4* :* - ^s- J /^.■*< IV >•*■ 4fc*Pfo*$? jr&r\* * % < i'ihk :%~f i •*'- 4,-Ag; -«% > •# **%**W a***. t: - ?* 3«s3 > THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST: & fftaga^tnc of Xatural J^istorg. EDITED BY F, BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.LS, VOLUME VI. "All the works of our Creator are great, and worthy of our attention and investigation, the lowest in the scale as well as the highest, the most minute and feeble as well as those that exceed in magnitude and might. Nor ought those whose inclination or genius leads them to one department, to say to those who prefer another, ' We have no need of you,' for each in his place, by dif- fusing the knowledge of His works, and adding to the stock of previous discoveries, contributes to promote the glory of the Great Architect of the universe and the good of His creatures." — Kirby and Si ence's 'Introduction to Entomology.' WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON. 1881-1882. I N D E X. PAGE PAGE General Index a , iii New Species— Species specially NOTICED— Plants vii Animals— New British Species — Vertebrate • •_ vi Animals . viii Invertebrate • • vi Plants . viii Plants — Flowering vi Reviews viii Crypt ogamic . . vi List of Contributors ix Galled vii G E N E R A L I N D E X. Alpine Flora in Scotland, On the Distribution of the Native . 306 Aquatic Plants, Notes on a few rare . ' . . . • J53 Beroe, Phronima sedentaria, and its . . . . .56 Bird, A curious . . . . . . - 13 Birds, Occurrence of rare . . . . . - l5 11 of the Basin of the Tay and its Tributaries, Notes on the . 4 Blatta germanica in Glasgow . . . . .14 Blue-throated Warbler, Occurrence in Scotland of the . . 203 Caltha radicans . . . . . • .142 11 Rediscovery of .... 345 Capercaillie in Scotland, The . . . i . 60 Coleoptera of Scotland, The .... 47? 88, 192 Collecting and preserving Myriapods, On .... 201 Cryptogamic Flora of Mull, The .... 155,210 Darwin, Charles Robert ...... 289 Dispersion of the Seeds of Scottish Wild Plants, The Modes of . 257 Distribution of the Native Alpine Flora in Scotland, On the . 306 Dog, Story of a . . . . . -59 44 *•• p« 0 !;:>;> IV Index. Don, George, of Forfar, The Life and Labours of a Scottish Natu- ralist ....... Dytiscus lapponicus, Notes on the habits of . Effects of the Winter of 1 880-81 Endromis versicolor . 109 . 145 . 61, 142 . 344 Flowering Plants and Ferns of Orkney, A new List of the . 318, 361 11 11 Perthshire, Preliminary List of 133, 178, 230, 278, 326 Fungi of Perthshire, Preliminary List of . . -39 Fungus, A new British ...... 254 Gaelic Names of Plants, The . 20, 70, 125, 170, 221, 271, 297, 347 Galls, Scottish . . . . . . . 15, 255 Glacial Deposits, The Intercrossing of Erratics in . . 193, 241 Hebrides, The Lepidoptera of Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer 289, 337 Helix rufescens in the South-west of Scotland . . . 147 Lepidoptera of Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Plebrides, The 289, 337 Lesser White-throat in Fyvie . . . . .13 Life and Labours of a Scottish Naturalist, George Don of Forfar, The ....... 62, 109, 149 Lindsay, Death of Dr W. Lauder . . . . .14 List of Flowering Plants and Ferns of Orkney, A new . 318, 361 ,, 11 Perthshire, Preliminary 133, 178, 230, 278, 326 List of the Fungi of Perthshire, Preliminary .... 39 Mammalia of Scotland, The . Mull, The Cryptogamic Flora of Museum, The Perthshire Natural History Mycologia Scotica, Myriapoda, On Collecting and Preserving New British Fungus, A 11 Trichopteron, A Notes .... Notes on a few rare Aquatic Plants . n on some Perthshire Plants, 11 on the Birds of the Basin of the Tay and its Tributaries 11 on the Genus Usnea, with descriptions of New Species 11 on the Habits of Dytiscus lapponicus . 11 on the Past Winter Notices of New Books Obituary Notice of the late Mr R. Walker . Occurrence of Rare Birds 11 Vertigo pusilla in Scotland 49 155, 210 97 30, 117, 163, 213 201 254 14 14 153 378 4 292 145 141 70, 142, 287 147 13 61 Index. v On Collecting and Preserving Myriapoda . . . .201 On the Distribution of the Native Alpine Flora in Scotland . 306 11 Genus Usnea, and a new Genus allied to it . . . 99 11 Occurrence in Scotland of the Blue-throated Warbler . 203 11 11 of the White-beaked Dolphin on the East Coast of Scotland ..... 1 Orkney, A New List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of . 318, 362 11 Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides, The Lepidoptera of 289, 337 Phronima sedentaria and its Beroe . . . . . 56 Polypodium flexile and its relation to P. alpestre, Remarks on . 43 Preliminary List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Perthshire 133, 178, 230, 278, 326 Preliminary List of the Fungi of Perthshire .... 39 Rediscovery of Caltha radicans ..... 345 Remarks on Polypodium flexile and its relation to P. alpestre . 43 Reviews . . . . 49, 82, 142, 191, 287, 336, 371 Scottish Galls ....... Shetland and the Outer Hebrides, The Lepidoptera of Orkney Sphagnum Austini, &c, in the South-west of Scotland Storm-Petrels found in Perthshire .... Story of a Dog ...... • i5, 255 289, 337 378 206 59 The Capercaillie in Scotland ..... 60 The Coleoptera of Scotland ..... 47, 88, 192 The Cryptogamic Flora of Mull .... 155, 210 The Flora of Arbroath and its Neighbourhood . . . 336 The Gaelic Names of Plants . . 20, 70, 125, 170, 221, 297, 347 The Intercrossing of Erratics in Glacial Deposits . . 193,241 The Lepidoptera of Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides 289, 337 The Life and Labours of a Scottish Naturalist, George Don of Forfar . . . . . . .62, 109, 149 The Mammalia of Scotland ..... The Modes of the Dispersion of the Seeds of Scottish Wild Plants The Perthshire Natural History Museum The Victor Overthrown ..... The Woodlark ...... Trichopteron, A new British .... Usnea and a new Genus allied to it, On the Genus . 11 with descriptions of New Species, Notes on the Genus Vertigo pusilla in Scotland, Occurrence of . Walker, Obituary Notice of the late Mr R. White-throat in Fyvie, Lesser Winter, Notes on the Past Winter of 1880-81, Effects of Woodlark, The 49 257 97 288 61 M 99 292 61 147 13 141 61, 142 61 VI Index. SPECIES MORE SPECIALLY NOTICED. {See also New, and New British Species.) ANIMALS. Enophorum alpinum no Lactuca mural is 378 Vertebrata. Naias flexilis . 153 Black Redstart 204 Potamogeton decipiens 154 Blue-throated Warbler 203 n Zizii 154 Capercaillie . 60 Pyrola secunda 378 Coot .... 141 Ranunculus confervoides 153 Desert Wheat-ear 205 Schsenus mariscus no Esquimaux Curlew . 13 Stratiotes aloides no Glossy Ibis . 13 Typha latifolia no Hoopoe 13 Thlaspi alpestre 378 Lagenorhynchus albirostris . 1 Larus marinus 288 Cryptogamic. Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel . Lesser White-throat . 206 13 Craterellus cornucopioides Cyathus striatus . 156 156 Little Storm-Petrel . 207 • 156 157 Lophius piscatorius . 288 Glyphomitrium Daviesii Isoetes echinospora . Megaceros giganteus . 55 n lacustris no Woodlark 61 ._ 0 Jungermannia Pearsoni 378 Invertebrata. Metzgeria conjugata . • 378 Aphilothrix albopunctata 16 Milesia polypodii . 156 Aphis atriplicis 16 Myurium hebridarum 157 Blatta germanica H Nephrodium Filix-mas var. 159 Cecidomyia floricola . 255 Neuropogon melaxanthus 104 ti helianthemi 15 n trachycarpus 105 u piligera . 256 Peronospora rufibasis 155 n tornatella 257 Physotium cochleariforme . 158 Cynips Kollari 17 Polypodium alpestre . 43 Dytiscus lapponicus . 146 n flexile . 43 Endromis versicolor . 344 11 rhaeticum 46 Helix rufescens 147 Polystichum aculeatum 46 Livia juncorum 257 n angulare 46 Phronima sedentaria . 56 11 lobatum 46 Phytoptus pyri 255 11 lonchitis var. . 158 Vertigo edentula 61 Puccinia moliniae 155 ii pusilla 61 Sphagnum Austini . 378 ii pygmaea 61 ,, 11 var. imbri catum 378 H substriata 61 Usnea angulata 108 ti caternosa 108 PLANTS. 11 cornuta 103 Flowering. ,1 dasypoga 105 Agrimonia odorata . • 378 n elegans 295 Caltha radicans 110,141 , 142, 345 11 flammea 102 Choerophyllum aromaticum in ,, himalayana 103 11 aureum in ,1 intexta 102 Index. VI 1 Usnea laevis . 1 08 ii longissima 105 i> lurido-rufa 295 ii Pinker toni 294 .1 plicata 294 ii subsordida 104, 296 Galled. Agrostis alba 17 Atriplex Babingtonii 16 Atriplex patula 16 Chenopodium album 16 Elymus arenarius 18 Erineum on alder 20 ii ii beech 20 M n birch 20 Erineum on hawthorn 11 11 mountain-ash n 11 Populus tremula 11 11 Prunus padus 11 11 Pyrus communis 11 n Pyrus malus 11 11 walnut . Fagus sylvatica Helianthemum vulgare Juncus lamprocarpus Prunus padus Pyrus communis Quercus robur Sedum rhodiola Tanacetum vulgare Tilia europrea 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 256 15 257 15 255 16 256 256 255 NEW SPECIES AND VARIETIES Described in this volume. FLOWERING PLANTS. Aira flexuosa L. var. Voir- lichensis Cosmo Melvill, . Fungi. Hysterium eriophori Phill. . Peziza bulbocrinita Phill. 11 Roumegueri Karst. var. carnosissima Phill. Lichens. Eumitria, Stirton (new genus) n Baileyi, Stirton 11 firmula 11 formosa 11 implicita Usnea amplissima 11 arborea 11 comosa 11 concinna 11 consimilis 11 constrictula 11 dasiea 11 dendritica 11 distensa 329 165 12; 123 100 100 100 297 100 106 296 294 103 295 109 104 296 104 Usnea endochrysea , Stirton 107 11 filipendula 104 11 flexilis 106 11 fragilis 293 11 fruticosa 297 11 goniodes 108 11 lurido-rufa 104 " lurido-rufa, sub-species pallida, Stirton 295 11 maculata 11 293 11 mekista 11 105 11 mollis 11 109 n mutabilis n 107 11 nitida n 294 11 oncodes 11 106 n perplexans 11 io3 11 Pinkertoni it 295 11 prrelonga 11 107 11 radiata 11 103 n robusta n 295 u rubicunda M 102 " rubrotincta 11 103 11 spilota 11 294 11 spinosula 11 107 11 splendens 11 296 VI 11 Index: Usnea subcornuta, Stirton 107 U snea subpectincta, Stirton 108 ii subflexilis h 106 n Thomsoni 11 107 ii subfloridana n 294 11 undulata it 104 ii subfusca ii 108 11 variegata 11 io5 n sublurida n 102 NEW BRITISH SPECIES Brought forward in this volume. {See also New Species.) Insects. Cecidomyia floricola Rudow. Molanna palpata M'Lach. Flowering Plants. Potamogeton nitens var. cur- vifolius Hart. Fungi. Agaricus elaeodes Fr. 11 Friesii Lasch. 11 pisciodorus Ces. 11 subsquarrosus Fr. n tumidus Pers. Cortinarius flexipes Pers. 11 mucirluus Fr. Cyphella gibbosa Lev. Hypomyces chrysospermus 255 Tul. ' 166 14 Lactarius helvus Fr. 36 11 vietus Fr. 217 Lophiostoma hederoe Fckl. 161 Peziza alniella Myl. . 124 154 11 leucothoea Pers. 123 11 scutula Pers. . 125 11 sordida Fckl. 163 215 11 subularis Bull. 163 34 11 sulphurata Schum. (?) 122 214 Polyporus zonatus Fr. 217 215 Puccinia allii Casp. . 218 213 11 oxyriae Fckl. 254 36 11 pimpinellae Lk. 119 35 Sphserella ditricha Fr. 169 38 Valsella clypeata Fckl. 167 REVIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS. A List of British Birds.' By H. W. Marsden ... 87 A List of European Birds, including all Species found in the Western Paliearctic Region.' By H. G. Dresser . . . 143 A List of the Flowering Plants of Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbright- shire. By J. M 'Andrew ..... 375 A Pocket Guide to British Ferns.' By M. S. Ridley . . 287 Dr L. Rabenhorst's Kryptogamen-Flora von Deutschland Oester- reich und der Schweiz' — Fungi. By Dr G. Winter . . 143 Illustrations of British Fungi.' By M. C. Cooke . . . 287 On the Protection of Wild Birds. ' By Thomas Edward . . 144 Papilio. Organ of the New York Entomological Club' . . 142 Prehistoric Europe: a Geological Sketch.' By Dr James Geikie, F.R.S. ........ 82 l)ldtX. IX Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club in 1879 ' ' Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Glasgow.' Vol. iv. Part 2 . The Berries and Heaths of Rannoch.' By a Snowdrop ■ The Fauna of Scotland, with special reference to Clydesdale and the Western District — Mammalia.' By E. R. Alston. Pub- lished by the Natural History Society of Glasgow ■ The Flora of Arbroath and its Neighbourhood ' ■ The Graduated List of British Birds ; specially compiled for label- ling Eggs.' By H. W. Marsden .... The Grallatores and Natatores of the Estuary of the Tay ; the Great Decrease in their Number of late Years ; the Causes ; with Suggestions for its Mitigation.' By Colonel Drummond- Hay ........ The London Catalogue of British Mosses and Hepatics ' The Scientific Roll and Magazine of Systematised Notes. ' Con- ducted by A. Ramsay ...... 144 191 49 6 1 T 87 144 H3 LIST OF COXTRIBUTORS. Cameron, John . . . 2, 70, 125. Campbell, J. M. Drummond-Hay, Colonel H. M., C.M.Z.S. Dunbar, L. D. Fortescue, W. Irvine Geikie, Professor James, LL. D. , F. R. S. Gibson-Carmichael, T.D. . Gordon, Rev. George, M.A., LL. D. Graham, Walter Harvie-Brown, J. A., F.R.S.E., F.Z.S. Japp, W. .... King, J. J. . King, M. Knox, John .... Landale, J. M 'Andrew7, James Moir, Edward Moncreiffe, T. J. Harry Rimmer, R., F. L. S. . Sharp, D. , M.B. Sim, George (Aberdeen) Sim, George (Fyvie) . Stevenson, Rev. J. Stirton, J., M.D., F.L.S. Sturrock, Abrara Trail, Professor J. W. H., M.A., M.D., F.L.S. White. F. Buchanan. M.D., F.L.S. 39, 43, 49, 61, 230, 254, I70, 22 1, 271, 297, 347 I . 41, 206 344 3i8, 361 193. 241 201 . 56, 288 141, 142, 345 . 60. 203 59 14 142 62, 109, 149 147 • 378 306 13 61 47, 88, 192 13 • 13; 01 3 O, 117, 163, 213 • 99; 292 153 14, 15, 255, 257 !33> '45; i55; 178, 210, 278, 28 9, 326, 337, 378 THE SCOTTISH NATURALISTIC VOLUME THE SIXTH. Iqq i -*.»-»»- L, LIBRAR ZOOLOGY. > ^tAS^> 4/ ON THE OCOURKENCE OF THE WHITE -BEAKED DOLPHIN (LAGENORHYNCHUS ALBIROSTRIS, GRAY), ON THE EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND.1 By J. M. CAMPBELL, Joint Secretary of the Natural History Society of Glasgow, &c. ALTHOUGH it is to be expected that many of the rarer cetacea frequent our coasts, the as yet imperfect know- ledge of their habits, the difficulty of capture, and the nature of the element in which they live, all militate against the rapid accumulation of facts relating to their occurrence. The species which is the subject of this paper, although recorded as British so long ago as 1846, has not yet been added to our list of Scottish fauna. Mr Alston in his paper ' On the Mammalia of Scotland,' read to this Society in April last year, referring to this species says, " The White-beaked Dolphin is another species whose appearance in Scottish waters is to be expected, as it seems frequently to visit the Faroes, and the east coast of England {Cunningham, P. Z. S., 1876, p. 686), but as yet its actual occurrence does not seem to have been recorded." This species was first figured and described by Brightwell in the 'Annals and Magazine of Natural History' (vol. xvii. p. 21), in 1846, under the name of Delphinus tursio, Fabr., from a female 1 Read to the Natural History Society of Glasgow, November 30, 1880. VOL. VI. A 2 TJie Scottish Naturalist. taken by herring fishermen .it Great Yarmouth in October 1845, the skin and skeleton of which are now in the British Museum. There is, however, a skull of one which was killed at Hartlepool in 1834, in the museum of Cambridge University, the species not having been recognised at the time. Gray, after an examination of Brightwell's specimen, described it as a new species under the name Lagenorhynchus albirostris. On the 29th December 1862 a full-grown male was found stranded on " Little Hilbre," one of two closely contiguous islands at the mouth of the Dee, Wales, and is described in the 'Annals and Magazine of Natural History' for 1863, p. 268, by Thomas J. Moore, of the Liverpool Museum, to whom it had been sent. In 1866 one was shot on the coast of Cromer, Nor- folk, by H. M. Upcher of Sherringham Hall, the skull being preserved in the British Museum. In 1867, according to BelU a young male, whose skeleton is in the University of Cambridge, was killed on the English coast. Dr Murie, in his ' Notes on the -White-beaked Bottlenose ' (' Linn. Soc. Jour., vol. xi. p. 14 j ), in 1870, describes the anatomy of a full-grown male, captured a few years before on the south coast of England, part of the viscera of which is preserved in the College of Surgeons, and the skeleton in the British Museum. In September 1875 Dr Cunningham obtained a young female, caught off Great Grimsby, which he figured and described in the Zoological Society's Pro- ceedings for 1876, the skeleton of which is in the Edinburgh University Museum. The same volume also contains a paper by Mr Clark on a young male caught on 26th March 1876, off Lowestoft. In the 'Zoologist' for 1878, Mr A. G. More, Museum of Science and Art, Dublin, says in reference to this species : " We have long had in the Museum here a coloured cast of a Dolphin captured some fifteen years ago in the vicinity of Dublin Bay, which lately, by comparing a coloured sketch taken from the fresh animal with the excellent figure given in the Proceedings of Zoological Soc. for 1876, p. 679, pi. 64, I was able to identify as D. albirostris, J. E. Gray." The last recorded specimen was a young female captured by some Yarmouth fishermen on 24th August 1878, which Mr Thomas Southwell of Norwich has described in the ' Zoologist ' of that year. These are, so far as I have been able to learn, all the British specimens which have been recorded. On the Continent it has been taken at Ostend, Keil, Bergen, Gullholmen, and Skanor. The Scottish Naturalist. -> O The individual which I now describe — a young male — was taken by some fishermen near the Bell Rock on the 7th Septem- ber last, and came into the hands of Mr Walker, a fish merchant in Glasgow, who presented it to the Kelvingrove Museum on the 9th, in good condition. The following are a few measurements taken at the time : — Ft. Ft. In. Total length 5 8 Length of muzzle . 