152 



to the east coast, which, h"ke our own east coast, is not 

 very rich in fern life. 



Early in June I was in Sutherlandshire and had some 

 interesting rambles through the beautiful birch woods and 

 across the moors near Loch Shin and Loch Brora. Here 

 Polypodium phegoptevis and Lastvea montana were in great 

 profusion. Bhchmim spicant was in abundance on the 

 moors and along the little streams Lastvea f.vi., Lastvea 

 dilatata, and Athyv'mm f.f.^ assumed fine proportions. 



Coming south as far as Forres in the middle of the 

 month Blechnum siricant was the most noticeable of the 

 ferns. I ;have never seen such fine ifertile fronds of this 

 species as in this locality. Along the famous banks of the 

 River Findhorn the delicate Polypodium dryoptevis grew 

 plentifully, carpeting the mossy floor of the woods with its 

 exquisite fronds. 



A trip to Ullapool on the west coast gave me the 

 opportunity of seeing how much difference a wet humid 

 climate makes in the fern world. The conditions on the 

 West Coast of Scotland are very suitable for fern life. 

 Along the high clifl-like banks of the Ullapool River the 

 beautiful little Asplenmm vivide was found growing in 

 company with Cystoptevis fragilis, Aspleimuns, tvicliomanes and 

 aciiantum-nigvuni. Lastvea montana and Blechnum spicant 

 were plentiful on the moors, whilst the birch copses were 

 full of Polypodium phegoptevis, Lastvea f.m.^ Lastvea dilatata 

 and Athyvium f.f. 



At the beginning of August, I spent some time in the 

 Isle of Skye. The weather was magnificent, and the 

 scenery is too well renowned for it to be necessary for me 

 to refer to it specially in these notes. On one of my 

 rambles I was delighted to find a beautiful specimen of 

 the rare Cystoptevis montana — a frond of which I sent to 

 INIr. Druery. It is a most delicate fern. In a cave by a 

 waterfall there was a patch of several square feet of 

 Ilymenophyllum unilatcrale spread like a carpet over the wet 



