lviii PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
Hoole is a variety of O. latifolia , and according to others a variety of 
O. maculata. Though closely allied to these, I think its identity with 
either of them has yet to be proved. 
After exploring a wood without much profit we arrived at Wood- 
burnhead, where a large bed of the introduced species Rumex alpinus 
attracted attention. Hence we passed on to Kinnaird Castle, but had 
no time to linger further than to secure some specimens of Mentha 
sylvestris , which is common beside a stream. Between Kinnaird and 
Inchture the abundant occurrence of the Common Reed (Pliragmites) 
in the corn-fields indicates very plainly the former condition of this 
part of the Carse of Gowrie. These reeds stop abruptly where the 
slopes of the hills rise from the level ground—that is to say, more 
than three miles from the present course of the river. We arrived at 
Inchture just in time to catch the train for Perth, and thus ended a 
long and not particularly productive excursion. 
The next excursion on the list was on the 6th of July, and the 
place to be visited was Glengarry, near Bankfoot. By common con¬ 
sent, however, we determined to visit Ben Laoigh, near Tyndrum, in¬ 
stead. The usual way of going to Ben Laoigh is to start from Tyn¬ 
drum, but by arrangement with the railway company the train was 
stopped about eight miles beyond Tyndrum, on the west or Argyle- 
shire side of the hill. We were rather unfortunate in weather, the hill 
being clothed in mist, which made it difficult to find the most pro¬ 
ductive line of rocks. 
Ben Laoigh is a hill for which I have a particular regard since it 
was discovered—in a botanical sense—by Colonel Drummond Hay 
and myself many years ago. Since then it has often been visited by 
botanists. 
One of the best accounts of its botany—taken in relation to the 
geology—is by Mr. G. C. Druce in a recent number of the Journal of 
Botany. As this is in the library I need only notice some of the 
more interesting plants observed by us during the excursion. 
One of the most charming features of this excursion was the abund¬ 
ance in flower of certain rare and beautiful Perthshire plants. Of 
these the most notable was Pyrola rotundifolia —a species not gathered 
before by any of us—whose spikes, of handsome flowers adorned 
the rocks in many places. But the most beautiful sight was afforded 
by Dryas octopetala —a creeping shrub with large white blossoms— 
which is very common on Ben Laoigh. In several spots the preci¬ 
pices were richly clothed with this lovely plant in full flower, with 
here and there clusters of the Pyrola rising through it, or masses 
of the yellow Globe Flower, making the whiteness of the Dryas more 
white by the contrast—the whole half hidden half revealed in the 
shifting mists. 
Amongst other plants obtained were Arahis petrcea (the only 
Perthshire locality for it), Pyrola secunda , Kobresia caricina , Carex 
pulla , C. vaginata , &c. A feature of the botany of the hill is the 
abundance of the pretty alpine willow Salix Arbuscula. 
On the 20th of July we were favoured with very good weather for 
the Mountain Club excursion. The place selected was Meall Chuirn, 
a hill, 3,007 feet in height, in the range dividing Glen Dochart from 
