of Edinburgh, Scssioii 1880-81. Ixix 



much admired. About Bridge of CaUy, where the road strikes off 

 for Kirkmichael, the scenery is very attractive. The weather was 

 on the whole propitious, although we came in occasionally for a 

 Highland shower. Eeaching the moorland parts of our route, we 

 stopped our conveyance, and made some botanical explorations — 

 gathering Tofieldia palustris, Memn athamanticum, Carduus hetero- 

 pliyUus, Habenaria viridis, Sfc, and sundry other plants of a sub- 

 alpine character. The evening was cold but dry, and we were aU 

 in high spirits, as Canlochan was our botanising ground for the 

 morning. Our quarters at the Spittal were verj'- comfortable, all 

 the bedrooms in the hotel being engaged for our occupation, and we 

 had every reason to be satisfied with the creature comforts provided, 

 which, both in quantity and quality, left httle to be desired. We 

 made an early start on Friday morning, the 30th July, in two 

 waggonettes, driving to the top of the Cairnwell by The Devil's 

 Elbow, 2000 feet above Scalwel, the highest road in Scotland. 

 Striking across Glen Lochy to the right, we ascended the first 

 ridge, which we crossed, and held due north for some time, and then 

 east. We gathered many plants in crossing the moors, but none 

 of them very rare. Cotvius suecica was observed, but not in flower, 

 and several species of Splachnum, growing on decaying dung, with 

 a number of the commoner alpine willows. I should have men- 

 tioned, that in coming up the Cairnwell tufts of Gallima vulgaris 

 of a bright rose or salmon colour were seen. They grew as a rule 

 in the face of banks of a gravelly nature, and the soil evidently had 

 something to do with the colour of the flowers. They failed to 

 grow upon being brought to the south. Although deers' antlers 

 were found, no animals were seen till we reached the forest of Can- 

 lochan. The walk proved rather longer than we anticipated, but 

 when the botanising ground was reached fatigue was forgotten. At 

 the eastern corner, where we descend into the Corry of Canlochan, 

 there is an oozy spring or well eye. Here Splachnum vasca- 

 losum was growing and fruiting in profusion, a sight enough to 

 gladden the heart of any botanist. We secured specimens, and 

 commenced what proved to be anything but a comfortable descent 

 by the Goat's Xeck. The week before we visited Canlochan there 

 had been the most violent thunder storm which had ever been 

 known in these parts. The waterspouts had torn down the Goat's 

 Neck in a torrent, denuding the rocks of their gravelly covering, and 

 making them difficult to walk over. The descent, however, was 

 safely accomplished after a little difficulty. Here in former times 

 fine specimens of Veronica alpina and V. saxatilis were wont to 



