36 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



PLANTS OF LISMORE. 



By SYMERS M. MACVICAR. 



THIS island is interesting from its position in Loch Linnhe 

 at the western end of the Great Glen of Scotland ; and for 

 its geological formation, being composed of limestone, a 

 scarce formation on this part of the coast, and almost limited 

 to a few adjoining islets, and to small patches on the main- 

 land close to its north-eastern extremity in Appin. The 

 island lies north-east by south-west, its extreme length 

 being nine miles. The larger part averages one mile in 

 breadth, but, as it narrows towards the ends, the average of 

 the whole island is about three-quarters of a mile. It 

 contains about 4500 acres, or seven square miles. It is low 

 lying ; but the surface is uneven with depressions, and the 

 jagged rock appears on the surface in many parts. There 

 are a few eminences at the southern part, the highest being 

 417 feet in height, and towards the north end there is one of 

 275 feet. The shore is rocky, with small cliffs in places. 

 The soil has long been noted for its fertility, the name, 

 Lismore, meaning " the large garden." 



Mr. J. Shankland, Achnacroish, who has kindly supplied 

 information about the island, writes that it has always been 

 maintained that there was much wood on it at one time, 

 and that most of it was finally exterminated by being rooted 

 out or cut down for the sake of cultivating the land. He 

 also mentions that there is a seam of peat through the centre 

 of the island from end to end where roots of trees can still 

 be found, and that they lie at an average depth of seven to 

 ten feet below the surface, mostly pointing in the same 

 direction as if they had been blown down. There are few 

 trees on the island now, but a fair quantity of shrubby 

 growth is to be found in the rougher places. 



The indigenous species are Primus spinosa, L., very 

 common, Rubt and Roses, Pyrus Aucuparia, Ehrh., Crat&gus 

 OxyacantJia, L., common among rocks, Hedera Helix, L., 

 common, Lonicera Periclymenum, L., rather common, Calluna 

 Erica, DC., scarce, and the only heath noticed, Fraxinus 



