88 TOUR IN SCOTLAND. [April, 



num Dulcamara (Woody Nightshade), and the more permanent or 

 dm-able plants_, the Honeysuckles and the Clematis, are absent 

 or vary scarce species in Scotland. Galium Mollugo, Convolvulus 

 arvensis, and several crucifers, umbellifers, and ranunculaceous 

 plants, are not observable in the corn-fields. Scotland does pro- 

 duce species peculiar to herself and to other similar mountainous 

 or northern regions ; but these are not agricultural weeds, nor 

 such annuals as we now term colonists, nor such as are called 

 viatical (wayside species), nor sylvan, nor septal plants. The 

 sylvan and septal species of Scotland are probably the remains 

 of the ancient original forests, through Avhich roads have been 

 formed, and the original vegetation left as a protection to the 

 fields. The Elm, Oak, and Hazel are not so common in the 

 Scottish as in the English hedges ; the Viburnum, the Euonymus, 

 the Rhamnus, are not natives of Scotland ; and the Ivy is 

 but rarely seen, probably because there are but few or no Elms 

 in the hedgerows. It loves to cling to the Elm; and though 

 not a, parasite, it helps to kill that from which it derives its sup- 

 port. The Cornel-tree and the White Beam-tree [Pyrus Aria) 

 are entirely absent from Scotland, The luxuriance and pictorial 

 beauty of an English unclipt hedge is missed in Scotland. Yet 

 the hedge-trees of England, when planted in Scotland, attain 

 enormous magnitudes for these trees. We observed at KiUin a 

 Hawthorn-tree which had reached the dimensions of an ordinary 

 English Elm; and as it was but comparatively a -young tree 

 (under 200 years of age), and was quite healthy, it bids fair to 

 rival some of Scotland's largest forest-trees. We have already 

 noticed an enormous specimen oiAcer campestre, or Field Maple; 

 and many other examples are recorded. 



Our impressions of the Scottish atmosphere are not very fa- 

 vourable to its fair fame. We never had more than three fine 

 days' in succession, and that only twice. There a soft* day is the 

 rule, and not the exception. The weather in England is prover- 

 bially changeable. It is not so in the Highlands ; but there un- 



* He who does not know the meaning of " a soft day" must go to Fort Wil- 

 liam ; or he may go to Inverary, which will do as weU. This is the usual friendly 

 salutation when it is raining what the Scots denominate an ^^ even down-pour;'" 

 what the Americans call "stoning rain " what the ■Cornish very expressively term 

 " lashing i" and what is vulgarly denominated '^cats and dogs." On the other 

 hand, a good dag is Uke angels' visits. 



