Apr. 1S99.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 207 



feasted their eyes on the grander sights above Saniaden ; 

 although, by the way, above and below Samadeu for a 

 short distance the character of the landscape is less 

 striking. For although the river Inn runs through it, 

 it no longer presents its former picturesqueness. Straight 

 symmetrical banks confine its straying waters, and give it 

 the appearance of a mathematical canal. The valley of 

 the Berniuabach, which flows past Pontresina in the Upper 

 Engadine, is very narrow. It is hemmed in by lofty 

 mountains, and offers close views of attractive glaciers and 

 snowy peaks. The Bernina group of mountains close it at 

 one end, and the Inn, flowing from the lakes of San Moritz, 

 Silvaplana, and Sils, at the Samaden end. 



We could attempt the study of the botany of this wide 

 area only in a fragmentary way. We chose that of the 

 meadows and woods, and of the mountains of easy access. 

 The dark woods around Pontresina, with the Heuthal or 

 Val del Fain, may stand for the one, and the Piz Languard, 

 with the shoulder of the Bernina and the Morteratsch 

 glacier, will do for the other. 



The Heuthal or Val del Fain is a valley about five miles 

 from Pontresina, at an altitude of over GOOO feet, and is 

 about five miles long. We walked up to the head of the 

 valley, and returned on one of the ridges. Every step was 

 of entrancing interest to a botanist. This valley was an 

 inexhaustible treasure-house of flowers rare and flowers 

 common; of flowers of every conceivable colour — white 

 and red, blue and yellow — in fine contrast to the cream 

 and grey-coloured rocks and the green of the grassy 

 slopes. 



Of the many Campanulas the moi'e interesting was Cam- 

 IXiiiula tliyrsoidcs, C, whose crowded spike was prominent 

 at the side of the path, and was more difficult to dig out 

 than C. harhata, L. ; or C. pusilla, Hienk., which were 

 very common. Phytcuma orhieulare, L., was widely spread 

 amongst the rather infrequent P. hemisphericum, L., and 

 P. humilc, Schleich. Lloydia serotina, Eichl., showed its 

 milk-white fragile flower in close company with Nigritclla 

 anyastifolia, L., Heliantlicnwrn cannin, L., Liliuni 3Iartayon, 

 L., AnthcricAiiii ramosum, L., Saxifraya cccsia, L., Silciic 

 acaulis, L. (pink and white varieties), and many orchids, 



