456 MR. G. ERDTMAN : STUDIES IN THE 
dunes of Northern and Middle Europe” (Geografiska Annaler, 1923), 
prefers to use the term “ancient” instead of “ fossil”; bui there is no reason 
why a pre-, inter-, or post-glacial seed, or bone or pollen-grain, should be 
called fossil, and a pre-, inter-, or post-glacial dune should not, unless it now 
continues in an active stage. There is, of course, a great difference between 
the dunes which Hégbom describes and the dunes of older formations, the 
evidence of which may be obtained in some sandstones ; but this difference 
must, however, be expressed in another way—for instance,with terms referring 
to the different physical conditions. 
A. Peat Mosses in Ross-shire (Achnasheen and Strathearron) . 
The general features of the stratification are given by Lewis (1906, 1911) 
and Samuelsson (1909). As to the vegetation of the peat mosses, compare 
also the papers of Hardy (1906) and Crampton and Macgregor (1913). One 
section south of Inchnadamff showed, according to Samuelsson (l. e. p. 210), 
the following strata (the determination of the pollen-grains was carried out 
by Prof. Lagerheim) :— 
A. 80 em. Scirpus ewspitosus peat. Pollen of alder and elm. 
D. 50 em. Forest peat, very rich in birch branches and twigs, and in the 
uppermost zone containing large pine-stools. Pollen of alder, birch, 
elm, bazel, pine. 
^ 40 cm. Scirpus cwspitosus peat, very decayed. Pollen of birch, hazel, 
pine, 
D. 15 cm. Carex peat, containing Eriophorum vaginatum remains and 
very abundant /mpetrum stems. 
E. 20 em. Carex peat, containing a few birch twigs but no Empetrum 
stems. 
According to Lewis (Part IV. 1911, p. 809) the usual depth of the peat in 
the neighbourhood of Poolewe is 6 feet, except in one or two spots which, as 
shown by the character of the deposits, occupy the sites of silted-up lochs. 
The uppermost layer is formed by Scirpus cirspitosus and Sphagnum; then 
follows a laver with large stools and trunks of Pinus and fragments of 
Betula wood. He found, as did Lagerheim, that the peat lying immediately 
under the pine-stools contained numerous pollen-grains of pine (p. 811). 
In East Sutherlandshire (Rhilochan) Lewis (IV. p. 812) found an Upper 
Forest with Pinus and a Lower Forest with Alnus, Betula, and Corylus (nuts 
abundant); in Goire Bog (Kast Ross) the Upper Forest also consists of 
Pinus remains, but no trace of the Lower Forest was found, the “ second 
arctic bed " resting immediately on sand. 
After this brief summary of the salient features of Lewis’s work, I will 
describe the peat mosses investigated by myself (maps used: Ordnance 
Survey of Scotland, sheets 82 and 103). 
