86 FLORA OF ARROCHAR MOUNTAINS. 
alpine flora are common on its banks. One of its most striking 
botanical features is the great abundance of the beautiful water 
lobelia (Lobelia Dortmanna), which I do not remember ever 
having seen to such perfection in any other locality. The other 
place I wish to mention specially is the large swamp, already 
referred to, between Ben Arthur and Ben Narnain, which forms 
the source of the Allt-a-Bhalachain. I do not know if any of our 
members have ever botanized in this particular station to any 
extent, but I feel certain that it would repay an extensive examin- 
ation. In July of this year I took a short survey of its margin 
when ascending towards Ben Ime, but the time at my disposal 
was not nearly sufficient to make an adequate search for plants. 
One of the most interesting species observed growing amongst 
the sphagnum here was Vaccinium uliginosum; whilst the bog- 
bean (Menyanthes trifoliata) was very abundant, this being an 
exceptional altitude at which to find this species—2,too feet. 
The most abundant plant in the swamp (apart from sphagnum) is 
the graceful Carex ampullacea. 
With regard to the six mountain peaks included in the area 
we are considering, it may be remarked that some have naturally 
received more and closer attention than others. A few notes 
regarding each of the hills may be in place here, as indicating 
the general distribution of the alpine plants. 
The most southerly peak is Ben Arthur, more familiarly known 
as “The Cobbler,” remarkable for the fantastic form of its broken, 
rocky summit, as seen from the east. This shattered ridge is 
roughly divided into three portions, the central one being the 
highest, with an altitude of 2,891 feet above sea-level. The whole © } 
of this mass, from about 2,000 feet upwards, presents, to the east 
and north, a series of rock-ledges and precipitous cliffs, broken by 
stretches of stony ground, with a thin covering of humous soil—a 
particularly favourable habitat for the growth of alpine forms of 
vegetation. The eastern slope, facing Arrochar, has been pretty 
well explored, but there is on the northern side a long talus-slope, 
extending from near the bank of the Allt-a-Bhalachain right up 
to the base of the gigantic, overhanging crag which forms the 
crown of the northern peak, amongst the innumerable large 
boulders of which many interesting plants have been found, and ~ 
which would probably repay further searching. 
