894 



an eagle, but it did not come near enough to enable us to determine 

 this with certainty. We then ascended the rocks by Cauldron-snout, 

 and returned to our quarters across the back of Widdy-bank-fell, 

 where, in a stream fi'om under the limestone, we found Juncus triglu- 

 mis, Tofieldia palustris and Kobresia caricina. The sides of this 

 stream were adorned with Bartsia alpina. Primula farinosa and Saxi- 

 fraga aizoides, down to its junction with the Tees. Festuca vivipara, 

 Sesleria caerulea, Thalictrum alpinum, Gnaphalium dioicum, and se- 

 veral other interesting plants, also grow near Cauldron-snout. The 

 year previous we found several large tufts of Polystichum Lonchitis 

 on Falcon-clints. Cystopteris fragilis and dentata, Asplenium viride 

 and Trichomanes, grow there abundantly, together with a profusion 

 of seedling ferns, some of which, at first sight, might be taken for 

 Woodsia Ilvensis. There we have also met with a deeply incised 

 variety of Asplenium Trichomanes, but we never saw anything of As- 

 plenium fontanum. 



The next day, accompanied by our friend Jacob Allison of Cother- 

 stone, we again crossed the back of Widdy-bank-fell, passed the head 

 of the Weel, and crossed Crook-bourn into Cumberland ; we then 

 crossed the Tees into Westmoreland, and traversed the moors in the 

 direction of Dun-fell. When in a straight line between the Green- 

 burn lead-mine shaft and Dun-fell hush, we came upon the new loca- 

 lity of Saxifraga Hirculus (Phytol. 741), which was plentiful, but 

 sparingly in flower. In a limestone hollow near this place, Asplenium 

 viride was growing in profusion in the crevices of the rock, and at the 

 bottom, among nettles, we found some large plants of Polemonium 

 cgeruleum in flower ; this was new to the Teesdale district. From 

 this place we crossed over the back of Meldon-fell to Highcup-scar,* 

 an enormous ravine, about a mile and a half long, and 1000 to 1500 

 feet deep, margined by basaltic cliffs, surmounted on each side by 

 limestone, topped with sandstone crags. After having walked about 

 twenty miles, mostly over bleak barren moors, without a tree and with 

 scarcely a trace of cultivation, the contrast of the scene at this place 

 was very striking, as this great gulf opened to our view the rich fer- 

 tile vales of the cultivated part of Westmoreland. Sedum Rhodiola 

 and Thlaspi alpestre were growing in abundance in the clefts of the 

 basalt, and in a deep gorge we had the pleasure of finding several 

 very fine specimens of Saxifraga nivalis, which I believe had not pre- 

 viously been found in England. We then returned towards the High- 



* Highcup-scav is generally named Eagle's chair in maps. 



