BOTANICAL NOTES OF A TOUK IN CAITHNESS AND SUTHERLAND. 335 



and in damp sandy places near the sea Carex incnrva in some 

 plenty ; this is a fairly common sedge on the maritime sands of 

 Sutherlandshire, and, amongst other places, was growing in fine 

 form at Farr Bay and the shores of the Naver. On tlie Keay links 

 a very large and distinct variety of VUiplirasui njfinnalis * was noticed, 

 as well as the following: — Thalictrum minus var. mdritiinnm, Spinm 

 Uimarid, Lujusticnni scotieiim, and Hahenaria viridis, which were all 

 growing in the loose sand and struggling with the universal 

 Psamma arenaria ; and by the rocky margins of a burn to the E . of the 

 Links a Hieracium which does not appear to agree with any known 

 British species, and about which we hope to write at a future date. 



Melvich, at the moutli of iStrathalladale, is worth a visit on 

 many accounts. Besides fair loch-fishing in the neighbourhood, 

 some of the finest coast-scenery in E. Sutherland is close to the 

 village. There is also a comfortable inn, which has not yet been 

 turned into a tourist-haunted hotel. Oxijtwpis Uralensis grows in 

 great luxuriance in several places along the cliffs. Sedimi lihodiola 

 descends to the sea-level. On the moors westward iiaheiiaria aJhlda 

 is not inh-equent. 



A little before the main road reaches the Naver it crosses the 

 opening of Farr Bay, where Botnjchimn Lunana was growing, 

 curiously associated with Triticuiii jimceum, Centaurea Scahiosa, and 

 Oxytropis in dry sand. On broken ground below the cliffs, which 

 rise above the road half a mile east of the Bettyhill Inn, the 

 vegetation was more rich and varied. A tangled undergrowth of 

 blackthorn, hazel, and rowan concealed luxuriant oak and beech 

 ferns. The yellow heads of TruUius and Uier<iciiuii'''- dotted the 

 darker background, and sea-green clumps of Eock rose clung to 

 the grey crags. Arena /nibescens was also observed. An equally 

 interesting but quite different piece of ground on the other side of 

 and below the inn, along the river-bank, will repay search. The 

 soil is sandy, but saturated With moisture, and bears a rich herbage, 

 amongst which !Saxifra(/a aizoides, Listera ovata, Gyvmadenla conujisea, 

 and Carex capillans were the most noteworthy, Carex extensit var. 

 minor, Bhjsmiis nifus, a curious and very slender form of Jmicus 

 Gerardi, and Scirpus paucijiurus grew at the margin of the river, 

 bushy shrubs of Rosa spinosmUiia and Pupulus tremula higher up, 

 and on all the drier banks a luxuriant growth of Oxijtropia. 



The sandy fiats on the west shore of the Naver yielded abun- 

 dance of Carex incur ca, and several jjatches of Juucus halticus. At 

 the base of the low hills which come down to the shore Bryas octo- 

 petala, of a peculiarly stout and vigorous growth, was holding its 

 own, even on the wind-driven sands. A few feet higher up on the 

 rocks were Arabis hirsuta, Saxifraya oppositifolia, Taraxacum pahistre, 

 Hieracium viurorum, Asplenium Trichovianes, and Cystopteris frayilis. 

 Carex capillaris was again abundant, and Primula scutica in a wet 

 hollow among the hills. On the boggy slopes leading down to the 

 B(u-gie Pinyuicula lusitanica, which occurs plentifully everywhere 

 westward, was noted for the first time, with its usual companions, 



* We hope to supplement this short paper by a few critical notes ou the 

 forms of Hieracia, Euphrasia, and Carex vtilyaris found on this northern coast, 

 but must defer this for the present. 



