70 
NATURE NOTES 
of stonechats and meadow-pipits ; the former uttering their 
curious and somewhat monotonous notes likened unto knocking 
two stones or pebbles together — hence its name — and it is also 
interesting to notice the restless habits of both species mentioned. 
The only species of sea birds which I was able to discern was 
the lesser black-backed gull, and of these I counted perhaps a 
couple of score or so on the wing at one time, gracefully skim- 
ming over the surface of the oftentimes murky waters of the 
German Ocean ! 
The skylark — that scorner of the ground as Shelley has so 
ably described it — rarely sings his beautiful lays during August ; 
howbeit, it is one of the most continuous song birds in the 
British Isles ; and so it came to pass that its tuneful song was 
not to be heard, but a careful look out through the fields towards 
Sutton-on-Sea revealed quite a nice company of these joyous 
birds. 
Starlings in flocks were seen, and also others whistling and 
chattering their quite indescribable pandemonium of notes upon 
the chimney stacks : the greenfinch in his gorgeous green livery 
and the yellow bunting in his truly h.andsome dress of yellow 
and green, the sable rook and the grey wagtail complete my 
aves list. 
Coming to the flora, one is at once struck by the plentiful- 
ness of the sea buckthorn and the beautiful marram grass upon 
the sand dunes, as well as the tea tree, with its delicate pink- 
blossoms. 
Amongst the seventy species of trees and plants upon my 
list, I may perhaps mention that the ragwort appears to be the 
commonest of them all : its fine starry heads of golden flowers 
made quite a brave floral sight in the autumn sunshine and the 
larvae of the beautiful little cinnabar moth were having a right 
royal feast upon the leaves thereof. The hounds-tongue and the 
hemlock stork’s bill are both common, too, whilst this unpre- 
tentious essay would be incomplete without reference to the 
wild asparagus, horse radish, wild celery and wild leek. 
Near the shore one notices the pale blossoms of the sea stock, 
or rocket, and the curious prickly saltwort ; whilst amongst the 
sand dunes the pale yellow of the yellow rattle and the delicious 
blue of the milkwort, the red heads of the sparingly-leafed 
betony, and near the ditches the pleasing smell of the water 
mint and the stately motherwort, the fine golden of the corn 
sow thistle (far away from any corn fields it is true) and the 
greyish-coloured leaves of the fleabane did not escape attention. 
In concluding these notes I may perhaps give a list of 
commoner trees and plants identified, which only require passing 
refeience, namely, sow thistle, goat’s beard, yellow bedstraw, 
hawkweed, yarrow, broad-leaved plantain, daisy, hedge mustard, 
long-rooted cat’s-ear, dandelion, lamb’s-tongue, chickweed, 
nipplewort, groundsel, scarlet poppy, hop trefoil, common 
mallow, silver weed, shepherd’s purse, dock, bramble, white and 
