321 



Account of a Botanical Excursion to the Mull of Cantyre and the 

 Island of Islay, in August, 1844. By J. H. Balfour, M.D. 



(Concluded from page 312). 



The party left at home had made some additions to the Flora of the 

 island during om- absence, by gathering Ruppia maritima, Potamoge- 

 ton rufescens, Polemonium ca^ruleum, Malva moschata, Carex acuta, 

 Solanum Dulcamara, and Rubus afiinis of Weihe and Nees, a species 

 described in Mr. Babington's Manual, and the specimen named on 

 his authority. 



August 23rd. — This day, like its predecessors, was gloomy and un- 

 propitious, and acted in the most cooling manner on the enthusiasm 

 of the party. One gave up Botany for shooting, others remained at 

 home, and a party of two only kept up the credit of the expedition. 

 This party bent their steps towards Losset, passing Kilmeny and Bal- 

 lygrant. At the latter place there is a beautifully wooded lake, well 

 stocked with trout, some of them presenting peculiar characters. On 

 the way Ranunculus aquatilis, var. fluitans, Potamogeton pusillus 

 and rufescens were picked. Near Losset, in a glen not far from the 

 Sound of Islay, Ribes rubrum grows in profusion, apparently wild, 

 along with Rubus Idaeus and saxatilis. We got fresh specimens from 

 Mr. Stuart. Near Losset there is a lead-mine, which is worked, and 

 there is abundance of iron in the vicinity. From Losset we proceeded 

 to the lake of Finlaggan, or the Loch of Portaneilan, as it is some- 

 times called, and collected a few common aquatic plants. On an 

 island in the loch stand the ruins of the castle of Finlaggan, famous 

 as the place where the MacDonalds, Lords of the Isles, were crowned. 

 There is no means of reaching the island except by wading, inasmuch 

 as there is no boat on the loch. The water is about four feet deep at 

 the place where the island can be reached. We accordingly had to 

 wade up to the middle in order to get a view of the ruins. The 

 buildings seem to have been extensive. There are the remains of an 

 old chapel, with some antiquated grave- stones, having swords carved 

 on them. The grandeur of this castle of the Lords of the Isles is 

 now gone, and nettles and Stachys sylvatica, along with other ignoble 

 weeds, occupy the halls of the MacDonalds. On the walls of the 

 chapel Asplenium Ruta-muraria and Adiantum-nigrum grow in profu- 

 sion, filling up every chink and crevice with their fronds. The con- 

 templation of these cnimbling walls and the vegetation covering them, 

 recalled to my mind the words of the American poet, who, when 

 speaking of flowers as stars in earth's firmament, and describing the 

 Vol. ti. 2 r 



