthbert's Isle, where his beads were 

 sought for, and we gathered a few specimens. On a rubbish 

 bank here Convolvulus arvensis grew in profusion, amidst 



