350 On the Fossil Flora. 



confirmation of the coniferous character will give a decided pre- 

 ponderance to this class of plants, in the period in which it 

 occurs, we see from this example how uncertain single conclu- 

 sions are, which have been considered as sufficient in regard 

 to the prevailing character of many vegetable epochs. An 

 error, which can be so easily committed, in endeavouring to 

 determine fragments very difficult of determination, is doubly 

 prejudicial, when we attempt to found on it a history of the 

 gradual succession of the families of plants. The whole study 

 of the ancient flora, — the flora of an early world, — is based on 

 such a system of the history of vegetation, and on the proofs 

 that it rises gradually from below upwards in regular succes- 

 sive epochs of more and more perfect vegetables. But in ord«r 

 to judge of this history of vegetation, it is premised that we have 

 previously ascertained the true succession, the internal gradation 

 of vegetation, in short the true natural vegetable system. But 

 who has discovered this system, and what are its characters ? 



Notice hy Dr Graham of Botanical Excursions into the High- 

 lands of Scotland from Edinburgh this season. 



jL he growing attention which has been given here to botanical 

 science, has been evinced in many ways of late years, and, among 

 others, by the increasing desire to extend the sphere of observation 

 from the Botanic Garden to the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, 

 and thence to the more distant and alpine regions of Scotland. In 

 my first excursion into the Highlands from Edinburgh in 1821, I 

 was accompanied by Mr Macnab alone, and joined by Mr Mylne 

 and Mr Drummond from Forfar, In 1825, I walked round 

 the west and north of Scotland accompanied by one pupil only, 

 Mr Home. In 1827 I walked over nearly the same ground 

 with eight or nine pupils. Every year since, the ]:>arty has 

 been quite as large as the accommodations were at all adequate 

 to receive ; and in the last three years, I have been favoured 

 with the company of friends, all of whom have added greatly 

 to the pleasures of the party, and the acquaintance with bo-, 

 tany which several of them possess, has greatly increased the 

 means of exploring the wide extent of the only half-examined 