0 **A Length to eye 0 %% Length to blow -hole 0 10 Length to ears 0 n,V Length to pectoral limbs 1 \x/> Length to dorsal . 2 s*A Length of pectoral 1 I Skull :— Length, entire Length of nose from front oH of blow-hole 0 734 Width at orbit 0 5H Width in front of notches (base of beak) . 0 z% Greatest breadth of pec- toral o Breadth of caudal . o Height of dorsal . . o Circumference of thickest part ... 3 Width of orbit . . o Width of blow-hole . o Width of middle of beak o Width of lower jaw at condyles o Length of lower jaw along one side, from condyles to symphysis . . o In. 3l4 il4 2H 10 In shape and colour it resembled more closely the Lowestoft specimen described by Mr Clark ; the body tapering gradually from the dorsal fin, and, like the female described by Mr South- well, it did not exhibit the humped appearance described by Dr Cunningham. The beaked shape of the head was very marked, the upper lip projecting i*4 inch beyond the head, which had a gradually-rounded outline. On each side of the upper lip were four black bristles, which projected but slightly through the skin. The general colour above was a beautiful purplish-black, the entire beak from the furrow dividing it from the head, and the ventral surface till within 21 inches from the cleft of the tail, was of a satiny-white, slighdy yellowish on the under surface. Above the pectoral fins and behind the eye was a greyish-white spot, thickly splashed or streaked with brown ; a similar linear- shaped spot ran in an oblique direction from slightly before the dorsal fin, in the direction of the vent, and a larger one, which measured about 13 inches long and about 3 inches wide, ran along the side behind the dorsal. The ear-opening was very small, and could be detected with difficulty, barely admitting an ordinary pin. 4 The Scottish Naturalist. The number of teeth in the upper jaws was 23 on each side, and in the lower jaws 24 and 25 ; but some of them were barely through the gum, one or two at the front being mere denticles. They were sharp, conical, and curved inwards, and had a slight longitudinal groove on their anterior and posterior surfaces. They seemed to be quite free and movable. The lower jaw projected slightly beyond the upper. Owing to insufficient facilities for maceration, a few of the teeth were lost ; and, for a like reason, I have been unable with certainty to note the number of vertebrae, some of the smaller being merely cartilage. Previous to maceration, I had counted 90 vertebras. The first two cervical vertebrae are anchylosed, the remainder free. I have not any doubt that this individual is a young Delfihimis albirostris, or, more properly, Lagenorhynchits atbirostris, Gray. I may remark that the figure given by Brightwell, and copied by Bell in his ' British Quadrupeds,' is very far from correct, that of Mr Clark, as I have already said, approaching nearer to this one. Some interesting anatomical peculiarities have been noted by Mr Clark and Drs Cunningham and Murie in their respective papers. NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE BASIN OP THE TAY AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. By Colonel H. M. DRUMMOND HAY, C.M.Z.S., B.O.U., &c. {Continued from Vol. V., p. 346.) 139. Sula bassana, Briss. (Solan Goose or Gannet.) So near the Tay as the Bass Rock stands (five-and-twenty to thirty miles), computed to contain from ten to twenty thousand breeding-birds of this species alone, the mouth of the Tay is naturally a great resort, where from early spring to late in autumn the Solan Goose may constantly be seen, either in twos or threes, heavily winging their way close to the water, bent perhaps on some distant fishing excursion ; or, in considerable numbers, high up in the air, plunging and dashing into the sea in pursuit of small fish, which congregate about the estuary, — ascending the river, according to Mr Nelson, even as high up as the Dundee Bridge The Scottish Naturalist. 5 140. Larus marinus, Linn. (Great Black-backed Gull.) Though never very numerous, the Great Black-backed Gull is well represented on all the lower parts of the Tay, occasionally ascending some way above Perth. Its breeding-grounds nearest to the Tay are the Bass and the Isle of May. The young birds during their first year assume a dark-grey speckled plumage, and formerly, when birds were not so well known as now, they were put down as a different species under the name of the Wagel. In this stage they are common in the river in autumn and winter. 141. Larus fuscus, Linn. (Lesser Black-backed Gull.) In the mature plumage this is not a common bird, but is generally found in the dark-brown stage of the first year, when it is not unfrequent, in autumn and winter, in the tidal parts of the river below Perth. Larus glaucus, Brunn. (Glaucous Gull.) Larus islandicus, Edm. (Iceland Gull.) Occasional examples of both these birds have been obtained in the lower parts of the Tay. A young Glaucous, mentioned by Mr Nelson as killed last winter near Broughty Ferry, is in the collection of the Dundee Naturalists' Society. 142. Larus argentatus, Brunn. (Herring Gull.) Of all the larger gulls that frequent the Tay, the Herring Gull is perhaps the more common. Young birds of the year in their grey plumage may be frequently seen in winter, mixed with other gulls, picking up garbage in the river both below the Bridge at Perth and in the harbours at Dundee. •&v 143. Larus canus, Linn. (Common Gull.) This is a common bird on the Tay, and may be seen in all stages of plumage. In the autumn and spring it assembles in large numbers in the fields in search of grubs, following the plough, and often associated with rooks. 144. Rissa tridactvla, Bonap. (Kittiwake.) The Kittiwake is common on the Tay, especially in the winter months, and is never, like some of the other gulls, to be seen inland, nor does it occur very high up the river. In summer it becomes more scarce, as it then retires to its nearest breeding- grounds on the Redhead, Isle of May, Bass, and St Abb's Head. 6 The Scottish Naturalist. 145. Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Eyton. (Black-headed Gull.) Of all our gulls this is the most generally spread throughout the whole district, being more of an inland species than any of the others. It is found both in summer and winter, often assembling in large numbers in the fields. In spring, selecting inaccessible marshy spots for its nesting-grounds, it is to be found breeding in many places. A very large nursery, which has been recently formed, is to be seen at the White Myre, at Methven, near Perth, having, owing to improvements lately made on the Dupplin Loch, where for many years they held full sway, deserted it for the above-mentioned place. The change from the white head, which it retains all winter, to the brown cap of the breeding dress, takes place early in March, and is accomplished in an incredibly short time, said to be fully effected in the course of three or four days. The eggs are much sought after, and when they are being collected the noise from the old birds is perfectly deafening. 146. Actochelidon cantiaca, Kaup. (Sandwich Tern.) A few pairs of the Sandwich Tern visit the Tay every sum- mer, and from their strong rapid flight, and hoarse jarring cry, may easily be distinguished from the other terns wTith which they associate. Though I have not found their nests, I have no doubt but that they breed with us, having noticed them hover- ing over the sands on Tents Muir in the months of June and July in company with the three following : — 147. Sterna hirundo, Linn. (Common Tern.) 148. Sterna macrura, Naum. (Arctic Tern.) 149. Sterna minuta, Linn. (Lesser Tern.) All the above are to be found every summer, the two former being the more abundant. The Common Tern is to be often seen on our lochs and upper waters, and the Lesser Tern confines itself more to the sands on Tents Muir, where they, along with the rest, have their breeding-grounds. They are now, however, very scarce to what they used to be. In my earlier days, terns bred in large numbers on the sandhills of Barry, at the mouth of the Tay ; but this locality for them has long been left unten- anted, owing to wanton destruction of their eggs, and from the continued and perpetual disturbance of the old birds during the The Scottish Naturalist. 7 breeding season by egg-collectors, both there and on Tents Muir ; and should there be no effort made to stop the practice, the Tern, like many of the rest of our birds, will soon be a thing of the past. In treating of the Golden Plover, I have already denounced the wholesale depredation of eggs on the breeding-grounds of Tents Muir ; but since that was written, the following has come under ray eye, written by Mr Harvie-Brown, in the ' Proceed- ings of the Nat. Hist. Soc. of Glasgow,' and which so corrobo- rates my own statements, and so aptly fits in under the present article, that I feel I cannot do better than copy it for the benefit of my readers who may have any influence either in Dundee, Leuchars, St Andrews, or elsewhere in the neighbourhood, to put a stop to this infamous traffic : "The destruction of Terns' eggs is really deplorable, besides that of almost every other species which breeds on Tents Muir in Fife. Not for the first time in his letters to me does Mr Henderson of Dundee describe the awful mischief committed on this breeding-haunt by boys who come out from Dundee and elsewhere and harry the nests, and destroy wholesale all the nests they come across. Mr Henderson states that the Terns are posi- tively getting driven away by the continuous and wholesale destruction of their eggs. In this case the Protective Acts are a perfectly dead letter. The eggs are destroyed in thousands. Terns, Ring Plovers, Dunlins, Lapwings, &c, are suffering dreadfully. Scarcely a single bird gets flown ; and as for Sheldrakes and Eiders, every egg is blown or boiled. Such is the state of matters here, and I can substantiate every word to be correct." Mr Harvie-Brown, commenting on the above, adds, " Have we not a Society of Field Naturalists at Dundee? I think so : and is it not part of their duty to try and prevent this destruction ? It ought to be considered part of the duty of every local Natural History Society to do so. Pressure should be brought to bear on the magistrates, continued and repeated until something is accomplished." 1 Stercorarius pomatorhinus, Gould. (Pomatorhine Skua.) Stercorarius parasiticus, Gould. (Arctic or Richardson's Skua.) The autumn of last year (1879) wiU l°n» De remembered by 1 Tents Muir is in the hands of three proprietors, who, I am sure, would be willing to give every assistance were the matter taken up firmly by the Dundee Natural History Society. — H. M. D. II. S The Scottish Naturalist. ornithologists for the remarkable arrival of Skuas on all our eastern shores. During the months of October and November they appeared in unaccountable numbers, more especially the Pomatorhine ; many were killed on the Tay, as well as elsewhere in Scotland and in England, both of the above species being got in all the different stages of plumage. It is doubtful whether or not the two other species, the Great Skua {Stercorarius catarrhades, Gray) and Long-tailed or Buffon's Skua (S. longi- caudus, Vieill.), did not visit the locality at the same time. Procellaria glacialis, Linn. (Fulmar.) Mr Nelson mentions to me one example of this bird, which was caught alive a few years ago on Tents Muir, and seemingly in a dying condition. The Fulmar Petrel is nowhere common on our east coasts, but there are occasional instances of its being driven on shore in many different places. Puffinus anglorum, Bliss. (Manx Shearwater.) What I fully believe to have been a bird of this species I have noticed near the mouth of the Tay, but have received no men- tion of its ever having been noticed there by any of the Dundee naturalists ; but as this Shearwater is well known to me, and breeds in Orkney and Shetland, from whence it may possibly stray, I am probably right in my conjecture. Thalassidroma pelagica, Vig. (Storm Petrel.) I have never noticed this species myself on the Tay, but Mr Nelson informs me that he has twice seen the Storm Petrel on the river, and on each occasion immediately after a severe gale. Mr Horn also mentions its capture on Loch Tay. No doubt, like some other sea-birds noticed there, it was driven off the western coast in some of the prevailing gales from that quarter. In concluding the above list of birds of the district here selected, it will be necessary to make a few remarks in explana- tion. A glance at the map will show that what I have desig- nated the basin of the Tay comprises the whole of the water- shed, consisting of a large area in the very centre of Scotland, containing a considerable extent of mountain, lake, rich arable land, and sea, giving a bird-fauna at once large and interesting. This tract, stretching from the head of Loch Lydon, near the entrance of Glencoe in Argyle, the head of Glen Dochart and The Scottish Naturalist. Glen Lyon to the headlands of Barry and low-lying sands of Tents Muir on the sea-coast, in the counties of Forfar and Fife, covers a distance, as the crow flies, of nearly eighty miles; while, taking it in the widest part, from the hills above Glen Artney to the head of Glen Tilt on the borders of Aberdeenshire, we have a distance of close on fifty. Having been asked to give my orni- thological experience of this district, which I have been more or less acquainted with all my life, I have endeavoured to do so — at the same time feeling that I must fall far short of doing the subject full justice, as it would require the joint observations of the many, over a long series of years, to do so thoroughly. With the assistance of friends, who have kindly given me information where I have not been able to gather it myself, together with what has fallen under my own immediate notice, I find that the number of birds which reside in or visit the district, casually or otherwise, amounts to 188, the distribution of which may be taken as follows : — Resident species, 86. Of these 61 are regu- lar, t 4 doubtfully so, and n sometimes leaving in winter and becoming partially migrant. Of the birds of passage there are 62 species : 29 of these are summer, 23 winter, and 10 appear- ing in autumn or spring, and doubtful as to remaining. In all, 148 of regular appearance.1 Of the remaining 40 species, 31 are occasional or accidental, 6 doubtful, and of those supposed to have escaped from domestication, 3. This does not include the solitary instance of the Purple Waterhen {Porphyria smarag- donotus) obtained on the Tay : see 'Scot. Nat.,' vol. iv. p. 37. REGULARLY RESIDENT. I. Golden Eagle. 