THE IIIVER DEE. 
555 
Ranunculus auricomus and Sanicula europcea, and is a 
favourite resort of the few botanophilists of the neighbour- 
ing city, whose enthusiasm is such as not to be overcome by 
a waik of half-a-dozen miles. Opposite this place is a good 
deal of Primula veris, a rare plant in the north of Scotland, 
together with Orchis mascula ; and Teesdalia nudicaulis 
and Arenaria rubra are of frequent occurrence. Fumaria 
clamculata, Leontodon palustre^ and Trientalis europcEa, 
are not rare ; and on the heaths Orchis conopsea, O. bifb- 
lia, O. latifolia^ and O. maculata^ are abundant. 
As we approach the Bridge of Dee, sylvan vegetation 
dwindles away to a few miserable alders, and beyond this 
there is not even a willow to hide the nakedness of the 
banks ; nor along the remaining part of the river do we 
find that variety of herbaceous vegetation which occurs in 
many parts of the surrounding country. The more re- 
markable plants which are seen below the bridge are, Alis- 
ma Plafitago^ Ranunculus sceleratus, Plantago maritima, 
P. coronopus, and Cochlearia officinalis. The last species 
brings us to the mud of the harbour of Aberdeen. 
At the mouth of the river, we have on the one hand an 
expanse of sandy shore, stretching along the coast for many 
miles, and on the other a low rocky shore extending south- 
ward to Stonehaven. The former presents nothing of pe- 
culiar interest. The latter in its coves and clefts affords 
a considerable variety of the plants peculiar to such situa- 
tions, among which Geraiiium sanguineum and Astragalus 
hypoglottis are distinguished. 
Looking back upon our course, we have the Dee, rapid and 
clear, flowing in a bed of pebbles, at first enclosed by low 
rounded eminences, as far as Upper Banchory, where the 
hills are more elevated, then appearing in a large irregular 
plain, and expanding into a broad pebbly channel, or wear- 
ing its way into the vast heaps of granitic diluvium, of 
