302 A. A. HAMILTON. 



tain a position at its extremity, always retreating from the 

 rapidly eroding verge of the embankment, if not protected 

 by hardier vegetation. One of these protective plants is 

 the "Coast Couch," Zoysia pungens Willd., a creeping grass 

 similar in habit to the common Couch, but possessing a 

 .greater exposure resistant capacity, as demonstrated by 

 its proximity to the beach, its short, dark coloured flower 

 spikes always showing prominently in front when these two 

 grasses are associated — a common occurrence — and attain- 

 ing a position prohibitive to Cynodon. This association is 

 continued on the rocky escarpment of the headland, the 

 Cynodon in places creeping down the rock-strewn hillside 

 to within a few yards of the bare parapet above the cliffs, 

 when the Zoysia again asserts its beneficent influence, and 

 accepts the brunt of the exposure. 



The frontal embankment from the point of emergence of 

 the dune valley to the southern end of the beach, is inter- 

 mittently fringed by another creeping grass Sporobolus 

 verginicus Humb. and Kunth., a frequenter of the salt- 

 marsh and estuary rather than the strand. The upright 

 branches rising from the decumbent stems are normally 

 slender and graceful, with distant convolute leaves. On 

 the ocean front, on either dune or rocky escarpment, it 

 presents an unkempt appearance arising from a malforma- 

 tion of the infertile stems, which are dilated and crowded, 

 simulating a distichous arrangement though the leaves are 

 alternate. Tlje flowering branches were not observed to 

 be subject to this disability. 



The "Sour-grass," Oxalis corniculata L., a shallow root- 

 ing creeper, of annual growth in cold regions, which 

 responds to the mild conditions in this district, by attaining 

 a biennial, or even longer duration, is an exceptionally 

 adaptable species. It exercises little or no discrimination 

 as to soil, climate, elevation etc., contenting itself with 



