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rain set in about 7 o'clock, a. m. Nevertheless, four of the party 

 started in a conveyance for Portnahaven, while the rest went to Bal- 

 lagrant Loch, to fish. The south-western shores of the island, as far 

 as Portnahaven or the Rhins are low, gravelly, and occasionally 

 rocky, and consist chiefly of clay-slate, with greywacke slate in 

 alternate beds. Gneiss is met with in some parts of the shore, espe- 

 cially between Octofad and the point of the Rhins or Rinus. These 

 shores produced few plants of interest. Geranium pratense was no- 

 ticed near Port Charlotte, and in a neglected garden at the same 

 place we observed profusion of Papaver somniferum, of a pink colour, 

 with dark spots at the base of the petals, similar to what occurs in 

 Papaver Argemone. The same variety was picked by Dr. Parnell at 

 Ballagrant. At Portnahaven there is a lighthouse on an island close 

 to the shore, and there are other islands in the neighbourhood. The 

 tides in this quarter, more particularly at the point of the Rinns, are 

 very violent and rapid, and it is interesting to notice the agitation 

 which is caused even by a moderate degree of wind. On arriving at 

 Portnahaven the weather was so bad and the rain so heavy, that two 

 of the party did not choose to quit the conveyance, and accordingly 

 they proceeded directly to Kilchearan, and there enjoyed the hospita- 

 lity of Mr. Ralston, until the other two botanists met them. 



Proceeding along the western shore of the Rinns from Portnahaven, 

 we encounter a very rugged and rocky coast, intersected by numerous 

 indentations, and broken up by narrow ravines, into which the sea 

 enters with' great violence. Fine caves, and gigantic natural arches 

 occur in many places. The prevailing rocks are clay-slate and grey- 

 wacke, with occasional trap dykes of considerable extent. In some 

 places, as at Sosset Hill, we meet with a peculiar kind of conglome- 

 rate. Near Sosset, which is a fishing village, the cliffs are remarkably 

 fine, attaining a height of many hundred feet, and covered with innu- 

 merable sea-fowl. In this quarter there are the remains of a fort. 



The most interesting plants seen on the cliffs were Sedum Rhodiola, 

 Pyrethrum maritimum, in some cases with a singular flattened or 

 fasciated stem, caused apparently by the union of several stalks, Li- 

 gusticum scoticum, Carex extensa, Spergula subulata and Inula 

 dysenterica. The cliffs are now and then interrupted by sandy shores 

 covered with bent, and there Convolvulus Soldanella and Equisetum 

 Telmateia were found, along with Galium verum curiously altered by 

 the attacks of insects. 



At Kilchearan, where a slate-quarry is worked, we joined the rain- 

 dreading botanists, whom we found comfortably accommodated in 

 the house of Mr. Ralston, the tenant of the farm in this quarter, who 



