164 
NATURE NOTES 
My present opinion is that there is so much variation in this 
species in various directions that it is not proved that two 
distinct races are included under it ; and that until this is proved, 
and unless he has other evidence, as yet unpublished, it is pre- 
mature for Mr. Linton to speak of “ a supposed hybrid.” 
A NATURALIST’S RAMBLE 
ON THE BERWICKSHIRE COAST. 
l**jSj^]AKING tickets by the only train for Cockburnspath, we 
there in due course, after not more than the 
usual amount of delay, which seems a second nature 
to the North British Railway. We will pass over the 
intermediate stages, and suppose we have got to Fast Castle, 
the Wolf’s Craig of Sir Walter Scott. As the tide does not suit 
our purpose, we walk westwards, noting as we go the geological 
features which have been so often described in the classic works 
of Sir James Hall and others that it is needless to attempt to 
paint the scene. We cannot, however, look on it without being 
impressed with t’ne evidences of the magnitude of time, and the 
overwhelming character of the forces which made the scene 
what it is. 
Striking the shore at the first practicable point, we observe 
some plants growing on the cliffs, the common sea pink, or 
thrift of our forefathers shows its pink or crimson, or rarely 
white flowers, on many of the ledges. This plant occurs on the 
sea coast all round our island. Then as we go inland we quite 
lose sight of it, until we stand on the top of our highest 
mountains, such as Ben Lawers, Ben Lui, &c. Nor is this the 
only curious point connected with the plant. On the sea shore 
the ashes of the plant contain soda, on the mountains it is 
replaced by potash. Plants from the latter locality have 
broader leaves than those of the sea coast, but it is a question if 
the difference is enough to make a variety. Close by we find 
the sea plantain, which is very abundant on our coasts, and is 
also found on the mountains, but it differs in one respect from 
the thrift, viz., it is found at intermediate stations. We can 
recall two such localities, Forfar and a place in Linlithgowshire, 
in each case far removed from anything like a river bed. We 
may remark in passing that mountain plants are sometimes 
found in river beds at a low elevation, and the explanation is 
that they have been brought down by floods, but no such 
explanation will serve in the cases noted. Alongside we find 
another plantain, the buckshorn, with its much cut leaves. It 
is far more frequent on the coasts than inland. Not far off at the 
base of the rocks we see the glossy green leaves of the lovage. 
