852 Drs Hoppe and Hornschuch’s Tour to the Coast of the 
tiscus, Lauras nohilis , and Phyllyrea media , had kept remark- 
ably fresh, and afforded a new proof of the indispensable neces- 
sity of tin boxes to botanists. We made an excursion to-day to 
Contobello, and went thither, along the sea-shore, by the new 
lazaretto. The wind raged violently all last night, and the 
waves had thrown ashore great quantities of marine plants, 
among which were some unknown Fuel. The mountains which 
adjoin the beach, are here so steep, that there are but few places 
where you can climb them ; and, for this reason, scarcely any 
vineyards have been planted on them. Borago officinalis , Po- 
lygala vulgaris , and Lotus corniculatus with hoary leaves, were 
in flower. We passed the road to Contobello, and proceeded, 
along the sea-shore, to investigate the mountains that border it. 
Here grew plentifully Coronilla Emerus , Hippocrepis comosa , 
Sherardri arvensis , and a grass which was very interesting to 
us, namely, Schcenus nigricans. All the plants which we had 
formerly taken for this species, proved to be only specimens of 
S.ferrugineus , The beauty of the individuals, here determined 
us to collect them for our publication on grasses, for which we 
wanted some thirty specimens, all of which must be very care- 
fully prepared ; so that we remained on this spot for a couple of 
hours. The S. nigricans grew along the edges of a rivulet that 
trickled down the mountain. As we went on, we looked up to 
the verdant hills, and caught sight of a fine red-flowered plant 
that greatly excited our curiosity ; and, as we could not imme- 
diately satisfy this, we amused ourselves with conjecturing what 
it might be. One supposed it might be Tr folium alpinum , the 
other Pedicularis acaulis , or Cytisus purpureas , but both were 
wrong ; it was an Astragalus ; and, on account of its beauty, 
was at once destined for our publication. Lanica pedestris was 
also found under stones ; and, as we were busy searching for 
more specimens of this beetle, a countrywoman, thinking that 
we were looking for the road, pointed with her hand up the hill, 
calling out u buona strada. 1 ’ We pursued this accidental hint, 
and came to a spot which promises much for a future time ; and, 
through a beautiful olive grove, arrived at the road to Contobel- 
lo. This we crossed ; and, after traversing the vineyards, gained 
the shrubby hills which rise above the station for our Euphorbia 
Characias. Here were some interesting plants, Thlaspi praecox^ 
1 
