interesting relic. And it is much to be regretted that they, whose right and business it is to afford it protection, are not at the pains to secure it from wanton spoliation. Boys are permitted to mutilate its venerable limbs, and crop its sable branches, in sheer sport and mischief; and many considerable boughs, which must have trailed almost on the ground, and greatly heightened the picturesque effect, have lately, it seems, been lopped off, in the true spirit of modern Vandalism. The accompanying woodcut, it is proper to add, has been taken from a drawing made on the spot some years ago, and made not so much with a view to illustrate those peculiarities of the tree, which I have endeavoured, however imperfectly, to describe, as merely to afford a picturesque sketch or study from nature. I have to regret, therefore, that the cut does not square so well with the above account as might be wished; and the more so, as the tree itself baffles all description of the pen. To illustrate the subject fully, not only drawings of detached portions of the trunk and limbs on a larger scale would have been desirable, but also figures of the entire object; and these, too, taken, perhaps, from somewhat different points of view from the one here presented to the reader, in which the fault I have chiefly to complain of is, that it represents the tree with far too large a top, and consequently gives to the whole an air of greater stateliness and magnificence than is really to be found in the original, at least in its present condition.

ART. X.

Brief Notices of the Plants observed during a Tour through a Part of North Wales, and some of the adjoining Counties. By WILLIAM CHRISTY, Jun. Esq. F.L.S.

JUNE 4. 1832. After passing through Uxbridge, Clématis Vitálba, and the usual plants of a chalk district, began to make their appearance; but nothing rare occurred till we were descending Stokenchurch Hill, when we noticed abundance of Lístera nidus-àvis, and Epipactis grandiflòra, in the edges of the woods; and, on a small grassy slope, an O'rchis, which was probably O. militàris. Atropa Belladonna grows on the chalky banks; and we observed a single and rather large tree of Tília parvifòlia. At Oxford, the heavy rain prevented our botanising, except on the old walls, which were covered with abundance of Senècio squalidus, and a Hieràcium not in flower (H. amplexicaúle?). These plants have probably originally escaped from the botanic garden; an inter

esting establishment, which we much regretted being unable to take more than a very cursory view of.

June 5. and 6. The roadside between Witney and Northleach was adorned with the magnificent Cnicus eriophorus; and, just at the entrance of Great Malvern, we noticed some bushes of Sambùcus nìgra ß (frúctu álbo, the white-berried), but too near some cottages to be considered wild. On the walls and roof of the fine old abbey church we gathered Grammitis Céterach, and Sèdum refléxum; and, on a rock above the village, Cotylédon Umbilicus. On the hills, we could meet with no plant rarer than Moe'nchia erécta; but took a few insects, the best of which was Elater cùpreus. Vinca major grows among the ruins at Little Malvern church, but has apparently escaped from an adjoining plantation. Colchicum autumnàle seems to be common in meadows and orchards about Ledbury.

June 7. Our road through Ludlow, Bishop's Castle, and Welchpool, to Oswestry, afforded us nothing rare. Near Ludlow, by the roadside, is a very large tree of Pyrus torminàlis; and, on banks, Fumària capreolata, Lepídium Smithii, and Ranúnculus parviflòrus occur in abundance, and appear to be common in the counties of Hereford and Salop. Myosotis sylvatica is frequent about Bishop's Castle.

