336 BOTANICAL NOTES OF A TOUR IN CALTHNESS AND SUTHERLAND. 



Drosera rotimdifoUa aud D. anr/lica. The drier ground was covered 

 with juniper and ArcUMaphijloH Uva-ursi, amongst which appeared a 

 few phints of Draba incana and the last of (Xei/tropis. Small marshy 

 lochs on the moorland beyond the river produced a dwarf form of 

 NymphcRd alba, Lobelia Dortmanna, and Carex (impullacea. Potaimxjeton 

 lieterophyllus and NiteJla optica were gathered in a little loch by the 

 road-side, and Pijrola minor in woods near Tongue House. 



The weather prevented much botanising on the Kyle of Tongue 

 or Loch Erribol. The ground between the two is a low dreary 

 moorland, and only interesting for fine views of Ben Hope and the 

 neighbouring mountains. 



Leaving Erribol, we again met with Dryas and Draba near the 

 Smoo Cave. At the same place ValerianeUa olitoria, abundant 

 forms of Hicraciuiii (anylicuin/), Scolopendriuin vuhjare, and Cystopteris 

 frayilis were conspicuous, marking the presence of the limestone, 

 which gives so striking a character to the flora of Durness. On 

 hillocks by the road-side west of the Durness Inn ThaUctrum 

 alpinum, Draba incana, Dryas octopetala, Rubus saxatil/is, Hieracium 

 Cixsium., and Fpipactis ovalis Bab. formed an interesting group 

 of plants, together with Antennaria dioica and Botrychium Lu- 

 naria, which are both common throughout the whole of West 

 Siitherlandshire. In a dried-up loch at the back of the Free 

 Church Juncus balticus with two or three forms of Carex vuhjaris 

 occurred, aud in the stream flowing out of its northern end 

 Potamoyeton filifonnis in fine fruit. 



The sand-hills leading to Far-out Head are full of ThaUctrum 

 minus var. maritimnm and Viola Curtisii. Several patches of 

 Primula scotica lay in the damper hollows, and Scilla verna almost 

 formed the herbage on the dry headlands. Sedum Rhodiola, Silene 

 maritima, and Armeria maritima grew in every chink of the rooks, 

 Avena pubescens on the grass-lands. In a wet meadow about three- 

 quarters of a mile north of the inn we found, besides Menyanthes 

 tri/oliata and other marsh-loving plants, Carex dioica, C. teretimcula, 

 and C. limosa. A low range of hills bounds the limestone area on 

 the east ; on the most northern and lowest of these, Benin 

 Ceannabeinne, Saussurea alpina was growing at an elevation of 

 scarcely 300 ft. Arctostaphylos alpina and Juniperus nana covered 

 the summit, a few stunted plants of Listera cordata amongst them. 

 In a marshy pool where the road crosses the Alt Smoo we gathered 

 Carex /iliformis, with C. ampnUacea and Lobelia Dortmanna . 



Time prevented our reaching Cape Wrath, and our next halting 

 place was the tidy little village of Scourie, with its comfortable inn. 

 Handa Island, which is distant about half an hour's sail, is well 

 worth a visit, but chiefly for its magnificent clifl's and the extra- 

 ordinary number and variety of the sea-birds which frequent them. 

 We were not successful in finding any plants of much interest on 

 the island itself ; but in the neighbourhood of Scourie we gathered 

 Sayina saxatilis, Sedum anylicum on rocks above the village, Lobelia 

 Dortmanna, NympJuca alba, Scirp}(s fiuitans, and Malaxis paludosa 

 in a small loch south of the village (marked on the Ordnance Map 

 Leathan nan Cruicheanj, and on boggy ground at its head. By 



