CXXX PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
The last excursion which I shall record took place on 12th 
September, when we paid a visit to Ben Vrackie. Near Moulin 
Ribes alpinum is abundant in a hedge, but has no pretentions to be 
considered wild. At the base of Ben Vrackie Hippuris vulgaris is 
common. On the Ben itself we were glad to see that the Astragalus 
alpinus and Oxytropis uralensis have not appreciably diminished in 
quantity. In connection with these rare plants it may be remarked 
that they seem to be confined to the neighbourhood of a trap dyke 
which bursts through the Highland schists on this hill. On the 
same dyke Sagina subulata , a plant which in Perthshire has a great 
fondness for trap rocks, occurs. 
Although these are the chief excursions which have been made, 
they are not the only ones which have resulted in increasing our 
knowledge of the botany of Perthshire. In addition to what has 
been done by members of the Society, some of our English friends 
have accomplished good work in the exploration of our hills. 
Amongst the discoveries made by them the most interesting is the 
finding of Carex alpina —hitherto confined in Britain to one locality 
in Forfarshire and another in Aberdeenshire—by the Messrs. Groves 
in Glenlyon. In the same glen the Messrs. Linton have discovered 
a second locality for Carex ustulata , and increased our knowledge 
of the botany of several out-of-the-way hills. 
I may here take the opportunity of calling attention to the fact 
that it is possible that Eriophoriun alpinum may grow on or near 
Craig Cailleach. Mr. A. Bennet, of Croydon, sent for my inspection 
a specimen which is said to have been gathered there by Mr. Stans- 
field about twenty years ago, but which was not recognised at the 
time. 
One feature of the year has been the sudden appearance in 
several parts of the county of Linaria viscida (minor). A few years 
ago we found one or two plants of this Linaria at Invergowrie 
Station, but this season it has been observed not only at that place 
in abundance, but also at the following railway stations or sidings :—• 
Barnhill, Methven, Strathord, and Stanley. By what means it spreads 
is at present a mystery. 
Before concluding, I would like to call attention to a short but 
interesting address given at the opening of one of the numerous 
flower shows which are held all over the country every autumn. 
Part of the address in question was devoted to historical botany, the 
speaker alluding to the fact that some of our flowers were brought 
into this country long ago. Amongst the examples given are the 
following—“ the honeysuckle which adorns our hedges and gardens 
was brought from China a couple of hundred years ago, and from the 
Cape a hundred years ago;” “the hawthorn crossed the Atlantic from 
America two hundred years ago, as did the snowdrop shortly before 
the American Revolution; ” and “ one would think that the foxglove 
was the product of our land also, but it came from the Canary 
Islands two hundred years ago.” Now what are the facts? The 
honeysuckle “ which adorns our hedges ” must of course be the wild 
honeysuckle, Lonicera Periclymemtm , and far from having been intro¬ 
duced from China, it does not occur in that country, being confined, 