12. Water Ouzel. 2. Sparrow-hawk. 13- Robin. 5' Peregrine Falcon. 14. Hedge Sparrow. 4- Kestrel. 15- Wren. 5- White Owl. 16. Tree-creeper. 6. Brown Owl. 17- Gold Crest. 7- Great Tit. 18. Skylark. 8. Blue Tit. 19. Yeilowhammer. 9- Coal Tit. 20. Corn Bunting. 10. Long-tailed Tit. 21. House Sparrow. 1 1. Blackbird. 22. Chaffinch. 1 In the body of the list 149 are enumerated, arising from the accidental numbering of one species, No. 16, Eagle Owl, which is now altogether omit- ted as having been ascertained to have escaped from confinement. IO 71 i c Scottish Naturalist. 23. Siskin. 24. Greenfinch. 25. Bullfinch. 26. Linnet. 27. Raven. 28. Carrion Crow. 29. Hooded Crow. 30. Rook. 31. Jackdaw. 32. Magpie. 33- Jay. 34. Wood-pigeon. 35. Capercailzie. Blackcock. Grouse. J™ 37 33 39 40 41 42 Ptarmigan. Partridge. Heron. Golden Plover.1 Ring Plover.1 Oyster-catcher.1 Curlew.1 Redshank.1 Dunlin.1 Woodcock.2 48. Common Snipe. 49. Waterhen. Sheldrake. Wild Duck. Eider Duck. Razorbill. Guillemot. Cormorant. 56. Great Black-backed Gull. 57. Lesser Black-backed Gull. 58. Herring Gull. 59. Common Gull. 60. Kittiwake. 61. Black-headed Gull. 43- 44. 45- 46. 47- 5°- 51- 52. 53- 54- 55- DOUBTFUL, 62. Sea Eagle. 63. Osprey. 64. Buzzard. 65. Merlin. 66. Kite. 67. Short-eared Owl. 68. Long-eared Owl. IF REGULARLY RESIDENT. 69. Kingfisher. 70. Goldfinch. 71. Crossbill. 72. Lesser Redpole. 73. Coot. 74. Pochard. 75. Tufted Duck. SOMETIMES LEAVING IN WINTER, AND BECOMING PARTIALLY MIGRANT. 82. Reed Bunting. 83. Starling. 84. Lapwing. 85. Teal. 86. Little Grebe. 76. Missel Thrush. 77. Song Thrush.3 78. Stonechat. 79. Pied Wagtail. 80. Grey Wagtail. 81. Meadow Pipit. 1 Sea-shore in winter. 2 Placed here instead of among the birds of passage, as it breeds and remains so constantly in the district. 3 Though no instance has come under my notice of the Song Thrush re- maining with us, it is said sometimes to do so. The Scottish Naturalist. 1 1 IURDS OF PASSAGE, SUMMER. I. Nightjar. 16. Sedge Warbler. 2. Swift. i7- Tree Pipit. 3- House Swallow. 18. Cuckoo.1 4- House Martin. 19. Wryneck. 5- Sand Martin. 20. Stockdove. 6. Spotted Flycatcher. 21. Dotterel. 7- Ring Ouzel. 22. Common Sandpiper. 8. Wheatear. 23- Red-necked Phalarope 9- Whinchat 24. Land Rail. JO. Redstart. * 25- Gannet. ii. Whitethroat. 26. Sandwich Tern. 12. Blackcap. 27. Common Tern. 13- Garden Warbler. 28. Arctic Tern. 14. Willow Wren. 29. Lesser Tern. J5- Wood Wren. BIRDS OF PASSAGE, WINTER. 30. Redwing. 31. Fieldfare. 32. Snow Bunting. ^. Bramble Finch. 34. Mountain Linnet. 35. God wit. 36. Knot. 37. Jack Snipe. 38. Wild Goose. 39. Bean Goose. 40. Pink-footed Goose. 41. White-breasted Goose. 42. Brent Goose. 43. Widgeon. 44. Scaup Duck. 45. Common Scoter. 46. Velvet Scoter. 47. Golden Eye. 48. Long-tailed Duck. 49. Goosander. 50. Red-breasted Merganser. 51. Great Northern Diver. 52. Red-throated Diver. 1 I am glad to be able to state that since the commencement of this paper the Cuckoo, as well as the Owl, have been included in the Wild Birds Pro- tection Amended Act, passed this last session — 1880 — making it illegal to kill them between the 15th of March and 1st of August. At the same time it cannot but be regretted, when altering the law, that the interests of the Woodcock should have been so entirely overlooked, and that instead of the shooting of these birds terminating on the 1st of February, as it ought to do, it is now extended to the 15th of March, when they are known to be breed- ing (see Article, No. 104). It can only be hoped that though the public may not do so, the true sportsmen will refrain from destroying them at such a season. 1 2 The Scottish Naturalist. SPRING AND AUTUMN VISITANTS, DOUBTFUL AS TO ALWAYS REMAINING. 53- Rough-legged Buzzard. 58. Great Spotted Woodpecker 54- Honey Buzzard. 59- Green Shank. 55- Marsh Harrier. 60. Water Rail. 56. Hen Harrier. 61. Spotted Crake. 57- Grey Shrike. 62. Black-throated Diver. OCCASIONAL OR ACCIDENTAL. 1. Roller. 17- Whooper. 2. Hoopoe. 18. Shoveller. 3- Waxwing. 19. Pintail Duck. 4- Grasshopper Warbler. 20. King Duck. 5- Hawfinch. 21. Smew. 6. Rose Pastor. 22. Great Crested Grebe. 7- Green Woodpecker. 23- Black Guillemot. 8. Turtle Dove. 24. Little Auk. 9- Quail. 25- Puffin. 10. Bittern. 26. Glaucous Gull. 1 1. Whimbrel. 27. Iceland Gull. 12. Sanderling. 28. Pomatorhine Skua. 13- Turnstone. 29. Richardson's Skua. 14. Great Snipe.1 3°- Fulmar. i5- Curlew Sandpiper. 31- Storm Petrel. 16. Grey Phalerope. DOUBTFUL. {Examples not having been obtained for identification. ) 32- 33- 34- Pied Flycatcher. Pine Grosbeak. American White-winged 35. Mealy Redpole. 36. Hooded Merganser. 37. Manx Shearwater. Crossbill. 38. Canada Goose. 39. Egyptian Goose. SUPPOSED ESCAPES. 40. Mute Swan. ( Concluded. ) 1 Omitted in Li.st — see 'Scot. Nat.,' vol. ii. p. 360. The Scottish Naturalist. 13 Occurrence of Rare Birds. — I have again to record the appearance of the Esquimaux Curlew {JVumenii% inches; beak, along ridge, 5^2 inches ; beak, legs^ and toes, greenish grey ; sides of head bare and of the same colour as the beak — those bare parts are, at their junction with the feathers, both above and below the eyes, edged with a narrow line of greenish white ; iris, brown ; weight \)/2 pound. So far as I can make out, this is the sixth occurrence of the species in Scotland. The first was shot in Ayrshire ; second in Fifeshire, September 1842 ; third near Banchory, Kincardineshire, 1844, the wings of which were given to the late Professor Macgillivray, and the occurrence of the specimen is noted in his work on British birds ; fourth one in Balta Sound, Shetland, October 1857, noted by Dr Saxby ; fifth one reported by the late Mr J- H. Dunn to Mr Gray, author of the ' Birds of the West of Scotland,' and sixth, the one now noted. On 18th October last a specimen of the Hoopoe (Upiipa epops) was shot in Unst and sent to me. It was a female, and its stomach was filled with ear- wigs {Forjicula auricidarid). — Geo. Sim, Aberdeen. Lesser Whitethroat in Fyvie. — Sylvia corruca, Lesser Whitethroat. A fine specimen of this bird was killed at Gourdas on the 4th November, and another seen at Mill of Tifty.— George Sim, Gourdas, Fyvie. A Curious Bird. — When shooting last week at Moncreiffe, I killed a rather curious variety of a Pheasant. It flew over my head, and I took it for a cock, and killed it. On examination, we found that it was a mule. It had long tail-feathers, a head like a cock, and was the same size as one, but its back and wings and breast were like a hen's, and it had no spurs. Its neck was a sort of reddish brown, — exactly the colour of the upper part of a Capercailzie hen's breast. The keepers about there say they are not very rare ; but I have never seen one before. Is it not rather a curiosity? [An old hen assuming male plumage. — Ed.] I also saw lately a House-sparrow, with white wings and white feathers on its back— in Piccadilly, of all places.— T. J. Harry Moncreiffe, 59 Ennismore Gardens, London, S.W., Nov. 24. 14 The Scottish Naturalist. Blatta germanica, L., in Glasgow. — While I was in Glasgow, at the meeting of the Cryptogamic Society, Mr John Rae, of the ' Glasgow Daily Mail,' gave me several specimens of a small Cockroach which is, he told me, very abundant in the office of that newspaper. On examining the insects I found them to belong to Blatta germanica. The species is easily distin- guished from its congeners in Europe by the presence of two longitudinal dark bands on the thorax, and by the veins of the outer two-thirds of the hinder part of the elytra not branching from the long axis, but being nearly parallel to it. B. germanica seems rather widely spread in central Europe, alike in houses and in the open country. In Stephen's 'Entomology ' (vi. 46) it is said to be found in various seaports in the south of England, but only in ships, warehouses, or dwellings, so as to indicate that it has been introduced into Britain by commerce. Its habits resemble those of the only too com- mon Blatta oricntalis, L. , but the latter insect seems to expel its smaller convener, as they are not found to remain together in a house. — J. W. H. Trail, 23d? Nov. 1880. [Blatta germanica is said sometimes to expel B. ori- entalis, but this would appear to need confirmation. — Ed. Sc. Nat.] A New British Tricfcopteron. — At the last meeting of the Glasgow Natu- ral History Society, I exhibited specimens of Molanna palpata M'Each., a species of Caddis-fly new to Britain. It has hitherto been known only from Finland and Siberia, and a specimen from St Petersburg was found among Kolenati's types of M. angustata in the Vienna Museum. The remarkable form of the third joint of the maxillary palpus, in both sexes, at once distinguishes it from its congeners. The above species was taken during my stay last summer at Cannich, Strathglass, Inverness-shire, and occurred commonly all through August. It was the common caddis-fly in all parts of the Strath visited by me. I found it along the margins of lochs by brushing with the net the over- hanging heather, &c. I cannot remember having seen it flying without its having been first disturbed. Angustata, De Geer, is the only other British species of the genus. — James J. King, 207 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. We regret to have to record the death of one of our earliest contributors, Dr William Lauder Lindsay, F.R.S.E., F. L.S. Dr Lindsay was a student of science all his life, and was well-known for his investigations in one of the most difficult branches of Cryptogamic Botany— the Lichens. Of late years his attention was almost entirely directed to Psychology, with especial reference to the existence of mind in the lower animals, on which subject he wrote voluminously. For a long period Dr Lindsay was Medical Superin- tendent of the Royal Murray Asylum, Perth, but retired about a year ago on account of failing health. He died in Edinburgh, in November last, at the early age of 50. The Sixth Annual Conference of the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland was very successfully held in Glasgow at the end of September. The island of Mull has been selected as the place of this year's Conference. ^-^^^^^- ^ . r0^& ► #inik- If^Ste 4^^fe^*-:. PHYTOLOGY, SCOTTISH GALLS. By J. W. II. TRAIL, M.A., M.D., F.L.S. HELIANTHEMUM VULGARE, Gartn.— (/;) I have this autumn found on this plant, on Scotston Moor near Aberdeen, galls of a mite (P/iytoptus) affecting the tip or apical half of the shoot. The mites seem to attack the young buds, causing the leaves to remain short and crowded, while numerous buds form but remain small. The epidermis of leaves and branches alike becomes covered with grey hairs, while the epi- dermal cells contain pink contents, frequently giving a pink tinge to the gall. The deformity is similar in its nature to the woolly galls so frequent on the Thyme (T. serpylluni), as also to the earlier stages of the "witch-knots" on Birch. The indi- vidual buds do not exceed one-fifth inch in diameter, though all the buds on a shoot may be attacked, so that the whole mass may be considerably larger. The gall described by me formerly (' Sc. Nat.,' ii. p. 31), though somewhat like the above, is readily distin- tinguished by its appearance ; and, as pointed out by Hardy ('Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.,' 1850, p. 187), is the work of a midge, which he named Cecidomyia helianthemi. The mite-gall has been found in Switzerland, and is described by Dr Thomas (Giebel's ' Zeitschrift,' 1872, vol. xxxix. p. 469), but he has not met with the midge-gall, and hence suggests that they are not distinct, but that the midge larvae are inquilines. the mites being the gall makers. Dr Fr. Loew also has found the mite-galls in Lower Austria (' Verh. Z00L Bot. Gesellschaft,' Wien, 1879, vol. xxix. p. 721). Prunus padus, L. — (a) I some years ago (' Sc. Nat ,' i. p. 124), described shortly "nail-galls" (formed by a species of Phyptoptus) on the leaves. I have met with these galls in many localities ; they seem to be abundant wherever the plant occurs, and have been frequently mentioned by German authors. (b) Another mite-gall, also the work of Phytoptus sp., occurs 1 6 The Scottish Naturalist. on the leaves, but is readily distinguished from the former, though frequently they occur on the same leaf. It seems almost, if not quite, restricted to the lower surface of the leaf, where it forms irregular patches of very variable extent, but frequently more or less limited by the larger veins of the leaf. The patches are usually more or less scattered ; but frequently several seem to fuse together, and may cover a large part of the leaf. At first yellowish in colour they soon become darker, and finally become rusty brown. Usually opposite to each patch there is on the upper surface of the leaf a yellowish or reddish spot; but the galls are, as already said, confined to the lower surface. They consist of a close velvety pile of short, blunt, clubbed hairs ; the club bears numerous very short branches or tubercles, or may be nearly smooth, and each hair is sup- ported on a tapering stalk. Among these hairs live the four- footed mites. These galls were abundant on some plants of Primus padus at Forres in September, along with the " nail-galls," and I have also found them at Banchory, near Kingcausie, on Deeside. They have been described and figured by several Continental botanists as Fungi, under the names Erineum padinum, Duv., (Sec, E. padifieum, Fries, or Rubigo padi, Mart. Greville gives a good description and figure of the supposed fungus, under the name Erineum padi, in his ' Scottish Cryptogamic Flora,' vol. iii. t. 157, fig. 1. They seem widely distributed in Germany, and have been described by Dr Fr. Loew from Bavaria (' Verh. Z. B. Gesellsch., Wien, 1878, p. 140). Chenopodium album, L. Atrtplex patula, L. A. BABINGTON1I, Woods. On all of these plants one may frequently observe the leaves fleshy, pale, and rolled so as to enclose a space lengthwise, in which live multitudes of Aphis atriplicis, L. These pseudo- galls seem to be of very general distribution. QUERCUS ROBUR, L. (x) Galls of ApJiilotJirix allwpunctata, Schlecht., were found by me in May of this year near Aberdeen. The species was pub- lished as Scottish by Mr Cameron some years ago. The galls are sunk in the buds, projecting from among the bud-scales, and fall out of the buds to the ground in June. They are oval or ovate, about \-\ inch long x \-\ inch thick, have usually The Scottish Naturalist. 