The following are the names of the plants figured

in the preceding Title :

PYROLA ROTUNDIFOLIA.

OPHRYS APIFERA.

CONVOLVULUS SEPIUM.

CAREX SP.

JUNCUS sp.

SCHOENUS sp.

GALIUM PALUSTRE.

ANAGALLIS TENELLA.

POA SP.

ARUM MACULATUM.

Of these, the PYROLA is the principal flower. The

ANAGALLIS is the little trailing plant, with pairs of roundish leaves, on the one side, and the ARUM is on the other side.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS NATURAL TO THE

CHANNEL ISLANDS.

In a work like the present, where an attempt is made to combine a readable account of natural objects with scientific accuracy and technical detail, it is not very easy to treat the subject of Natural History. There is danger, on the one hand, of alarming the general reader by long catalogues of names, few of which have to him any definite meaning whatever; and, on the other hand, a vague account of the peculiarities that may be deserving of notice communicates no information of the smallest value to the student of Natural History. It will be endeavoured in this and the following chapters to avoid both mere technicalities and mere generalities. Catalogues, as complete as they can be obtained, of all known species will be printed in small type for the naturalist, with a view to place on record a large mass of important information, laboriously acquired, but hitherto comparatively useless, because unpublished.* In this way the facts will be given; and such remarks and conclusions as may seem likely to interest from their importance, or novelty, will be added to each list, in the hope of giving interest to the subject to those who do not study nature with a technical eye. Such

Any corrections of or additions to these lists, communicated to the Authors through the Publishers, will be available for publication in a future edition.

an arrangement seems the more necessary here, because the object of the present work is not to give a limited and one-sided view of the Channel Islands, but rather to point out how well adapted they are to excite interest among all visitors, including those who love the picturesque and beautiful without having time to devote to detail, as well as those who limit their observations and studies to some one of the infinitely varied departments, all inviting careful study.

With regard to botany, a foundation of accurate knowledge was laid in the "Primitia Flora Sarnica," published by Professor Babington, in 1839. This work gives a list, nearly complete, of the flowering plants and ferns. But concerning several important classes, such as mosses, lichens, fungi and sea-weeds, there is little information; and of the Diatomaceæ no mention is made. No lists have been published since; although the number of recognised species, even of the flowering plants and ferns, has been considerably increased by subsequent research.

To facilitate reference and reduce the lists into manageable order, it has been thought well to distribute the various plants and animals into groups, and place the names of genera and species in alphabetical order. In the various catalogues, the species mentioned include all that can properly be regarded as naturalised,—those that are certainly not indigenous being indicated by a little dagger (†) placed before the name. The islands in which the various species have been found are indicated by vowel letters, of which the meaning is as follows:

The absence of a vowel letter indicates that the species is not limited to any one or other of the islands, but is common to all. The common English names are generally given in brackets when these names are not mere translations of the technical name.

ABIES excelsa (fir). ACER campestris, e. i. (maple). pseudo platanus, e. i. (plane). + ESCULUS hippo castanum, e. i. (horsechestnut). ALNUS glutinosa, e. i. (alder).

+ BERBERIS vulgaris, (berberry).

BETULA alba, e. i. (birch).

CARPINUS betulus, e. i (hornbeam).

+ CASTANEA Vesca, e. i. (Spanish chesnut). † vulgaris, e. i. CORNUS sanguinea, i. (dogwood).

CORYLUS avellanus, e.i.

alba, e. i. (willow).

aquatica, e. i.

caprea, i. fragilis, a. fusca, e. i.

B ascendens, e. oleifolia, e. o.

stipularis, a.
viminalis, i.

SAMBUCUS ebulus, e. i.
(ground elder).
nigra (common el-
der).
SAROTHAMNUS

scoparius (broom). TAMARIX gallica, e. i. (tamarisk).

+ TILIA europea (lime).
ULEX europeus
(furze).

nanus, a. e. i.
ULMUS campestris, e. i.
(elm).
montana.

suberosa.

fruticosus, e. i. u.

opulus, i.

Of the trees in this catalogue, the most characteristic species are, perhaps, the evergreen oak (quercus ilex), and the elm (ulmus sp.). The former is seen, especially in Guernsey, widely spread over the country. It is generally very well grown, and greatly serves to do away with the dreary, bleak aspect of winter and early spring, by its bright green foliage. There are, however, no woods properly so called, and few plantations, although the latter are increasing. A strong prejudice exists in the minds of the farmers of both islands against all kinds of ornamental wood, partly from fear of birds and partly from a notion that presence of trees is unfavourable to the work of the farmer.

the

The trees are nowhere lofty, but they are not often disfigured by the steady sweep of currents of air, as is commonly seen by the sea side. They generally retain their leaves much later in the year than in England, but do not burst into leaf in the spring much earlier.

common.

Besides the ilex and elm, the beech grows well, and is very Various kinds of firs and pines are seen, but they are not indigenous. The lime succeeds well as an ornamental tree, and gives much shelter, but is rather late in leafing. The white poplar grows rapidly and makes fine trees in a short time. The willow is indigenous, and is much used, its young shoots being employed to tie up the fruit trees to the espaliers. A peculiar dwarf variety covers the fields in some parts of Guernsey. None of the wood grown in any of the islands can be considered as furnishing useful timber; nor is it probable that, within the historic period, there could have been any large stock. Everything, however, seems to show that in former times, at least in Guernsey and Jersey, there were large tracts of forest land, that have since been submerged. The timber thus grown was larger than could now be found.

Alderney and Sark are very badly provided with trees; and in Herm and Jethou there are hardly any.

The common furze (ulex europaeus) is one of the most abundant and prominent shrubs on the hill sides in all parts of all the islands, where not destroyed by cultivation. It is generally accompanied by the bramble (rubus sp.). The intense yellow of the blossom of the furze and the long shoots of the bramble produce a marked effect on the landscape, especially as the former continues in flower all the year. There is heather in some abundance, both in Jersey and Guernsey, but it is choked and concealed by the larger growth of the gorse. Both in Herm and Sark the hedges are loaded during autumn with the blackberry; and in all the islands this fruit attains a size and flavour which may be considered remarkable.