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Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [Sess. 
island owes a good deal of its plant-covering to lichens, of which the following 
species are the most conspicuous : — Ramalina polymorpha, both large and 
small forms, R. scopulorum, and Alectoria jubata are all abundant, especially 
on cliffs and the vertical sides of rocks, from which they hang in profusion. 
Parmelia saxatilis, Cetraria aculeata, and Sphserophoron coralloides cover 
rocks that are beyond the influence of the sea spray Amphiloma lanugin- 
osum is abundant in shady corners about the rocks and cliffs, and Peltigera 
polydactyla occurs amongst rough grass, but is not abundant. 
As would be inferred from the nature of the environment, Hepaticse .are 
scarce. Lophocolea bidentata occurs about pools and other damp places, 
and in the cave. Jungermannia ventricosa grows in damp places below 
rocks, but is not abundant ; Nardia scalaris, growing with Cephalozia Starkii, 
also Lunularia vulgaris and Conocephalus conicus, carpet the sides of the 
cave. Mosses are of much more frequent occurrence. Grimmia maritima 
and Webera nutans are common on rocks ; a form of the latter species was 
also fairly abundant. Respecting it, Mr H. N. Dixon, to whom a specimen 
was submitted, writes as follows : — “ It is a form or variety which I have 
gathered once or twice, usually in mountainous country, and it comes near 
the mountain form which I have referred to in the Handbook [of British 
Mosses], 2nd edition, as like W. commutata.” Polytrichum Juniperinum 
occurs in scattered patches all over the island. Mnium hornum, Ambly- 
stegium serpens, and Eurhynchium prselongum are all common in damp 
places throughout the island.* 
The only ferns observed were Asplenium marinum, which grows 
sparingly about the cliffs and in the cave, and A. Ruta-muraria, which is 
very scarce. Excluding weeds in the cultivated spots and on ground 
adjacent to them, the most abundant Phanerogams are as follows : — 
Ranunculus repens, very common ; R. aquatilis, rather dwarf specimens in 
some of the pools ; Cochlearia officinalis, very abundant in places ; several 
variations occur in accordance with the environment, and in the cave there 
is a very slender and somewhat pellucid form ; Cerastium tetrandrum, 
scarce ; C. triviale, very abundant ; Stellaria media, common near the 
houses, on rubbish-heaps, etc. ; Silene maritima, very abundant, and in the 
cave there is a very long-leaved form ; Sagina apetala, common ; Potentilla 
anserina and P. tormentilla, both abundant ; Sedum anglicum, very 
abundant about the rocks (fig. 124) ; Callitriche verna and C. stagnalis, both 
* Since the above was written, Mr William Evans has published his observations on 
the Bryophytes of the Isle of May, the specimens having been collected there at various 
times from 1885 to 1908. He mentions 18 species of mosses and 7 hepatics, most of which 
are very scarce. — Trans, and Proc. Bot. Soc. Edin ., 1908, vol. xxiii., part iv., pp. 348-351. 