1 7 a rather prominent sharp knob at the tip, are naked, smooth, and in colour are green or brown, with numerous short white longitudinal streaks. The wall is rather thick, and the inner gall is hard, but is closely united to the outer wall. Of the oak- galls formerly described by me, I found at Forres, in the month of September, galls of Andricus terminalts, BiorJiiza renuni, Dryo- phanta fo/ii, D. divisa, Andricus curvator, Neuroterus lenticularis, N. numismatis, and old galls of Spathegaster vesicatrix. Of course the spring-forms had disappeared, but their occurrence is indicated by the existence of the autumn-galls. The gall of Cynips Kollari was shown me by Mr Smith, from Rafford near Forres. Agrostis alba, L. — In the month of October I found, on the coast near Aberdeen, galls 011 this plant. They are situated on the leaf-blade close to where it joins the leaf-sheath ; or, in a few cases, at distances not exceeding an inch from the sheath. The galls are dull red-purple swellings, oval or linear, rounded at the ends, and prominent below. They measure TV - \ by ^T - ^V inch. On making a transverse section of a gall it is found to be due to enlargement of one side of the leaf, chiefly around and between the midrib and the next longitudinal vein of the leaf, seldom extending markedly beyond the midrib or reaching the margin. All the features of the normal leaf can be recog- nised both externally and internally in the gall, but considerably altered. The affected part becomes twice or thrice as thick as the healthy leaf. The cuticle becomes much thickened, and the epidermal cells become less regular, thicker-walled, and seem to form two or three layers of cells instead of one layer. The chlorophyll becomes less abundant, and may be almost absent ; and the cells that contain it in the healthy leaf are represented in the gall by considerably larger cells, lying with their long axis parallel to the surface of the gall. The thick-walled cells that usually form a sheath around each fibro-vascular bundle, and extend above and below it to the surfaces of the leaf, become much less conspicuous in the gall. In the centre of the gall a longitudinal cavity is formed, apparently by separation of the cells ; it seems not to open externally. In this space live the makers of the gall, — A?iguillulce, — usually in considerable num- bers. In the galls that I examined were numerous eggs and immature worms, but I found only one sexually mature female, which agreed with Bastian's genus Tylenchus ; but in absence of mature males the determination must remain uncertain for the VOL. VI. B 1 8 The Scottish Naturalist. present. In the eggs were embryos almost ready to emerge, so well formed that they moved actively within the transparent shell. They are three or four times as long as the oval eggs. In size the creatures approach very closely to those from the gall on Elymus described below. Usually only one gall is found on each leaf, but occasionally two may be situated side by side, separated by the midrib, or both may occur on the same side, but one a little way farther from the base of the leaf than the other. I have seen three galls on a leaf. Magnus (' Botan. Zeitung,' 1875, P- 579; a°d 1876, p. 586) has described similar galls found by him on leaves of Festuca ovina, L., and of Agrostis canina, L. ; and AnguillulcE. have been found to form galls on the inflorescence of Agrostis sylvatica, Huds., of Phleum Boehmeri, and of Ph. prataise^ and have long been known (under the name of Vibrio tritici) to cause " ear cockles " or galls in the ovary of wheat, and, less frequently, of oats and of rye. Elymus arenarius, L. — On this coast - frequenting grass I have found, near Aberdeen, galls on the fine rootlets pushed out from the rhizomes through the sand. They usually occur at the tip of the rootlet as a nearly round or oval swelling affecting its whole circumference, and tipped with a small knob, — the only- slightly- affected extreme end of the root. They vary in size from -g1^ to oV mcn m diameter ; but, though so small, are easily distinguished, as the rootlets are only about t£q- inch thick. Some galls affect the rootlet nearer its base, causing a tapering swelling, which may reach ^ x TV inch in size. A transverse section of a normal rootlet is found to present a central fibro-vascular bundle of rather small thin-walled cells and vessels, the whole surrounded by two layers of cells with the cell-walls markedly thicker, especially on the inner side of the cells. Between these layers and the epidermis lie four or five layers (forming the cortex) of regular thin-walled cells, those to the inside smallest, those in the middle much larger than the inner and slightly larger than the outer cells. These contain usually some protoplasm, seldom filling half the cell, in which lies a nucleus by no means conspicuous. Outside of all is the epidermis, composed of a single layer of cells, distinguished from those below them chiefly by being empty, and by. giving off root-hairs. Comparing the structure of a gall with this, we find the follow- ing differences : The root-hairs are absent, as might be antici- pated from the position of the galls ; the epidermis has the cells The Scottish Naturalist. 19 usually empty, but not otherwise distinguishable from those below, and the gall is chiefly made up of a mass of thin-walled cells packed full of granular contents. In each cell is a strongly refracting nucleus, in which lies a distinct nucleolus. The layers of thick -walled cells have disappeared, but the fibro- vascular bundle is represented by cells smaller than those of the cortex. There is no distinct line of demarcation between the cortex and the central tissues, hence it is difficult to determine which has undergone the greater abnormal growth, but the cortex seems to be the less changed of the two. In the interior of the gall live the makers of it, as in A. alba; they are Anguil- lula, and belong to the genus Tylenchus, though of this I am not certain in the absence of males. In the small galls only one or two of the worms are to be found ; but in the larger galls, in October, a multitude of eggs and of newly -hatched embryos are present, with an occasional adult female. The eggs are oval, with blunt ends, about xoVo x tijoo mcn m sizei and are so transparent as permit a full examination of the embryo within, which is three or four times as long as the egg. The immature worms, examined by me in October, were fiMJo- Woxo3 inch? and the adult females were about itNjJ inch. The Anguillulce from both this and the former gall are able to endure desiccation without being killed ; but I have not had an opportunity as yet of testing this power for any long period of time. Galls of Anguillulce on the roots of Elymus ai'enarius have been found in Denmark by Dr E. Warming (' Bot. Tids.,' 3d series, vol. ii., 1879); an<^ root-galls formed by these creatures have also been found on Poa annua, on Triticum repens, on 7cheat, on barley, and on oats, but I am not aware that they have yet been met with on these plants in Scotland. In the ' Scottish Naturalist,' vol. iv. p. 206, I gave references to mite-galls, described and figured as fungi, under the generic name Erineiwi, by Greville, in the 'Edinburgh Philosophical Journal.' I have since had access to two works by Greville, — the 'Flora Edinensis,' published in 1824, and the 'Scottish Cryptogamic Botany,' published in 1823-28. In the former are described, and in the latter are described and figured, the fol- lowing mite galls, under the name Erineum. 1. E. clandestinum, Grev. — E. oxyacantha, Pers., on haw- thorn-leaves ('Sc. Nat.,' iv. p. 14). 'Fl. Edin.,' p. 450; ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. iii. t. 141, f 2. 20 The Scottish Naturalist. 2. E.fagineum, Pers., on beech-leaves (below). ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. v. t. 250, f. 1. (Though noted by Greville as "frequent," I have not met with it.) 3. E. populinum, Pers., on Populus tremula on lower surface of leaves (' Sc. Nat.,' ii. p. 254, d). ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. v. t. 250, f. 2. At Darnaway and other places in Scotland, and at Oxford. 4. E. Padi = E. Padineum, Fries, on leaves of Primus Padus, (see above), at Aviemore, and elsewhere in the Highlands. ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. iii. t. 157, f. 1. 5. E. Alncum, Pers., on lower surface of leaves of alder ('Sc. Nat.,' iv. p. 205). 'Fl. Edin.' p. 450; ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. iii. t. 157, f. 2. At Rosslyn. 6. E. roseum, Schultz = j£\ Betuloz D. C. ('Sc. Nat.,' iv. p. 17). ' Fl. Edin.,' p. 451, and ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. i. t. 21. 7. E. betuliuutn, Schum (' Sc. Nat.,' iv. p. 17), ' Fl. Edin./ p. 451. Nos. 6 and 7 both occur on leaves of birch (Betula alba), and are common. They are forms of one gall apparently. 8. E. pyrinum, Pers., on leaves of Pyrus mains, and of P. communis, on Craigie Hill, and in Devonshire. ' Fl. Edin.,' pp. 449, 450; ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. i. t. 22. (I have not found this species.) 9. E. tortuosum, Grev., ' Fl. Edin.,' p. 450 ; ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. ii. t. 94. On birch. 10. E. sorbi, Kunze, on leaves of mountain-ash {Pyrus aucu- paria). ' Sc. Cr. Fl.,' vol. v. t. 263, f. 1. Woods at Kinnordy, and elsewhere. 11. E. Juglandis, Gsertn. = E. Juglandinum, Pers. = E. subu- latum, Grev., on leaves of walnut, {Juglans regia). ' Fl. Edin./ p. 450; 'Sc. Cr. FL, vol. v. t. 263, f. 2, "not unfrequent." (I am not acquainted with this gall, or with that on the mountain- ash, which latter gall is distinct from the mite-gall described by me, ' Sc. Nat.,' ii. 79; the latter gall is common. THE GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS. By JOHN CAMERON. ( Continued from Vol. V. , p. 361.) Anthemis nobilis — Common chamomile. Camomhil, from the Greek ya^ai 1^X0%, which Pliny informs us was applied to the plant on account of its smelling like apples. (Spanish : maucin- The Scottish Naturalist. 21 ilia, a little apple.) Lus-iian cam-bhil (M'Kenzie), the plant with drooping flowers. The plant is well distinguished by its flowers, which droop, or are bent down, before expansion ; but though the name is thus applicable, it is only a corruption from the Greek. " Bi'dh mionntain, c727//au/eo, euphraino, to delight, from the supposition of the plant curing blindness). Arnoldus de Villa saith, " It has restored sight to them that have been blind a long time before ; and if it were but as much used as it is neglected, it would half spoil the spectacle trade " (Culpepper). 28 The Scottish Naturalist. Pedicularis sylvatica — Dwarf red rattle. Irish: I us an gr oil a. P. palustris — Louse-wort ; red rattle. Gaelic : lus riabhach, the brindled plant, possibly a contraction of riabhdheargach (Irish), red-streaked, a name which well describes the appearance of the plant. Modhalau dearg, the red modest one. Lus na mial, louse-wort, from the supposition that sheep that feed upon it become covered with vermin. Bainne ghabhar, goat's milk, from the idea that when goats feed on it they yield more milk. Its beautiful pink flowers were used as a cosmetic. " Sail-chuach 's bainne ghabhar, Suadh ri t' aghaidh, 'S cha n' neil mac righ air an domhain, Nach bi air do dheidh." Rub thy face with violet and goat's milk, And there is no prince in the world Who will not follow thee. Rhinanthus crista-galli — The yellow rattle. Gaelic : modh- alau bhuidhe, the yellow modest one. Bodach na claiginn. Irish : bodan na cloigin, the old man with the skulls. Claigeann or (Irish) cloigoiu, a skull, from the skull like appearance of its inflated calyces. Scrophularia nodosa— Figwort. Gaelic : lus nan cnapan, the knobbed plant, from its knobbed roots. Old English : kernel- wort. Donn-lus, brown-wort, from the brown tinge of the flowers. Farach dubh (faracha, Irish), a beetle or mallet ; dubh, dark. Wasps and beetles resort greatly to its small mallet-like flowers. Irish : fotruni (fot,fothach), glandered — from the resemblance of its roots to tumours. In consequence of this resemblance it was esteemed a remedy for all scrofulous diseases; hence the generic name Scrophularia. Digitalis purpurea — Foxglove. Gaelic : lus-nam-ban-sith, the fairy women's plant. Meuran sith (Stuart), the fairy thimble. Irish : an siothan (sioth, Gaelic : sith) means peace. Sithich, a fairy, the most active sprite in Highland and Irish mythology. Meuran 1 nan daoine marbh, dead men's thimbles. Meuran nan caillich niharbha, dead women's thimbles. In Skye it is called ciochan nan cailleachan marblia (Nicolson), the dead old women's paps. Irish : siaji sleibhc. (Sian, a charm or spell, a wise one, a fox ; sleibhe, a hill). W^elsh : menyg ellyllon, fairy's glove. 1 Meuran and digitalis (digitabulum), a thimble, in allusion to the form of the flower. The Scottish Naturalist. 29 O'Reilly gives another Irish name, bolgan beic (diminutive of bo/g, a sack, a bag. Greek, BoAyo?, beic, bobbing, curtseying). And frequently in the Highlands the plant is known by the familiar name, an /us mbr, the big plant. Lus a bkalgair (Aberfeldy), the fox-weed. Orobanchace^. (From Greek, opofios, orobos, a vetch, and ayx^v, to strangle, in allusion to the effect of these parasites in smothering and de- stroying the plants on which they grow.) The name muchog (from ///////^■smother, extinguish, suffocate) is applied to all the species. 0. major and minor — Broom-rape. Irish and Gaelic: siorra- lach, (Shaw) — sior, vetches, being frequently parasitical on legu- minous plants ; or siorrachd, rape. Verbenace^e. Verbena officinalis — Vervain. Gaelic and Irish : trombhod, — from, a corruption of drum, from Sanskrit dru, wood ; hence Latin, drus, an oak, and bod or bbid, a vow. Welsh : dderwen fendigaid, literally, blessed oak, — the " herba sacra " of the ancients. Ver- vain was employed in the religious ceremonies of the Druids. Vows were made and treaties were ratified by its means. "After- wards all sacred evergreens, and aromatic herbs, such as holly, rosemary, &c, used to adorn the altars, were included under the term verbena " (Brockie). This will account for the name from- bhod being given by O'Reilly as "vervain mallow;" M'Kenzie, "ladies' mantle;" and Armstrong, "vervain." Labiate. (From Latin, labium, a lip, plants with lipped corollae.) Gaelic : lus an lipeach, or bi leach. Mentha — (From Greek Miv^t/, minthe. A nymph of that name who was changed into mint by Prosperine, in a fit of jealousy, from whom the Gaelic name mionnt has been derived.) Welsh : myntys. Mentha sylvestris — Horse-mint. Gaelic : mionnt each, horse- mint ; mionnt Jiadhai?i, wild mint ; and if growing in woods, mionnt choil/e, wood- mint. M. arvensis — Gorn-mint. Gaelic: mionnt an arbhair, corn- mint. M. aquatica — Water - mint. Gaelic : cairteal. Irish : cartal, cartloin, probably meaning the water - purifier, from the verb cartam, to cleanse, and loin, a rivulet, or Ion, a marsh or swampy 3, «jJ/# <%>•**, <^\4* PHYTOLOGY, THE LIFE AND LABOURS OF A SCOTTISH NATURALIST, GEORGE DON OF FORFAR.1 c By JOHN KNOX. k EORGE DON, the subject of this sketch, was born in the T parish of Menmuir in the year 1764. The exact date of his birth cannot be ascertained, but he was baptised on the nth October, as the old parochial register testifies : "nth October T764, Alexander Don had a son baptised, named George." His mother's name was Isobel Fairvveather. Both parents were descended from respectable farmers in the parish, — the im- mediate progenitor of the Dons being a Thomas Don, who came from Aberdeenshire and settled in a farm in Edzell in the seven- teenth century. The father of the Botanist, Alexander Don, was a shoemaker, and for a few years after his marriage resided first in Menmuir, and then in the neighbouring parish of Careston. At last — probably about 1772 or 1773 — he came to Forfar, where he had an uncle who followed the same trade as himself. Here he took up his abode in the Little Causeway, a dreary square off the West High Street to the south. What education, in the technical sense, young Don received it is impossible to say. The likelihood is that it was very scanty. In whatever way he attained it, he wrote a bold, fairly-formed hand, and his style is clear and vigorous. His real education, however, was got out of doors, in the fields and by the lochside. His powers of observation very early attracted attention. It is said that on a visit to some relatives in his native parish, when still a mere boy, he collected and planted a number of wild flowers in his friend's garden, arranged according to a system of his own. In Forfar the tradition is that he began to learn his father's trade, but soon left it, his passion for flowers being so strong as to prevent him making any progress. He was then sent to Dupplin 1 Communicated to the Perthshire Society of Natural Science on January 6, 1881. The Scottish Naturalist. 