iio Transactions of the [Sess. 



plants — Spergularia marina (Sea Sandspurry), Arenaria peploides 

 (Sea Purslane), Aster Tripolium (Sea Aster), Triglochin maritimum 

 (Sea Arrow-grass), Gentiana campestris, &c. To the south of Loch 

 Eanza village, and hidden behind a knoll so completely that it is 

 rarely if ever seen by the passer-by, lies the little marshy Loch a' 

 Mhuilian, Here we get specimens of Potentilla Comarum (Marsh 

 Potentilla), Drosera rotundifolia and D. anglica, Menyanthes 

 trifoliata (Buckbean), Crepis paludosa, Sparganium simplex, Hy- 

 pericum Elodes, Equisetum hyemale, Potamogeton natans, Pedi- 

 cularis palustris, &c. ; whilst the Water Beetles, Butterflies, and 

 Dragon-flies would well repay a day's work. 



A dozen yards or two leads us to the track by which we join the 

 path for Gleann Easan Biorach. The small river has cut a channel 

 through the slates to the depth of probably 30 or 40 feet, and as 

 this gorge is impassable, we must keep higher up on the hill flank. 

 On the right we have the Meall Mhor, or round-topped mountain 

 (1602 feet) ; on the left Torr Nead an Eoin, or the Hill of the Birds' 

 Nests (1057 fefet). How rapidly these mountains ascend can be 

 gathered from the fact that the top of the first is within three- 

 quarters of a mile and the second one quarter of a mile, on the 

 Ordnance map, from the actual burn. The gorge is narrow and 

 short, and you find yourself suddenly in a somewhat broad valley, 

 quite uncultivated, absolutely alone, shut out from the sea behind, 

 and with nothing but a wide expanse of moor and bog. But so 

 much have we to see, so careful must we be of our steps, so con- 

 tinuously are we engaged, that when we arrive at the end of our 

 four or five miles' walk, we regret the fact. We shall first descend 

 to the river and examine the junction of the slates and granite. 

 Note the many beautiful veins of granite, coarse and fine, that 

 intersect the broken slates, and trace these on various parts of the 

 hillside. From this point upwards we are on the granite ; but the 

 interest does not cease, for we find that it is far from constant in 

 grain ; and that the junctions in the granite itself will well repay 

 our labour. Whilst passing up the glen, we encounter plants of 

 Pinguicula lusitanica, Pedicularis sylvatica, Potentilla argentea, 

 and Hypericum pulchrum ; and whilst taking shelter from a pass- 

 ing shower, procure from the overhanging rocks Salix herbacea, 

 Loiseleuria procumbens, and, to our great delight, a shrub of Pyrus 

 pinnatifida, the deep-cut-leaved Beam-tree. Of course the Eowan 

 (Pyrus aucuparia) abounds. We afterwards pick up a specimen 

 of Carduus heterophyllus, or Melancholy Thistle. Loch na Davie lies 

 exactly on the highest part of this long valley, and sends its waters 

 both north down Gleann Easan Biorach and south to Gleann lorsa. 

 The only addition to our specimens obtained from this loch is 

 Lobelia Dortmanii, which occurs in great abundance. This plant 

 is said by the local guides to occur in Loch a' Mhuilian, but I could 

 not find it. In Loch na Davie, however, any amount can be had. 