June 8. At Llangollen, we visited the ruins of Castle Dinas Bran for the purpose of ascertaining whether the variety of Pyrus Aria formerly mistaken for P. pinnatifida (Sorbus hybrida Lin.) still grows there. In a meadow, through which the footpath from Llangollen passes, we gathered a few specimens of Ornithogalum umbellatum; and, on the hill, Sedum ánglicum, Myosotis collina, and Vicia angustifolia. We also took Anómala hortícola, and E'later cupreus; which latter was abundant. Our search for the Pyrus was long unsuccessful; but at length we discovered a single bush of it growing in an almost inaccessible part of the external wall, and with some difficulty obtained a specimen. It differs from the common state of P. Aria, in the leaves being more deeply toothed or lobed, and, as Sir J. E. Smith justly remarks, not truly pinnatifid. It is certainly not P. pinnatifida; but it appears almost equally distinct from P. Aria. To me it seems to come nearest to P. edulis or intermèdia. I am, however, not at present prepared to offer a decided opinion on the subject. On various parts of the ruins we found Hutchinsia petræ`a, Cistópteris dentata? and the beautiful spotted-leaved variety of Hieràcium muròrum, not uncommon; also Teesdàlia nudicaúlis, sparingly. A steep limestone declivity, on the left of the road just after leaving Llangollen, was completely covered with Polypòdium calcà

reum; and, a little farther, we noticed, in the edges of the woods, Aquilegia vulgaris, both the red-flowered and blueflowered varieties. In the rocky bed of the river, at the bridge and salmon-leap of Pont-y-pair, we gathered the pretty dwarf variety of Solidàgo Virgaúrea, cominonly known as S. cámbrica. On reaching Capel Curig, we found our friends, Messrs. Newman and Doubleday, who were on an entomological tour. We strolled out in the evening along

the banks of a mountain stream, which afforded us Tróllius europæ us, Myrìca Gàle, and Pinguícula vulgàris: we also took a few trichopterous insects, among which was Philopótamus scopulorum. On the banks of the lake, near the inn, we observed the green sandpiper (Tótanus óchropus); we also noticed the grey wagtail (Motacilla Boárula), and the merlin (Falco Æ'salon). The water ousel (Cinclus aquáticus) is not uncommon in the mountain streams.

June 9. We started early to ascend Snowdon, with every prospect of a fine day; but we soon found that little reliance was to be placed on a mountain climate. As, however, our adventures of this day have been so well detailed by my friends, in their interesting paper in the Entomological Magazine, I shall merely advert briefly to what we collected. Immediately on leaving the Pass of Llanberis, we gathered Lycopòdium alpinum, clavatum, and Selago; with Polýtrichum alpinum. On some moist shady rocks, a little higher, Hymenophyllum Wilsòni occurs sparingly. Saxifraga stellàris is common in rills and moist places in all parts of the mountain. Many insects now made their appearance (principally Carábida), including Cárabus glabratus, catenulàtus, and arvensis; Helòbia Gyllenhàlii and Marshallàna; also Elater cupreus and pectinicórnis; with a Býrrhus, which proves to be undescribed (B. alpinus Newman). In our ascent to the summit, we observed but few of the plants common in alpine situations, and these occurred in small quantities. The principal were, Silène acaúlis, Saxifraga hypnoides, Oxýria renifórmis, and Cryptográmma críspa. The clouds were so dense that we could not see many yards: we therefore very soon left the summit, and retraced our step to an old-copper mine which we had passed in our ascent. On the banks of the small lake near it we noticed a few plants of Thalictrum alpinum and Lycopòdium selaginöìdes; while the lake afforded us some good insects; one of which, a new species of Colymbètes, has been described by Mr. Newman, in the Entomological Magazine, under the name of C.

* Entomological Magazine, No. I. p. 53.

snowdónica. The Carabidae were numerous, but of the same species as those we had met with in the commencement of our ascent. Having reached the Pass of Llanberis, we parted, my companions returning to Capel Curig, while I followed my party to Llanberis. We however agreed, if the following day proved fine, to meet again for the purpose of ascending Glyder. In the evening, I walked to the junction of the two lakes of Llanberis, to look for Alísma nàtans, but was unsuccessful. On docks, by the roadside, I took abundance of Chrysomèla ráphani.

