ON THE PLANT REMAINS OF THE SCOTTISH PEAT MOSSES. 



801 



seeds. The place where this section was taken is shown by PL II. fig. 4. The surface 

 of the peat is much denuded, but the total depth in the section reached 12-14 feet. 



9 feet 



3-6 inches. 



A. Recent peat . 



B. Second arctic bed . 



C. Eriophorum-Sphagnum 



D. Forest zone . 



E. Carex peat 

 Sand. 



1 foot. 



2 feet. 

 1 foot. 



A. Although it is impossible to separate this stratum into two zones, yet the upper 

 portion differs considerably from the lower. The upper layers are much decomposed, but 

 most of the material is formed of Scirpus csespitosus, Sphagnum sps. , and Eriophorum 

 vaginatum. The lower layers are made up of Calluna vulgaris, much Potentilla tor- 

 mentilla, with a small amount of Eriophorum vaginatum. No sharp separation can be 

 distinguished between these two zones, and one appears to merge gradually into the other. 



B. A thin stratum, but readily recognisable in the field by the abundance of Betula 

 nana and stems of creeping willow. The plant remains include the following species : — 



Lychnis diurna (?) (scarce). 

 Potentilla tormentilla (scarce). 

 Empetrum nigrum (abundant). 

 Betula nana (abundant). 

 Salix herbacea (abundant). 

 <S'. reticulata (abundant). 



Scirpus Garicis, Retz. (scarce). 

 Carex flava (1 nutlet). 

 C. frigida, All. (3 fruits). 

 Carex sp. (1 nutlet). 

 Potamogeton natans (scarce). 

 Litorella lacudris (2 seeds). 



C. The peat is much compressed, and no other plant remains were recognisable 

 except Eriophorum vaginatum and Sphagnum. 



D. The peat is crowded with wood and bark and the epidermis of Gramineee. The 

 following plants were noted in this stratum : — - 



Ranunculus hederaceus. 



R. Lingua. 



R. flammula. 



R. acris. 



R. repens. 



Viola hirta (seeds). 



Lychnis diurna 1 (seeds plentiful). 



Hypericum pulchrum (seeds not abundant). 



Montia fontana (seeds very abundant). 



Potentilla Fragariastrum (a few achenes). 



Pyrus Aucuparia (wood and twigs). 



Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi (1 seed). 



Galamintha officinalis (nutlets). 



Ajuga reptans (nutlets). 



Myrica Gale (twigs). 



Alnus glutinosa (wood and catkins). 



Betula verrucosa, Ehrh. (wood, seeds, and catkin 



scales). 

 Carex paniculata (very abundant). 

 Carex sp. 

 Osmunda regalis (sporangia). 



From the quantity of Montia fontana, the spot where this section was taken was 

 probably crossed by a small stream during the Lower Forest period. 



E. Very hard, dry peat, almost like lignite. The only plant obtained in 1|- lbs. of 

 material examined in the laboratory was one Carex nutlet and fungal hyphse. The peat 

 rests upon a level floor of fine grey sand 2 inches deep, underlaid by boulder clay. 



Several other sections were taken up to an altitude of 700 feet on Sandness Hill, 

 and these all showed the forest bed. In most cases, however, an arctic bed similar to 



TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. XLVIT. PART IV. (NO. 26). 117 



