our early herbalists never doubted*. Wheat, they believed, sown in sour land became rye in the second year, and two years after went into darnel. Barley under a similar treatment passed into oats; and cereals in general might become the very weeds that choked the husbandman's expectations. Of the Blewbottle or Bleublaws, Turner says "it groweth muche among Rye: wherefore I thynke, that good ry, in an euell and unseasonable yere doth go out of kynde in to thys wede."-In relation to this subject the curious reader may consult Dr. Weissenborn's account of the transformation of Oats into Rye in Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History, i. p. 574; ii. p. .670: Vestiges of Creation, p. 225; and the Sequel, p. 111: Notes and Queries, vi. p. 7.-Cockle, says Richardson, is from the "A.S. coccel, which Skinner thinks is from Ceocan, to choke, because it chokes the corn." This is to mistake the character of this weed: it does not choke the corn, but its injuriousness arises from the seeds being mingled and ground with the grain and communicating an unwholesome quality to the flour. The name undoubtedly has the same root as Cockeno (p. 30). Indeed Bailey makes Cockle the synonym of the Corn-Rose; and Johnson defines it to be "a species of Poppy." -The seeds are reckoned a remedy for toothache.

77. SAGINA PROCUMBENS. At the bottom of shaded walls, and on heaths and grassy poor pastures, very common. Summer.-The flowers are cernuous before their blow, and after it the capsules become also nutant. The parts of fructification are occasionally in fives.

78. S. MARITIMA = S. stricta, Koch Fl. Germ. 109.-D. Very abundant on Yareforde or Yarrow-haugh. Links south of Fenham. On rocks in Holy-Island between the Heugh and the Castle. The Farne islands.

79. S. APETALA.-B. On the parapet of the Walls at Fisher's Fort. Banks of the Ale near Lint-hill farm-house, A. A. Carr. Foot of Dunglass dean, J. Hardy. D. Holy Island Castle, Dr. F. Douglas. The ripe capsules are generally erect, but sometimes

nutant.

*"But in Plants, wherein there is no distinction of sex, these transplantations are conceived more obvious than any; as that of Barley into Oats, of Wheat into Darnel; and those grains which generally arise among Corn, as Cockle, Aracus, Ægilops, and other degenerations, which come up in unexpected shapes, when they want the support and maintenance of the primary and master-forms. And the same do some affirm concerning other Plants in less analogy of figures; as the mutation of Mint into Cresses, Basil into Serpoil, and Turneps into Radishes. In all which, as Severinus conceiveth, there may be equivocal seeds and Hermaphroditical principles, which contain the radicality and power of different forms; thus in the seed of Wheat there lieth obscurely the seminality of Darnel, although in a secondary or inferiour way, and at some distance of production; which nevertheless if it meet with convenient promotion, or a conflux and conspiration of causes more powerful than the other, it then beginneth to edifie in chief, and contemning the superintendent form, produceth the signatures of its self." Sir Thomas Brown. Vulg. and Com. Errors, Bk. iii. p. 117.

80. SPERGULA SUBULATA = Sagina subulata.-B. Quarry at Catch-a-penny; banks of the Ale near Millbank, A. A. Carr. Coldingham moor; and at old road-sides on Penmanshiel moor.-N. Crags at Easington below Belford, and at Spindlestone. Summer.

81. S. NODOSA = Sagina nodosa.-Common in turfy and boggy ground with a gravel or sandy bottom. Summer. Delicate and pretty.

82. S. ARVENSIS. Yawr and Dothers.-Very common in cultivated fields and a weed in turnip soils. The herbage has sometimes a sickening smell; and the little flower willingly obeys every whim of the atmosphere.

83. STELLARIA NEMORUM. Occurs in beds in many spots on the sides of the Tweed from Norham to the Leader, i. e. near Lennel or Laynal; in the island at the Lees; near Wark; the Trows'-crags; the Holmes, and at Auld-Melrose. It is found also in deans in the west of our district, as e. g. in Redpath dean; but is either not met with in the eastern deans, or is very rare there.

84. S. MEDIA. Chickweed Chickenweed or Cickenwort.Waste and cultivated grounds, very common and very variable.Flowers throughout the year, and alive to every atmospheric change. -This weed is a popular remedy, applied fresh, to allay the swelling caused by the sting of a bee. Where it abounds, it is said to be prejudicial to stock from its purgative property. In some springs as many as sixteen sheep have died, in a flock penned upon turnips among which chickweed grew luxuriantly, and to it alone the shepherd attributed the fatality. If birds devour too many of the leaves or seeds, this quality of the plant manifests itself. In spring the seeds are a favourite food of the Linnet in a wild state. J. Hardy.

