186 Dr Craig on the Excursion of [sess. lu. 



all impressed with the beauty of the deep-blue grottoes of 

 ice, from the chief of which the Jordal river issues with 

 great force. This glacier is a branch of the " Folgefonden," 

 one of the largest glaciers in Norway. The length of the 

 " Folgefonden " is between 30 and 40 English miles, and the 

 highest summit is 5270 feet. Part of this enormous mass of 

 snow and ice has slid over the high precipice at the top of 

 the Jordal valley, and forms the Buarbrffi. 



Having examined the glacier, we botanised the rocks along 

 its north side. Here. we found the best plants in this day's 

 excursion, including Banunculus aconitifolius, Linn. ; Actcea 

 spicnta, Linn. ; Sagina saxatilis, Wimm. ; Saxifraga oppositi- 

 folia, Linn. ; S. nivalis, Linn. ; S. sfellnris, Linn. ; S. aizoides, 

 Linn., and var. aurantiaca ; S. rividaris, Linn. ; ^S*. cccspitosa, 

 Linn., and var. palmata, besides other varieties ; S. Cotyledon, 

 Linn. ; Cornus succica, Linn. ; Frigeron acre, Linn. ; U. iini- 

 jioriiin, Linn. ; Gnaphalium sylvaticum, Linn. ; Hieracimn aiir- 

 antiacum, Linn. ; Gentiana purpurea, Linn. ; Bartsia alpina, 

 Linn. ; Salix lanata, Linn. ; aS*. Lapponum, Linn. ; and a 

 species of Salix with small round woolly leaves very like 

 Salix Sadlcri; Maiamthemum Convallaria, Roth.; Convallaria 

 majalis, Linn. ; Paris quadrifolia, Linn. ; Phlcum alpinuni; 

 Linn.; and Polystichum Lonchitis, Eotli. We had only time 

 to examine a very small portion of the rocks to the north of 

 the glacier, but they seemed very productive. Amongst 

 other plants gathered in this excursion, may be mentioned 

 Silene rujiestris, Linn. This was very abundant all along the 

 road, and u]) to the very glacier; and in all parts of Norway 

 visited by the Club it a])])care(l to be very common. It is 

 not regarded as a British ])lant, although it is just such a 

 plant as one would expect to fhid in Britain. The Rev. 

 A. W. iJonaldson, Strathaven, has tliis plant (Silene rup)estris) 

 growing on his rockery. He told me tliat lie is confident he 

 picked it dining liis liolidays in Uic Jligldands of Scotland 

 some years ago, he thinks in Glen Spean, and probably 

 near Loch Gulbin. Not lacing a botanist, he took no special 

 notice of tlie locality at the time. He regarded it as a nice 

 plant for liis rockery. It will be interesting if this discovery 

 can be verified. 



The day was exceedingly fine. We were all delighted 

 with our fii'st day's excursion in Norway. We reached our 



