NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. Ixiii 



Draba inflata, Hook. — Still maintains its position. 



D. rupestris, Br. — This plant is becoming rare round the huts, 



but is spreading downward as far as 3000 feet. 

 Alsine rubella, Wahl. — Only beginning to appear. 

 Sagina nivalis, Fries.— Apparently not yet above ground. 

 Saxifraga nivalis, L. — This plant seems to be getting rare. 

 S. cernua, L. — Also scarce and in poor condition 

 Juncus castaneus, Sm. — Only just above ground. 

 J. higluinis, L. — In good condition. 



The mosses were in fine condition, and many that are rare 

 in fruit were found bearing plenty of capsules. 



Mr. Thomas King exhibited Flowers and Leaves of New 

 Zealand Flax, Phoriniuin tenax, from a garden at Innellan. 

 The plant rarely flowers in this country, but has done so in 

 sev^eral localities this summer. It produces its flowers in a 

 ,spike about nine feet in length. 



Mr. King read a paper on "Stipules," in which he referred 

 to the structure, modifications, and functions of these organs. 

 He also made some remarks on the ligule of grasses, which 

 has been considered by many botanists to be of this nature ; 

 but it seems rather to be simply a prolongation of the thin 

 skin or epidermis which lines the inner surface of the leaf-sheath. 

 A large series of illustrative specimens was also exhibited 

 by him. 



25th August, 1885. 



Dr. James Stirton, F.L.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. D. A. Boyd reported on an excursion made to Largs on 

 22nd inst. Mr. Richard Browne of Haylie kindly received the 

 members of the party, conducted them through his grounds, 

 and entertained them to luncheon, after which they were 

 joined by several members of the Greenock Natural History 

 Society. A visit was made to a remarkable cromlech or sepul- 

 <^'hral chamber, situated in the grounds at Haylie. This chamber 

 seems to have been constructed of four large fiat stones set on 

 edge, with a larger slab forming the cap-stone or lid ; but one 

 of the end stones has apparently been removed. When emptied 

 of its contents, it is said to have measured not less than six 

 feet in depth. In common with most of the tumuli and other 

 iincient sepulchral remains in the district, it has been popularly 

 assigued to the period of the Battle of Largs (1263) ; but the 

 structure of the sepulchre itself, and the urns and traces of 

 incineration which it contained, indicate a much earlier origin, 



