and encircled by the laurel and palm. The legend is"AL VALORE MILITARE;" on the reverse of the medal is a wreath, with the dates "1855-1856" underneath; legend— "SPEDIZIONE D'ORIENTE." It is worn with a dark blue watered ribbon.

To upwards of a thousand officers of the British army, the Sultan of Turkey granted the decoration of the five classes of the Imperial order of the Medjidie. The decoration is a silver convex centre, bearing the Sultan's cypher, encircled by a crimson enamelled band, inscribed with Turkish characters, and surrounded by a radiated border in silver. It is suspended by a crimson enamelled crescent and star, to which is appended a crimson ribbon, edged with green.

The Sultan also distributed to the British army silver medals, having the royal cypher upon the obverse, enclosed within a circle of laurel. The reverse, which is a clumsy though significant design, represents the success of the allied powers in the Crimea. A field-piece and map of the Crimea are placed upon the Russian flag, to the right of which is an anchor &c.; above are the respective flags of Turkey, England, France and Sardinia. Exergue-" CRIMEA, 1855." The ribbon is crimson, edged with green.

In conclusion I shall but briefly introduce to your notice the medals awarded for long service and good conduct, meritorious service and distinguished conduct in the field. The medal for long service and good conduct, was first granted by King William IV in 1830, to men of irreproachable character, and who had completed twenty-one years' service in the infantry or twenty-four years' in the cavalry. The obverse of this medal is a trophy with the King's arms in the centre; the reverse is inscribed-" FOR LONG SERVICE "" AND GOOD CONDUCT." It is worn with a crimson ribbon. The medal for meritorious service, together with an annuity not exceeding £20, is granted to sergeants, as a reward for

distinguished service. It has upon the obverse the head of the Queen, the reverse being inscribed-"FOR MERITORIOUS 66 SERVICE." Ribbon crimson. The medal awarded for distinguished conduct in the field has the same obverse as the medal for long service; the reverse is inscribed-" FOR 68 DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT IN THE FIELD." The colour of the ribbon is crimson, with a stripe of blue down the centre.

In conclusion, I wish to offer my sincere thanks to those gentlemen who have kindly lent me their assistance. . I am much indebted to R. G. Jackson Esq., of Rupert Lane, and to T. Lake Whitehouse Esq., of the Bank of England, for the uniform kindness and courtesy shown to me, whenever I was desirous of access to their rare and valuable collections. To Mr. Whitehouse my thanks are also due for the translations of the Persian inscriptions on the East India Company's medals for the Deccan, Mysore and Java, which are in his cabinet; my descriptions of the Sardinian medal and the Sultan's decoration of the Medjidie are taken from those in his collection. To Mr. Jackson I am especially indebted for his kindness in permitting me to select from his cabinet any rare medal I might want to illustrate this paper: the medals from his collection, and which I have had the pleasure of showing to you, are the larger Dunbar medal, the Deccan medal and the rare silver medal for Seringapatam. I have also to thank R. Washington Esq. and Miss Shaw for allowing me to place before you the Peninsular medal with twelve bars, the Honourable East India Company's medal for the first Burmese war and the medal for distinguished conduct in the field.

ON THE FLORA OF PRESTON AND THE

NEIGHBOURHOOD.

PART IV.*

By Charles Joseph Ashfield Esq.

READ 8TH DEC., 1864.

I AM indebted to the kindness of Miss Becker, lately residing at Altham near Accrington, but now at Ardwick, Manchester, for much of the information contained in the following paper, particularly with regard to the habitats of those two interesting plants, the Impatiens noli-me-tangere and the Colchicum autumnale, both of which I had the pleasure of verifying during the summer and autumn of 1864. I was unaware previously that either plant flourished in the Preston district. I have also to express my thanks to my former correspondents, Messrs. Henry Scott and George Ward, for information supplied by them.

Thalictrum flavum, Linn.-Ditches about Pilling, plentiful; in several places near St. Michael's; Moreton Woods, near Whalley-Miss Becker.

Anemone Pulsatilla, Linn.-(See Part III as to this plant).

Doubtless some mistake has crept in as to its reported Lancashire habitat. It appears that the Mr. Knowlton who, according to report, found the plant growing abundantly near Lancaster, on the road to Little Purton,

⚫ See vol. x, p. 143. Vol. xii, p. 127. New Series, vol. ii, p. 75.

was gardener to the Earl of Burlington, at Lonesborough (or as it is now written Londesborough), in Yorkshire; and the probability is, that he found the plant in question in that neighbourhood, and not near Lancaster. I have not been able to discover whether or not there is a place called "Little Purton" near Londesborough; but it is certain there is no such place in this county.

Trollius Europaus, Linn.-Wood between Sale Weel and Dinckley Hall; Worston, near Clitheroe-Miss Becker; plentiful in Livesey-Mr. George Ward.

Geranium phæum, Linn.-Simonstone lane-Miss Becker. Old lane in Barton near Preston, leading from Tunstead Farm to Broughton-Mr. Buller.

lucidum, Linn.-Wall near Portfield, Whalley

Miss Becker.

Impatiens noli-me-tangere, Linn.-In several places by the side of a stream in Simonstone.

Trifolium suffocatum, Linn.-This plant is stated in Part II

to grow on the beach at Lytham, but I believe incorrectly; at any rate, I have not been able to meet with it there for several years.

striatum, Linn.-I believe this plant is occasionally to be found on the beach at Lytham. In 1862 I found a Trifolium there in considerable quantities, which I believe to be this; but it was so far past maturity, that I could not with certainty determine the species. I searched for the plant in the same place several times during the summers of 1864 and 1865, and did not find one specimen.

Ornithopus perpusillus, Linn.-Very plentiful in a corn-field at Rufford, by a watercourse from Martin Mere.

Rubus Chamamorus, Linn.-I have never been fortunate enough to see this plant in blossom on Pendle Hill, or even to discover any vestiges of blossoms; but Miss

Becker informs me that she gathered the plant in blossom there, a few years since. I received a letter from her on this subject, some time since, to the following effect-"I think you cannot fail to find the flowers of "the Cloudberry, if you will start from Sabden. The route from the village to the summit of the hill leads "you through the tract where the plant grows in the greatest luxuriance, and as I found it in flower there, I "do not see why you should not." I intended to search for the plant according to these instructions, but have not yet been able to do so.

66

Rosa tomentosa, Linn.-Hedges at Croston, and other places not far from Preston.

Circea alpina, Linn.-In Grimeford lane, near ChorleyMr. Henry Scott.

Cotyledon umbilicus, Linn.-Lucas lane, near Chorley--Mr. Henry Scott.

Sedum Telephium, Linn.-Hedge bank near Cherry Tree station-Mr. George Ward.

Ribes alpinum, Linn.-Hedges in Altham and SimonstoneMiss Becker.

Saxifraga granulata, Linn.-Meadows west of Blackburn, by the river side-Mr. G. Ward.

tridactylites, Linn.-Hedge bank near PortfieldMiss Becker.

Parnassia palustris, Linn.-Foot of Pendle Hill, near Pendleton Hall.

Galium mollugo, Linn.-This plant is stated in Part I to grow occasionally in hedges near Beacon Fell. I have not been able to meet with it there for several years past; but in August, 1864, I found it growing in a hedge between Hornby and Farleton.

Senecio Saracenicus, Linn.-South bank of the Ribble, below Mitton Church.