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BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



Thursday, February 10th, 1848. — The Rev. Dr. Fleming, Presi- 

 dent, in the chair. 



Donations to the museum and library were presented. From 

 Colonel Low a collection of plants from Penang ; from Mr. D. Boyle 

 a large collection of plants from Geelong, near Port Philip; Scottish 

 plants from Mr. Evans; the 'Flora of Forfarshire ' from Mr. W. Gar- 

 diner, Dundee ; ' Botany of the Bass ' from Dr. Balfour, &c. The 

 thanks of the Society were voted to the donors. 



The following communication was read : " Account of a Botanical 

 Excursion to Braemar, Clova, and Ben Lawers, with pupils, in Au- 

 gust, 1847," by Professor Balfour. Having made some general ob- 

 servations on the Botany of the alpine districts of Scotland, Dr. 

 Balfour proceeded to give a detailed account of the localities visited 

 and the plants gathered. 



From Aberdeen the party went to Ballater, thence by Lochnagar 

 to Castleton of Braemar, where they remained ten days, examining 

 Ben Aven, Ben na Muich Dhui (on the top of which they slept for a 

 night), Cairn Toul, Breriach, Glen Callater, Clova, Glen Isla, &c. 

 Leaving Braemar, they walked by Glen Tilt to Blair Athol, and 

 thence by the Pass of Killiecrankie to Kenmore, Ben Lawers, and 

 Loch Lomond. 



All the usual, and many very rare alpine species were gathered. 

 Carex leporina was picked both on Lochnagar and on Cairn Toul ; 

 Carex vaginata was found on every hill in the Braemar district; 

 Woodsia hyperborea was gathered in Glen Isla, Glen Phee, Clova, 

 and on Ben Lawers ; and Luzula arcuata was seen on all the lofty 

 summits in the vicinity of Ben na Muich Dhui : Mulgedium alpinum 

 was detected in considerable quantity on Lochnagar ; also a beauti- 

 ful variety of Hieracium alpinum, with remarkably long leaves, and 

 involucres covered with long, white, silky hairs : it is probably the 

 H. villosum of Smith, or H. alpinum, var. longifolium of ' Flora 

 Silesia.' 



In the vicinity of Ballater, and also in Glen Tilt, Equisetum urn- 

 brosum grew in profusion. The sides of Loch Etichan and the rocks 

 near Loch Aven were covered with numerous alpine varieties of Hie- 

 racia, presenting remarkable transition forms; among them were H. 

 alpinum, Halleri, nigrescens, Lawsoni, &c. 



Orobus niger was gathered at the Pass of Killiecrankie. 

 Vol. hi. n 



