ON THE PLANT REMAINS IN THE SCOTTISH PEAT MOSSES. 339 



(3) Western Region of the Basaltic Plateau. 



Peat is generally distributed over the moorland lying to the east of Loch Bracadale. 

 The country here consists of small basaltic plateaux — the edges scarped to the depth of 

 12 or 15 feet, with the intervening small flat valleys thickly covered with peat. The 

 basaltic terraces or plateaux are generally pasture-clad, whilst the intervening peaty 

 areas are covered with a vegetation in which Scirpus csespitosus is the dominant plant, 

 with Eriophorum vaginatum, stunted Calluna vulgaris, Erica Tetralix, and Drosera 

 longifolia. 



The basal layer of the peat in this district, like that examined at other points in 

 Skye, contains the remains of birch wood, and in no place does any bed of a different 

 character occur below this. 



A series of borings were taken just between An Cleireach and Mullach Glen 

 Ullinish, at an elevation of about 130 feet above O.D., the depth of the peat varying 

 here from 12 to 18 feet. All the borings showed a thick bed of Betula alba at the 

 base of the peat, resting upon stiff blue clay, containing many small stones. A more 

 detailed examination of the character of the peat was made by means of sections, and in 

 all cases the sequence of the beds was as follows : — 



1. Scirpus and Sphagnum peat, with slight traces of Calluna and Erica Tetralix, L. 



2. Scirpus peat, with a considerable amount of Phragmites communis, Trim, and 

 Equisetum, sp. 



3. A well-defined layer of Betula alba, none of the branches exceeding 4 or 5 inches 

 in diameter. In the upper part of this zone Corylus Avellana, L., is nearly as 

 abundant as the birch, the nuts being exceedingly well preserved, but the lower layers 

 contain only birch and Alnus glutinosa, Gaetr. 



This basal woodland bed varies from 1 to as much as 6 or 7 feet in thickness. 

 Attention might be called to the close agreement in sequence and general character 

 between these beds and those described last year from the Kirkcudbrightshire mosses 

 lying at 100-300 feet (3). 



The peat over this district being generally deep and very wet, borings in many cases 

 had to be resorted to. A large number were made through 14-30 feet of peat, and the 

 same features were in every case observed — a thick basal layer of Betula alba, L. , over- 

 laid by the remains of moorland plants. Eight borings were taken from near the head 

 of Osedale, at 250 feet above O.D., through 17 feet of peat, and a thick deposit of fine 

 sand more than 9 feet in depth. The upper 2 inches of this deposit was greyish in 

 colour, the material below this light yellow, and quite free from grit or stones. Several 

 minute seeds, which, so far, have not been identified, were washed out of this 

 material. 



The several areas examined in Skye last year agree in all essential features. That 

 the peat in North Uist also shows the same features is noteworthy, and in striking con- 

 trast to the history of the peat in the North-East Highlands. 



