44 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



roughly oblong in shape, five miles from north to south, and 

 one and a half miles from east to west. It is made up of 

 heath, pasture, marsh, and loose sand dunes, according to 

 the prevalent conditions of soil and moisture. On the 

 landward side a series of woods runs from north to south. 

 These are mainly composed of Scots Pine and Birch, and 

 some of the trees are of considerable age, many bearing an 

 abundance of seed. They are freely exposed to the full 

 force of the prevailing south-west and west winds, which 

 before encountering them have an uninterrupted sweep over 

 a number of miles of low, rolling country. 



In the spring of 1899 a careful survey was made of the 

 northern part of the moor on the eastern side of Fettersloch 

 Wood. Although at first sight the moor appears to possess 

 no higher vegetation than the uniform heather and heaths, 

 a closer examination shows a number of young Pine and 

 Birch trees a few feet in height. There is no record, so far 

 as I am aware, that this part of the moor ever possessed 

 mature trees, and the Ordnance Map of the year 1866 shows 

 it to have been much the same as at present. There can 

 be no reason for supposing that any one has planted these 

 few and scattered young trees. Fettersloch Wood is the 

 nearest possible source, and doubtless the true source, of the 

 seeds which have given rise to them. The wind is the most 

 likely agent of transportation, since both species are pro- 

 vided with seeds bearing winglike expansions. Since birds 

 eat these seeds, they may aid in the dispersal ; but it is 

 unlikely that this has happened in the present case, where 

 all the conditions are in favour of wind transportation. 



The following observations were made at distances 

 measured from the nearest point of the wood along a line 

 running in a north-easterly direction. Although the measure- 

 ments were made by pacing, they may be regarded as of 

 sufficient accuracy for the present purpose : 



Yards. 



1-48. Cones of Pine, and dead branches (absent beyond this point). 

 At 192. 2 Pines 



(1) Height 7 feet, circumference 14 inches, about 

 seventeen years old, in good condition. 



(2) Broken across, circumference 8 inches, still living. 



