85. CYPEEACE.E. 127 



1243. Carex capillaeis, Linn. 



Ai-ea * * * * [5] * * * * 10 11 * 13 * 15 * 17 18. 



South, limit in York, Durham, Dumfries ? 



North limit in Shetland ? Sutherland, Eoss. 



Estimate of provinces 6. Estimate of counties 10. 



Latitude 54 — 61. Highland tj^pe of distribution. 



A. A. regions. Superagrarian — Midarctic zones. 



Descends to the coast level, in North Highlands. 



Ascends to 900 yards, in East Highlands. 



Range of mean annual temperature 46 — 38. 



Native. Eupestral. Among the ten counties recorded 

 for this species, one may be summarily rejected, that of 

 Hereford ; and two others should be verified by the eyes 

 and knowledge of a second botanist, or indirectly confirm- 

 ed by the discovery of neighbouring habitats. Mr. Wil- 

 liam Stevens records (Ph}i;ol. iii. 392) that lie found C. 

 capillaris " on the top of a hill near Hartfell, in company 

 with C. atrata." The two species are unlikely to be con- 

 fused with any other British Carices, and the alleged sta- 

 tion is not so unlOiely as to warrant its rejection, although 

 some degree of uncertainty may be allowed still to attach 

 thereto. The other habitat, that of Shetland, might seem 

 quite as probable in itself; but it is subject to collateral 

 reasons for doubt; namely, the absence of the species fi-om 

 the lists for Faroe and Orkney, and the sole authority for 

 it in Shetland, being the testimony of a youthful botanist, 

 who was hasty and self-confident in his decisions, and who 

 has pubHshed various very suspicious stations elsewhere. 

 To the six counties above mentioned those of Perth, For- 

 far, and Aberdeen may be added, as being quite certain. 



