The Scottish Naturalist. 13 



Fifthly — Some probable mistakes of identification. Such 

 may be : — 



Saxifraga muscoides. 

 Sanguisorba media. 

 Centaurea intybacea. 

 Salix hast at a. 



Hieracium amplexicaule, unless Don may have found the latter 

 on old buildings, such as Clova Castle, which Arnott records it 

 from. Tussilago alpina, is not absolutely impossible to have 

 occurred ; nor is Hieracium cerinthoides, although very great doubts 

 exist as to their claims to be native. 



Potentilla tridentata seems to be very unreliable, if its geo- 

 graphical distribution be looked at ; but it must be remembered 

 that our knowledge of the geographical distribution of plants is 

 somewhat empirical ; that the place has never probably been 

 searched at the early date on which Don says he found it, and 

 again that his statement is precise. Time would not be wasted if 

 an especial search were made for this in the early spring. 



One must also bear in mind that Don went in no beaten track,, 

 and was indefatigable in his exertions ; and one must also remem- 

 ber how extremely local some of our native species are. 



Here it will be well for me to state my belief that Don often 

 gave a general rather than a particular locality for plants, because 

 he was a florist, and sold these rare alpines, and some amount of 

 professional jealousy was felt by him against other florists, some of 

 whom had attempted to rob him of the credit of his discoveries. 



In a day-book of his, now in the possession of Mr. Knox, 

 frequent entries of alpines, such as Veronica alpina^ Lychnis alpina r 

 &c, are made. 



We now have the pleasanter duty of enumerating the more 

 important of Don's undisputed discoveries, which amply bear out 

 the remarks of Sir James E. Smith in regard to his " scientific 

 merits and ardent zeal." 



Oaltha radicans, Forst. (Scot. Nat., 1884, p. 128). 



Oochlearia Groenlandica, Sm., discovered in August, 1807, 

 in Clova and on Lochnagar. 



Lychnis alpina, L., found on rocks near the summit of Clova 



mountains in 1795. 

 Sagina saxatilis, Wimm. (S. Linnaet, Presl.), from various 



mountains in Perth and Forfarshires. 



