2(34 Dr. Balfour's Botanical Excursions. 



that gratification and pleasure that entered in through every sense, and 

 through the air we breathed and walked in. We are all the better of 

 these excursions; they soothe or soften or exhilarate the man, and 

 raise him in his own estimation by keeping awake his best feelings, 

 and laying asleep for a season those that are of earth, earthy." 



Glasgow possesses great facilities for the practical prosecution of 

 botany. Besides having a rich and extensive botanic garden, it pre- 

 sents, by its railways and steam boats, a means of visiting easily during 

 a course of lectures, districts characterised by every diversity of floral 

 production, whether inland or maritime, lowland or alpine. 



During the summer of 1843 I availed myself much of these advan- 

 tages, and I now proceed shortly to notice the results of our excursions. 



Our first excursion took place on the 13th of May, on which occa- 

 sion we visited Bowling and the trap rocks in the neighbourhood of Old 

 Kilpatrick. The rocks here are interesting to the mineralogist in con- 

 sequence of yielding several good minerals, such as Prehnite, Stilbite 

 and Thomsonite. We picked many of the early summer flowers, but 

 none of great rarity. Among the plants gathered may be noticed 

 Symphytum officinale, Melica uniflora, and Saxifraga hypnoides. 

 Near the inn at Bowling Turritis glabra and Geranium columbinum 

 have been found, but they were not in flower at the time of our visit. 



On the 27th of May our party, amounting to twenty-four, proceeded 

 by Kirkintilloch to Campsie, and examined the woods and hills in that 

 quarter. In Campsie Glen, one of the most beautiful spots in the 

 vicinity of Glasgow, we saw Stellaria nemorum. Geranium lucidum, 

 Lathrcea squamaria, Prunus Padus, Cardamine amara, Chrysosple- 

 nium alternifolium, and Equisetum Drummondii. On the hills above 

 the glen, Viola lutea abounds ; and here also Mr. Gourlie picked Allo- 

 sorus crispus.* On descending into Finglen we found abundance 

 of Paris quadrifolia, t Equisetum Drummondii, of which a few speci- 

 mens were in fruit, Rubus saxatilis, Hymenophyllum Wilsoni, and 

 Polygonum Bistorta. Returning by Mugdock Castle, we gathered 

 Epimedium alpinum on an old wall ; this plant has also been picked 

 in woods at Garscube. 



June 3d. — Proceeded by railway to Beith, and thence went to Kil- 

 birnie Glen, and Glengarnock Castle, under the guidance of Mr. 

 Levack, an enthusiastic botanist. The vegetation in this quarter 

 was much less advanced than is usual at this season of the year, and 

 the weather was particularly unfavourable. We saw Peucedanum 

 Ostruthium, and Epilobium angustifolium in leaf, and gathered Trol- 

 lius europajus, Geum intermedium, Ilabenaria chlorantha, and a 

 considerable number of common plants. On the wooded banks of the 

 river, near Glengarnock Castle, there is profusion of ferns; Poly- 

 podium vulgare, Phegopteris and Dryopteris, Athyrium Filix-foemina, 

 Lastrsea Filix-mas, Oreopteris and multiflora, Aspleniura Trichomaues 



* This plant has also been found at Balvie, near Glasgow, and at Neilston Pad. 

 t This plant has also been found by Mr. Keddie at Waukmill Dam, near Barrhead. 



