114 



The ^J aturalist, 



Hormiscia zonata. As we got further up the glen, near the foot of 

 Ben y Gloe, we gathered Neckera crispa, Bartramia CEderi, Barbula 

 tortuosa, Distichium capillaceum, Gymnostomum rupestre, Didymodon 

 rubellus, var. ruberrimus, Grimmia torquata, Zieria julacea, Nostoc 

 rupestre, FruUania Tamarisci, Andresea petrophila, Grimmia conferta, 

 Hypnum revolvens, H. scorpioides, Cylindrcthecium concinnum, 

 Sphagnum rubellum, and Cetraiia islandica. As we thought we saw 

 a likely place for Polystichum Lonchitis, w^e commenced a hunt for it, 

 but failed to find it ; but noticed some line specimens of P. lonchiti- 

 dioides, Polj^odium Dryopteris, Vaccinium Vitis-idtea in profuse flower, 

 and an abundance of Epilobium angustifolium, which ascended a long 

 way up the sides of the hills. We again regaled ourselves with rasp- 

 berries, and then gathered some good fruiting Blindia acuta, after 

 which we undressed and refreshed ourselves in the river Tilt. After 

 running about in the sun till we were dry, we dressed, and began to won- 

 der whether we had crossed " the ford we had certainly crossed many 

 rills, but had seen no " dangerous " ones. We felt refreshed consider- 

 ably by our ablution, and hastened on, when we soon arrived at the 

 ford," We now realised that this crossing would be very dangerous 

 at times, but, with care, we could see no present danger. We gathered 

 fruiting specimens of Saxifraga oppositifolia, Plagiothecium pulchellum, 

 Pterigy nan drum filiforme, var. heteropterum, and many other good 

 things. We took off our boots and stockiDgs, and adopted other 

 precautions to avoid getting wet, and then began to ford the stream, 

 which we found a difficult task, with bare feet on boulders well 

 covered with slippery algae. I got safely across, and sat down just in 

 time to roar with laughter at my unfortunate companion, who had 

 slipped down and was enjoying C?) a second bath with most of his clothes 

 on j the rest were slung over his arm, and got a dip. He began to 

 investigate his misfortunes, and found out that the worst of all was the 

 saturation of his folios of bibulous paper, containing some nearly dry 

 phanerogams. We soon arrived at the watershed, and began to 

 sketch, but we were so worried by gnats that we soon desisted, and 

 pushed on, endeavouring to get some lunch, but the gnats settled down 

 on our hands, face, and victuals in such quantities, that my legs 

 carried me away from the spot at a full run, and I left my companion 

 to finish his meal of cheese-and-bread and gnats. When he overtook 

 me his neck and face seemed to be afflicted with a severe attack of 

 urticaria. We now gazed on the the majestic Cairngorm range, and 

 anticipated a closer acquaintance with it on the morrow\ We reached 

 Inverey at 10-30 p.m.. and succeeded in getting accommodation in » 



