blue butterfly whose larvae feed principally on horseshoe vetch is an example. This is a 

 typical chalk downland insect though it is not absolutely exclusive. A less well known 

 creature — a small harvestspider which is quite unlike the familiar long-legged species 

 found on walls and in vegetation in late summer, is exclusive to Chalk. It is called 

 Trogulus tricarinatus L. Recent work ^ has shown that not only are small snails one of 

 the principle items of its diet, but that the female lays its eggs in the empty shells. 



It would serve little purpose to quote numerous examples of plants and animals whose 

 association with the Chalk ranges from intimate to casual. Suffice it to say that thenumber 

 of species and frequently of individual species of both plants and animals of the Chalk 

 country ranks amongst the highest found on any geological formation. The natural 

 history of Chalk is a perennial happy hunting ground for botanist and zoologist. In 

 the south and south-east of England where more favourable climatic conditions obtain 

 than in the east and north-east Chalk country the richness of life is accentuated. More- 

 over, in the south-east of Kent which is a reception area for migrants the Chalk is excep- 

 tionally rich in insects. Folkestone is therefore admirably situated for anyone wishing 

 to make a serious study of chalk plants and animals. Hardly any better opportunity 

 could exist for anyone desiring to make a real contribution to terrestial ecology. 



References 



1 (1899), Hanbury, F. J. and Marshall, E. S. Flora of Kent. 



la (1950), Walton, J. W. et al. The wild flowers and ferns of the district round Folke- 

 stone. 



2 (1949), Tansley, A. G. The British islands and their vegetation. 



3 (1951), Peabst, W. Biologische Beobachtungen an einheimischen Troguliden. Zool. 



Anz. 147:9, p. 267. 



WEATHER AND PLANT OBSERVATIONS 1952-53 



This has been a year of records. 



Following the Lynmouth floods in August 1952 wintry weather set in very early. 

 It was the coldest August for 20 years, followed by the wettest September for 50. October 

 was cold, and notable for unusually fine autumn colours. Pear tree leaves were deep 

 crimson and even the leaves of small plants like Agrimony were richly coloured. 



Then followed the worst November for 30 years. Severe storms occurred ; one raged 

 in Rye Bay and in the Thames Estuary, where much damage was done to shipping but, 

 strangely, the sea was quite calm between Dover and Dungeness and over 100 small ships 

 sheltered in Hythe and Eastwear Bays. Persistent wet weather was followed by snow. 

 In December there was dense fog in the Channel for days on end, but Folkestone missed 

 the suff'ocating fog that choked 4,000 Londoners to death. Snow fell in the middle 

 of the month ; it only lay for one day in Folkestone, but there were deep drifts in other 

 parts of the country. The snow was followed by heavy rain which continued throughout 

 December, except on Christmas morning, which was the sunniest for 40 years. 



On the last day of January 1953 came the hurricane in Scotland and the disastrous 



