HIGHLANDS OF PERTHSHIRE. 41 



and, leaving the loch behind us, struck straight onwards to 

 Stoich-an-Lochan, an eminence nearer to the Lake than the real 

 Ben Lawers, and bearing the reputation of one of " the richest 

 botanical fields in Breadalbane." 



In passing over the wide peaty heath we had already collected 

 several rarities, not rare here, but rare to dwellers in the fertile 

 South, some of them quite new to us freshmen who botanized here 

 for the first time. The more interesting of these were Rubus 

 Chamamorus, not in fruit nor in flower, but just in the transition 

 state, with its calyxes quite empty, the petals, like the last rose 

 of summer, " all faded and gone." A rarer and more interesting 

 species was noticed, not in great quantities nor of a large size, 

 viz. Cornus suecica, a plant which reminded us of the hills of 

 Forbes, near the old castle of Kildrummy in Aberdeenshire, where, 

 in 1820, we first observed this charming little object. There the 

 plants were more plentiful and of a larger size than those we 

 picked from the extensive table-lands which skirt the summits of 

 Ben Lawers. Another acquisition was Gnaphalium supinum, 

 which grew profusely on bare, turfy, or earthy spots, or on dry 

 places, as stated by the late Wm. Gardiner. Saxifraga stellaris 

 did not make its appearance till we had reached at least the alti- 

 tude of the lake. Solitary individuals of this species were occa- 

 sionally found near the bases of the mountains, probably washed 

 down by the strong currents which rush violently along the hol- 

 lows or drains in the upper parts, where it grows ; but its home 

 is far above that of the pretty yellow Saxifrage, the S. aizoides, 

 which grows at the very bases of the hills and mountains. The 

 latter ornaments the glens. Wherever there is a plashy, springy 

 place, a drain, a ditch, or a mountain-rill, there is this pretty 

 plant, its green, shining, fleshy leaves contrasting beautifully with 

 its deep yellow flowers. 



Eriophorum vaginatum, E. angustifolium, with its variety E. 

 gracile, Juncus castaneus, and some other Junci, not yet deter- 

 mined, were collected. Vaccinium uliginosum, which we expected 

 to find in these wet, moory spots, did not occur ; it should have 

 been in fruit when we were there, about the middle of July. 



On approaching the steep rocks a little above the base of 

 Stoich-an-Lochan, the lofty eminence nearest to Loch-na-Gat, 

 we were conscious of being in a spot where the vegetation was 

 not only different from what we had hitherto *been, but was as 



