206 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lxiii. 



depths, from which rose a great eagle that may have 

 been a Lammergeier, we had ample recompense for our 

 disappointment and toil. These limestone rocks, light 

 and grey in colour, were streaked with lines of darker 

 lichens with notable effect ; indeed it looked as if their 

 regular striation were due to some liquid dye oozing 

 out of the rocks. In the bogs were orchids which have 

 been named before. Gcntiana lutea, L., was plentiful, to 

 the delight of Frank, who liked to munch its astringent 

 root. Soldanella alpina, L. ; S. minima, L. ; Aster cd^nnus, 

 L. ; Loiseleuria 'procumlicns, Desv. ; and Draha aizoicks, L., 

 the same which is found at Pennard Castle, and Worm's 

 Head in Glamorgan, "were usually abundant, as were 

 lianunculus glacialis, L., and the Edelweiss. 



Frank took the way home right across country, and 

 treated the steep outlying spurs of the mountains as mere 

 steeplechase fences. However, on sub -Alpine steeps, 

 where the hay harvesters were tied to stakes and wore 

 clamps, Epipadis latifolia, L. ; Orchis pijramiddUs, L. ; 

 Ceplicdantlicra cnsifolia. Rich. ; C. rubra, liich. ; Epipuctis 

 ruhif/inosa, Crutz. ; and Orchis ustidata, L., were growing to 

 luxuriant size. 



Frank Maestri's outspoken revelations of the super- 

 stitions and habits of his stay-at-home countrymen, and 

 his dislike of the priests, were rather diverting. He also 

 showed us some ores of lead and hifuiatite, and offered to 

 exchange his knowledge of the whereal)outs of a rich mine 

 with a British syndicate for a modest douceur. 



He was up with the lark next morning to start us 

 pleasantly for Trent. Thence by train to Meran, and 

 from there, in two days of long drives, to Nanders, and 

 then Saniaden. So we came to Pontresina, our liead- 

 quarters in the U])per Engadine. 



The grand view of this route was the Ortler group of 

 mountains. Tiieir scarred and embattled fronts outlined 

 the horizon, and the jagged-pointed pyramid of the Ortler 

 itself seemed to pierce the very heavens. 



It was at once evident that we had passed from the 

 limestone of the (Jiudicaria range to the gneiss and 

 granites of the Upper Engadine. Tlie scenery of the 

 Lower Enuadine is less attractive to those who have 



