2y4 The Scottish Naturalist. 



tributaries, but a few are outcasts from gardens — some of them 

 naturalised in other places further up the river. Water has been 

 the chief and, perhaps, the only agent in stocking the island ; and 

 wind, except, perhaps, in carrying seeds into the water, has pro- 

 bably taken little part in the matter. At least this seems to be 

 the deduction to be drawn from the fact that though Tragopogon 

 pratensis — whose fruits are so readily carried by the wind — grows on 

 the high banks a few yards to the west of the island, the prevalent 

 west winds have apparently not succeeded in adding that species 

 to the flora. 



But whilst the flora is thus due to the river currents, yet these 

 have not brought all the species that might have been expected. 

 Several plants already pointed out as eminently characteristic of 

 the Tay shingles and stanirs appear not to occur on the Woody 

 Island, though they are to be found at no very great distance from 

 it. These are Lupinus perennis, Plantago maritima, and A r?neri i 

 maritima. That these species should be absent from a spot so 

 advantageously situated for catching everything that comes down 

 the river is rather puzzling. It is not improbable that they once 

 existed there, and that, having died out, they have not been as yet 

 re-introduced. 



In the fllora 50 natural orders and 176 genera are represented. 

 The species are as follows : — 



Thalictrum minus L. ; Anemone nemorosa L. ; Ranunculus 

 " aquatilis L." ; R. Flammula L. ; R. auricomus L. ; R. acris L.; 

 R. repens L. ; and R. Ficaria L. ; Caltha palustris L. ; and Trol- 

 lius europaeus L. 



Fumaria officinallis L. 



Nasturtium officinale Br. ; N. palustre D.C.; Barbarea vulgaris 

 Br. ; Cardamine amara L. ; C. pratensis L. ; C. hirsuta L. ; and 

 C. flexuosa With. 



Erophila vulgaris D.C. ; Sisymbrium Thalianum Gay ; S. offi- 

 cinale Scop, and S. Alliaria Scop. ; Brassica Sinapis Vis. and B. 

 alba Boiss. ; Capsella Bursa-pastoris Moench. ; Lepidium Smithii 

 Br. ; Raphanus Raphanistrum L. and — as a rare casual — Iberis 

 amara L. 



Viola palustris L. ; V. sylvatica Fr. ; V. canina L. ; and V. tri- 

 color L. 



Silene maritima With. ; Lychnis diurna Sibth. and L. Flos- 

 cuculi L. 



