[May, I860.] 129 



BOTANICAL EAMBLES. 



No. 1. — Excursion to the Neighbourhood of Moffat, Dumfries- 

 shire. By John Sadler, Sec, B.S.E., etc. (Abstract of a 

 paper read before the Fleming Society of Natural Science, 

 New College, Edinburgh, 7th February, 1860.) 



Since Dr. Balfour was appointed Professor of Botany in the 

 University of Edinburgh — now some thirteen or fourteen years 

 ago — it has been customary for him to spend the Saturdays of 

 the summer session with his class^ in the fields and woods. And 

 no one who has joined in these pleasant rambles, can but feel a 

 peculiar secret satisfaction and delight in looking back upon 

 them, and calling to remembrance the sylvan and romantic 

 scenery, and all the pleasing incidents that characterized and 

 diversified these country walks, in the prosecution of so fasci- 

 nating a science. 



These class excursions, moreover, have added in no small 

 degree to our acquiring a correct knowledge of the flora of many 

 parts of Scotland, and more particularly within a range of about 

 sixty miles of the metropolis. The neighbourhood of Moffat, 

 then, with all its pastoral beauties, as well might be expected, 

 has been frequently visited: — first, I believe, in 1851; again in 

 1856, when the Grey Mare's Tail and the desolate tarn of Loch 

 Skene, with its surrounding hills, were the localities of our re- 

 search; and again on the 9th of July, 1859, of which the fol- 

 lowing is a brief sketch. About seventy of us met that morning 

 in Edinburgh, at the Caledonian Railway station, so early as a 

 quarter past six, and proceeded to Beattock, a distance of sixty- 

 two miles, which we reached a little before ten. It was -truly a 

 morning of surpassing beauty and loveliness — all Nature seemed 

 gladsome, lavish, and luxuriant : it was just such a one as our 

 hearts could have desired, 



" To climb 

 Some breezy summit's brow sublime." 



I think I can hear some of our non-botanical members cen- 

 suring us for our enthusiastic love of " weeds," and humming 



* Wluch consisted this last session of 255 (!) students. 

 N. S. VOL. IV. S 



