1859.] BOTANICAL RAMBLES. 359 



BOTANICAL RAMBLES IN JUNE, 1859. 



By John Sim, A. B.S.Ed. 



Ramble II. — To Birnam Hill. 



This is now tlie third visit I have paid to this interesting 

 mountain. On a former occasion (in August 1856) I ascended 

 to its eastern summit. My second visit was confined to the 

 north-east corner near its base. This year my researches were 

 more extensive. 



It was a lovely day toward the end of June, 1859. I and two 

 of my children left Perth by excursion-train for Birnam Hill ; we 

 left the grand terminus at Perth about 2^ p.m., and were at Birnam 

 terminus and station about a quarter past four. At the foot of 

 this mountain and at the north side runs from west to east a 

 small stream ; along its margin is a narrow cart-road^ used in the 

 conveyance of timber from the wood. The north side and east 

 end of the mountain is wooded about half-way to the summit. 



I ascended the margin of this murmuring brook, gurgling in 

 its rocky bed, and had not gone far until I observed in its mar- 

 gin a fine bushy plant of Polypodium Phegopteris ; passing on- 

 ward and upward a little further, I saw on the left in the edge 

 of the wood several fine plants of Aguilegia vulgaris, — the first 

 time I ever saw the plant wild in Scotland, although in Ireland 

 I have seen it near Kilkenny ; I collected several plants of it, 

 and still steering westward, I came upon an immense quantity of 

 Polypodium Dryopteris. 



I had now wandered about a mile, and was getting very tired 

 and weary, but, loath to turn back, I determined to ascend the 

 hill at the first hollow I came to. I had not gone far until I 

 arrived at a rocky ravine, in the bottom of which was a tiny rill, 

 almost dried up from the long drought which had been severe for 

 the space of two months. 



I and my children now commenced a laborious ascent, clam- 

 bering over rocks, boulders, and prostrate trees, etc., which al- 

 most precluded the possibility of our onward progress. I did 

 not like to go back the road we came, so struggled onwards and 

 upwards, through trees and stones, until I had ascended about 

 five or six hundred feet above the level of the Tay ; at this height 

 I escaped from the den and came all at once upon an almost im- 



