56 Transactions. 



in Townfoot Loch, Thornhill. Three new grasses — Avena 

 Jlavescens, Festuca praiensis (variety loliacea), and Glyceria 

 Aquatica — close the list of flowering plants. Last and rai-est of 

 all I have to record is Equisetum pratense, abundant in Crawick 

 Glen and on the Nith near Elliock. 



III. A Visit to the Giant's Causeway. By Mr J. Shaw. 



IV. Dates of First Blossoming of Plants in Tynron. 

 By Mr J. SiiAW. 



In submitting a list of plants first noticed in blossom in 

 months of April, May, June, and July, Mr Shaw remarked that 

 April, 1884, showed flowers about a week earlier than April, 

 1883. Cold winds in March, 1883, blighted an early blossom, 

 and threw vegetation back. In May, 1884, the number of 

 flowering plants observed was 70. This was a no greater number 

 than that observed in May, 1883. May, 1884, got a better 

 start, but did not keep up in the race. With some difficulty it 

 waved a hawthorn blossom at us before parting, which was so 

 far beyond what its sister of 1883 had done. June is undoubt- 

 edly the flower lovers' favourite month. The drought and barren 

 winds of last June filled the farmers' minds with gloomy fears. 

 Vegetation halted. Our list presents 87 as against 113 of the 

 preceding June. The Fox-glove was not seen with us this year 

 in June at all. Many of the Orchis species lagged a week or 

 fourteen days beliind. Just as in 1883 plants that are wont to 

 appear by the middle or end of May were crushed forward into 

 June, so in 1884 many June blossoms were held over to July. 

 The wayside roses, which appeared in 1883 in the middle of June, 

 began to unfold this year a week later. In July the number of 

 plants in both years in blossom was about 100. Vegetation 

 quickened rapidly with the fine weather of this month. Still, by 

 comparison, blossoms were behind their time. The heather, 

 which began to bloom with the opening days of the month in 

 1883, was only observed for the first time about the middle of 

 July, 1884, to the distress of those bee-keepers who wished to 

 profit by its flowers. Still, by the end of the month, July, 1884, 

 had well-nigh got abreast of July, 1883. The blue bells waved 

 in the same week in both ; and some of the late flowering grapes, 

 and several hawkweeds, are registered as appearing witli only a 

 few days diSerence in eacli. 



