RKVIEWS. 1 1 



same destination; and before the quarter after eight h.rl elapsed, upwards of fifty 

 young men were gathered in the large room of the inn, eagerly looking for the 

 advent of the rolls, the eggs, and all etceteras which were to satisfy appetites 

 sharpened by a six-mile walk. Fearful would have been the consternation of our 

 host had this inroad come upon him unprepared ; but two days' notice, and a pre- 

 vious knowledge of botanical appetites by no means vegetarian, however had 

 served to allow ample provision, testified by the clothes-baskets heaped full of rolls, 

 the huge wickers of eggs, the beef, and the hams. 



" Almost we hear now the merry laughter of that breakfast- table, almost see the 

 air of bonhommie with which our good professor, after himself diving to the kitchen, 

 re-appeared with another basket of eggs, when all were thought to be exhausted 

 ere appetites were satisfied. Almost can we see the grave humour beaming in the 

 genuine Scottish face of ' old Macnab,' known far and wide in Europe as the 

 skilful manager of the Botanic Gardens, the professor's lieutenant, and whose 

 walking powers of three score could tire out many, if not most, of the younger 

 limbs then present. Now and then would the laugh become doubly hearty as some 

 laggard straggled in late, and looked ruefully around at the almost cleared board. 

 But, breakfast over, then came the start for the hills and moorlands which were to 

 be the scene of the day's explorations. Most of the band were really practical 

 botanists, were well shod for the purpose, wore the light shooting-jacket and light 

 cap, and carried boxes which would hold good store of plants ; not a few with 

 good, stout hand-spades slung to the waist or button-hole; some only evidenced 

 their novitiate by appearing in white trousers and natty boots, of whom more here- 

 after. 



u A short two miles, and the first exploring ground is reached an extensive 

 bog, where grew not only most of our common bog-plants, but a few rarer species ; 

 one, more especially, of the orchis family, the spurless coral-root, found only in a 

 very few situations in Scotland. No sportsman can feel more eager interest than 

 the enthusiastic botanist in search of a rare plant ; the plant was soon found ; but 

 well was that bog searched over, and more than once did eagerness or ignorance lead 

 some to venture on treacherous surfaces, to find themselves, without warning, sunk up 

 to the middle in the black bog-water. To the men of strong shoes and rough trousers 

 this was but a small calamity ; but woe betide the well-cut boot and white inex- 

 pressibles, whose luckless owner had the laughs of the entire party to meet. By 

 high noon, the bog having been exhausted, the hills had to be breasted, and more 

 than one covey of grouse whirred off from among the patches of the mountain 

 cloudberry (Rubus chammcemorus), to reach which formed the outside limit of the 

 excursion. Then, along the dry, open moorlands, gathering on our way the small, 

 white butterfly orchis (Habenaria albida}, the curious little fern-moonwort 

 (Sotrychium lunaria), and many others, till we came to, in a small hill-bog, the 

 thread-like stems of the cranberry ( Vaccinium oxycoccos), resting on the surface 

 of the white sphagnum moss, and bearing its rose-coloured blossoms and berries 

 together. But the sun of this July day has shone fiercely, and, by three o'clock, 

 thirst oppresses many who have not had a sip from a pocket-flask of cold tea, or 

 wine and water. There, on the side of ' the black hill,' a line of fresh green tells 

 that a spring rises no far way up, and sure enough we find it, clear and pure as 

 only these hill-streams are cold too, almost too cold for safety ; but many a 

 thirsty one drinks from the ' diamond of the desert ' notwithstanding. Thirst 

 quenched, e'er long something tells that the stomach has long since disposed of the 

 ample supplies of the morning. Some had been careful enough to provide a bis- 

 cuit, or to pocket a roll from the breakfast-table, and some were happy enough to 

 own such a provident friend willing to share with them ; but the supplies were 

 sadly scanty. 



"There is the professor his tall, handsome form was ever distinguishable striding 

 off to that hill farm-steading (or, rather, on Scottish ground, "farm -town"), and 

 soon his hearty call is heard. He has bought up the whole of the good wife's 

 dairy store and milk, food, and drink together, is there for the whole party. We 

 wonder if the good woman ever had her milk-pans so thoroughly cleared before 

 they were then. 



u Another stretch across the moorland, a search down the narrow glen of the 



