1862.] BOTANY OF NORMAN^S LAW. 293 



stiff, reserved conventionalism which we generally hear com- 

 plained of, when the elongated physiognomy of auld Scotia's rural 

 population meet with parties of wandering herbalists. It appears 

 incomprehensible to the uninitiated in botanical lore, why persons 

 of sane minds give themselves so much trouble, and incur so 

 much expense, to gather or simply to look at weeds. The gather- 

 ing of something to eat or infuse, or if their vasculums possessed 

 the charm of emitting sweet music, like the hum of a bagpipe, 

 men in botanical costume might have easier run the blockade of 

 titled lairds, and have escaped threats of incarceration for the 

 crime of indulging in their wandering mission as field botanists, 

 and the field rustic would have expanded at the sound of the pipe 

 or by some such disclosure, through which he could understand 

 the mysterious appearance of the company. Our host however, 

 like ourselves, was regardless of appearances, and readily fur- 

 nished us with the necessary directions. 



We took the road by the farmhouse of Glenduckie. While 

 sheltering from the rain we were satisfied as to the name of the 

 place being suitable to the occasion, and while climbing the crags 

 of Craiglogie we were again reminded of the suitableness of the 

 terminology. On passing the two farms, along by the walls and 

 hedges grow strong plants of Scrophularia vernaUs and Sisijm- 

 brium Alliaria. The Scrophularia is by no means rare in the 

 county, although we have found it, like a few other plants, asso- 

 ciated with the abodes of former generations. Among the col- 

 lege grounds of St. Andrew's it was prevalent previous to modern 

 improvement, and also among old gardens. It occurs frequently 

 by the ruins of Craighall, Ceres and Balcarris Den ; in several 

 other places it has been found by other parties. 



The Sisymbrium is rare on the east of Fife ; we have only 

 found it previously by the sides of the hedges at Largo. 



Ascending the Law, we found Saxifraga granulata in dense 

 flower, interrupted by the rock occasionally cropping out. This 

 plant is not rare all over the county, where it generally is distri- 

 buted in isolated patches. 



Our object was to search among the Cryptogams, had weather 

 permitted ; and although we found nothing new to the county, 

 one or two stations are worth recording. Grimmia leucophaa, 

 found sparingly, but too late in the season ; Bryum crudum in 

 fruit. This plant, as at Drumcarro Crag, near to Magus Muir, oc- 