*

June 10. A very fine morning having succeeded the rain, I met my entomological friends at the entrance of the Pass of Llanberis, and from thence we commenced the ascent of Glyder. On the grassy slopes immediately after leaving the road, we gathered a single specimen of Habenària álbida, and took a number of insects. Carabus glabratus and arvénsis, Cỳchrus rostràtus, E'later cupreus, A'tropa cervìna, with several Sylphidæ, were not uncommon. Among the loose debris covering the side of the mountain, Cryptográmma crispa was growing in much greater abundance than we had observed it on Snowdon. The rocks just below the summit are covered with Juniperus nàna, on which we looked in vain for Chrysomèla cereàlis; my friend, Mr. Wilson of Warrington, having several years since taken a specimen on this spot. Being obliged to return to Llanberis, in order to proceed with my party to Carnarvon, I was reluctantly obliged to leave my entomological friends, and descend the mountain. In my way down, I noticed in a little rill a Cáltha (C. minor?) somewhat resembling C. radicans, but without the almost triangular leaves which distinguish that species, if species it be. A root which I brought away is living in my garden, and retains its habit, being very much smaller in all its parts than C. palústris. We reached Carnarvon in time. to walk round the town before dark, and on a wall by the water side I noticed a single specimen of Koniga marítima (Alyssum marítimum Willd.); but it had undoubtedly escaped from a garden, as has been the case in the situations in which I have seen it on the banks of the Thames, and as I believe to be the case in all recorded British stations.

June 11. Between Carnarvon and the Menai Bridge we observed no plants of particular rarity. The banks and walls by the road side were covered with Lepídium Smithii, Fumària capreolàta, and Cotyledon Umbilicus. The weather

* Almost immediately after I had left Messrs. Newman and Doubleday, they discovered Chrysomèla cereàlis, of which they took eight or ten specimens; for one of which I am indebted to their kindness.

being very wet and stormy, we did not alight at the Menai Bridge; and I thus missed gathering Ròsa Wilsoni, and several other plants, to which I had directions from Mr. Wilson. The road from the Menai Bridge to Beaumaris is extremely beautiful. It follows the shore of the Menai Strait, which is wooded to the water's edge. The woods were filled with Vicia sylvatica, while the rocks which overhung the road were fringed with Geranium sanguíneum and Rùbia peregrina. On the sandy shore at Beaumaris we gathered Trifolium suffocàtum and Sagina marítima? We returned by way of the Menai Bridge to Bangor, and thence to Conway. The weather continued so exceedingly stormy, that we were unable to botanise on the Penmaen Maur, over which our road lay. The only plants which which we noticed were Státice Armèria and Silène marítima, which latter, occurring in large patches on the dark rocks, had a very brilliant appearance.

June 12. Immediately after breakfast we surveyed the beautiful ruins of Conway Castle, on which, with other plants, we gathered Orobanche minor and Sedum dasyphyllum. We then proceeded, by a very winding and bad road, to the Great Ormes Head. On the sandy shore of Llandudno Bay, between the Great and Little Ormes Head, we noticed Crámbe marítima, Glaúcium luteum, and Scilla vérna; the two former in abundance, but were unable to find Lithospermum marítimum, which is recorded as growing there. Ròsa spinosíssima, in the dwarfest state we had ever seen it, covered the sand-hills. On reaching the village of Llandudno, the weather, which had previously been fine, though cloudy, became very wet, and the heavy and continued rain entirely confined the rest of the party to the little inn at which we stopped. I was, however, too anxious to gather Cotoneaster vulgàris to be detained by the weather; and accordingly set off, accompanied by a guide who could speak no English, but who, the landlady assured me, knew both the plant and its places of growth. Following a steep narrow road up the hill above the village, we reached some copper mines overhung by a range of limestone precipices. On these rocks the Cotoneaster grows abundantly, but, owing to being continually browsed on by the sheep, it is very dwarf, and, probably from the same cause, appears seldom to flower. Sir J. E. Smith, who, by the by, has committed various errors in his English Flora relative to the period of the flowering of various plants, mentions July for the Cotoneáster; whereas the few fertile specimens I found bore fruit considerably advanced. Mr. Wilson mentions May, which certainly agrees better with the state in which I found the