85. S. HOLOSTEA. Woods, deans and hedge-banks, common, and highly ornamental. May. I am told that in Northumberland this beautiful flower is called Dead-man's-bones. It is found amongst the Cheviots at a considerable height.

86. S. GLAUCA.-B. Lurgie loch, R. Hislop. plentiful.-R. Bowmont water, Dr. F. Douglas.-N. pond at Spindlestone; and Newham lough. June.

Gordon moss,

Sides of the

87. S. GRAMINEA. Heathy soils in bushy places, common. Frequently grows up prettily amidst a bush of the whin. Summer. 88. S. ULIGINOSA. Ditches and bogs, frequent. June.

89. ARENARIA SERPYLLIFOLIA. common. Summer.

=

On walls and sandy ground,

90. A. TRINERVIS Moehringia trinervis.-Damp shady places. Scattered over the district, but not abundant in any locality. June.

91. A. PEPLOIDES = Alsine peploides = Honckenya peploides. —Abundant on our sandy sea-coast, growing in thickly-set patches. Summer.

92. A. RUBRA = Alsine rubra.-Sandy fields, not uncommon.

It is frequent on roads amid the Lammermuirs. On the road from Grant's-house to Penmanshiel. July-Aug.

93. A. MARINA = Alsine marina.-Sides of the Tweed from the bridge upwards to Newwaterhaugh. Coast of N. Durham in many places. Holy-Island.-Our plant is the variety obesior of Koch, FI. Germ. 111.

94. A. VERNA = Alsine verna.- -B. On the coast of Berwickshire it is found on banks to the north of Eyemouth Fort, and above Earnsheugh in Dulaw dene, and on banks between it and Redheugh; but its principal and most interesting station is St. Abbs'-head,—so called from Ebba, the daughter of Edelfred, King of Northumberland. “Ebba the onelie daughter of Edelfred being taken amongest other prisoners, and escaping from hir taker, miraculouslie got a bote in the river of Humber, and with the same taking the sea alone, without all humane helpe (as hath beene reported) she sailed foorth, and at length safelie arrived at the point of land which stretched foorth into the sea, in the mouth of the Forth, called even unto this day after hir name, saint Ebbes head, where being received by the bishop of that diocesse, she was professed a nun, and after continuing in great perfectnesse of observing that profession, she was instituted abbesse of hir house, shewing still in trade of life an orderlie example for hir flocke to follow." Holinshead. Hist. Scot. p. 111. 1585*.-N. Spindlestone crags, R. Embleton. Summer.

95. MENCHIA ERECTA.-N. On Spindlestone hills, G. Tate.

96. CERASTIUM VULGATUM = C. glomeratum.-Fields and roadsides. In the neighbourhood of Berwick this species is of rare occurrence, but it is common in other parts of the district, preferring a light sandy and rather moist soil. I have seen it frequently on the half-formed and devious paths which lead from the shielings amidst the Cheviots. It likes also the bare gravel tracts left by runlets after heavy rains. Summer.

97. C. VISCOSUM = C. triviale.-Road-sides, wastes and fields,

* Fuller's history of this lady is as follows:- "Saint Ebba was born in Northumberland, being daughter to Edilfrid the king thereof. When her father was taken prisoner, she got hold of a boat in the Humber; and, passing along the raging ocean, she safely landed at a place in Merch in Scotland, which is called the promontory of Saint Ebb unto this day.-Becoming prioress of Coldingham in that country, to preserve her own and fellow-nuns' chastity from the pagan Danes, she cut off her own nose, and persuaded the rest to do the like; that their beauty might be no bait, whilst their deformity did secure their virginity. Sure I am, that since, more have lost their noses in prosecution of their wantonness, than in preservation of their chastity. As for the Danes, being offended that these nuns would not be the objects of their lusts, they made them the subjects of their fury, burning them and their monastery together."-She flourished about the year 630. Worth. England, ii. p. 545.-There is a good description of St. Abb's-Head in Chambers' Picture of Scotland, p. 22: but that which will most please the naturalist is in the preface to the Flora of Berwick, p. xivxvii. It was written by the late Rev. A. Baird of Cockburnspath.

very common. May-Sept.-I have gathered specimens in this neighbourhood, and at a very slight elevation, which appear to be referable to the variety alpinum of Koch, Fl. Germ. p. 122. It is remarkable for its large broadly oval leaves, and its larger flowers." Having an opportunity of examining the stomach of the Stockdove about July 26th, I found it completely crammed with the seed-capsules of C. viscosum." J. Hardy.

98. C. SEMIDECANDRUM.

March-April.

On earth-capt dikes and waste grounds.

