432 BOTANIZING ON THE COL DE LAUTARET. 



1858. rather too much advanced, attracted my attention then Daphne 

 Mezereum still in flower, and D. striata^ a beautiful alpine species 

 with pink flowers altogether much resembling D. Cacorum here 

 also was Rlwdodendron ferrugineum, displaying its fine crimson 

 flowers. 



In a damper spot were the curious Androsacepubescens, forming 

 a sort of compact crust of green dotted with little pink stars, 

 Pyrctlirum alpinum, Arabis lellidifolia, and two or three other 

 crucifers, whose imperfect state prevented our determining. 

 Among some sloping loose rocks grew Empetrum nigrum, 

 and mixed with it that rare plant Lloydia serotina and the rare 

 Saxifraga liflora and S, retusa, and higher still on the ledges 

 of some precipitous rocks which prevented our further ascent 

 grew Primula latifolia, P. viscosa and Apidium conchitis. Here, 

 or in a similar locality, we also gathered Bellidiastrum Michelii, 

 a plant so like an overgrown daisy as to make one hesitate to 

 take it, but which the presence of pappus proves at once to be 

 no Bellis. 



The Hospice Descending once more to the lower ground we gathered Gagea 

 Lautaret Liottardi and Gentiana punctata, the latter a fine species with 

 yellow flowers, and then proceeded to make our way to the 

 Hospice, where by a previous agreement we had arranged that 

 a vehicle should overtake us and convey us on to Brianson. The 

 Hospice of the Lautaret was founded by Humbert II., Count of 

 Dauphiny, but at present it is no longer a religious house. It 

 is a low, one-storied, stone building standing on the summit of 

 the Col. The view from it is very fine : the Montagne d'Oursine 

 13,123 feet above the sea-level, rises magnificently on the S.W. ; 

 from the glacier at its foot originates the Guisanne, a river flowing 

 south, while the Glacier de Tabouchet to the S. is one of the 

 sources of the Eomanche which runs north. 



The hospitality of the Hospice is of rather a humble character. 

 The low doorway, which is the common entrance for the inhabit- 

 ants and their cattle, conducts by a dark and filthy passage into 

 a sort of cow-house or stable on the one side and into the kitchen 

 on the other. In the latter, a massive stone apartment dimly 

 lighted by small windows sunk in its thick walls, we found 



