1898-99.| A Bryological Excursion to Ben Lawers. 33 
determined to attempt the climb, mist and rain notwithstand- 
ing, and we made a start. Mr Scott, however, thinking from 
the distance we had come that we were ascending the Lawers 
burn, insisted that Ben Lawers was on our left, whereas I, 
believing it to be the Tuim Bhric, was confident that the Ben 
was on our right. It being impossible to settle the matter in 
the mist, I turned down the burn, and Mr Scott followed. 
We had only descended about half a mile when we walked 
out of the mist and rain into bright sunshine. About this 
spot we gathered Bryum alpinum, which was new to my 
collection. Before reaching the road we walked through 
another garden of orchids, quantities of Meum Athamanticum 
also filling the air with its peculiar odour, and on past a-small 
pond, where I saw one of the prettiest sights I have ever 
witnessed. The pond was almost entirely filled with the 
Buckbean (Jenyanthes trifoliata), in fine flower, there being 
as many flowers as leaves, with spikes four incheslong. These 
flowers were of quite abnormal size and beauty. 
Reaching the turnpike road, we saw from a milestone that 
the Lawers burn was still three miles distant. A brisk walk 
took us to the burn, up which we went about a mile. Our 
first care was to collect sticks and make a large fire, and while 
our boots and socks were drying we set to work to make our 
camp for the night. Having formed a comparatively comfort- 
able shelter, and with plenty of wood for a fire, we were now 
prepared for whatever kind of weather should come. We then 
hid our provisions in case of stragglers, and, with nothing but 
our vasculums to carry, started up the Lawers burn. 
The banks were not very productive of what we wanted. 
In a little pool at the side of the burn I saw a very large 
frog. I tried hard to catch him, but after a hunt of a quarter 
of an hour I had to leave him master of the pool, the water 
having become so muddy that I could no longer see him. 
Mr Scott was now a long way ahead of me: I hurried until 
near to him, and came to what appeared to be a ford across 
the burn. It had been carefully paved, and a zigzag road led 
up the bank from the water-side. Being anxious to see where 
such a road would lead to, I followed it. About half way up 
was a large patch of Oligotrichum incurvum, covered with 
fruit. I called to Mr Scott, who was not slow in coming up 
VOL, IV. Cc 
