176 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



to be represented on the Continent. Has it been described ? 

 Perhaps Mr. Baker has had it in view under some name or 

 other. 



" As to R. arvatica, Baker, it is quite an artificial 

 creation constituted according to the materials given in 

 his 'Herb. Rosar.' of No. 2$=R. tomentella, Lem. ; No. 

 26 = R. corii folia, var. celerata, Baker; No. 27 = R. Blondes- 

 ana, Rip. You have then to exercise your sagacity in order 

 to discover what is the true nature of this group. 



" Up to this time I have not yet seen R. tomentella, 

 Lem., from Scotland." 



This last remark is in reply to a question of mine. 



NOTES ON DOUBTFULLY NATIVE AND INTRO- 

 DUCED PLANTS IN WESTERNESS. 



By SYMERS M. MACVICAR. 



As a railway will probably soon be made through one of the 

 most remote parts of this district, it may be as well to put 

 on record some notes on plants as they occur at present, as 

 the introduction of new means of communication with the 

 south will effect some changes in the flora. The following 

 notes refer only to the districts of Ardnamurchan, Sunart, 

 and Moidart, in one of which I am a resident, unless other- 

 wise specially mentioned ; as, except in occasional instances, 

 it is almost impossible to form a correct estimate of the 

 probability of the native origin of doubtful plants without 

 following their manner of distribution in the particular 

 district affected. There will always remain a large margin 

 for individual opinion about many of these dubious plants, 

 but too much caution can hardly be exercised, so little is 

 known of the means by which they are distributed ; and 

 every one must occasionally have observed undoubted aliens 

 among an otherwise native vegetation, although the lesson 

 this teaches may not always be taken to heart. It is 

 difficult to convey an accurate impression as to the prob- 

 ability in a locality of a plant being native or introduced. 



