OF PERTHSHIRE AND BRAEMAR. 321 



loose patches ; stems three or four inches in height^ elastic, 

 very robust ; foliage of a fine purplish-brown colour. D. 

 Starkii has the stem almost always decumbent at the base, 

 slender, usually about an inch in height, sometimes taller ; 

 foliage yellowish green. The fruiting- time also appears 

 to differ, as in the beginning of July, when D. Starkii was 

 in perfection, only very old capsules of D. arcticum were 

 to be found. D. arcticum has the leaf wider in the lower 

 part, and rather more suddenly contracted upwards than 

 D. Starkii, also a thinner nerve, and the alar cells usually, 

 but not always, more deeply coloured. The areolation is 

 the same in both species ; but D. arcticum has the leaves a 

 little more pellucid. The male flower is gemmiform, and 

 situated close to the base of the perichsetium in both species. 

 D. arcticum, however, has usually several perigonia. In 

 Z). Starkii they are usually solitary. Abundant on Ben- 

 mac-dhui and Ben Nevis. 



The preceding sketch of Braemar is necessarily incom- 

 plete, as I have explored but few of its many rich localities ; 

 but from the species I have indicated it will be seen how 

 entire is the change of the moss-flora from that of Perth- 

 shire, and that it will richly repay the naturalist who may 

 devote his time to its exploration, whilst the scenery around 

 him must excite his interest and admiration, and of itself 

 would amply repay him for a visit. 



SER. III. VOL. IV. 



