1898-99.] A Bryological Excursion to Ben Lawers. 37 
the top of my voice. There was no one, however, to rejoice 
with me. (It must be understood that although Mr Scott and 
I always set out together, we were seldom within speaking 
distance of each other when collecting, and such was the case 
here. He took the one side of the burn, while I took the 
other, and for three hours we were not near one another.) 
I collected all I could see of the Buxbaumia, which was ten 
capsules. It would be hard to tell how light and easy I went 
up that burn side after my find! I hurried on to try and get 
up to Mr Scott, who was by this time more than half a mile 
above me, and it was nearly an hour before I got up opposite 
him. I called to him to come over to my side and see some- 
thing very wonderful. He apparently thought I was joking, 
and replied that he could not get over without wetting his 
feet. On turning a sharp corner of the bank, about half a 
mile farther up, he was on my side of the burn, waiting for 
me. “ What great wonder have you to show me?” he asked. 
I took out the box in which I had the Bauxbaumia, opened it 
slowly, and asked him what he thought that was. His face 
was a study, and nothing would satisfy him but to go back 
and look for more: it was only by promising to take him to 
the place, on our return journey, that I was able to persuade 
him to go on. Probably some may think our conduct, on 
finding an insignificant moss, very silly, or childish; but I feel 
sure that at that moment, if a five-pound note had been placed 
beside the moss and the choice given to me to take either, the 
moss would have received the preference. This moss is very 
seldom found: being small and inconspicuous, and of a 
scattered habit of growth, it may very readily be overlooked. 
I have never seen it so stated, but I incline to the belief that 
it is a parasite on other mosses. Small sucker-like discs at 
the ends of many of the roots were distinctly visible with 
the microscope. If it is ever my good fortune to gather it 
again, I shall give more particular attention to this point 
before the plant becomes dried up. A little above this place 
we got a fine patch of Tetraplodon bryoides, growing among 
some wool, possibly from a bit of rabbit’s skin. Mr Scott 
also found the shoulder-bone of a sheep just under the surface, 
with a thick fringe of Tetraplodon bryoides, var. Brewerii, 
growing round the edges and down the centre. 
We were now on the peat-moss to which the road we saw the 