6$ Gardens, which were under the charge of a relative, and there he spent some years as a gardener. His evenings were devoted to study, or to long rambles in search of plants — now across the Earn to the Ochils, and again to the outlying spurs of the Grampians ; and in this way he acquired a complete knowledge of the local flora. " On one of these botanical rambles," writes his grandson, George Alexander Don, in a letter to me, "he fell in with a young woman carrying a heavy pitcher of water. Entering into conversation with her, and helping her by taking her burden from her and carrying it himself, he began his acquaintance with Caroline Stewart, his future wife — an active, energetic woman, as my father has described her to me." Where he went to on leaving Dupplin is matter of uncertainty. It is said he went to the south of England, and after remaining there for a few years, came to Edinburgh and wrought as a gardener. In 1790 — it may be a year or two earlier — he was settled as a nurseryman in Forfar, where he remained till his death. He was appointed Superintendent of the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden under the Regius Keepership of Professor Rutherford (1784- 1819), but whether before he returned to Forfar or after, cannot now be known. If after he took up his residence in Forfar, he must have held the appointment but for a very short time, as by a careful collation of dates incidentally given in his 'Account of the Native Plants,' &c, it is clear he was never long away from Forfar after 1790 — the year in which he found the Caltha radicans. The ground which he converted into his famous Botanic Garden was a patch of nearly two acres lying just outside the town of Forfar to the north — a feu from the estate of Carsegray. The ground as a whole sloped to the west, and was shaped somewhat like a horse- shoe. From all sides, except the west, it fell towards the centre, from which a small oval-shaped knoll rose, known as the Dove hillock. On this Don built his house. From this knoll the ground dipped down to the west into what had been at one time the bed of Forfar Loch. Here he formed a large artificial pond, which he stocked with aquatic plants and fish. A walk ran round the garden, leaving room for a broad border, in which the native plants were arranged accord- ing to their orders, in their appropriate soils, of which there was abundance of all kinds at hand — loam, clay, sand, gravel, and moss. In addition to this he rented several acres of land from the town, which were used as a nursery for young trees. 64 The Scottish Naturalist. At this time Forfar was a small land-locked place, of about 5000 inhabitants. The principal trades were weaving coarse linens, shoemaking, and brewing. It being the county-town, there was a comparatively large number of writers and other functionaries connected with the administration of the law. The Forfarians of that day were a shrewd, kindly folk, with old- fashioned, home-spun ways. The only man of note in it at this time was the Rev. John Jamieson, afterwards Dr Jamieson, author of the ' Dictionary of the Scottish Language,' who was minister of the Secession Church. With him- Don is said to have been on terms of intimacy, and also with Mr Clarke, teacher of classics in the Burgh School, whose only title to remembrance is that he sent a pound to Burns on his death-bed, and to whom the poet wrote a letter of warm thanks, with as warm an entreaty for another note. About this time a. section of Forfarians — in- cluding among its number some of the most influential men in the town — sympathised deeply with the French in their efforts to rid themselves of the tyranny under which they had so long groaned, and looked upon Buonaparte, for a time, at least, as the regenerator of society. They were followers of William God- win, the founder of philosophic Radicalism, and adopted as their creed the principles — so far as they were practicable — laid down in his ' Inquiry concerning Political Justice.' It was through their exertions mainly that the Forfar Library was founded in 1795 — a library that will compare favourably with any other of its class. In addition to books, they also provided themselves with a telescope, microscope, and other philosophical instru- ments. To these men Don attached himself, and continued to be closely associated with them down to the time of his death. In 1799 he was made a member of the Library, on the condi- tions set forth in the following minute : — " 1 st February 1799. — George Don, Botanist, was admitted a member of the Library in consideration of having presented to the Library three volumes of Botanical Drawings ; and excepting the price of addenda, he is not to be liable in payment of any dues." There is now only one volume of Botanical Drawings in the Library — a volume of plates of Fungi, " Sowerby Delineator, 1796," — doubtless one of the three presented by Don. This little incident is significant enough. The Botanist is too poor to pay the subscription in money, but presents the three volumes of plates. He thus gains the command of a good library, and, The Scott 'is h Naturalist. 65 at the same time, places within the reach of the subscribers a valuable aid to the study of his favourite science. We cannot tell what use he made of the Library, as the reading-lists of those days are no longer in existence. That he would take full ad- vantage of it there can be no doubt, especially in the winter, when he had most leisure. His companions were readers, and met regularly to discuss books, politics, and the news of the day, in " Nanny Dagetty's " — a half-forgotten public-house in the East High Street. When spring and summer came, his out- door duties were sufficient to occupy his time. His active ener- getic nature soon led him into an extensive business. The county gentlemen largely consulted him as to their plantations and the best methods of laying out their estates. George Demp- ster of Dunnichen was one of the first to appreciate Don's abil- ities, and was a frequent visitor to the Forfar Garden. His love for botany, however, was an overmastering passion, to which everything else was subordinated, and drew him away from the ordinary, everyday work of the nursery, which, in sum- mer and autumn especially, was often left to the care of men who did not always do their duty to their master's satisfaction. Hence frequent quarrels between master and servant ; for Don, according to the testimony of those who knew him, was a chol- eric man. He was often away for two or three weeks at a time, but more frequently only for four or five days, in search of " Some rare floweret of the hills, or plant Of craggy fountain ; what he hopes for, wins, Or learns, at least, that 'tis not to be won : Then, keen and eager as a fine-nosed hound, By soul-engrossing instinct driven along Through wood or open field, Intent upon his onward quest." And when night came on, he would sit down under the shelter of some crag, eat his humble supper, and see "The hills Grow larger in the darkness, all alone Behold the stars come out above his head," till sleep closed his weary eyes. These excursions extended not only over the whole county of Forfar from the Grampians to the sea — every foot of which was to him familiar ground — but over the greater part of the middle Highlands, from Inverness to Ben Lomond. He was on Ben Lawers in August 1793, where he saw the Charadrius vol. vr. E 66 The Scottish Naturalist. himantopus, or long-legged plover; and in Skye and on the summit of Ben Nevis in 1794, where he for the first time found the Sagina maritima. But Clova was the district which had most charms for him, and to the exploration of which he de- voted most time and attention. " The lofty mountains which surround the upper part of Clova," says he, "present to the botanist an interesting field for rarities ; not even Ben Nevis, Ben Lawers, and Ben Lomond, and the high mountains of Cairngorm, taken altogether, can furnish such botanical treasures as are to be met with on the mountains of Clova." He has, indeed, made Clova classic ground for the botanist. For these long rambles over hill and dale Don was gifted by nature with capacities above most men. He was a tall, stalwait man, who could do the work of two ordinary men, and his power of endurance seems almost incredible. In these journeys he was often without food for long periods. He has been known to come into " Nanny Dagetty's," of an evening, direct from an excursion, and astonish his friends by clearing the table of every- thing eatable. They would rally him on his appetite ; but his defence was, that he had tasted nothing for twelve hours at least, and had during that time walked close on thirty miles, and heavily laden too. He would bring with him plants, some of them already dried and fit for the herbarium, roots and seeds to be planted and sown in his garden, or sent to one or other of his correspondents ; for he was in correspondence with some of the most eminent naturalists of the day, such as Dr Patrick Neill, Secretary of the Wernerian Society of Edinburgh ; Sir Joseph Banks ; Sir J. E. Smith, President of the Linnean Society, and others. There is a tradition in Forfar that a bishop of the Church of England — doubtless Dr Samuel Goodenough, Bishop of Carlisle — visited the town and inquired for Mr Don. It was not thought that such a grand man could have come to see George Don, and a messenger was sent with him to the resi- dence of a Colonel Don. Seeing the Colonel at a distance, he said, " That's not the man," and was then taken to the Gar- den, where he found the botanist busy at work, and was soon in cordial conversation with him, to the great wonder of his guide. It is much to be regretted that the details and incidents of these excursions, many of which were known to his associates, have not been preserved. They would have furnished matter lor a volume of deepest interest both to the general reader and TJic Scott is Ji Naturalist. 67 the man of science. But the men who knew them are all gone, and nothing now remains but a few reminiscences. Often, indeed, he returned from his expeditions with clothes torn or soiled with mud ; but on one occasion he came back in a still more sorry plight. Camping out on the hillside one night, he had gathered a few dry sticks and kindled a fire to keep himself warm. He then lay down and fell fast asleep, but was soon awakened by his burning coat. On examining the state of matters, he found the tails completely gone. When he set out for some of his longer rambles, it is said that he was in the habit of carrying two extra shirts with him : and when he thought it was time to have a change of linen he performed that operation by putting on an additional shirt. He sometimes got so absorbed in the search of plants that he forgot the days of the week. There is a story of his coming laden with specimens into the manse of St Vigeans one Sunday morning just before the church went in. Mr Muir, the minister, who was a great friend of his, expressed astonishment at seeing him there in such a guise at such a time. Don, who had already noticed that some preparations were being made for going to church, asked why Mr Muir was to preach that day. ^Yas it a Fast Day, or what? He was then told it was Sunday, and that he would have to go to church. " Oh, well, I have lost count ! " said he ; "but if I had my hands and face washed, I'll go to the kirk." He was shown up-stairs to a bedroom for this purpose, but not coming down in time, Mr Muir went up to call him. On opening the door he found the botanist stretched on the top of the bed in a profound slumber, which was not disturbed. Of the numerous letters he must have written, I have only seen one — a letter to his friend Mr David Booth, who at the time was settled in Newburgh as a brewer. I am indebted for it to Mrs Stuart, Balgonie, Markinch, who kindly sent it to me along with several others relating to circumstances connected with Don's death. Mr Booth was a very able man ; he was the author of the article "Brewing" in the Penny Cyclopaedia, 'In- terest Tables,' which are to be found in every bank office, 'An Analytical Dictionary of the English Language,' &c. At the time this letter was written he had been studying botany, and had asked Don to get him two volumes of botanical plates from the Forfar library. The David Mudie mentioned was at the time librarian, and Mr Roberts a writer in Forfar, both intimate friends of Don. Some of the older Forfarians say that Don was 68 The Scottish Naturalist. , an herbalist, and occasionally prepared decoctions and pre- scribed ; and this the mention of the " powder for scrofula with directions " would seem to confirm. George Don to David Booth. "Botanic Garden, Forfar, Nov. 19, 1812. " Dear Sir, — I have procured two volumes of Botanical plates with some difficulty. I have given my line to David Mudie, and Mr Roberts has become Bound for me that they shall be returned at the end of two months, and then I shall endeavour to procure the other when you return the two just now sent. I have sent the powder for scrofula with directions. "I will thank you to send the Jasmine fruticans and Serapis latifolia, and seed of Reseda lutea,* when the frost goes off. — With best wishes for the wellfare of Mrs Booth and family, I remain, dear sir, yours truly, G. Don. "Mr David Booth. (* And a plant of the Scirpus or Bull Rush that grows by the side of the river at Newburgh.) " N.B. — I have had a long Botanical Excurtion since I was in Newburgh, and have been successful, having discovered the fol- lowing new plants to Britain — viz., Salix lanata of Linn., and a nondescript species, Ranunculus rivalis of Linn., Astragalus campestris of Linn., Carex rariflora of Whalenberg, and also Carex salina of Swortz, and a nondescript species of Juncus, with many other rare plants, and some new and rare crypto- gameous plants. — Yours as above, G. D. " P.S. — The parcel is sent agreeable to your directions." The first time Don appeared formally as an author was, so far as I am aware, in the year before he wrote the above letter. He contributed a paper to the discussion of a question which was, at the time, engaging the attention of naturalists — the decay of the Scots fir. It is in the shape of a letter addressed to his friend Dr Patrick Neill, and was afterwards published in the Memoirs of the Caledonian Horticultural Society. It affords unmistakable evidence both of Don's remarkably keen powers of observation and of his common-sense ; and as it may not, even yet, have lost its interest, I shall quote the principal por- tions of it. The letter is dated " Forfar Gardens, 10th February 1811 : — The Scottish Naturalist. 