PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. Cxliii 
way down the left bank of the river, as far as the Cauldron Linn, 
greatly admiring the varied scenery in passing—first the precipitous 
gorge at the Bridge, next the steep wooded and fern-clad banks, then 
the comparatively placid reaches of the stream, between meadows and 
patches of wooding, and, lastly, the wonderful rock structures of the 
Linn itself. Many interesting plants were observed, and the fungo- 
logists especially were kept busy in the moist woods on the banks of 
the river. At the Cauldron Linn the geological structure of this 
wonderful gorge was examined. A dyke of hard volcanic rock 
traverses the softer sandstone obliquely to the line of the stream, and 
forms a barrier which has with difficulty been cut through by the 
force of the water. Several gigantic pot-holes have been formed at 
this point. A little further up the stream the edges of the uptilted 
strata of the sandstone were seen in the bed of the river. 
Returning up the stream again, the magnificent crags below the 
Rumbling Bridge, and the rocks at the Devil’s Mill, were examined. 
Several photographs were taken, but unfortunately the light was far 
far from good. After tea at the Rumbling Bridge Hotel, the several 
sections returned to Edinburgh and Perth. 
10. September 20, Cryptogamic excursion to Battleby, conducted 
by Mr. James Menzies. 
By the kind permission of Mr. Archibald Coats, the Society was 
- able to hold a fungus foray in the grounds of Battleby. The party, 
which was a large one, travelled from Perth to Luncarty by the 
morning train. 
The woods around the mansion-house were first searched, and 
fungi proved very abundant under the pine trees, ranging in size 
from large specimens of Agaricus nebularis , Batsch., a foot across, to 
a. tiny Marasmiits , scarcely larger than a pinhead. A. inversus , Scop., 
A. appendiculatus, Bull, and A. purus, Pers., were particularly fine, 
and some enormous specimens of one of the parasol mushrooms, A. 
rachodcs, Vittad., were much admired. The universal veil in this 
species breaks up into broad concentric scales in a beautiful manner. 
A single plant of Clavaria abietina , Schum., was also found here. 
Before leaving this part of the estate, the fishing loch, constructed 
on the Shochie, was visited, and also the gardens, where a choice 
collection of herbaceous plants proved very interesting. 
The party then made their way to the plantation, on the left of 
the public road. Here the wood consists of oaks and birches, inter¬ 
spersed with a few beeches and Scots firs, and the character of the 
fungi proved altogether different from that of those found in the pine 
w r ood. Cantharellus cibarius , Fr., and Russula fellea, Fr., occurred 
in great troops, and were the predominant species, while on some 
prostrate oak branches Calocera cornea , Fr., was found growing. 
During the day a number of Myxomycetes were secured by one of 
the party specially interested in those obscure fungi. 
Although the district was unproductive of anything very rare, the 
day’s experience could hardly be considered conclusive of the nature 
•of the fungi of the locality, as the season, having been deficient in 
both heat and moisture, was quite adverse to the growth of fungi, and 
