44 



LINARIA MINOR IX CUMBERLAND. 



(3) The east end of the Crossfell ridge, over the Cashwell mine ; 

 (4; Limestone cliffs of High Mains, midway between Alston and 

 Garrigill and (5) of Windy Brow, due east over Tynehead ; (6) Ashgill 

 Force and the plantations above it, up to a height of 600 yds. ; 

 (7) The Glen Waterfall on the second tributary stream on the east 

 side of the Tyne, above Alston. 



Summary. — Xot counting varieties and casuals my Alston list 

 contains 304 species, of which 301 belong to the super-agrarian and 

 79 to the infer-arctic zone. Doubtless both these figures might be 

 increased by 25 per cent, if the district was worked in the middle of 

 summer. The montane element seems to enter into the flora of the 

 district to about the same extent as in Wensleydale or Weardale, 

 and much less than in Teesdale. Montane plants here specially 

 plentiful are Thlaspi alpest?'e^ Cochkaria alpifia^ Arenaiia verna^ 

 Viola lutea, Cardiius hctcrophyllus^ Rosa subcristata, Geranium 

 sylvaiicum, Faniassia palustris, and Salix phylicifolia. \Miether 

 Potamogetpn^ Batrachiiun, Sparga?iium. TypJia^ Hydrocotyle^ Drosej-a, 

 Pnmida farinosa, Erica Teiralix^ Vacciniuin Mtis-idcea^ and several 

 other things I expected, but did not see, are really absent, I leave for 

 thos:- v.'-::' fj'.low me to search out. Evidently more of the lowland 

 species a-ccnd the hills in the Mountain Limestone than in the slate 

 tract. 301 is exactly the number of species recorded from the super- 

 agrarian zone at the Lakes, but in many cases the species are different, 

 as will be seen by comparing this present list with ray Lake Flora, 

 The super-agrarian zone is here entirely ]\[ountain Limestone hills, and 

 at the Lakes entirely Silurian hills, with much less continuous ridge and 

 a more, sudden slope. The infer-arctic zone here is entirely ]\Iillstone 

 Grit, and its poverty in boreal types is no doubt essential, not casual. 



NOTE— B OTA XY. 



Linaria minor in Cumberland. — Under the date of July 1S72, I find 

 in my notes a record of the discover}- of this plant on the Cockermouth and 

 Workington line of railway at Brigham station, two miles from the former town, 

 where it continues to flourish in some abundance on the ballast used in the con- 

 struction of the railway, which consists of loose gravel partially mingled with coal 

 ashes. I next found it growing plentifully on the ]\Iaryport and Carlisle Railway 

 some little way to the eastward of Aspatria station, and close to the triple-arched 

 viaduct, which there spans the line over a deep cutting. Some fifteen or sixteen 

 years ago a subsidence of the railway occurred at this particular point owing to 

 the * creeping ' of an adjoining colliery working. It became necessary to raise the 

 line to its proper level, and engine ashes from the pit were utilised for the purpose. 

 Here the Linaria promptly made its appearance, and so rapidly has it spread that 

 it may be gathered there now by hundreds. Another locality iiiay be added, viz., 

 the extensive limestone quarr}- at Yeathouse, near Frizington, -where I saw two or 

 three plants only in 1877. These grew on a bank of refuse from the workings, 

 but whether ashes were present I do not remember. I have had no opportunity 

 of examining the last mentioned station since the date referred to. I find no 

 mention o{ Linaria minor in any of the lists compiled by previous observers in 

 any part of Cumberland.— Wm. Hodgson, Flimby, Maryport, Nov. 17th, 1S87. 



Naturalist. 



