OCTOBEE. 461 



sion the silver flowers of the Saxifrages ($. hypnoides, 

 stellaris, et cesspit osa), cover the face of the dripping 

 precipices ; here the fairy purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga 

 oppositifolia) abounds ; the yellow Poppy blooms 

 abundantly in the crevices, and the Rosewort (Rhodi- 

 ola rosed} hangs its yellow cymes luxuriantly in spring 

 far out of reach of the adventurous foot, or in autumn 

 droops its flaccid leaves, rosy as the glowing hue of 

 sunset.* 



In this favourite spot, called the Botanic Garden 

 of Snowdonia, some of the rarest Ferns reward the 

 enterprise of the "Botanical Explorator/' as Asple- 

 nium septentrionale, and SymenopJiyllum Wilsoni. To 

 find the very local PolysticTium Lonchitis, as well as 

 the almost eradicated Woodsiafi I ventured up the 

 front of the mural rock. Midway up, one spot made 

 us pause. It was a part where a huge intervening 

 mass blockaded the way, with no possible advance but 

 by a narrow gutter on its face fit only for a chamois. 

 One slip from that narrow gutter would have been 

 worse than a tumble from the Tarpeian rock, for it 

 was a perpendicular plunge of 250 feet, without a 

 break ! In the craterian hollow below lay Llyn Idwal, 

 black and without a ripple on its surface, solemn and 

 terrific to look upon ; clouds rolled above, and clouds 

 rolled below, between the lake and the precipice where 



* Other plants found in this vicinity are Thalictrum alpinum, Draba 

 incana, Galium boreale, Sedum rupestre, Rubus saxatitis, Cerastium 

 alpinum, Sajcifraga nivalis, Juncus triglumis, and Carex atrata, the 

 scorched aspect of the latter well fitting it for the " pots" as the hollows 

 formed by the water are termed in the " Devil's Kitchen." 



t I am glad to understand that Woodsia Ilvensis has lately re-appeared 

 in unusual abundance at its old station, a rock above Llyn-y-Cwn. About 

 a hundred plants were said to be visible in 184Q, but inaccessible, and not 

 to be gathered without the aid of a ladder. 



