53$ 



plant is distinct fi'om V. serpyllifolia, has given it as a distinct spe- 

 cies, " as it is at least worthy of a place among a group whose mem- 

 bers press closely upon one another." To me it certainly appears 

 distinct, and, if I mistake not, the capsule is ovate, and longer than 

 the stj^le. Dr. Murray observes — " This is by no means a very alpine 

 plant, being found at Banchory, little more elevated than the sea, and 

 at Glentanner, not much above the common level of the district. It 

 is even met with in the neighbourhrod of Paris, in the Bois de Boii- 

 logney This seems to confirm the idea that Veronica humifusa is a 

 veritable species. I have never seen it except where I found it on 

 Loch-na-gar, at least 2000 feet above the sea. In the same spot, and 

 in other similar places, Epilobium alpinum, and especially a small va- 

 riety of Saxifraga stellaris, abounded. The latter scarcely exceeds 

 an inch in height, but the plant, according to its elevation and expo- 

 sure, grows to all intermediate sizes between one inch and eight. 



I next proceeded up the course of a very small stream, which, for 

 the length of at least one hundred feet, ran under an enormous mass 

 of snow. Near this, I picked a specimen or two of Sibbaldia pro- 

 cumbens, which was plentiful, but not all in flower. I was now, al- 

 though I knew it not, on the very shoulder of Loch-na-gar, but had 

 not succeeded in getting one glimpse of its top. I therefore crossed 

 that shoulder, and also the head of a glen which separates the moun- 

 tain from another ridge, and made towards the top of the latter, which 

 I had some idea was that of Loch-na-gar. I thought, at all events, 

 that by gaining the height before me I should be able to see where I 

 was. In ascending towards it I gathered Vaccinium uliginosum with- 

 out either flowers or fruit ; I picked also a few specimens of Carex 

 rigida. I had by this time nearly reached the top of the ridge, when, 

 after having several times turned to survey my ground, I had the plea- 

 sure of seeing the indubitable peak, from which I had wandered, con- 

 siderably to the noi'th of the height on which I stood, and which is 

 termed Craig-dhuloch. I saw moreover that I had actually been on 

 the shoulder of Loch-na-gar, and had no difficulty in shaping out for 

 myself a route to the top. In order to accomplish my right ascension, 

 I had of course both to descend and to retrace my steps. In this re- 

 trograde movement I first gathered some specimens of Luzula spicata, 

 from eight to ten inches in height. I lighted also upon a patch of 

 a single-spiked Eriophorum, which I would fain have called E. ca- 

 pitatura, but have not been able to make it any other than the more 

 common species, E. vaginatum. In reascending Loch-na-gar I ga- 

 thered Gnaphalium sui^inum and Azalea procumbens, the latter, of 