69 " During the winter of 18 jo, when walking in some woods in the neighbourhood of Forfar, composed of Scotch fir, for the purpose of collecting mosses and lichens, my attention was drawn from these humble tribes by observing the very dissimilar appearances of different trees of what botanists consider as one species of Pinus, the Pinus sylvestris. " After examining a great number of trees, I became satisfied that it is possible to distinguish in our plantations at least four varieties ; and one of these, indeed, is of so fixed and marked a character that it may probably be entitled to rank as a species. " It may here be proper to state that lately, while observing the cutting down of a fir plantation near Forfar, I was not a little surprised at the great difference in the size, and conse- quently in the value, of some of the trees in comparison with others of the same species — the difference in value being not less than four times that of others, and in some individual trees exceeding six times. I was at a loss to account for this fact, as the trees were growing promiscuously in the same soil and situation, and had been equally thinned. On more minutely examining those that far exceeded the others in size, I perceived that they were all of that variety which I have suggested as pro- bably entitled to rank as a species. " About a month ago I re-examined the varieties of the Pinus sylvestris, in order to collect some cones of each variety for seed, and I was then led to examine them with considerable care." He then goes on to describe the different varieties, begin- ning with the common variety, which he calls variety 1, marked by its branches forming a pyramidal head ; leaves marginated, of a dark or full green colour, and but little glaucous under- neath ; cones considerably elongated and tapering to the point ; the bark of the trunk very rugged. This variety seems to be but short-lived, becoming soon stunted in appearance, and alto- gether a very inferior tree to variety 2 or 3. I shall now append his description of variety 2 : — " This strongly-marked and permanent variety is distinguished from the former by the disposition of its branches, which are remarkable for their horizontal direction and for a tendency to bend downward close to the trunk. The leaves are broader than in variety 1, and serrulated, not marginated as in variety 1. From that circumstance alone I should at once pronounce them distinct. The leaves are distinguished at a distance by their 70 T/ie Scottish-- Naturalist. much lighter and beautiful glaucous colour. The bark of the trunk is not so rugged as in variety i. The cones are generally thicker, not so much pointed, and they are smoother than those of variety I. The tree seems to be a more hardy plant, being easily reconciled to very various soils and situations. It grows very freely, and quickly arrives at a considerable size. Now may I here be allowed to conjecture that the fir- woods which formerly abounded in every part of Scotland, and the trees of which arrived at a large size, had been of this variety or species. I have certainly observed that the greater part of the fir-woods of the present day. and which are so much complained of, are of the common variety, or variety i ; at least not more than one tree out of ten or twelve is of variety 2, or the more desirable kind. I think this is the most natural way of accounting for the supposed decline of the Scots fir in this country, for two reasons : 1, Because variety 2 still retains all the good qualities ever ascribed to the Scots fir ; 2, Because, as variety 1 produces its cones much more freely than the other, the seed-gatherers, who were only to be paid by the quantity and not the quality, would seize upon the former and neglect the latter." And he goes on to say that he has planted seeds of the four varieties in his garden, and will report ; but he was cut oft" before the result of his experiment could be seen. (7c? be continued.) THE GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS. By JOHN CAMERON. ( Continued from p. 30. ) M. pulegium — Pennyroyal. Gaelic : peighinn rioghail, the same meaning. " Am bearnan bride 's a pheighinn-rioghail." — M'Intyre. The dandelion and the pennyroyal. Welsh : coluddlys, herb good for the bowels. Dail y gwaed, blood leaf. Calamintha — Basil-thyme, calamint. Gaelic : calameilt (from Greek, koAos, beautiful ; and /javdr), minthe, mint), beautiful mint. Welsh: Llysie y g&th, catwort. Rosmarinus officinalis — Common rosemary. Gaelic : rbs Mhuire. Irish : rbs-mar — mar-ros, sea-dew, corruptions from the The Scottish Naturalist 71 Latin (ros, dew, and marinus). the sea-dew. Rbs Afhairi, Mary's rose, or rosemary. Welsh : rbs Mair. Among Celtic tribes rose- mary was the symbol of fidelity with lovers. It was frequently worn at weddings. In Wales it is still distributed among friends at funerals, who throw the sprigs into the grave over the coffin. Lavendula spica — Common lavender. Gaelic: lus-na-tuise, the incense plant, on account of its fragrant odour. An /us Hath, the grey weed. Lothail, " uisge an lothail" lavender-water. Satureia hortensis — Garden savory. Gaelic : garbhag ghar- aidh. the coarse or rough garden plant, from garbh, rough, &c. Salvia verbenacea — Clary. The Gaelic and Irish name, torman, applies to the genus as well as to this plant ; it simply means " the shrubby one " (tor, a bush or shrub). The genus consists of herbs or undershrubs, which have generally a rugose appear- ance. A mucilage was produced from the seeds of this plant, which, applied to the eye, had the reputation of clearing it of dust; hence the English name, " clear-eye," clary (Gaelic : clears bright). S. officinalis — Garden-sage (of which there are many varieties). Gaelic : athair /lath, the grey father. Saisde (from sage). Slan /us, the healing plant, corresponding with salvia (Latin : salvere, to save). It was formerly of great repute in medicine. Armstrong remarks : " Bha barail ro mhbr aig na sean Eadalltich do 'n lus so, mar a chithear o'n rann a leanas, — " Cur moriatur homo cui salvia crescit in horto?" " C arson a gheibheaclh cluine bas, Aig am bheil saisde fas na gharaidh ? " Why should the man die who has sage growing in his garden ? Teucrium scorodonia — Wood - sage. Gaelic : saisde coi/le, wood-sage. Saisde Jiadhaiu, wild sage. O'Reilly gives the name ebeirs/uaigh, perhaps from obar, shall be refused, and s/uagh, people, multitude, because it did not possess the virtues attri- buted to the other species, and even cattle refuse to eat it. Thymus serpyllum — Thyme, wild thyme. Gaelic and Irish : /us mhic righ Bhreatainn, the plant belonging to the king of Britain's son. Lus an righ, the king's plant. This plant had the reputation of giving courage and strength through its smell ; hence the English thyme (from Greek : Ov^os, thynws, courage, strength, — virtues which were essential to kings and princes in olden times). Highlanders take an infusion of it to prevent dis- agreeable dreams. Welsh : tcini. 72 The Scottish Naturalist. ( mari oran a I Origanum , > — Marjoram. Gaelic and Irish : ora- gan, the delight of the mountain. Greek : opos, oros. Gaelic : ord, a mountain ; and Greek, yavos, ganos, joy. Gaelic : gain, clapping of hands. Lus mJiarsalaidh, the merchant's weed, may only be a corrupted form of marjoram, from an Arabic word (rnarya- mych). Seathbhog, the skin or hide softener (seathadh, a skin, a hide, and bog, soft). " The dried leaves are used in fomentations : the essential oil is so acrid that it may be considered as a caustic, and was formerly used as such by farriers " (Don). Welsh : y benrudd, ruddy-headed. 0. dictamnus — Dittany. The Gaelic and Irish name, lus a phiobaire — given in the dictionaries for " dittany " — is simply a corruption of lus apheubair, the pepperwort, and was in all prob- ability applied to varieties of Lepidium as well as to Origanum dic- ta mni creti, whose fabulous qualities are described in Virgil's 12th ' ^Eneid,' and in Cicero's ' De Natura Deorum.' Hyssopus officinalis — Common hyssop. Gaelic: z.rth January 1814. " Dear Sir, — Mr Rodger says he wrote to you yesterday communicating the unpleasant news of the death of our friend, George Don, but had omitted to request you to write a short sketch of this singular and celebrated botanical genius, and to cause the sketch to be published in one of the English diurnal newspapers. To stimulate you to this is my chief object in writ- ing at present. If the article appear in one newspaper, it is probable it will be copied into all the other papers. " A man of eminence in any art or science is entitled to notice, and when he leaves the world it argues a degree of inexcusable insensibility to devote no attention whatever to his memory. George was not only a self-taught man of science, but he was our particular friend. I therefore expect that you, who knew every trait of his character, will not delay a moment in taking up your able pen to celebrate his memory. Your description will aid a benevolent plan which a number of your acquaintances here have formed in behalf of the unhappy orphans left by our friend. Judge, then, how anxiously we will look for the effusion of your pen on departed genius and modest worth. " George's family consists of five sons and one daughter. The two elder sons, George and David, have studied botany under their father, and have made considerable proficiency. They know the greater part of the immense variety of plants in his botanic garden. The second son, David, is a fine boy of about sixteen years of age, modest, communicative, and sensible, and the knowledge he has already acquired of plants would astonish you. Were his genius to be properly cultivated, I have not a doubt that he would soon be little inferior to what his father was in the science of botany. "A number of individuals here have it in contemplation to support these two young men, to enable them to reside with, and provide for, the three infant sons. With a view to this benevolent plan, letters are to be sent to those gentlemen who corresponded with George on the subject of botany, soliciting their aid. Perhaps a small fund may be raised in this way to preserve the family from starving, and to enable the two elder sons to follow their pursuit in the knowledge of botany; and if 1 Addressed to Mr Booth, Mr William Godwin's, 41 Skinner Street, London. 1 1 6 The Scottish Naturalist. they meet with any encouragement, they may possibly become an acquisition to the world. They are young and vigorous, and able to traverse Alpine regions in the pursuit of rare plants. The eminent Dr Smith patronised and justly appreciated the talents of the father. Perhaps you could apply to him for some aid to this friendless family ; perhaps you will think of others to whom you could make a similar application. Such sums as shall be received it is, intended to place with a banker, and to be under the superintendence of some people here who are to direct the proper application of the cash. When this celebrated botanist died he was completely in want, and I believe your good friend Mr James Webster was the first to throw in a temporary supply. " Be as kind to write to me at your convenience. From me you can expect little information. In this small place the same dull unvarying scene daily occurs ; but you are in the metro- polis, conversing with men of eminence, and perhaps you could communicate some information that would be amusing and in- teresting to me. Say whether the celebrated Godwin be engaged in any work at present. I lately, for the first time, perused his 1 Enquirer ' with greater interest than any book I ever read. I hope he will still continue to illuminate the intellects of men, which are, in general, sufficiently phlegmatic. You must have observed that our friend Holcroft gave a genuine description of the character of Buonaparte. Had he been less selfish and despotical, he would have rendered himself truly great, and have been the benefactor and regenerator of the world ; but he seems to have felt too little interest in the happiness of his species, and viewed them as instruments calculated for no other purpose than to forward his schemes of self-aggrandisement, — that is, what he considered to be aggrandisement. Sorry am I to see that the distinguished few follow the footsteps of Buona- parte in this respect. — Ever your sincere friend, " Will. Roberts. " Conclude your sketch with an observation that Mr William Hutchison, writer in Forfar, is appointed to receive subscrip- tions for the support of the poor indigent family of George, and that any cash remitted to Mr Hutchison will be faithfully applied for that laudable purpose." ( To be continued. ) The Scottish Naturalist. 1 1 7 MYOOLOGIA SOOTIOA. By Rev. JOHN STEVENSON. {Continued from page 39.) 2173. Hydnum acre Quel. Bull. Soc. Bot. France, 1877, /. 324, /. vi. fig 1. B. gn Br., No. 1893. Pileus fleshy, compact, turbinate then flattened, tomentose, then bristling with hairy tufts, tawny-bistre, more brown in the centre ; flesh greyish or bistre, fragile and bitter ; teeth grey-bistre, with the tips whitish; stem short, grey, bistre-colour at the base; spores very rough, tawny, '006 mm. The pileus and flesh are of the colour of a jonquil, tinted with bistre or olive. The taste is bitter and peppery at the same time. In pine-woods. East. Moray West. Forres. Rev. J. Keith. Europe. 2174. Exobasidium rhododendri Cr. Grevillea, viii. p. 8. Forming sub-globose or irregular fleshy nodules, resembling galls, of a bright reddish colour ; spores cylindrical, "008 mm. Among Hymenomycetes of doubtful affinity. On shoots and leaves of Rhododendron ferrugineum. East. Tay West. Perth. Sesrsrieden. Dr B. White. '&& England. Europe. * Leptothyrium pictum B. & Br. Mycol. Scot. p. 210. Perth. Dr B. White. 2175. Sphaeropsis malorum Berk. C. Hbk. No. 125 1. On stored apples. Winter. East. Moray — West. Forres. Rev. J. Keith. England. 2176. Darluca typhoidearum B. & Br. C. Hbk. No. 1286. Var. caricis Fckl. On Carex arendria. Autumn. 1 1 8 The Scottish Naturalist. East. ■ Dee West. ■ Aberdeen. Professor J. W. H. Trail. England. Europe. 2177. Melasmia alnea* Lev. C. Hbk. No. 1295. On living alder-leaves. Summer. East. Forth Tay Dee Moray West. England. Europe. 2178. Phyllosticta violae* Desm. C. Hbk. No. 1352. On leaves of violet. East. Tay West. England. Europe. 2179. Excipula macrotricha B. & Br. C. Hbk. No. 1362. On broom-sticks. March. East. ■ Moray West. Forres. Rev. J. Keith. England. 2180. Glseosporium cytisi* B. & Br. No. 1897. Spots white, sometimes encircled with red ; perithecia minute ; spores minute, elliptical. On Cytisus laburnum. Aug. East. Tay West. Pass of Killiecrankie, 1877. J. S. 2181. Puceinia amphibii Fckl. Symb. Myc. Nchtrg. ii. p. 15. Stylospores. Sori rather large, orbicular, pale brown ; spores ovato-globose, finely spinulose. Teleutospores. Sori opaque-brown-black, at first enclosed by the dark tuberculaled epidermis, which is at length ruptured ; spores oblongo - clavate, constricted, obtuse for the most part in front, shortly pedicellate, brown. On Polygonum ampJiibium var. terrestre. Autumn. East. Tay West. Scone, &c. Dr B. White. Europe. The Scottish Naturalist. 