112 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
fully bore out the statements he had made in his 
paper. 
June 30th. 
3. To Methven. 
To the student of Scottish botany the name of Methven 
Bog is, or ought to be, very familiar. It is here that the 
plant with the rather uncouth name of Scheuchzeria palus- 
tris is alone found in Scotland. We say “ rather uncouth 
name,” but as it commemorates the services to science of 
two Swiss botanists, the name is after all not unpleasing to 
the ear of a naturalist. But though Methven Bog is thus 
botanically famous, it is to the dwellers in its neighbour¬ 
hood altogether unknown ! This does not arise because, as 
might be supposed, it is not considered worthy of a name, 
bnt because it has another name than that which botanists 
have bestowed upon it. Its local name is “ White Myre,” or 
“ Bingie Loch.” The former of these we may suppose to 
have been bestowed upon it by reason of the abundance of 
cotton grass—the poetically famous “Down of Canna”— 
which at one time adorned its surface. How the name 
“ Methven Bog ” arose, we imagine was in this wise:— 
When the plant was first recorded as a native of Scotland, 
the locality was given as “a beg near Methven.” In 
course of time this became abbreviated into “Methven 
Bog,” and this name it has retained—for botanists—to the 
present day. From this it will be gathered that it was to 
no unexplored spot that the Perthshire Society of Natural 
Science made its second excursion for this season. The 
excursion was conducted by Capt. Smy the, yr. of Methven, 
aVice-President of the Society. Starting from Almondbank 
Station, Methven Bog (we adhere to the botanical Dame) 
was first visited. Since the days when this marsh became 
botanically famous, its physical conditions have been much 
altered, chiefly through the damming up of the ditch which 
to a certain extent drained it. The damming up has resulted 
in a large increase in the quantity of water, and a consequent 
alteration in the flora. Several of the more interesting 
plants have, it is to be feared, altogether disappeared, and 
amongst them is perhaps the above-mentioned Scheuchzeria. 
As, however, there is no direct proof of this, it may yet be 
included in the list of the plants of Perthshire. 
The first interesting plant noticed was the Water Hem¬ 
lock (Cicuta virosaj, a large and very poisonous plant with 
small white flowers. This is one of the few localities—if not 
the only one—where this plant grows in Perthshire, and 
hence we were glad to observe that not only is it increasing 
in quantity, but that it has spread into another marsh at 
some distance from the original situation. Amongst other 
plan tsgathered may be mentioned the cranberry (Vaccinium. 
oxycoccos), which here grows in large clumps,—an unusual 
habit in this part of Scotland,—the rather rare sedge Carex 
irrigua, Pyrola minor, Veronica scutellaia, and other com¬ 
moner plants. 
In connection with Methven Bog must be noticed the 
large colony of black-headed gulls which now inhabit it. 
These are several thousands in number, and form a sight 
worth seeing. On this occasion they had the honour of 
being photographed by a member of the Society, though it 
cannot be said that they showed their appreciation of the 
honour by remaining quiet to have their portraits taken. 
Passing on by another marsh, in which no remarkable 
finds were made, the party made their way to the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Methven Castle, and spent some time in 
inspecting some of the more remarkable trees which adorn 
the shrubberies. Apart from their intrinsic merits, some 
of the trees here are noteworthy for other reasons. The 
late Mr Thomas Bishop, who was for fifty years land- 
steward at Methven, and whose name is associated with 
the discovery of several rare plants in Methven Wood, left 
behind him a manuscript book (now in the possession of 
Mr Smythe), in which are recorded, not only the history 
of some of the trees, but the measurements of their girths 
taken at intervals of a few years. This record has been 
continued down to the present time, and thus there is in 
existence interesting notes on individual trees extending 
over a period of more than SO years. Among the more 
remarkable trees that may be mentioned is the Pepperwell 
Oak, with a short bole of immense girth. Mr Bishop 
remarks of this tree that it belongs to the variety or species 
to which the name Quercus pedunculata has been given, 
but that it partakes in some respects of the characters of 
the variety or species Quercus sessiliflora. We had not an 
opportunity of examining the fruit, in the form of whose 
stalks the chief distinction lies, but from the nature of the 
leaves we are inclined to think that it may be placed under 
Quercus intermedia of D. Don. The three forms are con¬ 
sidered by botanists to be only varieties of Quercus robur. 
After duly admiring some beautiful specimens of various 
coniferous trees, and making a hurried inspection of the 
gardens, Methven Wood was reached. Part at least of 
this has been woodland from time immemorial, and hence 
contains many features of interest to the naturalist. The 
native trees include oak, alder, hazel, birch, aspen, &c., 
