342 



MR FRANCIS J. LEWIS 



area investigated was small, yet it proved of interest, inasmuch as the peat there showed 

 many of the features described from the Easter Ross and Inverness-shire districts. 



The peat is developed on gently undulating moorland, and varies in depth from 

 5-12 feet. 



The upper forest zone, commonly represented in other Highland districts by Pinus 

 sijlvestris, is absent over some part of this area, but makes its appearance in the eastern 

 part of the district towards Morven and Ben Alisky. In some of the neighbouring 

 districts, however, Betula alba takes the place of Pinus sylvestris as the dominant tree. 



The first series of sections were taken at an altitude of 520 feet above O.D., and 

 showed the following plant beds : — 



Dominant Plant. 



1. Scirpus csespitosus, L. 



2. Betula alba, L. (trunks lying 30° S. of E.). 



3. Phalaris arundinacea, L. 



4. Sandy peat, containing the remains of Equisetum, 



sp. 



5. Coarse sand and angular stones. 



Accompanying Plants. 



1. Sphagnum, Calluna. 



2. Alnus glutinOsa, Gaertn., seeds of Menyanthes tri- 



foliata, L. (abundant). 



3. Phragmites communis, Trin. 



Three other sections were made near Lochan nam Breac at about 600 feet, 

 the following strata occurred : — 



Here 



Dominant Plant. 



1. Sphagnum. 



2. Betula alba, L. 



3. Phalaris arundinacea, L. 



4. Salix Arbuscula, L. A layer 18 ins. or 2 ft. in 



thickness, formed almost entirely of the stems 

 of this plant. 



5. Drift, formed of closely packed small angular 



granitic and schistose stones, with the inter- 

 stices filled with sand and grit. 



Accompanying Plants. 



1. Erica Tetralix, L., Scirpus, sp., Calluna vulgaris, L. 



2. Alnus glutinosa, Gaertn. 

 Menyanthes trifoliata, L. 



3. 



4. Potentilla Comarum, Nestl. 

 Viola palustris, L. 



o. 



Another series of sections taken on the north and east of Cnoc Beul na Faire — a 

 neighbouring hill, rising to 657 feet — showed the same sequence down to the base of 

 the Betula zone, — but underlaid, not by Salix Arbuscula, but by moss peat. The 

 remains were much decomposed, but apparently belonged to Polytrichum sp. 



The history of the peat in this district is clearly shown by the sections just described. 

 In some places the history of the peat goes so far back that the lowest layers contain 

 the remains of a shrubby sub-arctic flora, represented by the Salix Arbuscula layer. 

 Although this district only lies 400-500 feet above sea-level, it is interesting to find 

 the same dwarf willow bed present here as in the Inverness-shire and Easter Ross 

 districts lying at 1400-2000 feet, more particularly as Salix Arbuscula is now confined 

 to rock ledges in the Highlands and a few districts in the Southern Uplands. 



It is too early yet to say how far this layer extends over Caithness, but its occurrence 

 near Altnabreac is of some interest, and further work may show that it extends over a 