1 1 9 2182. P. malvacearum Cda. Grcvillea, ii. p. 137. Ilypophyllous, sori scattered, hemispherical, at first veiled in the centre by the persistent epidermis, circumference naked, umbilical e beneath ; spores densely crowded, ovoid-oblong, brown, even, some- what constricted in the middle, obtusely acuminate, on very long hyaline pedicels. On hollyhocks. Summer — autumn. East. Tay West. Perth. Dr B. White. England. Europe. Australia. Chili. 2183. P. pimpinellse Lk. Sp. ii. p. 17. Fckl. Syrnb. Myc. p. 52. On Pimpindla saxifraga. Sept. East. ■ ■ Moray West. Aviemore. Rev. J. Keith. Europe. This species is described by Fuckel, along with others,, growing on Umbelliferas, which are named after the host plant. He regards them as distinct species, since all their aecidia, so far as known, are essentially dif- ferent. They " have all similarly shaped teleutospores, which are longish, divided into two equal parts, obtuse at both ends, constricted in the middle, and with a very short pedicel." * P. veronicarum D.C. My col. Scot. p. 238. This is usually on Veronica montaua. * P. cirsii Lasch. My col. Scot. p. 237. Rannoch. Dr B. White, 1875. * P. galiorum Link. Mycol. Scot. p. 238. Add " Dee." Professor J. W. H. Trail informs me that he has gathered the plant on Galium verum and on Asperula odorata, accompanied by smooth trichobasis spores, while on Galium saxatile it has rough spinose spores of the trichobasis form. Both have been regarded hitherto as of one species. The plant on Galium saxatile will probably be found to be a distinct species. * P. lychnidearum Link. Mycol. Scot. p. 241. Add " Dee." Professor Trail has gathered the so - called species of Fuckel, P. stellariae, on Stellaria uliginosa, and P. sag- 120 The Scottish Naturalist. ina3 on Sagina procumbens. It is doubtful if there is sufficient ground for regarding these as distinct from P. lychnidearum. * P. fallens Cooke. Mycol. Scot. p. 241. Add " Dee." Professor Trail has found a few spores of this Puccinia, mixed with a multitude of spores of Trichobasis fallens, on Vicia sepium and Anthyllis vulneraria. * Uredo vacciniorum Pers. Mycol. Scot. p. 245. Usually on Vaccinium myrtillus. 2184. Coleosporium senecionis Fr. C. Micro. Fungi, Ed. iv. p. 218. Spots obliterated ; sori solitary or regularly crowded, sub-rotund or oval, on the under surface, surrounded by the ruptured epidermis ; spores sub-globose when free, orange. On various species of groundsel. Summer — autumn. East. Forth Tay Dee Moray West. Clyde Ross England. Europe. Very common and abundant. It will probably be found in ail the districts. 2185. Synchytrium mercurialis Fckl. Symb. Myc. p, 74. B. 6° Br. No. 1389. G rev ilka, ii. p. 162. Tubercles chiefly confluent on the nerves of the leaves, hemi- spherical, greenish, depressed at the summit, each with a papilla which is white ; sori oblong, grey, for the most part in pairs ; zoo- spores globose, uninucleate, hyaline ; spores echinulate, '0012 — •0015 in. On Mercurialis perennis. Summer — autumn. East. Tay Dee West. England. Europe. 2186. Ustilago succisae Magn. Waldh. Aperc. des Ustil. p. 30. Masses of spores pale ; spores globose or subglobose, colourless, •015— *oi6 mm. On anthers of Scabiosa succisa. Sept. East. Tay West. Rannoch, 1879. ^r B« White. Europe. The Scottish Naturalist. 1 2 1 2187. ^Iridium behenis D.C. C. Hbk. No. 1622. On Silctie maritima. Summer — autumn. East. Dee West. Nigg, Muchalls, &c. Professor J. W. H. Trail. England. Europe. 2188. JE>. depauperans Vize. Grevillea, v. p. 57. Spots none, peridia scattered, at first round, becoming elongated, parallel with the length of the stem ; spores yellow. On Viola lutea, var. amcena. Spring — summer. East. Tay ■ West. ■ Perth. Dr B. White. England. * Milesia polypodii Berk. & White. Mycol. Scot. p. 261. Findhorn, Morayshire. Dr B. White. 2189. Sporocybe alternata Berk. C. Hbk. No. 1698. On damp paper. East. Tay West. Perth. Dr B. White. England. America. 2190. Helminthosporium nanum Nees. C. Hbk. No. 1712. On dead stems. Oct. East. Tay West. Parkfield. Dr B. White. England. Europe. Peronospora calotheca De By. Mycol. Scot. p. 277. Perth. Dr B. White. P. obliqua Cooke. Mycol. Scot. p. 278. Messrs Berkeley and Broom, in "Notices of British Fungi" ('Annals and Magazine of Natural History,' February 1881), state that this clearly belongs to the genus Ramularia, as revived by Saccardo. P. rufibasis B. and Br. Mycol. Scot. p. 278. Grantown. Rev. J. Keith. Apparently frequent where Myrica gale grows. 122 The Scottish Naturalist. 2191. Helvella infula SchaefF. Grevillea, viii. p. 99. Pileus lobed, deflexed, sometimes gyroso -undulate, smooth, rufous, cinnamon, or purple-brown, much paler and tomentose beneath, margin adhering firmly to the stem, becoming undulated ; stem thick- ened above and below, stuffed, then hollow, smooth, villous, pallid, or purplish white, often here and there irregularly lacunose ; asci cylindrical ; sporidia ellipsoidvate, binucleate, -oi8- "022 x '008 mm.; paraphyses septate, often twice or thrice branched, apices pyriform, coloured. On sawdust and rotten pine-wood. Sept. — Oct. East. Moray West. Rothiemurchus, 1879. Rev. J. Keith. England. Europe. * Rhizina undulata Fr. Mycol. Scot. p. 300. Sheriffmuir. J. M'Ara. Collection at Glasgow Show. 2192. Peziza (Humaria) xanthomela Pers. C. My c. Jig. 41. Sessile, gregarious, somewhat deformed, becoming black beneath, disc somewhat convex, becoming yellow ; asci cylindrical ; sporidia elliptical, very small, hyaline, smooth, 'oil - *oi2x '006 mm.; cups 2 mm. broad. On the ground. Oct. East. Moray West. Darnaway, 1879. Rev. J. Keith. Europe. 2193. P. (Humaria) sulphurata Schum. ? Fr. Syst. Myc. ii. p. 72 ; Ft. Dan. t. 1915,^ 2. Nearly sessile, gregarious, at first concave, then becoming plane, sulphureo-lemon coloured, pallid externally, and at the margin which is tumid, and at first very slightly fioculose ; sporidia 'oi2-'Oi7 x "003 - "0045 mm. On the ground, and pine and oak leaves. Sept. — Nov. East. • ■ Moray West. Cawdor and Forres, 1879. Rev. J. Keith. Europe. 2194. P. (Humaria) Roumegueri Karst. Grevittea, vii. p. 64. Apothecia gregarious, sessile, fleshy, orbicular, plane, naked, golden-yellow, paler externally and at the distinct, membranaceous, thin, erect margin, 3-4 mm. broad ; asci cylindrical, about 240 mm. long (the sporiferous portion 138 mm.), about 12 mm. The Scottish Naturalist. 123 thick ; spores 8 ; monostichous, fusoid-oblongated, 2-guttulate, even, hyaline, 24-27 mmm. long, 9 mmm. thick; paraphyses moderately numerous, simple, curved at the apex, clavate, pale golden-tawny, tinted blue by iodine. The plant may be recognised at once by the paraphyses alone becoming blue with iodine. Var. carnosissima Phill. in litt. Sporidia *oi6 - *oi8 x -005 — *oo6 mm. On decaying beech-leaves. Autumn. East. Tay West. Glamis, Hunter's Hill, 1880. J. S. Europe. 2195. P. (Sarcoscypha) bulbocrinita Phill. in litt. Scattered, sessile, at first globoso-hemispherical, then expanded, concave, externally brown, clothed with long, straight, septate, fulvous hairs, which are bulbous at the base ; disc bluish-grey ; asci cylindrical; sporidia 8, ovate, faintly coloured, '02x'oi3 mm.; paraphyses filiform. The peculiar bulbous base of the long hairs of the exterior is unlike anything seen in this group. On damp decaying prunings. July. East Moray West. Forres, 1879. Rev. J. Keith. 2196. P. (Sarcoscypha) hirto-coccinea Phill. and Plow. Gre- v ilka, v Hi. p. 100. Sessile, scattered or crowded, fleshy, hemispherical, then expanded, dull scarlet ; margin incurved, clothed with scattered, pale-brown, obtuse, septate hairs, longest on the margin ; flesh pale scarlet ; asci cylindrical ; sporidia 8, ovate with one or two large nuclei, "022 x -oi I mm. ; paraphyses rather slender, clavate at the apices, filled with scarlet granules ; cups 6-10 mm across ; the hairs below the margin shorter, often clavate, composed of a single cell. The white mycelium at times conspicuous below the cups. On mossy spots on the ground in pine-woods. Aug. East. Moray West. Rothiemurchus, 1879. Rev. J. Keith. 2197. P. (Dasyscypha) leucophsea Pers. Karst. Myc. Fenn. i. p. 177. Scattered or gregarious, sessile, hemispherical, pallid, strigoso- villose, with whitish or sulphur-coloured hairs, which become ferru- ginous-brown by drought and age ; epithecium whitish ; asci cylin- draceo-subclavate ; sporidia fusoid-filiform, simple, "007- 'Oi6 x "001 - '0015 mm. ; paraphyses rather acute at the apex. 124 The Scottish Naturalist. On stems of Stachys. June. East. Moray West Forres, 1879. Rev- J. Keith. Europe. 2198. P. (Dasyscypha) rhytismse Phil]. Grcvillca, viii. p. 101. Minute, gregarious, stipitate, white; cups at first globose, then expanded, clothed with short white hairs, bearing on their summits globular crystalline beads ; stem rather long, villous to the base ; asci cylindrical; sporidia 8, oblong-fusiform, '003- '005 x "ooi mm. ; paraphyses as broad but longer than the asci, acutely pointed. Distinguished from its allies by its habitat, size of sporidia, and the rough globose beads on the points of the hairs. Parasitic on Rhytisma accrinum Fr. June. East. Moray West. Forres. Rev. J. Keith. 2199. P. (Dasyscypha?) nuda Phill. Grevillca, viii. p. 101. Scattered, plane or convex, with a long, solid, rather flexuous stem, pale orange-red, smooth, glabrous; asci cylindrical ; sporidia 8, oblong or oblong-fusiform, '005 - "oi x *oo2 - '003 mm. ; paraphyses broad, longer than the asci, acutely pointed, filled with granules ; 5 mm. high, il/z mm. across disc. This is an anomalous species, having the long pointed paraphyses not hitherto observed in any section besides Dasyscypha, yet destitute of hairs of any kind that would justify placing it in that section. On the ground among moss in fir-woods. Aug. East. Moray West. ■ Rothiemurchus, 1879. Rev. J. Keith. 2200. P. (Hymenoscypha) alniella Nyl. Karst. Myc. Fenn. i. p. 129. Subgregarious, stipitate, white or pallid-white ; cup plane ; stem slender, short, or very short ; asci cylindraceo-clavate ; sporidia 8, biseriate, or obliquely uniseriate, oblong enucleate, *co6 - "OI2X "0O2 - '004 mm. On catkins of alder. Oct. East. Moray West. Forres, 1879. Rev. J. Keith. Europe. 2201. P. (Hymenoscypha) echinophila Bull. C. Hbk. No. 2085. On chestnut husks. Sept. — Nov. The Scottish Naturalist. 125 East. Moray West. Cawdor and Forres, 1879. Rev- J- Keith. England. Europe. 2202. P. (Hymenoscypha) scutula Pers. Karst. Myc. Fenn. i. p. no. Gregarious, stipitate, rather firm, smooth, brick-red, or whitish becoming yellowish ; cup patelliform, margin quite entire, epithecium darker, yellow, or becoming brick-yellowish, nearly plane or slightly convex ; stem paler, flocculose, nearly equal, sometimes rufescent or rose-coloured downwards ; asci cylindraceo-clavate , sporidia acicu- lar-elongate, for the most part somewhat curved, 2-6 nucleate, "019 - '026 x '004 - '005 mm. On stems of Spircea. Oct. East. Moray West. Forres, 1879. Rev. J. Keith. Europe. ( To be continued. ) THE GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS. By JOHN CAMERON. ( Continued from p. 82. ) Parietaria officinalis — Wall pellitory. Gaelic and Irish: lus a bhal/aidh, from balladh (Latin, vallum ; Irish, bulla), a wall. A weed which is frequently found on or beside old walls or rubbish heaps, hence the generic name "parietaria," from paries, a wall. Irish : mionutas chaisil {caisiol, any stone build- ing), the wall-mint. For mioiiutas, see Mentha. Humulus lupulus — Hop. Gaelic and Irish : lus ati leamia — lionii luibh, the ale or beer plant. Lionny leann (Welsh, Ihyn), beer, ale. Ulmus — Elm. Celtic: ailm. The same in Anglo-Saxon, Teutonic, Gothic, and nearly all the Celtic dialects. Hebrew : rby, elah, translated oak, terebinth, and elm. U. campestris — Gaelic and Irish : leamhau, slamhan (Shaw), liobhati. Welsh : llwyfen. According to Pictet, in his work, 1 Les Origines Indo-Europeennes ou les Aryans Primitifs,'p. 221, " To the Latin : ' Ulmus ' the following bear an affinity (re- spond)— Sax.: ell 'm. Scand.: almr. Old German: elm. Rus. : ilemu. Polish : ilma. Irish : ailm, uilm, and by inversion, I26 The Scottish Naturalist. 'leawh,' or ' leamhan? " He says the root is ?//, meaning to burn. The tree is called from the finality of it, " to be burned." That is his opinion, and he is probably right. The common idea of leamhan is that it is from leatnh, tasteless, insipid, from the taste of its inner bark ; and lidbh means smooth, slippery. And the tree in Gaelic poetry is associated with or symbolic of slipperiness of character, indecision. Cicely M 'Donald, who lived in the reign of Charles II., describing her husband, wrote as follows : — " Bu tu' n t-iubhair as a choille, Bu tu' n darach daingean laidir, Bu tu' n ciiileann, bu tu 'n droighionn, Eu tu' n t; abhall molach, blath-mhor, Cha robh meur annad do' n chritheann, Cha robh do dhlighe ri fearna, Cha robh do chairdeas ri leamhan, Bu tu leannan nam ban aluinn." Thou wast the yew from the wood, Thou wast the firm strong oak, Thou wast the holly and the thorn, Thou wast the rough, pleasant apple, Thou hadst not a twig of the aspen, Under no obligation to the alder, And hadst no friendship with the elm, Thou wast the beloved of the fair. Ficus — Nearly the same in most of the European languages. Greek : crvKrj. Latin : ficus. Celtic : fige. F. carica — Common fig tree. Gaelic and Irish : crannflge or fights. " Ach foghlumaibh cosamhlach do 'n chrann fliige" Learn a parable from the fig-tree. Morus — Greek : fiopos, moros. Latin : morns, a mulberry. Loudon, in his 'Encyclopedia of Plants,' says it is from the Celtic 7/ibr, dark-coloured. There is no such Celtic root ; it may be from the Sanskrit, murch, Scotch, mirk, darkness, obscurity; and the Greek name has also this meaning, — the fruit being of a darkish red colour. Old Ger. and Danish : mur-ber. M. nigra — Common mulberry. Gaelic and Irish : crann- maol-dhearc, tree of the mild aspect, or if dearc here be a berry, the mild-berry tree. Maol (Latin, mollis) has many significa- tions. Bald, applied to monks without hair, as Maol Ckolum, St Columba ; Maol losa, Maol Brighid, St Bridget, &c. A pro- montory, cape, or knoll, as Maol Chinntlre, Mull of Cantyre. The Scottish Naturalist. 