1898-99.] A Bryological Excursion to Ben Lawers. at 
shelter. Striking off the road to a marshy bit of ground on 
the east side of the burn, we found ourselves in a_ perfect 
flower-garden of terrestrial orchids. The ground was literally 
covered with them: it was almost impossible to walk without 
treading on a flower. There were five or six varieties, but as 
I did not take any note of them I have only my memory to go 
by. In two other places even finer and larger-flowered orchids 
were met with, but not more plentifully. 
Resuming our moss-hunting, we got here some good 
specimens of Hedwigia celata and Hypnum scorpioides in 
fine fruit. The latter I have not seen in the neighbourhood 
of Edinburgh. It is uncommon to find it in fruit. Hypnum 
stellatum, Pohlia cruda, Fissidens adiantoides in fruit, and 
Grimmia acicularis were also found. Swartzia montana was 
at home here: it was in beautiful fruit, but dwarf. 
We were now beginning to realise that the delight of 
gathering mosses was not of itself sufficient to live on. About 
8 P.M. we kindled a fire and made tea. Our last meal had 
been partaken of about 10.30 a.m. I need scarcely say that 
no tea was ever more relished. While the kettle was boiling 
I had a look round. A magnificent view of Loch Tay was 
before us, with many miles of the opposite shore. Away to. 
the west Meall nan Tarmachan reared his head, 3421 feet 
above the sea level ; and on the north-east, Beinn Ghlas, 3085 
feet, hid from sight our friend Ben Lawers. 
The vegetation in the Edramucky corrie is neither luxuriant 
nor varied, being limited to a fair covering of short grass mixed 
with plenty of carex, a few ferns, heather, &. I gathered a 
specimen of Galium sylvestre, and saw some Pinguiculas, 
Parnassias, Polygalas, &e. After tea we continued our way up 
the burn. On the bank Mr Scott gathered a single specimen, 
in fruit, of Oligotrichum incurvum. I have found it on the 
Pentlands, but it fruits only on the higher mountains. By 
nine o’clock we were well up the mountain side, but could see 
no place of shelter where we could camp for the night. We 
were therefore compelled to retrace our steps, until we came to 
some large stones, with which we set to work, and in half an 
hour a fairly good shelter was erected, the sky, however, 
being the only roof. We now thought of a fire, but, alas! 
there was nothing to burn, not even heather stalks. We hid 
our packs and set out to look for better lodging. About half 
