1G4 



basaltic rock, trap, porphyry, or claystoiie, jutting far out among the 

 waves, or running in tall colonnades along the shore ; seaward there 

 is the wide expanse of glorious blue, with the magnificent pinnacle of 

 Ailsa full in front ; beyond all, closing the distant horizon, the gleaming 

 cliffs of Ayrshire, and the far-off coast of Ireland. It is a delightful 

 shore to wander along slowly, searching and prying for rarities 

 in the salt-marsh by the water's brink, or up some leafy gorge 

 through which the streamlet from the hills forces its seaward way, 

 forgetting the world without and all its cares, delivered from the 

 dominion of dusty roads, and the necessity of getting home in time 

 for dinner. Let the naturalist take up his quarters in the neat little 

 inn that lies nestling in its snug little hollow at Lag; there he may 

 pass happy days in exploring that solitary shore, and at night pull 

 out into the deep, and taste the unwonted pleasures of sea-fishing. 

 From this point also the agriculturist may visit some of the fine 

 farms along the south coast, where the best methods of cultivation 

 are practised. 



The mountains at the head of Glen Sannox will be found 

 richer in alpine plants than Goatfell, though scarcely equalling 

 it in height. Yet even their flora must appear scant and un- 

 interesting to one who has botanized over the ranges of the 

 central and eastern Highlands, Ben-Lawers, Braemar, or Clova. 

 But at this he will have no cause to repine when he finds himself 

 led into some of the most magnificent mountain scenery in Britain. 

 It has been said that no scenery in Scotland but that of 

 Coruisk in Skye, and that of Glencoe, can rival the grandeur of Glen 

 Sannox ; certainly neither the famed Perthshire Highlands, nor the 

 English lakes, can show anything as wildly sublime as the precipices 

 and aiguilles of rifted granite which tower around the heads of these 

 Arran glens. 



LIST OF PLANTS. 



108. The following list comprises only the rarer plants of Arran, 

 including under this title both those which, though frequent in the 

 west of Scotland, are seldom found in other parts of the country, 

 and those which, while abundant in Britain, may appear rarities to 

 one who knows only the botany of the west coast. It often 

 becomes very difficult to draw the line, and to say what plants should 

 be omitted and what inserted. We cannot hope to have decided 

 always judiciously ; when we have erred it has probably been in 

 admitting plants which may appear common to the practised botanist. 



