106 Transactions. 



some of the windows, sucli as Productus gignnteiim and some 

 others belonging to this formation — -viz., the lower carboniferous. 



II. Notes on the Genus Bosa hi Nithsdale. 

 By Mr James Fingland. 



A botanist of experience on a casual visit a few years ago to 

 the neighbourhood of Sanquhar remarked that he had never seen 

 a district so luxuriant in wild roses, and apparently so rich in 

 vai'iety of forms. Since then the result of examination of our 

 local roses, though still imperfect, fully proves the truth of the 

 observation which the visitor made. Only what applies to 

 Sanquhar district still further applies to a large portion of Niths- 

 dale. From below Auldgirth, following the river upwards on the 

 <alluvial soil und gravel beds, extending a considerable breadth in 

 some parts, and on tlie banks and wooded side^ of the more con- 

 <fined channel of the river in its higher reaches, the wild roses grow 

 in great abundance, and afford ample opportunity for study. In 

 early summer we admire the pure and delicate tints of the flowers, 

 and in the first autumnal months we are no less attracted with 

 the rich colouring of the hips or choups and the beautiful and 

 vrried foliage of the bushes, which then attains its highest 

 development on the new and barren shoots of the year. 



Dr Anstruther Davidson in his last communication to the 

 Society on local botany, reported the finding of eleven varieties of 

 Rosa canina. We are much indebted to him for this excellent 

 introduction to them. Since then, from a collect' on which he 

 made before leaving Sanquhar, some additional forn s have to be 

 lecorded. And now, between us, other six varieties and three 

 sub-forms are fresh records for Nithsdale. Pruinosa, incana, 

 Kosinciana and uncinella (Besser), from Sanquhar, with ande- 

 vageasis, Watsoni, Mahnundariensis (Lej.) and platyphyUa 

 (Rau.) from Thornhill. Of the 32 forms of canina given in 

 the 8th edition of the "London Catalogue," 17 are now ascer- 

 tained to occur in the district. So little has been done in this 

 genus in the Soutli of Scotland, at least so far as I am aware, 

 that we have scarcely any means of making comparison with 

 other districts. The Clydesdale Flora contains nine forms of 

 canina. A more recent woi-k, however, the " Flora of West 

 Yorkshire," enumerates about twenty ; tliese obtained from a, 



