130 THE FLORA OF GUERNSEY. 



are altogether unknown here, although one might reasonably 

 expect to find traces of their existence. 



These facts appear to me very suggestive in studying the 

 general distribution of plants from given centres, and also 

 highly important as corroborative of geological evidence, which 

 goes to show that all the members of this little archipelago 

 were not contemporaneous in their origin as islands, but that 

 Guernsey was separated from the mainland at a very much 

 earlier period than any of the others. 



Out of a total of some 540 flowering plants recorded for 

 Guernsey by Professor Babington in the work above mentioned, 

 there are about forty species which I have not as yet been 

 able to find. Some of these, it is very certain, are now extinct, 

 owing to drainage and general improvement of waste land 

 during the last half century; just as at the present time 

 extensive building and quarrying are threatening the existence 

 of many of the rarest plants. But a few of the records are 

 beyond all doubt erroneous; the error perhaps arising in 

 some cases from the confusion of local names which, with 

 slight variations, are common to both Jersey and Guernsey. 

 The former is considerably the larger of the two islands, and 

 possesses in consequence a richer and more varied flora. 



In the present list 663 species are enumerated, viz., 636 

 flowering plants, 18 ferns, and 9 fern-allies ; of these about 130 

 species are not recorded for Guernsey by Professor Babington. 

 The terms rare, common, &c, which will be found immediately 

 following the name of each plant denote its comparative 

 frequency throughout the island taken as a whole, so far as 

 my observations have gone. This being merely a preliminary 

 list to form a basis for working upon, I shall be glad to be 

 informed of any additional species which may be found here, 

 as well as any new habitats for the less common plants. 

 Supplementary lists can then be published from time to time 

 as required. 



In order to avoid constant repetition I have used Roman 

 numerals to designate the ten parishes into which the island 

 is divided, taking them in the following order : — 



I.— St. Peter-Port. VI.-— St. Peter-in-the-Wood. 



II.— St. Andrew's. VII.— St. Saviour's. 



III.— St. Martin's. VIII.— Catel. 

 IV.— Forest. IX.— Vale. 



V. — Torteval. X. — St. Sampson's. 



St. Andrew's (II.) is the only one having no seaboard. The 

 southern half of the island (comprising III., IV., V., and part 



