26 
NATURE NOTES 
the bed of the ocean throughout a countless number of years 
have accumulated to so vast an extent as to become in reality 
the floor of the ocean ? Eventually, at some remote period in 
the world’s history, the turbulent and restless sea has thrown up 
its chalky bed and so formed these Sussex Downlands, on one 
of the highest points of which we are now seated trying to write 
down some of the impressions which come to mind. One craves 
for information as to these Downs, and although we are able in 
a measure to satisfy our cravings, there still remains a wealth of 
information which is hidden amongst the secrets of the past. 
We know, for instance, that these Downs were numbered 
amongst the strongholds of the Ancient Britons, forefathers of 
ours of long, long ago. These old warriors have left behind 
them many evidences of their entrenchments, battle-grounds and 
tombs. The barrows are the burying places of these old rela- 
tives of ours, and excavations have revealed urns containing the 
remains of some of our chivalrous forefathers. One is able to 
see, too, up on these Sussex Downs, the remains of a Danish 
encampment, and oftentimes many prehistoric implements have 
been unearthed. Although we can glean this information, it is 
a mere cycle of time that we can comprehend, a mere spoke in 
the wheel, and we are still left hopelessly wondering what is the 
real genesis of the Downs, and we have a longing to become 
acquainted with every epoch in their history and to have their 
interesting and wonderful story related to us page by page and 
their cloak of wonder unfolded to us fold after fold. 
What the writer really set himself out to write was a passing 
glimpse of the natural history of Downland so far as it could be 
observed during a few brief visits. Suppose, then, we start from 
that mighty headland, Beachy Head, on which the beacon fire 
burned so brightly at the approach of the Spanish Armada, and 
ramble over hill and dale, observing the wild life as we go. We 
are in Flora’s realm, although the August sun is high in the 
heavens and rain for some weeks has been conspicuous by 
its absence. The herbage is dry and parched in many places, 
but in spite of this our list of wild plants totalled over 200 
species, but it is the old story of eyes and no eyes right through. 
Not that the writer possesses any particular qualifications in this 
respect. Similar observation may be achieved by the merest 
tyro in botany, if only the spirit and the sense of observation are 
quickened and intensified at every opportunity. 
In a brief essay such as this, what shall I write of the 200 
odd species of Downland plants ? The author of “ Nature in 
Downland” — Mr. W. H. Hudson — even in a sumptuous and 
bulky volume found it impossible to do justice to the wild life of 
the Downs, how then can we, in this unpretentious survey, hope 
to give a true and faithful account of all there is to be seen and 
heard around these health-giving heights ? Perhaps if one were 
to single out the chief inhabitants of the plant world of Down- 
land — that is during late summer — the list would be restricted to 
about a dozen species. 
