S4 Mr. Macgillivray's Account of the Outer Hebrides. 



The plants which occur here are chiefly Junci, Carices, some grasses. 

 Orchis maculata and latifolia, together with numerous others, in 

 enumerating which I should only be repeating names familiar to 

 every one. 



It is remarkable that neither the broom nor the whin occur in 

 any part of the range in an indigenous state. The latter was plant- 

 ed at Rodell many years ago by the proprietor, and at Stornoway 

 by a Mr. Sinclair ; and in neither place has it shown the least ten- 

 dency to propagate, although the plants have attained a large size. 



The plants which occur as weeds in cultivated ground are the 

 following : Raphanus Raphanistrum, Sinapis arvensis, Papaver du- 

 bium. Chrysanthemum segetum, Spergula arvensis, SteUaria me- 

 dia, Senecio vulgaris, Lamium purpureum, Matricaria Chamomilla, 

 Anagallis arvensis, Chenopodium album, Urtica urens, Erodium 

 cicutarium, Lycopsis arvensis, and various other species. 



It is only necessary further to mention the few rare plants which 

 I have observed. Scilla verna is extremely abundant in the pas- 

 tures of the mainland of Barray. Juncus arcticus occurs along the 

 west coast of North Uist and South Uist in great abundance. 

 Oeanthe crocata is also abundant along the rivulets, as is Hippuris 

 vulgaris in the marshes. Orobanche rubra grows at the head of 

 the sand of Northtown in Harris, upon a gneiss rock named Creag 

 Camna. Pinguicula lusitanica and Leontodon palustre, are more 

 common than P. vulgaris and L. Taraxacum. Rhodiola rosea, Li- 

 gusticum scoticum, and Asplenium marinum, are very abundant 

 upon the maritime cliiFs. Draba incana grows on the granite vein 

 of Ben Capval in Harris. Viola lutea is common in the sandy 

 pastures. 



Many plants, on the other hand, which are common in almost 

 every other part of Scotland, are not to be seen in the Outer He- 

 brides, or are so rare there as to be looked upon as curiosities. Of 

 the former, for example, are Veronica Chamsedrys, Geranium pra- 

 tense, Symphytum officinale. Primula vulgaris, Viola palustris ; 

 and among the latter are Digitalis purpurea, which is nearly as 

 rare as the common sparrow, a bird to be seen only in the ruins of 

 an old church at Kilbar, in Barray; and the whin and broom 

 already mentioned. 



By the botanist there are doubtless many rare and interesting 

 plants to be discovered in these islands, which, in as far as I know, 

 have not been visited by half a dozen persons who could botanical- 

 ly discriminate between a daisy and an ox-eye. To the agricultu- 

 rist they must appear sterile in the highest degree. The grazier, 

 however, will find that the pastures of the west coast are inferior 

 to none in Scotland ; and the vegetation of many of the small is- 

 lands, has the quality of fattening sheep in a very remarkable de- 

 gree. It would afford matter of astonishment to most persons re- 

 siding in agricultural districts, to be informed that an island a mile 

 in diameter, one-third of which is covered by sand, and at least a 

 sixth bare rock, while the vegetation on the remaining part is never 



