Dr. G. Dickie on the Altitudinal Range of Mosses. 299 



are those of Oulough, formed of enormous blocks of rock promis- 

 cuously wedged and resting upon each other, frequently forming 

 caves and pits, the retreat of numerous foxes, and which are 

 screened by the rather gigantic vegetation of Osmunda regalis, 

 Ulex europceus and Calluna vulgaris. The broad surfaces of the 

 rocks are beautifully pictured with a map-like coating of Lecidea 

 and LecanorcB, and on those rocks within a limited circuit and at 

 the distance of about fifty yards from the water, the Geomalaci, 

 on a misty or showery day, may be noticed quiescently stretched, 

 their richly maculated character being strikingly conspicuous. 

 On what they feed I know not ; I never could detect them in an 

 eating mood ; but I found several amid Oscillatoria Friesii and 

 Hypnum proliferum, which abound in masses at the shaded bases 

 of those moist rocks. At the opposite and west side is the ro- 

 mantic little Glen of Limnavar, its huge cliffs shaded with a lux- 

 uriant indigenous growth of oak {Quercus sessiliflora), Pyrus Au- 

 cuparittf Populus tremulaj Betula alba and Ilex aquifolium ; and 

 on similar rocks, at the same range from the water, I again met 

 with the Geomalaci, particularly the white variety, but more spa- 

 ringly than at Oulough. On no other rocks around the lake or 

 the country are they to be observed.^^ 



XXXVIII. — Notes on the Altitudinal Range of the Mosses in 

 Aberdeenshire. By G. Dickie, M.D., Lecturer on Botany in 

 the University and King^s College of Aberdeen*. 



Some time ago an excursion was made into the interior of Aber- 

 deenshire, with the view chiefly of obtaining data for remarks on 

 the altitudinal range of the flowering plants growing in that 

 county. During this journey notes were taken of the range of 

 such Mosses as happened at the time to attract notice. The 

 more prominent results in connexion with flowering plants were 

 published in the ' London Journal of Botany ^ ; those having re- 

 ference to the Mosses were retained, in the expectation of being 

 able to repeat the observations and measurements made with the 

 mountain sympiesometer, and of adding to the data ascertained 

 at that time. Such an opportunity not having occurred, these 

 remarks have been put together, incomplete although they be, 

 principally with the view of directing attention to this very in- 

 teresting subject. A few statements arc added on the general 

 distribution of the Mosses in Britain, founded chiefly on cata- 

 logues of species from several localities, which were sent me by 

 Mr. Ralfs. These hsts have reference to the following places : 



• Read before the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 12tli March, 1846. 



Y2 



