THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



205 



The sandhills which fringe the Cheshire 

 coast extend from about a mile beyond New- 

 Brighton, at the mouth of the Mersey, a 

 distance of about eight miles, to Hoylake, at 

 the mouth of the Dee — there being a break of 

 about a mile's length which is filled up by 

 the Leasowe Embankment. From Hoylake 

 they are continued in a narrow strip for 

 several miles up the Dee. It is that portion 

 of the sandhills which lies between New 

 Brighton and Leasowe Castle which is most 

 frequently visited by entomologists, and my 

 remarks apply chiefly to that part. 



In order to reach this most interesting 

 locality the visitor can either take the steamer 

 from Liverpool landing stage direct to New- 

 Brighton, or he may leave the boat at 

 Egremont and walk across the country to 

 Wallasey, a distance of about three miles. If 

 the boat is taken to New Brighton he must 

 turn to the right on leaving the pier, and walk 

 along the shore, a distance of about a mile 

 and a half. After running the gauntlet of a 

 crowd of donkey bows (and women), photo- I 

 graphers, and other watering-place nuisances ! 

 of a similar kind, he will find himself near 

 the "Widow's Well," a spring of ice-cold 

 fresh water which issues from the sand some 

 distance below high-water mark. About a 

 mile from here he will pass two large water- 

 worn masses of sandstone rock, called re- 

 spectively, from the colour, the "Yellow" 

 and "Red Noses," and about two hundred 

 yards farther he will reach the commence- 

 ment of the sandhills. If he takes the second 

 course, i.e., to Egremont, he must walk to the 

 top of Church Street (opposite the pay gates 

 of the Ferry), turn to the right and follow the 

 Liscard Road through Liscard village until 

 he comes to the junction of four roads. He 

 must take the extreme left of these and follow 

 it until he comes to Wallesey Church. If he 

 teas a taste for antiquities, he may inspect the 

 old church tower, which stands by itself in 

 the churchyard. From the lower side of the 

 churchyard a splendid view of the surrounding 

 country may be obtained. Below him is part 



of Wallasey village, whilst stretching for 

 several miles beyond may be seen Bidston 

 Marsh, bounded to the right by the sandhills, 

 beyond which may be seen Leasowe Castle, 

 the residence of the Cast family, and Leasowe 

 lighthouse ; whilst to the left is Bidston Hill 

 with its lighthouse and observatory, Bidston 

 Church (among the trees below the hill), and 

 beyond Bidston, Upton Hall, the residence of 

 Mr. Inman, the Liverpool shipowner, and the 

 spire of Moreton Church. Leaving the 

 churchyard he may go down any of the lanes 

 into Wallasey village, the road through the 

 village leading him straight to the sandhills, 

 or if he wishes to do a little collecting on the 

 way, he may take the lane which is continuous 

 with that which became along from Liscard, 

 past the Wallasey Board School, along a 

 footpath, and across some waste land to the 

 Sea View Road. In the lane, a short distance 

 from Wallasey Church, the Yellow Bedstraw 

 (Galium verum ) grows plentifully, and the 

 larva of Melanippe galiata may be found on it, 

 or the imago may be beaten from the furze 

 bushes at the top of the wall on the left hand 

 side. 



In the hedges about here the red campion 

 (Lychnis Dioica) grows plentifully, and the 

 larva of Dianthascia Capsincola may be found 

 in the capsules in August and September. 

 About the same time the mugwort (Avtcmesia 

 vulgaris) may be examined for larva of 

 Eitpithecia Siicccntauveata, Coleophora albicans, 

 &c. In the blackthorn hedges close by the 

 schools Cvaisia Holmiana may be taken freely. 

 Having arrived at Sea View Road, the lane 

 opposite the white cottages may be taken, and 

 the sandhills gained in less than five minutes, 

 or if so inclined the visitor may call at the 

 " Nelson," a few yards past the white 

 cottages, as this is the last place where he 

 will be able to obtain any refreshment until 

 his return. 



Having arrived on the sandhills he may 

 now commence work in earnest, which he 

 will be the better able to do because he will 

 not see signboards with "Trespassers will be 



