FLOWERS OF THE FAR NORTH 135 



and make themselves at home near sea-level. This 

 is by no means strange. Hardy mountain forms 

 are known to grow on coast moors, chiefly such as 

 are so rude and exposed as this. Among others 

 the eight -rayed mountain avens Dryas octo- 

 petala appears on the flats of Caithness, and 

 crosses to the low heights of Hoy. 



Some few years ago I spent part of the summer 

 in Orkney, under the soothing ripple of canvas. 

 Within half a stone's-throw was a lake, constricted 

 in the middle, and swelling out at each end, some- 

 what after the shape of an ancient hour-glass. 



Down the slope we ran with a towel for a morn- 

 ing bath, and again with our rods for a forenoon's 

 cast. As fishing sheets, the weakness of this and 

 other Orkney lakes is the abundance of pond- weed, 

 rising to the surface as the season advances, and 

 covering large areas when the sport is at its height. 

 In July and August much of the water is unfish- 

 able, and a rise too near the forest, leads to the 

 twisting of the line round the stems by the running 

 trout. This nuisance is on the increase from year 

 to year, and will soon have to be dealt with. 



Round the lake margin was a circlet, broken here 

 and there, of the pink bells of the bog pimpernel. 

 This is to the wastes what Linncea is to the woods, 



