52 



both in form and colour. Even a pure white one must be re- 

 corded. The precocious, or early-flowering one, which is, or was, 

 supposed to be a variety of G. amarella, L., was in fine form last 

 season as early as April, not only in its recorded habitat, but also 

 in some quantity on Ballard Down. 



There are many interesting subjects in the Labiatae, such as 

 the aromatic Mints and the sweet wild Thymes. Before touching 

 on these I must mention the re-discovery, at Langton, of Linaria 

 repens, Mill., and its hybrid with L. vulgaris. All three plants 

 were growing together. As to the mints, as they hybridise freely, 

 they are necessarily somewhat difficult to determine, and when this 

 happens an amateur botanist cannot be quite sure of his ground. 

 Fortunately I have been able to refer mine to a trusty friend, who 

 is an old Kew man. Mentha rotundifolia, Huds., is, however, a 

 good species, and is reported from Corfe Castle ; but although I 

 have failed to find it there, I think I have a better, because a more 

 natural, habitat near Chapman's Pool. M. spicata, L., is well 

 known in connection with gardens and mint sauce, while M. crispa, 

 Hook., is a cross between these two. Although the hybrid plant 

 is not mentioned for Purbeck, I have excellent specimens from 

 waste land at Swanage. Apropos of this unfortunate station I 

 may add that our contingent of Kitchener's Army has now 

 trampled this out of existence. M. gentilis, L., another rare Mint, 

 is also at Swanage, but will doubtless meet the same fate, as the 

 necessities of the situation imply the tramp of many feet ! M. 

 arvensis, L. is fairly common, but has so many varieties that one 

 cannot always distinguish betveen them. 



That well-known and favourite little plant, the sweet Wild 

 Thyme (Thymus serpyllum, L.) must be specially mentioned here, 

 not only because it abounds here, but because some forms of it 

 have been supplied to my friend, Mr. A. Bruce Jackson, for 

 illustration in the new Cambridge Flora. 



Another plant I am particularly pleased about is Calamintha 

 Acinos, Clairv. , the Basil Thyme, which I here put on record for 

 Purbeck. and which was the result of simple analogical reasoning. 

 A day or two previously I had tried for this plant outside the 

 Isle, but without success, and thus my find became additionally 

 interesting. 



Nepeta Cataria, L., otherwise known as Catmint, is rather 

 rare. This may be due to those ferocious and blood-thirsty 

 felines, as Gilbert White calls them, which prowl the hedge-rows 

 for rabbits, etc., and which, when they are satiated with a flesh 

 diet, turn aside and " go for" the plant in question. At any 

 rate, I must admit that till some years ago I was sceptical on this 

 point, so I transplanted a wild root to the garden. At first there 

 was no response, but later, when it was scented out, attacks were 

 made until the whole plant had been exterminated ! Whether 

 Linnaeus, the great father of botany, who gave it this name, knew 

 of the peculiar Cat-affection for it, history does not relate. 



