A VISIT TO BRAEMAR. 225 



poplar, (Poj)ulus tremula,) the largest indigenous tree of the kind we had 

 seen, we again strike oflF at right angles from our former line of march, 

 and make directly for the Craigendals, which lie right before us. But in 

 our course thither we encountered several notable things, which must be 

 duly registered; and first, a heronry, of small size, situated in a clump of 

 birches to the left of our route; its occupants, or rather those who remained 

 over the summer at it, were apparently all intent somewhere in their 

 piscatory avocations, as we saw none at this time, though we certainly heard 

 one, as it flew overhead at night, uttering its peculiar cry. No less worthy 

 of notice were the beautiful Pritillaries, (Argynnis wjlaia,) that flew from 

 flower to flower, sucking their honied sweets, and one is sorely tempted to 

 clutch the pretty creature, as it sits so temptingly on this fox-glove close 

 at hand, — but no, we have been too eager. 



"Elate towards heaven the beauteous wonder flies, 

 And leaves the mortal wrapt in deep surprise." 



Although thus coy, in the bright sunshine, it is quite an easy matter 

 to box a few specimens when the sky is overcast, in a rather dull day, 

 for then they appear very languid, and fall an easy prey to the collector. 



Keeping in view a stone on the Little Craigendal, bearing a fancied 

 resemblance to a sheep, and around which the principal object of our search 

 is said to grow, we ascend in a slanting direction, collecting as we go, 

 Salix arenaria, Apargia autumnalls, Carex stellulata, Polygala vulgaris, 

 Lysimachia nemorum, Betula nana, with numerous catkins, which are rather 

 rare; Toffieldia palusfris. Lychnis Floscaculi, Festuca ovina, var. vivipara, 

 Listera cordata; and, less pleasant specimens perhaps, by mistake, as I was 

 drinking at a stream, two specimens of the small lizard, common in such 

 situations, (Zootoca vivipara.) The one I wished to appropriate was soon 

 minus a tail, and on my return at night was minus altogether, as he was 

 nowhere to be found, notwithstanding the most diligent search. 



The hills of "Muckle," and "Little Craigindal," separated from each 

 other by Glen Gairn, (at this point of no great width,) possess few features 

 in common; the one, a deim-covered, rounded, uninteresting mass, appa- 

 rently incapable of supporting a very scanty vegetation; the other being 

 (at least on its northern exposure, with which a botanist will have most 

 to do) a terraced wall of rock, rising almost perpendicularly from the glen 

 below, and sheltering in its many verdant nooks a rich assortment of alpine 

 plants. Without enumerating many species already incidentally noticed, 

 we give Veronica alpina, Saussurea alpina, Potentilla alpestris, Cerastium 

 latifolium, sparingly among loose stones; Dryas octopetala, a perfect moun- 

 tain jewel, alike in flower and seed, in both of which states we found it, 

 covering considerable patches of ground,* Habenaria viridis, Saxifraga 



VOL. YI. 2 G 



