482 BOTANICAL LETTERS FROM ARGYLESHIHE. [April, 



the '• Grass is greenest^ and where the Lady-fern gro^wsisheenest/' 

 as Scott or some other minstrel of nature sings. The botanist 

 may then safely air his botanizing habiliments, and ventilate his 

 cogitations and aspirations about the beautiful and the good. 



But we are always ready to accompany in spirit all who take 

 delight in the contemplation of nature's charms ; and our excel- 

 lent correspondent is now to be introduced_, to tell his observa- 

 tions, reflections, and enjoyments in his own graphic way, as 

 with staff in hand and vasculum on his shoulders, leaving Camp- 

 beltown, he directs his course by the seawardside road, skirting 

 the beach southwards, and has evidently made up his mind to 

 reach the spring at the top of the hill beyond Glenramskill, 

 some three or four miles distant. On reaching Kilkerran bridge 

 he strikes off to the right, past the farmhouse, through the stile 

 beyond, and he is now on the Moor Road, a mere bridle-path, 

 surrounded with Heath and forests of Whin (Gorse) and Broom, 

 emitting their clouds of perfume, and the mellow notes of na- 

 ture's melodists. The sun now sheds its light and heat^ insects 

 of all sorts add to the chorus of joy that greets his ear on every 

 side as he ascends this glen, deviating now and again in zigzag 

 directions in quest of plants, most of which, however, are of 

 common occurrence, as Parnassia palusti'is, Anagallis tenella, 

 Cardamine pratensis, Pinguicula vulgaris, Pedicularis palustris, 

 Kriophorum angustifolium, Empetrum nigrum, Scabiosa succisa, 

 Polytrichum commune in immense masses; Sweet Gale, the little 

 Eyebright, Euphrasia officinalis, large patches of the pretty Lotus 

 corniculatus, Galium varum, G. palustre, G. saxatile, and a host 

 of others too common and numerous to meution. In his de- 

 viations proceeding up the glen, he had gone a short way off the 

 path to examine one of our umbelliferous plants, the Cicuta 

 virosa, growing in a damp hollow, beside a small grassy rivulet, 

 — a plant possessing poisonous properties, by eating the roots of 

 which,' mistaking them for parsnips, several of the men belonging 

 to one of her Majesty's men-of-war lost their lives some years 

 ago at this very spot. In returning again to the path, he 

 had to pass through a small thicket of Salices, Alnus glatinosa, 

 etc., through which no sooner emerged than our rambler was 

 face to face to a large black Highland bull, with horns at least 

 a yard asunder. He stood confounded, as did the animal for a 

 few moments, looking at each other ; recovering himself, however, 



