Shippatk Dean. By Dr Charles Stuarfc. 189 



nest, which, contained four very brown eggs, but none of those 

 of the Cuckoo. The structure of the nest was a marvel of skill, 

 built among the roots of the purple heather, and so carefully 

 concealed. The Petty Whin, Genista anglica was the only notice- 

 able plant on the moor. The Purple Heather was in fine flower, 

 and where it grow in mass, was of a glowing red. On attaining 

 the summit, we looked into E. Lothian. The monument at the 

 G-arleton Hills, North Berwick Law, Thurston Woods, the farms 

 of the Brunt, Pathhead, etc., being all in view. The weather 

 on both occasions was perfect ; the sun lighting up the landscape, 

 which to the north was very rich and finely wooded. In the 

 Cauldburn cleugh, splendid specimens of Carex laevigata (smooth 

 stalked Sedge), were obtained from a moist rock face ; the 

 Cistopteris fragilis (Brittle Bladder Fern) and Lastrea oreopteris 

 (Mountain Fern) being in profusion ; and the Wild Poses and 

 Sloe bushes clothed the upper banks. Coming down on the road 

 from Innerwick to Aikengall, we held to the right behind the 

 shepherd's house, and on attaining the summit, we came down on 

 the lower end of Shippath dean. Scrambling down, we followed 

 the burn running through it, as far as we could get, gathering 

 Vicia sykatica, the Wood Vetch, of a beautiful pale flesh colour. 

 On the sea braes the flowers have never the same tint. All up 

 this ravine it hangs in masses over the scaurs, covered with its 

 delicate pink flesh-coloured flowers. These masses constantly 

 occur, and with the luxuriance of the ferns the contrast is very 

 striking. The stream is bordered by very steep rocky banks 

 clothed with greenery, quantities of the Cistopteris, with fronds 

 of unusual size ; Asp. aculeatum var. lonchitidoides, with long 

 narrow prickly fronds resembling the Holly Fern ; the Oak 

 Fern ( P.dryopteris) drooping towards the water ; Geranium Roberti- 

 anum, and Lychnis vespertina, and dioica, and other common 

 plants adding the brighter colours in fine contrast. Near the 

 lower waterfalls there are splendid fronds of the Oak Fern. 

 Progress is not easily made here, the sides of the dean being 

 perpendicular, and the bed of the stream the only path. Re- 

 tracing our steps we scrambled to the summit, and after walking 

 for a short distance again descended to the stream, which we 

 followed without difficulty nearly to its head. On the mossy 

 banks a profusion of Myosotis sykatica, wood Forget-me-not, blue, 

 white, and pink in colour, was met with. On the right-hand 

 side of the stream Melica nutans (Mountain Mclic Grass), was in 



