Botanical Excursions into the Highlands in 1833. 359 



nent in such pursuits, I left Newhaven on board the steam-boat 

 on the morning of the 30th of July, and landed at Invergordon 

 on the evening of the 31st. From Invergordon we walked to 

 Bonar Bridge, the place of rendezvous for those whose avocations 

 or inclinations had carried them' by different routes. Thence 

 we proceeded by Oikel, Inchandamf, Kylestrome, Scourie, Bad- 

 nam Bay, Laxford, Riconich, Durness, Erribol, Casheldhu, 

 Tongue, and Farr ; returning through Strath Naver to Aultna- 

 harrow, Lairg, Golspie, Tain, Invergordon, and Inverness. 



The following are among the plants which we observed as 

 most rare in the district we visited— omitting many of those 

 which I have already noticed in this Journal (1825 and 1827) 

 as found on former excursions. 



Arenaria rubella. — I found a single specimen of this plant somewhere on Ben 

 Hope in 1827, and again in tolerable quantity on the point of one cliff this 

 season. 



Calluna vulgaris — The hoary variety of this plant' is most abundant on the 

 hills between Invergordon and Bonar Bridge. The variety with white 

 blossoms occurred occasionally throughout the whole route, but not more 

 commonly than on other heaths. 



Carex filiformis — we found frequent in the subalpine bogs, especially at Oikel, 

 Laxford, Riconich, Loch Naver, and on the moor south of Aultnahar. 

 row. 



Carex paniceay var. phcBostachpa I found this plant on Specanconich, and think 



there is no doubt of its specific identity with C. panicea. 



Carex pulla — I found at a considerable elevation on the east side of Ben More, 

 Assynt, of its usual form, very different in size from the giant speci- 

 mens of Clova. 



Carex rari/lora This Carex, hitherto confined to Clova, Mr Macnab first ob- 

 served near Oikel. I afterwards found it by the road opposite the west 

 side of Ben Hope ; and Mr Tyacke found it at the base of Ben LoyaL 

 In 1825, Mr Home and I found it in Batcall Moss, between Riconich 

 and Old Shore. I then considered it to be C. limosa, and I still am in- 

 clined to agree with those botanists who can see no good specific distinc- 

 tions between C. rarijloraj C. limosa, and C. irrigua. 



Cladium Mariscus — The late Mr John Mackay found this plant in Galloway; 

 and Mr Don found it many years ago in the Bog of Restennet, near For- 

 far ; but it has not been known to exist in any other station in Scotland, 

 till we found it in large quantity, but very sparingly in flower, in a 

 marsh by the road-side, about half-way between Kylestrome and Batcall 

 Church. 



CraUeffus oxyacantha. — ^Woody plants are rare in the west of Sutherland, and 

 I only saw one bush of this on a rock at Loch Assynt. 



Cytisus scoparius — We did not see this plant in the western parts of Suther- 

 land, nor at all along the north coast, till we reached Borgie Bridge, 