C. tetrandrum, Fl. Berw. i.
Koch Fl. Germ. 122.

99. C. TETRANDRUM. Plate I. = 101. Hooker Br. Flora, 4th edit. 188. Edmonston's Fl. Shetland, 29. = C. atrovirens, Babington in Mag. Zool. and Bot. ii. 317; Prim. Fl. Sarn. 17.-On walls and waste places, common. It evidently prefers to grow within the influence of the sea's atmosphere; and hence it is plentiful along the entire coast of our district, being found on the sandy links as well as in the clefts and fissures of our hardest rocks. The neatest specimens are to be gathered from the large detached and chinky pieces of rock that lie isolated within reach of the tide. In the interior the plant is less common, but I have gathered it at Greenlaw and in the village of Gordon. When it grows in the shade, and without a free exposure to the air, it assumes the form of the C. pedunculatum of Babington.

100. C. ARVENSE.-D. Spittal and Scremerston links. Profusely on the bank above the road at Norham Castle; and on the islands in the Tweed above Horncliff and above Norham: Wark Castle.B. Banks at the Old-Castle; and at Newwaterhaugh. Of not uncommon occurrence in the district on dry banks, borders of fields, and road-sides. The only ornamental species of its genus, flowering from May to August. The petals are very often gnawed and nibbled away by ants.

5. Linum usitatissimum. Don's Gard. Dict. i. 453.-Flar or Lint. Occasionally specimens may be found growing wild in cornfields, introduced with seed-corn. In Turner's time, 1551, Flax was grown "very plentuously in the north parte of England*;" and until within the present century, it was cultivated in the district "in small patches for the use of the family of the farmer, and for the wives of the hinds or married ploughmen and herds, as part of their gains, or wages in kind." Even this partial cultivation had ceased until within this year or two, when some efforts have been made to revive the practice, with more extensive views.

101. L. CATHARTICUM. Fairy-Lint or Fairy-Flar.-Dry pastures and moors, common. June-July. From the abundant harvests of this elegant weed on our upland pastures, prepared and manufactured by supernatural skill, the "Good People" were wont, in the

* Lintlaw, and Linthill in Berwickshire, and Linthaugh in the parish of Ford, probably derived their name from the cultivation of Lint upon them.

olden time, to procure their requisite supplies of linen !—“ Coma ante florescentiam nutat."

102. RADIOLA MILLEGRANA. Damp sandy places, rare. D. Ancroft moor.-B. On the farm of Dulaw, A. A. Carr. Birgham muir; and on Caverton Back-edge. Summer.

103. MALVA MOSCHATA. This fine plant is met with scattered over the district, growing on waste grounds by the sides of our rivers and burns, as e. g. by the Tweed and Whiteadder throughout their courses. It is abundant in the Hirsell wood on the banks of the Leet; on the Eden near Newton-Don; and in Langton woods.-B. With perfectly white flowers, at the foot of Brockholes'-dean burn; and in the lane between Auchincraw and the ruins of Billy-Castle, G. Henderson. Aug.

104. M. SYLVESTRIS. Maws: Mallows.-Waste places and road-sides near villages, frequent, but capricious in its distribution. It has been planted in many of its present localities. The variety alba-flora, Don Gard. Dict. i. 462, besides the white flowers, is distinguished by a peculiar shade in the green of the leaves, and by a general delicacy of habit. I have seen it only near the village of B. Preston, where the three Malvæ grow together.-June-Aug. The leaves boiled make a favourite poultice in rural medicine; and a decoction of the herb still retains a place in our Pharmacopoeias. The flowers are showy and not vulgar. Our children pull off the capsules, and, under the name of Cheeses, use them sometimes as ornaments in their play-houses; and sometimes they string them into bracelets and sometimes they eat them. In connection with this custom there is a beautiful passage in Dr. Lindley's Ladies' Botany, i. p. 86.

105. M. ROTUNDIFOLIA. Waste ground near villages and onsteads, more especially near the coast, not uncommon. June-Sept.

6. Tilia europæa. The Lime-Tree. Don Gard. Dict. i. 552.— In avenues and plantations. July.

;

7. T. grandifolia. The Lime-Tree.-Intermingled with the preceding, and only distinguished as a species by the botanist, who, in this instance, is probably less correct than the planter.-According to the Rev. Dr. Walker, the Lime-tree "does not appear to have been planted in Scotland before the reign of Charles the ii.”

106. HYPERICUM QUADRANGULUM. Deans, moist meadows, banks of ditches and rivulets, frequent. July.

107. H. DUBIUM. Copses, not uncommon. Mr. Babington showed me the variety 6. maculatum growing on the banks of the Tweed above the Chain-Bridge. July.

108. H. PERFORATUM. Don Gard. Dict. i. 608.-Saint-John'swort.-Copses, rough places on river-banks, and hedge-banks, frequent. July-Aug.

109. H. HUMIFUSUM. Gravelly pastures and heathy places, not It grows abundantly in the fields at St. Abb's-head. July.

rare.