84 Scottish and Skandinavian Floras. By Dr Stuart. 



Trientalis Europaa, Actcea spicata, Rhodiola rosea, Sedum annuum 

 and other well-known alpines. Struthiopteris Germanica and 

 Woodsia Ilvensis were the two best ferns obtained, and both grew 

 everywhere. After a rough scramble we returned to Odde, 

 which we reached early in the evening. A bouquet of green oats, 

 rye, mountain-ash berries, and native grasses in the middle of the 

 dinner table was no doubt placed there to astonish the botanists, 

 and seemed somehow to accord with the wild surroundings of 

 the place. The Buarbrce glacier is a beaul if ul object with none 

 of the fearful crevasses which are encountered in the Mer de glace 

 in Switzerland. The ascent from the blue arch is very steep, 

 and as stones come rattling over the edge of the glacier, loosened 

 by the heat of the sun, it is well to give a good wide berth to 

 its margin. 



After a night's rest wo were early astir in a native steamer 

 for Eide, situated on the Hardanger, en route for Vik, which we 

 intended to make our headquarters for a few days. Eide is a 

 most charming place with several fine hotels. It is on the post- 

 ing route to Yossvangen, and cavalcades of carrioles wait on the 

 pier to convey tourists to their destination. On arrival we 

 changed our baggage to the Vik boat, and began on board to 

 arrange our plants which had not been looked at since we left 

 the glacier. The steamer's deck was littered with our debris, 

 but the sailors only looked and laughed. Being moored along- 

 side the quay, we went out and into the vessel when we liked. 

 A fine wooded mountain side came right down to the water's 

 edge. I made several raids up the rocky and moss-grown faces 

 of this hill close to the quay, getting quantities of Woodsia Ilvensis, 

 Asplenium TricJwmanes, Calamintha Acinos, C. clinopodium, 

 Silene rupesiris, etc., etc. After luncheon at the Eide hotel 

 (Mcelands) we sallied out for a short excursion, following the 

 course of the fine trout stream on the Voss road, till we arrived 

 at a point where it left the lake, about two miles off. Crossing 

 a wooden bridge to the left, we made for a birch wood where 

 many moss-grown boulders had fallen from above, and seemed 

 to invite inspection. Huge masses of rock, piled one upon 

 another in the wildest confusion, afforded a shelter to a wonder- 

 ful Alpine Flora. Linncea lorealis was trailing all over the place. 

 Actcea spicata in fine fruiting condition, was plentiful ; its rich 

 black berries making the plant very striking looking. It grows 

 in Yorkshire and north of England, but is nowhere in this 



