s 4 
NATURE NOTES. 
THE WAKING OF THE BIRDS 
First through the fragrant silence on mine ear 
The blackbird’s song came strongly, then the bush 
Of dim white-flowering laurel where the thrush 
Warmed her young nestlings, throbbed with music clear ; 
Then roused the merry robin with his cheer, 
The chiff-chaff answered, and in solemn hush, 
Solemn but momentary, with her crush 
Of mellow mourning hark ! the ring-dove near. 
So broke the birds upon my night-time’s sorrow 
For May was come, and tulips were awake, 
And lake and vale lay brightening to the sun, 
With happy cries the rooks cawed out good morrow, 
While the quaint landrail with his magic crake 
For very joyance from his voice did run. 
May, 1890. H. D. Rawnsley. 
NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF RARE PLANTS 
IN BRITAIN. 
( Concluded from page 71.) 
SPOKE of Cornwall as being a natural botanic 
g ar( I en - It is the headquarters in Britain of two 
[fyg ferns, which, however, are not confined to it — 
1 Asplenium lanceolatum and Lastrea ecmula (or recurva). 
Of flowering plants, Sibthorpia europcea is found there not un- 
frequently. I have gathered it between Penzance and the 
Land’s End. It is, of course, not confined to Cornwall, 
being also found in the Channel Islands, along the Channel 
counties and, across the Bristol Channel, in S. Wales. The 
Cornish peninsula is also the headquarters of two of our rare 
heaths, which, though not actually confined to the county, are 
nearly so. Erica vagans covers the moorland of the Lizard 
headland, and near Penrhyn the beautiful Erica ciliaris is to be 
found in fair abundance, associated with the commoner forms. 
It was my good fortune to come upon it in Carclew woods on 
my return from the consecration of Truro Cathedral two or 
three years ago. It was early in November, but the plant was 
in full bloom and easily recognisable by its racemes of rich 
crimson bells. The Lizard produces an infinite store of rarities 
— some absolutely peculiar to the spot, so far as British botany 
is concerned. With many of these I am unfamiliar, as the 
time of year when I visited it many years ago was too early 
for the recognition of rare plants. At the Looe Pool, near 
Helston, a curious mere, parted only by a great natural shingle 
