52 The Scottish Naturalist. 



in the "West of Scotland" what we are by no means disposed to 

 consider as such, viz., Ben Lawers and other parts of the 

 Breadalbane range, Stirhng, Ben Wyvis, etc. Phyto- 

 geographically the bounding Hne between the east and west 

 of the country is the central watershed, and Breadalbane lies to 

 the east of this, and must be considered as part of the east of 

 Scotland. As a guide to the plants of those parts of Scotland 

 easily accessible from Glasgow, it was perhaps desirable to include 

 Breadalbane, but as forming a foundation for a more extensive 

 catalogue of the Clydesdale Fauna and Flora, as we hope and 

 believe the volume now before us will become, we cannot help 

 thinking it a pity that all the lists were not restricted to 

 Clydesdale. 



Before proceeding to examine the lists we will make a few 

 quotations from Dr. Stirton's introduction, more particularly on 

 the peculiarities of the distribution of Cryptogamic plants in 

 the West and Vvest-centre of Scotland. 



" Owing to the prevailing moisture throughout the year the climate of the 

 West of Scotland is peculiarly favourable to the growth and development of 

 cryptogamic plants, and as heat, and it may be added sunshine, do not play 

 so important a part in this respect as in phanerogams, nay rather tend to- 

 wards the arrestment of such growth, these favourable conditions are rather 

 enhanced than otherwise. 



"The diversity of the surface into mountain and dale, as well as the 

 encroachment of the sea in the shape of long arms, stretching often far inland, 

 together with the numerous lochs and bogs sprinkled pretty thickly 

 throughout, also afford favourable conditions that scarcely find a parallel in 

 any other part of Europe except the coast of Norway, whose cryptogamic 

 flora approaches closely that of the West of Scotland. 



"The geological formations of this part of the country do not present 

 peculiarities of sufiicient importance to entitle us to arrogate to them a large 

 share in the disposition of such plants, yet the somewhat greater prevalence 

 in the West and Western Islands of the schistose rocks generally, and 

 especially of the micaceo-schistose (properly so called), affords a presumption 

 that the luxuriance and diversity of the species are owing in part at least to 

 them as a nidus of growth, and this opinion is strengthened when account 

 is taken of the cryptogamic flora of Ben Lawers, to be spoken of hereafter. 

 As the greater part of the given district is Highland, embracing, besides, on 

 its outskirts, Ben Lawers in the east and Ben Nevis in the north, two of the 

 highest mountains in Great Britain, and such that their geological features 

 could scarcely present gi^eater contrasts, it will readily be believed that the 

 cryptogamic botany is diversified to a gi^eater extent than that of any 

 other district of Great Britain. While the low sandy flats of Ayrshire, 

 and especially those in the neighbourhood of Stevenston, almost complete 

 all the kno\vn peculiarities of soil to be found in these islands. 



"The altitudinal zones are tolerably well marked, but except on Ben 



