i^:;^^^! 
1 
THE BOTANICAl FEATURES OP THE SIDES OF LOCH NESS. 
and trunks of the -wild Ash, the Oak, and the Hawthorn. The deohvities of the hills ahove us 
covered with thick woods of the same trees, intermingled with the Hazel ; the ahrupt crags wave with 
the stately foliage of the pm-ple Fox-glove : the intervening spaces of green sward are filled with twining 
hranches of the white and red Dog Rose, in contrast with the yellow Honeysuckle. Here, then, the 
botanist should begin his researches ; and now I shall proceed to detail his probable success. 
To facihtate the recollection and comprehension of the various plants which occupy the margins 
of the lake, I shall separate them into fom- divisions, which have corresponding natui-al positions, and 
are characteristic of the actual appearances of the coimtry ; fii'st, I shall detail those which compose 
and grow under the natural woods and copses ; secondly, those which appear in the open heaths and 
pastui'es ; thh'dly, the Orchidese, which are common to both these divisions ; and lastly, those which 
grow along the margin of the lake and its adjoining low grounds. 
That these di\'isions fi-equently become confused and pass into one another there can be no doubt ; 
but the distribution, though somewhat arbitrary, I have found to be extremely useful, and within 
certain general limits, I have httle hesitation in saying that it will be found correct. But there is a 
subject — the disti-ibution of our Highland, and especially our Alpine plants — which I must decUue 
entering upon at present, as I intend, if possible, to rccm- to it hereafter. The rocks of the district, I 
may premise, are Gneiss and Granite, -with Old Red Sandstone, hardened and altered by the igneous 
masses below. 
I. — Pl.«jts geowi>'g in the Wooded Stations adjoining Loch Ness. 
I'iiius sylvestrk. Scotch Fir. — A great deal of this 
wood has been planted in the ueighbomhood of Inver- 
ness. It is generally allowed a growth of twenty to 
forty years, and then cut down for props for the 
English coal-mines. The native timber is used in cai- 
penter work, and is nearly equal to the Baltic or Ameri- 
can. The forests and plantations are rather dark and 
sombre, and too uniform in colour, but this is changing 
now, as the Highland lairds ai-e beginning to mix in 
with the Fir, Larch and hard woods. Formerly it was 
imagined that no other tree but the Scotch Fh would 
grow on our bills. 
Taxus batcata. Common Tew-ti-ee. — Near some 
old fanu-steadings I noticed several decaying stumps of 
this ti'ee, and one very large one at Knockj' is unques- 
tionably indigenous, and is known to have famished 
bows to the ancient Highlanders. 
Betula alha. Common Birch. — This elegant tree, inter- 
mixed with large specimens of its own beautiful variety, 
the 'Weeping Bhch, composes almost all the extensive 
woods on the sides of Loch Ness. Its height varies from 
four to twenty feet. It is employed in all kinds of do- 
mestic purposes ; its bark sells high for tanning, and in 
spring, its sap is collected for making a very agreeable 
kind of wine. In this district the dwarf or Alpine 
species — Betula nana — is rare, though more to the 
north, as in Eoss-shire, it is most abimdant. 
Almts gluUnosa. Common Alder. — Common in low 
and wet places ; it is much used iu the manufacture of 
cask staves. 
Pijrus Ancuparia. Moimtain Ash or Eoau Tree. — 
Both in flower and in fruit this plant with its pahn-Uke 
leaves is triily elegant. It occurs in considerable quan- 
tities, and its size is well iUusti-ated by those hanging 
over the Fall of Foyers. 
Cratngm Ox>jaeantlm. Hawthorn. — A spreading 
but rather dwai-flsh tree ; its tTvisted trunk, however, 
often attains a great thickness. 
Fraxinm excejsioi: Common Ash. — Most abun- 
dant, and undoubtedly native. It gi-ows generally in 
the crevices of steep rocks, extending its knotty roots 
and branches in curious and fantastic fonns. 
Populus tremula. Aspen or Quaking Ash. — One of 
our most interesting and beautiful trees. In shaded 
places, and on the banks of rivers it attains a great 
height ; but its thickness is small and unif orm, "When 
compared with the sturdy Oak and Fir, its proportions 
seem to resemble those of the deUcate Ionic column. 
Quercus Sobur. Oak. — On the bilVs it is neither 
large nor abundant, but in the lower slopes it occasion- 
ally rises boldly against the storm, either in detached 
ti'ees, or in close thickets. Enormous stems are found 
in the mosses, and under gravel beds. I have seen one 
trunk twenty-fom' feet in chcumference. 
Ilex AquifoUum. Holly. — A low, prickly, rounded 
bush, with generally one single stem shooting up from 
the centre. It is veiy abundant at the lower end of 
the Loch, and in many other parts of the Highlands. 
Ulmits campestrh and montana. Elm. — Sh "W. J. 
Hooker seems to have some doubts about this genus. 
Both of the species here put down, I am confident occur 
native on the banks of this lake. 
Corylus Avellana. Hazel Nut. — Extremely abim- 
dant, and the nuts of this district are much esteemed. 
Friinus Cerasm. Wild Cheny. 
PrumisFadus. Bird CheiTy. — Both of these species are 
very abundant on the banks of Loch Ness. The latter, in 
particular, which is a most lovely plant, is by no means 
rare in the Highlands, and it attains as large a size as 
the common cherry. 
Fniitus spinusa. Blackthorn or Sloe. — A hard, 
dwarfish, and very prickly shrub. 
Jimiperns communis. Juniper. — Common, though 
not so large as I have seen it in other districts, as on the 
banks of the Spey, where I have seen it ten feet high. 
Salix. "Willows. — Several species. 
Zoiiicera Pmichjmenum. Honeysuckle or "Woodbine. 
Mcdcra Sdix. Common Ivy. 
Yiburnmn Opnlus. Guelder Rose. — This beautiful 
shrub occurs not uncommonly on the banks of the Ness, 
and other neighbouring streams. It grows generally 
close by the Bird Cherry and Hazel. 
Rosa canina. Dog Rose. — Both varieties, the white 
and red, here attain the height of seven to ten feet. It 
stands either in sti-aight, detached bushes, or extends its 
long thorny branches among those of the Ivy and 
Woodbine. 
Eosa spinosissima. The Biumet, or true Scotch Rose. 
— An elegant and hardy httle plant, its tempting beauty 
generally waving in long horizontal festoons, on the 
most inaccessible rocks. Nothing can be more deUght- 
ful than the coast ride from Inverness, through Ross 
to Sutherlandshu-e, in the month of June ; almost all 
the banks on the road-side being hteraUy covered with 
the white flowers of this dwai-fish rose. 
Rosa tomentosa and vUlosa. — Not very common. 
Ribes nibrum, and R. Grossidaria. The Cmxant and 
Gooseberry. — I cannot determine whether the seeds of 
s 
