io8 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



N. translucens, Agardh., 72, 73, 86, 87, 89, 92, 97, 103, 107, 



no. 

 N. flexilis, Z., 72, 73, 86, 87, 89, 96-99, in. 



var. I), crassa, Brauu, 87-89. 



var. c. nidifica, Wallm., 89. 

 N. opaca, Agardh., except 76, 84, 93, 94, 95, 99, 100, 101. 



(To be continued.} 



CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS A FLORA OF 

 CAITHNESS. No. III. 



PLANTS OF STROMA ISLE, PENTLAND FIRTH. 

 By ARTHUR BENNETT, F.L.S. 



THE island of Stroma is situated in the channel between the 

 north coast of Caithness and the Orkney Isles. It lies about 

 three miles from the coast of the mainland at Canisbay, about 

 four miles south of Swona, and about seven miles from South 

 Ronaldshay. Its name in the Old Norse was Straumsey, 

 meaning "the island in the current." It is about two miles 

 long and one broad, and has some 340 inhabitants. On the 

 west and north-west coasts high cliffs occur. There are no 

 trees existent. In an old topographical work on Scotland it 

 is said that a dispute arose as to whether Stroma belonged to 

 the Orkneys or to Caithness, and that it was decided in the 

 following quaint manner. Some venomous animals (of what 

 kind we are not told) lived in Stroma. Of these a certain 

 number were shipped at the same time to colonise Orkney 

 and Caithness. Those that were brought to Caithness took 

 kindly to the soil, as to a congenial habitat ; while those that 

 were sent to Orkney, from the unfavourable effects of the 

 climate, sickened and died. By this singular method Stroma 

 was adjudged to belong to Caithness. 



The " Swelchie " of Stroma is a very dangerous whirlpool, 

 and a romantic origin is given for it in the " Grotta-songr " 

 from the "Younger Edda" by Mr. R. B. Anderson. 1 



For the material for this paper I am indebted to Miss A. 

 M. Geldart of Norwich, who made a collection of plants during 

 1 "History of Caithness," pp. 16-347, 1887. 



