8 Transactions. 



with the cryptogamic botany of any district must be a work of 

 years — a labour, however, in my opinion, far more enjoyable and 

 interesting than the collection and study of the flowering plants. 

 "Were I to extend my researches farther, such as to Cairnsmuir of 

 Fleet, Cairnsmuir of Carsphairn, Merrick, &c., and to Loch Dee 

 and Loch Doon, I am confident that I would be rewarded with 

 finding many Diore species. None of the Kells hills attain more 

 than sub- Alpine height, so that Alpine mosses, strictly so-called, 

 are wanting. On the hills, the most productive spots are the 

 ravines, especially those sloping to the south-east. Whatever 

 theory may be advanced in explanation of this, the fact holds good 

 not only in regai-d to the Kells hills, but also to Ben Lawers and 

 the hills of the West Highlands. Certain spots, too, to all appear- 

 ance not more productive than others, are found to be peculiarly 

 rich in good species. A good example of this is seen on the Bum- 

 foot hill, on the east slope of Cairn Edward, whei'e, and in the 

 vicinity, I find such lichens as the following : — Parrnelia incurva; 

 varieties, exasjyerata, and prolixa of Partnelia Olivacea, Parrnelia 

 cetrarioides, Parrnelia pertusa, with a new Biitish lichen, Litho- 

 graphia Andrewii, which I tound two years ago. In all likeli- 

 hood this preponderance of species of cryptogams in certain 

 favoured spots is the result of ice or glacier action. As the fruit 

 of personal search, I have gathered in the district about 270 species 

 of mosses, and of these 30 during the last year. This list includes 

 nearly one-half of all the known British species. In bogs and wet 

 places among the hills are found most of the genus Sphagnum, 

 or bog-mosses, which afford much of the material of which peat- 

 fuel is composed. Giving a shade of reddish-brown to the 

 rocks on which it grows in quantity, Androea Bothii is common, 

 while higher up Andreoea Alpina is found ; other species of 

 Andrecea are almost wanting. Of the Weissas, crisjnda is found 

 at a good elevation, and cirrhata lower down. Bhabdoiveissia 

 Fugax is rarer than Denticulata, which is common below loose 

 stones on the hill sides. The Dicranums are well represented, 

 while the sides of the drains and the damp places on the hills are 

 abundantly covered with species of Campylopi, agreeing in this 

 respect with the West Highlands, north of the Firth of Clyde. 

 At least seven species of this genus are common, some of them 

 fruiting freely. The Tortulas are represented by such species as 

 muralis, ruralis, unguicidata, fallax, rigidula, spadicea, con- 



