141 



Cheiri and the Vincas, &c, are not native, whilst Impatiens noli-me- 

 tangere, Helleborus foetidus, Trifolium ochroleucum, &c, are put 

 down as undoubtedly indigenous. Surely it is very hard upon the 

 turnip to place it side by side with such plants as Mimulus luteus, 

 and on the pear-tree to be excluded altogether, when such plants as 

 Sisyrinchium anceps are let in. What can we infer but that the for- 

 mer have lost caste on account of their antiquity, and that to find fa- 

 vour with the compilers of the ' London Catalogue ' as a naturalized 

 species, the plant must be simply a new discovery. 



Joseph Sidebotham. 



Manchester, April 17, 1848. 



Notes of a Five Hours' Ramble on the Findhorn. 

 By Alexander Croall, Esq. 



Some will perhaps smile at the idea of a botanical excursion of Jive 

 hours in length ; but those who have little time to spare must make 

 the most of it they can ; and after all it not unfrequently happens that 

 when we have least time we do the most good. 



The result of our short ramble was certainly such as to leave room 

 for regret that our time was so limited ; while we had every reason to 

 be satisfied with the enjoyment we obtained, as well as with the spe- 

 cimens collected. 



Having previously made arrangements for spending a day on the 

 banks of the Findhorn, in company with Dr. Innes, of Forres, a no less 

 amiable man than an acute and enthusiastic botanist, we appointed 

 Saturday, 8th April, for our excursion. 



Our first peep at Aurora was rather chilling for our spirits. A heavy 

 shower of snow had fallen during the night, and shrouded all nature in 

 a wintry mantle. The sun, however, soon dissipated the nebulous 

 canopy, and the snowy shroud gradually yielded to his influence. 

 The air, however, was still cold, and showers of hail and sleet falling 

 at intervals, kept our courage at rather a low temperature. Now or 

 never, however, was our motto, and off we started, between ten and 

 eleven a.m., and, without any incident worthy of note, reached our 

 destination about twelve. Having put up our horse and gig at the 

 farm-house of Outlaw-well, we proceeded to the banks of the river. 

 Occasional showers were still falling, and the wind was keen and biting; 

 but the high banks of the river, crowned with their fringe of dense 

 Vol. hi. x 



