32 
PROCEEDINGS OE THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
picturesque Comrie hills, beyond which a wide extent of 
lowland country, reaching to the Sidlaws, was visible ; to 
the south, Ben Ledi and the Braes of Balquhidder; and 
behind a wide-stretching array of great peaks and mighty 
bens, from Ben More, close at hand, to Glen Coe, in the 
distance, made up a landscape to be long treasured in the 
memory. 
The excursion ended at Lochearnhead Station, from 
which the party proceeded homewards, delighted with the 
pleasant ramble over the heather and amongst the rocks of 
Craig ma Grianich, 
August 11th. 
3. To Farragon , near Aberfeldy. 
The party was conducted by the Rev. Mr M‘Lean, 
minister of Grantully; the geology being demonstrated 
by Dr Geikie, President of the Society; while Colonel 
Drummond Hay and Dr Buchanan White pointed out the 
more interesting zoological and botanical objects. 
To allow as much time as possible for exploration, a 
start was made by the 6. 50 A. M. train for Grantully, from 
which the ascent of the hill was commenced. Amongst 
the less common plants noticed during the first part of the 
ascent were the somewhat local Pield Chamomile (An- 
themis arvensis), Campanula latifolia, a kind of wild 
Canterbury Bell with large blue flowers, and the Great 
Mullein ( Verbascum thapsus), with its handsome spike (2-3 
feet long) of yellow flowers. After passing the higher- 
lying cultivated fields, some of the boulders lying beside 
the rough road attracted attention. One of these was 
found to consist almost entirely of the ore of some metal, 
probably zinc and copper, mixed with mica, and forming 
very handsome “specimens.” Soon after this the open 
moor was reached, and the plants peculiar to such situa¬ 
tions began to appear. Amongst others were noticed the 
Frog Orchis (Habenaria viridis), a not very common 
plant ; the Field Gentian (Gentiana campestris); the 
upland variety of the pretty little Eyebright (Euphrasia 
officinalis, var. gracilis) ; the Round-leaved Sundew 
[Drosera rotundifolia), and many others. 
After crossing a wide moor of heather, Loch Derculich, 
a rather considerable sheet of water, 1500 feet above sea- 
level, and famous for its stock of fish, was reached. Here 
it was expected that some interesting water-plants might 
be found, but the expectation was vain. The only plant 
of any interest that was noticed here was Veronica 
scutellata, a species by no means uncommon at a lower 
level. 
Loch Derculich, like most of the lakes in the Highlands, 
owes its origin to ice action, its bed having been scooped 
out by a glacier, the moraines or heaps of debris accumu¬ 
lated by which may be seen piled up all round it. From 
the loch Farragon lies in a north-westerly direction, and 
to it the party now made its way; but before reaching the 
steeper part of the hill, several “ finds ” were made. 
Amongst these were caterpillars of the Emperor moth 
(Saturnia carpini), a large moth, with beautifully varie¬ 
gated wings, ornamented with large eye-spots. The 
caterpillar is bright green, with rows of fascicles of short 
bristles of a pink colour, and much resembles a sprig of 
flowering heather. When about to assume the chrysalis 
state, it spins an egg-shaped cocoon, of which one end is 
open, but formed of converging bundles of stiff silk, 
which permits of egress for the moth, but not of entrance 
for any enemy. Inside this opening, a small cap of silk 
forms a further protection. Other captures were larvae of 
the Dark Tussock moth (Dasychira fascelina), and of the 
Oak Eggar (Bombyx quercus), which makes an egg-shaped 
cocoon of dark brown silk, and of close texture. 
On this part of the hill, as well as in some places near 
the loch, general admiration was elicited by the luxuriance 
and beauty of some large patches of heather. Some of 
these consisted of the Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix), 
the amount of blossom on which surpassed anything that 
any of the party had seen before, and which, while 
forming conspicuous objects at a considerable distance, 
scented the air with their fragrance. 
Farragon proper was now reached, and the steep part of 
the ascent begun. The hill, whose name signifies the 
wart-like hill (the appropriateness of which must strike 
every one who has seen it), is very steep and rocky. On 
reaching the rocks a careful search was made for the 
alpine plants which might be expected to occur at this 
altitude (upwards of 2000 feet), but these were found to 
be few in number. Amongst those that were observed 
were Saxifraga slellaris and S. liypnoides, with white 
flowers ; S. aizoides, with yellow flowersand 5. oppositi- 
folia, with purple flowers ; Thalictrum alpinum, Oxyria 
reniformis, Gnaphalium supinum, &c. Close to the very 
top of the hill, a patch of the Moonwort Fern ( Botrychium 
lunaria) was found. 
Having arrived at the top, a little time was spent in 
admiring the grand view which extended on all sides, em¬ 
bracing the Fifeshire Lomonds, Sidlaws, Ocbils, Cairn- 
