198 Rev. W. A. Leighton on the Lichens of Cader Idris. 



XXII. — Notulce LichenologiccB. No. XXX. 

 By the Rev. W. A. Leighton, B.A., F.L.S. 



Further Notes on the Lichens of Cader Idrisj North Wales. 



Ever since my last visit to Cader Idris, in 1866 (see Not. 

 Lich. No. XV., *■ Annals,' ser. 3. vol. xix. p. 402), it has been 

 my wish to retm-n to that mountain and explore the cwms on 

 the south side for lichens. On July 12, 1869, 1 set off thither- 

 ward with my friend the Rev. H.'E. Lowe, of Atherstone, 

 who is an enthusiastic admirer of ferns. We started from 

 Shrewsbury by an excursion train, which afforded us a four 

 days' trip, at 8.30 A.M., to Ruabon, thence through the vale 

 of Llangollen to Corwen and the beautiful Lake of Bala, on- 

 ward to Dolgelly, which place we reached about noon. We 

 immediately took a car to Minfford, eight miles distant, pass- 

 ing the celebrated Torrent Walk into the Talyllyn pass, ter- 

 minated by its glittering lake. Minfford, or " the little inn 

 by the roadside," as the name signifies, was very convenient 

 for our purpose, being situated close under Llyn Cae, the great 

 feature of this southern side of Cader Idris. Here we found 

 everything clean and comfortable, and the people attentive 

 and obliging. Being a splendid sunshiny evening, we deter- 

 mined at once to ascend into the cwm, and accordingly took 

 our path on the left side of the torrent brook which flows from 

 Llyn Cae. For the first few hundred yards upwards, the 

 ascent was steep and trying, but afterwards became most un- 

 expectedly easy ; and very shortly turning on the left, we at 

 once entered the cwm, which was a magnificent and extensive 

 grassy valley lying east and west. Proceeding westward by 

 the brook-side, over the gradually inclined grassy slopes and 

 moraines, we eventually reached the lake. The grandeur and 

 sublimity of this wild solitude are beyond all adequate descrip- 

 tion. The large lake, with its deep black waters surrounded 

 on all sides by towering precipices rising from its very mar- 

 gins, the strata of the rocks upheaved into perpendicular posi- 

 tions, the enormous hollow cwm scooped out by former glacial 

 action, the rapid alternations of light and shade ever hurrying 

 over the escarpments, the light floating mists like a filmy 

 veil rolling over the summits, and the solemn stillness un- 

 broken only by the plash of the lake or the occasional cries of 

 the buzzard and raven — altogether impress the mind in a 

 manner not easily to be erased. We passed entirely round the 

 lake, and descended about 8 p.m. to Minftord. 



During the progress I gathered Lecidea rivulosa, Ach., 

 Lecidea contigua, Ach., in various states, L. jfhceojysj Nyl., L. 