127 Malvern, maol, and bearna, a gap. To soften, by making it less bitter, as "dean maol e," make it mild. Hence mulberry, mild- berry (Canon Bourke). Amentifer^e and Cupulifer^e. Catkin-hearers — Gaelic : eaitean, the blossom of osiers. " 'Nis treigidh coileach a ghucag 'S caitcan brucach nan craobh." — M 'Donald. Now the cock will forsake the buds And the spotted catkins of the trees. Quercus — Said in botanical works to be from the Celtic, quer, fine. There is no such word in any Celtic dialect, and even Pictet has failed, after expending two pages on it, to explain it. Q. robur — ("Robur comes from the Celtic, ro, excelling, and bur, development" — Canon Bourke). The oak. Gaelic and Irish : dair, genitive daracli, sometimes written darag, dur, drii. Sanskrit : dm, dntma, dn/ta, a tree, the tree ; daru, a wood. " Samhach' us mora bha 'n triath, Mar dharaig 's i Hath air Lubar, A chaill a dlu-dheug o shean Le dealan glan nan speur, Tha 'h-aomadh thar sruth o shliabh, A coinneach mar chiabh a fuaim." — Ossi^/C^ /*■ Silent and great was the prince Like an oak-tree hoary on Lubar, Stripped of its thick and aged boughs By the keen lightning of the sky, It bends across the stream from the hill, Its moss sounds in the wind like hair. Om, omna, the oak (O'Reilly). " Cormac, King of Cashel, Ire- land, a.d. 903, says of onifia that it equals fuamna, sounds, or noises, because the winds resound when the branches of the oak resist its passage. According to Varro, it is from os, mouth, and men, mind, thinking — that is, telling out what one thinks is likely to come. Cicero agrees with this, ' Osmen voces hom- inum ' " — Canon Bourke. Compare Latin : omen, a sign, aprog- nostication, — it being much used in the ceremonies of the Druids. Omna, a lance, or a spear, these implements being made from the wood of the oak. Greek : 86pv, a spear, because made of wood or oak. Eitheae/i, oak, from eit/iim, to eat, an old form of ith. Latin : ed-ere, as " oak" is derived from ak (Old German) to eat (the acorn). The "oak" was called Quercus eseulus by the Latins. Rail, railaidh, oak. 128 The Scott is Ji Naturalist. " Ni bhiodh achd, aon dhearc ar an ralaidh" There used to be only one acorn on the oak. Canon Bourke thinks it is derived from ro, exceeding, and ail, growth ; or ri, a king, and al or ail — that is, king of the growing plants. The Highlanders still call it righ na coille, king of the wood. The Spanish name roble seems to be cognate with robur. Q. ilex — Holm-tree. Gaelic and Irish : craobh thuilm, gen- itive of tolm, a knoll, may here be only an alteration of "holm." Darach sior-udine, evergreen oak. Q. suber — The cork-tree. Gaelic : crann ctirceain. Irish : era Jin aire. Aire, a cork. Fagus sylvatica — Beech. Gaelic and Irish : craobh fhaibhile. Welsh : ffaivydd. Fai, from <£ayw, to eat. rjy6^t the beech-tree. This name was first applied to the oak, and as we have no Qiiercus esculus, the name Fagus is applied to the beech and not to the oak. Oruin (O'Reilly), see Thuja articulata. Beith na measa, the fruiting birch. Meas, a fruit, as of oak or beech — like " mess," " munch." French : manger, to eat. F. sylvatica var. atrorubens — Black beech. Gaelic : faibhile dubh (Fergusson), black beech, from the sombre appearance of its branches. The " mast " of the beech was used as food, and was called bachar, from Latin, bacchar ; Greek, fiaKxapts, a plant having a fragrant root. A name also given to Valeriana celtica (Sprengel), Celtic nard. Carpinus — Celtic : car, wood ; and pin, a head, — it having been used to make the yokes of oxen. C. betulus — Hornbeam. Gaelic : ieamhan bog, the soft elm. (See Ulmus campestris.) Corylus avellana — Hazel. Gaelic and Irish : cdlltuinn, cdll- dainn, callduinn, cailtin, colluinn. Welsh : callen. Cornish : col- widen. Perhaps from Armoric : call. Gaelic : colli. Irish ; coill, a wood, a grove. New Year's time is called in Gaelic, colli ; li oidhche coille,1' the first night of January, then the hazel is in bloom. The first night in the new year, when the wind blows from the west, they call ddir na coille, the night of the fecunda- tion of trees ("Statistics," par. Kirkmichael). In Celtic supersti- tion the hazel was considered unlucky, and associated with loss or damage. The words call, col, collcn, have also this significa- tion ; but if two nuts were found together (cnb chbmhlaich), good luck was certain. The Bards, however, did not coincide with these ideas. By it they were inspired with poetic fancies. The Scottish Naturalist. 129 " They believed that there were fountains in which the principal rivers had their sources ; over each fountain grew nine hazel trees, caill crinmon (cri/ia, wise), which produced beautiful red nuts, which fell into the fountain, and floated on its surface, that the salmon of the river came up and swallowed the nuts. It was believed that the eating of the nuts caused the red spots on the salmon's belly, and whoever took and ate one of these salmon was inspired with the sublimest poetical ideas. Hence the ex- pressions, 'the nuts of science,' 'the salmon of knowledge.' " — O'Curry's ' Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish.' The badge of Clan Colquhoun. Alnus — Name derived from Celtic. Al, a growth ; and /an, full. According to Pictet, it is from aika, Sanskrit for a tree. A. glutinosa — Common alder. Gaelic and Irish : /earn — /earn, same origin as varana (Sanskrit), a tree. Welsh : gwernen — giuern, a swamp. It grows best in swampy places, and beside streams and rivers. Many places have derived their names from this tree, G'leann Fearnaite. Fearnan, near Loch Tay ; Fear/i, Ross-shire, c\:c. Ruaim (O'Reilly) (n/adh, red), it dyes red. When peeled it is white, but it turns red in a short time. The bark boiled with copperas makes a beautiful black colour. The wood has the peculiarity of splitting best from the root, hence the saying " Gach fiodh o'n bharr, 's am fearna o'n bhun." Every wood splits best from the top, but the alder from the root. Betula alba — Birch. Gaelic and Irish : beatha. Welsh : bed//, seemingly from heath. Greek : Puorrj. Latin : vita, life. Also the name of the letter B in Celtic languages, correspond- ing to Hebrew Beth (meaning a house). Greek : Beta. Generally written beith. " Sa bheith chubhraidh." — Ossiax. In the fragrant birch. The Highlanders formerly made many economical uses of this tree. Its bark {meilleag) they burned for light, and the smooth inner bark was used, before the invention of paper, for writing upon, and the wood for various purposes. The badge of the Clan Buchanan. B. verrucosa — Knotty birch. Gaelic : beatha carraigeach, the rugged birch ; beatha dubh-chasach, the dark-stemmed birch. B. pendula — Gaelic : beatha dubhacJi, the sorrowful birch (di/bhaeh, dark, gloomy, sorrowful, mourning, frowning). In VOL VI. 1 130 The Scottish Naturalist. Rannoch and Breadalbane : Beatha cluasach, the many (droop- ing) ear birch. (Stuart.) B. nana — Dwarf birch. Gaelic : beatha beag (Fergusson), the small birch. Castanea vesca — Common chestnut. Gaelic and Irish : chra- obh geanm chno. "No na craobha geanm-clino cosmhuil r'a gheugaibh. " — Ezekiel xxxi. 8. Nor the chestnut-tree like his branches. Geanm or geann, natural love, pure love, such as exists between relatives, — the tree of chaste love, and cno, a nut. The Celts evidently credited this tree with the same virtues as the chaste tree, Vitex agnus castas (Greek, ayvos ; and Latin, castas, chaste). Hence the Athenian matrons, in the sacred rites of Ceres, used to strew their couches with its leaves. Castanea is said to be derived from Castana, a town in Pontus, and that the tree is so called because of its abundance there. But the town Castana (Greek, Kdaravov) was probably so called on account of the virtues of its female population. If so, the Eng- lish name chestnut would mean chaste-nut, as it is in the Gaelic. Welsh : castan (from Latin, caste), chastely, modestly. The chestnut-tree of Scripture is now supposed to be Platanus oric?i- talis, the Chenar plane-tree. [iEsculus hippocastanum — The horse - chestnut. Gaelic : geanm chno feadhaich (Fergusson). Belongs to the order Acei'- aceaz. Was introduced to Scotland in 1709.] Populus alba — Poplar. Gaelic : pobhuill. Irish: poibleag. German : pappel. Welsh and Armoric : poll. Latin : populus. This name has an Asiatic origin, and became a common name to all Europe through the Aryan family from the East.1 Pictet explains it thus : " Ce nom est sans doute une reduplication de la racine Sanskrit put, magnum, altum." Put put, great, great, or big, big, as in the Hebrew construction, very big. We still say in Gaelic mbr mbr, big, big, for very big. Put put is the Persian for poplar, and pullali for salix. This tree is quite common in Persia and Asia Minor, hence it was as well known there as in Europe. The name has become associated with populus, the people, by the fact that the streets of ancient Rome were deco- rated with rows of this tree, whence it was called Arbor populi. Again, it is asserted that the name is derived from the constant 1 See Canon Bourke's work on ' The Aryan Origin of the Gaelic Race anil Language. ' London: Longman. The Scottish Naturalist. 1 3 1 movement of the leaves, which are in perpetual motion, like the populace — " fickle, like the multitude, that are accursed." P. tremula — Aspen. Gaelic and Irish : critheann, trembling. " Mar chritheach san t' sine." — Ull. Like an aspen in the blast. With the slightest breeze the leaves tremble, the poetic belief being that the wood of the Cross was made from this tree, and that ever since the leaves cannot cease from trembling. Eadhadh. Welsh : aethnen (aethiad, smarting). The mulberry tree of Scripture is supposed to be the aspen (Balfour), and in Gaelic is rendered craobh nan smew: (See Morns and Rubus fruticosus. ) " Agus an uair a chluineas tu fuim siubhail an mullach chraobh nan smeur, an sin gluaisidh tu thu fein." — 2 Samuel v. 24. And when thou hearest a sound of marching on the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself. The badge of Clan Fergusson. Salix — According to Pictet, from Sanskrit, sala, a tree. " II a passe au suale dans plusieurs langues . . . Ces noms derivent de sala. " Gaelic and Irish : seileach, saileog, sal, suit. Cognate with Latin : salix. Fin.: salawa. Anglo-Saxon : salig, salh, from which sallow (white willow) is derived. Welsh : helyg, willow. (See S. viniinalis.) S. viminalis — Osier willow ; cooper's willow. Gaelic and Irish : fineatnhain (from fin, vine ; and niuin, a neck), a long twig — a name also applied to the vine.1 Vimen in Latin means also a pliant twig, a switch osier. One of the seven hills of Rome (Viminalis Collis) was so named from a willow copse that stood there ; and Jupiter, who was worshipped among these willows, was called "Viminius;" and his priests, and those of Mars, were called Salii for the same reason. The worship was frequently of a sensual character, and thus the willow has be- come associated with lust, filthiness. Priapus was sarcastically called " Salacissimus Jupiter," hence salax, lustful, salacious ; and in Gaelic, salach (from sal) ; German, sal, polluted, defiled. The osier is also called bunsag, bun, a stump, a stock. Afaothan, from maoth, smooth, tender. Gall sheileach, the foreign willow. 1 " Finemhain fa m' chomhair " (in Genesis) — a vine opposite to me. 132 TJie Scottish Naturalist. S. caprea, and S. aquatica — Common sallow. Gaelic and Irish : suileag, probably the same as Irish, saileog (Anglo-Saxon, salig, sallow). Suit — the old Irish name — (in Turkish su means water), in Irish and Gaelic, the eye, look, aspect, and sometimes tackle (Armstrong). The various species of willow were exten- sively used for tackle of every sort. Ropes, bridles, &c, were made from twisted willows. " In the Hebrides, where there is so great a scarcity of the tree kind, there is not a twig, even of the meanest willow, but what is turned by the inhabitants to some useful purpose." — Walker's ' Hebrides.' And in Ire- land, to this day, " gads," or willow ropes, are made. Geal- sJicileach (Armstrong), the white willow or sallow tree. Irish : crann sailigh fhrattcaigh, the French willow. S. babylonica — The Babylonian willow. Gaelic: seilcach an f srutha {sruth, a brook, stream, or rivulet), the willow of the brook. " Agus gabhaidh sibh dhuibh fein air a' cheud la meas chraobh aluinn, agus seilcach an t srutha. " — Lev. xxiii. 40. And take unto yourselves on tbe first day fruit of lovely trees, and willows of the brook. Myricace^:. Myrica gale — Bog myrtle, sweet myrtle, sweet gale. Gaelic : rideag. Irish : rideog, rileog (changing sound of d to / being easier). Rod ox roid is the common name in the Highlands, perhaps from the Hebrew, E>m, rothem, a fragrant shrub. It is used for numerous purposes by the Highlanders, r. ; P. arenivaga Desm. ; Helotium virgultorum Fr. ; Phacidium repandum 1" r. ; Stegia ilicis Fr. ; Phyllactinia guttata Lev. ; Nectria Rousseliana Mont.; Dothidea podagrarise Fi*. ; Stigmatea potentillse Fr., on Potentilla anserina. THE GrAELIC NAMES OP PLANTS. By JOHN CAMERON. ( Continued from p. 1 33. ) P. picea — Silver pine. Gaelic : giubhas gea/(Ferg\isson), white pine. First planted at Inveraray Castle in 1682. Abies communis — Spruce-fir. Gaelic : guithas LochlannacJu Scandinavian pine. " Nuair theirgeadh giubhas Lochtainneach" — M'Codrum. When the spruce-fir is done. Lbchlannach, from loch, lake, and /au/i, a Germano-Celtic word meaning land — i.e., the lake-lander, a Scandinavian. '■ Giubhas glan na Lochlainn, Fuaight' le copar ruadh." Polished fir of Norway, Bound with reddish copper. P. larix — Larch. Gaelic and Irish : laireag. Scotch : larick. Latin : larix, from the Celtic, /dr, fat, from the abundance of resin the wood contains. Welsh : larswydden, fat wood. P. strobus (Strobus, a name employed by Pliny for an east- ern tree used in perfumery) — Weymouth pine. Gaelic : giut/ias Sasunnach (Fergusson), the English pine. It is not English, however; it is a North American tree, but was introduced from England to Dunkeld in 1725. Cupressus — Cypress. Irish and Gaelic: cuphair, an altera- tion of Cyprus, where the tree is abundant. C. sempervirens — Common cypress. Gaelic: craobh b/uviu, the tree of sorrow. Bron, grief, sorrow, weeping. Craobh uaine gii/thais, the green fir-tree. " Is cosmhuil mi ri crann uaine giuthais." — Hosea xiv. 8. I am like a green fir-tree. The fir-tree of Scripture (Hebrew berosh and beroth are translated fir trees) most commentators agree is the cypress. The Scottish Naturalist. i 7 1 Thuja articulata — Thyine-wood. Gaelic : fiodh-thine. " Agus gach uile gjanhfhiodka thine." — Rev. xviii. 12. And all kinds of thyinc-wood. Alteration of tkya, from Ovm, to sacrifice. Another kind of pine, Hebrew, oren (Irish and Gaelic, oruin), is translated ash in Isaiah xliv. 14, and beech by O'Reilly. Cedar — (So called from its firmness.) Hebrew: pj$, erez. Cedrus Zibani, cedar of Lebanon. Gaelic and Irish : cra?in she u dar, cedar- tree. " Agus air uile sheudaraibh Lebanoin." — Isaiah ii. 13. And upon all the cedars of Lebanon. The cedar-wood mentioned in Lev. xiv. 4 was probably Juniperus oxycedrus, which was a very fragrant wood, and furnished an oil that protects from decay — cedar-oil (/ceopiov). " Carmina linenda cedro " — i.e., worthy of immortality. " Agus fiodh sheudar, agus scarlaid, agus biosop. " And cedar-wood, scarlet, and hyssop. Juniperus — Said to be " from the Celtic jeneprus, which sig- nifies rough or rude" (Loudon), a word not occurring in any Celtic vocabularies that I have consulted. It seems to be the Latinised form of the Celtic root ///, iubh, iur, yw (see Taxus). From the same root comes yew in English. Irish : iubhar- beimie (O'Reilly), the hill yew ; iubhar-ialamh, the ground yew ; iubhar-chraige, the rock yew, — all given as names for the juniper. Junipei-us is mentioned by both Virgil and Pliny. Both the Greeks and Romans reluctantly admitted that they were in- debted to the Celts for many of their useful sciences, and even their philosophy (see Diogenes Laertius), as they certainly were for their plant and geographical names. J. communis — Juniper. Gaelic and Irish : aiteil, aitinn, aitiol. " Ach chaidh e fein astar latha do'n fhasach agus thainaig e agus shuidh e fuidh craobh aiteil."' — 1 KINGS xix. 4. And he went a day's journey into the desert, and he sat under a juniper tree. The juniper of Scripture, Genista monosperma, was a kind ol broom. Aiteil, from ait. Welsh : aeth, a point, furze. Irish : aitea/ui, furze, from its pointed leaves. Bior leacain (in Arran), the pointed hillside plant. Staoin (in the North Highlands), caoran staoin, juniper berries (staoin, a little drinking-cup). 172 The Scottish Naturalist. The badge of Clans Murray, Ross, M'Leod, and the Athole Highlanders. J. sabina — