APPENDIX. 307 



(2980), Graim Stackach (2630), Ben Spionnaidh (2537), 

 and Fashven (Fashbhein) (1504). The stony tops of most 

 of these great mountains are granitic or quartzose, and in 

 the Reay Forest, of upper gneiss, covered with a soft 

 carpeting of mosses and lichens on the summit-plateaux. 

 Lower down the material is similar, but it is clothed in 

 heather and grasses. The bases are in great measure of 

 similar formation, except where the great outcroppings of 

 the Durness and Assynt limestones appear, as at Durness, 

 and in the great cliffs of Stronchrubie, Knockan, and 

 Elphin, or where, as in Ben Stack, the Hebridean gneiss 

 occurs, or interspersed with the Torridon conglomerates, 

 as in the case of Quinaig, Canisp, and Suilbhein. 



The vegetation of the limestones, as might be expected, 

 is singularly rich and luxuriant, producing amongst the 

 excellent general sheep-pasturage some rare Scottish wild- 

 flowers, such as Dryas octopetala and others. 1 



The marvellous springs of clearest and coldest water 

 which gush out of the Assynt limestone cliffs, the trans- 



1 Our thanks are due to Messrs. Lionel Hinxman and Ben. N. 

 Peach, of the Geological Survey of Scotland, for the following List 

 of Plants found by them on the limestone of Durness — principally 

 on the islands of Eilean Hoan, and the Skerries, and Eilean Garbh 

 —in July 1883 :— 



Ranunculus acris, Cochlearia officinalis, Viola canina, Polygala 

 vulgaris, Silene maritima, Arenaria serpylliflora, Cerastium triviale, 

 Sinum catharticum, Trifolium ripens, Anthyllis vulneraria, Lotus 

 coeniculatus, Potentilla anserina, P. tormentilla, Dryas octopetala, 

 Sedum rhodiola, Ligusticum scoticum, Heracleum sphondylium, 

 Archillea millefiorium, Daucus carota, Gallium verum, G. aparine, 

 Knautia arvensis, Artemesia absinthium, Leontodon taraxacum, 

 Antennaria dioica, Bellis perennis, Onopozdium acanthium, Carduus 

 arvensis, Heiracium (spec. ?), Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, 

 Gentiana campestris, Myosotis arvensis, Euphrasia officinalis, 

 Thymus serpyllum, Prunella vulgaris, Armeria maritima, Cheno- 

 podium album, Rumex pulcher, R. acetosella, Utica dioica, Orchis 

 maculata, Scilla verna, Lugula campestris, Juncus acutiflorus, 

 Plantago coronopus, P. maritima, P. media. Besides the above 

 flowering plants, these gentlemen also found the following grasses ; 

 and Asplenium marinum amongst the cryptogams : — 



Grasses. — Anthoxanthum odoratum, Phleum arenarium, Alope- 

 cuous pratensis, Agrostis vulgaris, Holeus lanatus, Poa annua, P. 

 pratensis, P. maritima, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, 



