tg0o-1901.] Zhe Topography and Flora of Strathdearn. 163 
in the days of old when the Roman Catholic religion was the 
religion of the country. 
In the days of witchcraft, Dalarossie churchyard was con- 
sidered a very holy spot—sufficiently so to afford sanctuary to 
the spirits of the unfortunate creatures who had sold them- 
selves to his satanic majesty, if, after quitting connection with 
their mortal bodies, they could but reach the holy spot before 
being caught by their master. A story is told of one notorious 
witch, who lived at Laggan in Strathspey, and who in her life- 
time had done an enormous amount of mischief. On her 
demise her spirit-form made for Dalarossie churchyard, distant 
about fifty miles, with all the speed of which she was capable, 
thinking to cheat her master of his due; but, mounted on the 
proverbial black steed, and accompanied by his faithful hounds, 
he was soon after her in full cry, and caught her just outside 
the gate of the sanctuary. 
Of the flora, which is, of course, of a sub-alpine character, 
‘I have not made anything like an exhaustive study, but 
endeavour to keep my eyes open as far as possible for any- 
thing that is rare or interesting—and it would be a very poor 
locality indeed that did not yield a considerable number of 
interesting subjects, and perhaps a rare one here and there. 
9 at ee 
As there is “nocht like Heelant heather,” we will begin with 
this most plentiful production of all our Highland mountains, 
and even of our Lowland plains, but which is beautiful every- 
where. There is no need for me to enlarge on the charms 
which it imparts to the landscape wherever found. Erica 
cinerea and E. tetralix are also plentiful, the latter, with its 
lovely waxy bells, growing in great profusion on some of the 
places on the hills where we cut our peats. Native birch, 
I need hardly say, is abundant. Juniper is quite a feature, 
some slopes being almost completely covered with it. It 
may be noted that juniper belongs to the Coniferze, and that, 
like fir cones, the juniper berries take three years to ripen. 
Another shrub worthy of note for the profusion in which 
it grows “down the country” is Myrica gale. On the hills 
around, Loiseleura (Azalea) is plentiful. In spring and early 
summer, primroses are abundant, followed by Anemone and 
Trientalis. By the river there is abundance of Trollius, Ger- 
anium sylvaticum, and here and elsewhere Carduus hetero- 
te. 
