PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 287 



SESSION 1907-1908. 



24th September, 1907. 



Mr. D. A. Boyd, President, in the chair. 



The chairman referred to the death of the Rev. John 

 Fergusson, LL.D., Fearn, Brechin, one of the Corresponding 

 Members of the Society, who was distinguished for his 

 researches in Scottish Botany, especially in the departments 

 of Bryology and Mycology. 



Reports were submitted on Excursions to Dairy (page 246), 

 Finlayston (page 247), and Glen Douglas (page 251). 



Mr. Peter Ewing, F.L.S., exhibited a specimen of Carex 

 filiformis, L., from Loch Lydoch. 



Mr. D. A. Boyd submitted specimens of Amhlystegium 

 fluviatile, B. and S., a Moss obtained at the excursion to 

 Finlayston on 10th ultimo, and not previously recorded for 

 Vice-County 76; Hypnum crista-castrensis, L., from the woods 

 at Inveraray Castle; and Otidea leporina (Batsch) Fckl., from 

 Montgreenan, Ayrshire. He stated that the last-mentioned 

 species had been discovered by Mr. R. B. Johnstone at the 

 Fungus-Foray on 21st instant, and had not been previously 

 recorded for the Clyde Area. 



Dr. Robert Brown read a paper descriptive of the district of 

 La Lautaret, in Dauphiny, S.-E. France, with special 

 reference to its plant life. He stated that he had spent a 

 holiday in that district last year, and had again returned this 

 year to renew his acquaintance with the place and its flowers. 



La Lautaret stands 6,790 feet above sea level. The only 

 house in the district is an old Hospice, with a number of 

 wooden annexes which form the hotel accommodation ; and the 

 district itself is composed of wide-spreading prairies, 

 gradually rising upwards to the various mountain ridges 

 which stand like sentinels all around. The Hospice occupies 

 the summit of the pass, which runs from Bourg d'Oisans to 

 Brian9on near the Italian Frontiers, and is traversed by a very 

 good road. The peaks above Lautaret rise to 10,000 and 

 11,000 feet, some being composed of slaty rocks, many of lime- 

 stone, and others of granite. All the district is clad with a 

 marvellous wealth of vegetable life. One may spend days 



