224 A VrSIT TO BRARMAR. 



paUescens, C. pilaUfera, C. capillaris, Juncus triglumis, and Melica nutans, 

 On the damp sides of a rocky linn appeared Orimmia apocarpa, Tetraphis 

 pellucida, Hookefia lucem, in fruit, while by the purling brook appeared 

 in sunny patches the star-shaped Saxifraga aizoides. Be it remembered^ 

 however, that by this time we had re-entered the belt of birch trees, 

 formerly noticed, and were now scrambling from one bank to another, 

 culling the gems of varied hue and shape that everywhere rose from their 

 thyme-scented sides — pleasure which was doubly enhanced by the genial 

 warmth and balmy softness which the declining sun shed everywhere around. 

 We have neither space nor ability to paint the charms of the many gems 

 that here, as elsewhere, invited our attention. I give the following as a 

 few there jotted down in my note-book: — Epilohium angustifoUum, Rosa 

 sptnosissima, Ji. canina, AlchemiUa alpina, Linncea horealisj Pyrola secunda, 

 Fragraria vesca, Asperula odorata, Vicia sylvatica, Sanicula Europoea, 

 Trientalis Europoea, Hypericum pulchrura, Carex ftdva, Cflava, Polystichum 

 lonchitis, Polypodium dryopteris, P. phegopteris, BotrycMum lunaria, Weissia 

 incurvata, and many common Hypna, etc. 



Our next excursion was to a wilder and more distant locality — Ben A'an 

 and part of Ben-na-bourd, the former of which may easily be recognised, 

 looking north-east from the village, as a long triple crowned ridge, bounding 

 the view in that direction; the peaks, which are so characteristic of it, 

 even at great distances, being at almost equal intervals from each other — 

 the latter as a mountain rising to the north of Ben A'an, and apparently 

 somewhat higher, though they both fall little short of three thousand nine 

 hundred feet. The first step, of course, in our progress will be to ford, or 

 be ferried over, the river, — we adopt the latter alternative, having for our 

 ferryman no gloomy Charon, but a young bare-legged and kilted Highlander, 

 who did his work right manfully, not forgetting, of course, to levy the 

 accustomed obolus; for all ferrymen, both in times mytliological and times 

 practical, (as ours pre-eminently are,) have considered this the most agree- 

 able part of their labours. 



We are now on the Invercauld side of the water, and observe the 

 following plants in the meadows: — Parmelia olivacea, on the alder and 

 other trees, with its broad shield-like fruit in fine condition; Trichostomum 

 eanescens, Carex ovalis, G. pallescens, G.ampuUacca, (in ditches;) nor does the 

 headlong scramble of the rabbits [Lepus cuniculus) to their holes detract 

 from the interest of this part of our walk, which we now leave for Glen 

 Candlick by a bridge, near which grows a tree of Salix jjhylicifoUa. Up 

 this glen, then, for some distance we go, collecting, among other plants, 

 gorgeous specimens of Epilohium angustifolium, Brlza media, Melica nutans, 

 Avena prafensis, Molinia coerulea, Carex hinervis, Drosera rotundifolia, Gen- 

 tiana campestris, (a variety with white flowers.) Nearly opposite a sturdy 



