28 A Bryological Excursion to Ben Lawers. [Sess. 
VI—A BRYOLOGICAL EXCURSION TO BEN LAWERS. 
By Mr A. MURRAY. 
(Read Feb. 22, 1898.) 
In preparing this paper at the request of our late President, 
Dr Davies, I had to consider at the outset the lines upon 
which I should proceed, in order that it might be interesting 
to the members of the Society. The question was whether I 
should include my personal experiences, or simply confine 
myself to a notice of the plants seen and the localities in which 
they grew. After consulting with the President, I have 
resolved to give also an account of some of the experiences of 
the trip. If, therefore, I am sometimes too “ personal,” you 
will perhaps pardon me, on the ground that I have erred 
through my desire to interest you. 
For many years I had longed to pay a visit to Ben Lawers, 
to see for myself, and to collect specimens of, the many rare 
plants—alpines, ferns, and mosses—which are recorded as to 
be found there. In my younger days I took a delight in the 
study of mosses, and a few years ago I made a fresh start with 
the fascinating study. Since then Ben Lawers has been more 
in evidence than ever. In every bryological work I referred 
to I saw him the guardian of many of the rarest mosses. My 
desire to become acquainted with him grew stronger and 
stronger, until it culminated in the visit which is the subject 
of this paper. 
One night about the beginning of last year (1898), my 
friend and fellow-member of the Society, Mr Scott, and I were 
looking through some specimens of mosses, when we came 
upon a few from Ben Lawers. Mr Scott remarked jocularly, 
‘“‘T must have a day on Ben Lawers this year.” I answered, 
“Tf you will allow me, I'll go with you.” The joke became 
a serious undertaking—serious, because of two obstacles, 
time and cash; or rather, I should say, the want of time 
and cash. To overcome the former, we laboured early and 
late in order to bring our work into such a condition that 
we could leave it for a few days; and to meet the latter, we 
agreed to put up in the large airy hotels of Mr Glen and Mr , 
Mountain. I fear you will think badly of us when I confess 
