A STROLL ALONG THE BEACH OF LAKE MICHIGAN.
BY W. J. BEAL.

THE south-west extremity of Lake Michigan is surrounded
by a low, sandy beach, back of which are low land and
marshes. Let us take a stroll with our NATURALIST friends
along the lake shore south of Chicago. In place of the rocks
and sea-weeds, radiates, shells and crustacea of the Atlantic
coast, here are only fragments of cork, chips, sticks, now
and then a mutilated specimen of an Unio, or a few small,
dead gasteropods, or their empty shells. Among the land
plants we shall find more to interest us. The student from
Salem (Mass.), or the coast of New Jersey, recognizes the
Beach Pea (Lathyrus maritimus) which we believe is never
found far from the salt water, except along our great inland
lakes. Here also is the Sea-rocket (Cakile Americana), a
radish-like plant, and the Shore Spurge (Euphorbia polygonifolia), growing in the loose barren sand, just as they do
near the ocean. Of true marine grasses we find the Sea
Sand-reed (Calamagrostis arenaria), the graceful Squirrel-
tail Grass (Hordeum jubatum), and the pest of barefooted
boys called Bur-grass or Sand Bur (Cenchrus tribuloides),
and a rush (Juncus Balticus). Our seaside botanist is ac-
customed to see the Arrow-grass (Triglochin maritimum),
on every salt marsh. It is likewise common on the marshes
a little way back of the lake. In the "basin" near the city
flowers a Pond-weed (Potamogeton pectinatus). Silver-weed
(Potentilla anserina), is plenty in the sand, and in some
places last season it sent off runners each way full seven feet
in length.

We have never seen the Seaside Crowfoot (Ranunculus
cymbalaria) near the lake shore, but it is very common a
little way back on the low pastures and meadows on richer
soil. Some of our neighbors tell us that they find the
Prickly Pear (Opuntia vulgaris) on the bluffs just north of

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the city, where it was once much more abundant. The
grasses Calamagrostis longifolia, Card-grass (Spartina cynosuroides), Porcupine-grass (Stipa spartea), are common
enough and look as though they ought to be dwellers by the
sea. We find in the sand beach of the great lakes, Pitcher's
Thistle (Cirsium Pitcheri), a curious plant which we should
look for along the sea beach. It is white, wooly all over,
the stem leafy and sprawling, the flowers cream color, and
about the size of our common Cirsium lanceolatum. The
Dwarf, or Sand-cherry, usually trailing six to eighteen inches
high, characteristic of true western enterprise, occasionally
grows along our shore to the height of eight or ten feet, and
has a stem two inches in diameter.

In the walk first proposed one finds thrifty specimens of
the Bearberry (Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi). Its pinkish white
flowers are too pretty to be known by two such long, ugly
names, as those given by Adanson and Sprengel. There are
now and then tufts of the Early Wild-rose (Rosa blanda),
abundance of common Milkweed (Asclepias cornuti), and
A. obtusifolia, several Willows and Poplars, Scrub Oak,
Shrubby St. John's-wort, Climbing Bitter-sweet ( Celastrus
scandens), Grape-vines, Vetches, False Solomon's Seal,
Asters, Euphorbia corollata, Panicum virgatum, Lead-plant
(Amorpha canescens), and at the mouth of a brook, its kindred, the False Indigo (A. fruticosa), Poison Ivy, and
Fragrant Sumach .*

We have found several specimens of the curious Aphyllon
fasciculatum, a parasitic ghostly plant of the Broom-Rape
Family. In August we find two species of Prairie Clover
(Petalostemon biolaceum and P. candidum), the former has
been pronounced the belle of Chicago, notwithstanding the
want of grace in its straight flower-spike. Back in the
ponds flourish the Pond-lilies (Nymphæa odorata and N.
tuberosa), and Nuphar advena. The Yellow Nelumbo (Nelumbium),

* In dry places flourishes a curious Umbellifer, the Rattlesnake-master, or Button-
Snake-root, Eryngium yuccaefolium), with leaves like the Yucca, and head and stalk
resembling the onions of our gardens.

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has been found in the mouth of Calumet River,
ten miles south of Chicago. In the groves are beautiful
Violets, Phloxes, Oxalis violacea, the unique Dodecatheon
Meadia; on the marshes Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata),*
Indian Plaintain (Cacalia tuberosa), Valeriana edulis, and
away back on the prairies are hundreds of acres of tall-
sedges and grasses abounding in several species of Liatris,
showy Sunflowers, rank Rosin-plants (Silphium), and multitudes of Asters and Golden Rods.