Topographical Botany of Scotia /uL 99 



Statistics of the Topographical Botany of Scotland, v:ith 

 Suggestions as to further Work. By Symington 

 Grieve. 



(ReadSth May 1SS4.) 



With the ohject of showing what is the state of our 

 present knowledge regarding the distribution of phints 

 tliroughout Scotland, we have prepared the following lists 

 from the most recent work on the subject — the second 

 edition of Topographical Botamj, by the late Mr II. C. 

 Watson. Mr AVatson divided Scotland into 6 provinces, 

 13 sub-provinces, and 40 districts, which are mostly coun- 

 ties, but sometimes he divided counties into artificial 

 divisions of his own, which he called Vice-counties, and 

 those that are not familiar with these divisions should study 

 a Watsonian map. which is to be found in most of the 

 books with which Mr Watson's name is associated. The 

 number given to those counties and vice-counties in the 

 Topographical Botany of Great Britain^ that belong to 

 Scotland, begin at number 72 in the southern borders, and 

 run northwards to 112, We give the plant statistics of 

 these districts in rotation. Both species and sub-species 

 are included. We sometimes add a plant to the lists as 

 certain where Mr Watson has put it down as clouhtful. 



12. Dumfries. — This is a large county, with the highest 

 hills in the south of Scotland, yet only 471 plants have been 

 noted in it. 



73. Kirhcudh7-ight. — This is another large county with 

 elevations of upwards of 2000 feet, but only 491 plants 

 have been noted. 



74. Wigtoicji — Very little has been done to record the flora 

 of this county, as only a hundred plants liave been noted, and 

 many of the commonest species are not included in this list. 

 The part of Wigtownshire named the Pthinns, is one of 

 the points where Scotland approaches most closely to Ire- 

 land ; and possibly at this place there may at one time 

 have been a land connection with Ireland. But if, as some 

 authorities suppose, there has always been in post-glacial 

 times a deep depression filled with water between the 

 coast and Ireland, while there was a land connection be- 

 tween Britain and that country both north and south of 



