68 Report of Meetings for 1890. By Dr J. Hardy. 



southern hills in sharply cut outlines aud wearing their gloomy 

 rain-foreboding robes, came out in all their plenitude of aspects, 

 and although scarcely majestic, forming at least a solemn and 

 impressive group, continually varying as we approached them, 

 now revealed and gradually withdrawn. At one view or other 

 we saw Leap Hill, the Maiden Paps, Greatnioor Fell, Cauldcleugh 

 Fell, Tudhope Fell, and Skelfhill Pen. Before reaching Lang- 

 burn iShiels, a small waterfall hidden in a gorge by its black 

 rocky walls interrupts the persevering flow of the Slitrig. It is 

 called Yaud Linn from a rock (trap or basalt?) resembling an 

 old horse lying across the stream. Graptolites have occurred in 

 black Silurian shales here. The course of the Catrail was 

 pointed out by our Hawick friends. 



The journey was stayed at Eobert's Linn Bridge, and the 

 horses and cai-riages were sent back to Langburu Shiels. From 

 the bridge we could perceive that the slopes of some of the hisj:her 

 hills were diversified with great beds of brackens, especially on 

 the Leap Hill and the Paps. While some preferred to ascend to 

 the Limekiln Edge by the Hermitage and Castleton road, the 

 main company betook themselves to explore the gap down which 

 rushed the stream that forms Robert's ]jinn, which opens out at 

 a short distance from the main road. It is a rough cavity with 

 its sides very uneven, and where not grassy, composed of a some- 

 what craggy crumbling reddish sandstone. Although forbidding 

 looking, by holding on with the hands it is surmountable at all 

 points. The eastern side was first assailed. Although water 

 here and there trickled down from the bogs behind, the Flora 

 was mainly Xerophilous. The Lichens and Mosses were passed 

 over, except that Hypnum commutatum happened to be picked. 

 There was a sprinkling of dwarf Ivy here and there ; but the 

 only bush was a Mountain Ash near the waterfall ; and examples 

 of Salix aurita and *S'. repens were noted. There was much Wild 

 Thyme, Lot%^ corniculatus, the common Blue Bell, chance Fox- 

 gloves, Eyobright, Wild Strawberry, Hypericum pulchrum^ and 

 Lady's Mantle. In the moister spots were Bog Thistles, Cardans 

 heterophyllus, Ragged Robin, j/Jquisetum arvense, Angelica sylvestris, 

 Queen of the Meadow, Orchis latifolia, Butterwort, Grass of 

 Parnassus. The Wood-rush grew in tufta among the shady rocks 

 along with Cow Parsnip, and JELieracium sylvaticum. This pro- 

 bably was a fair representation of the ordinary Flora. But 

 rarer plants had been marked by others. In the Hawick Trans- 



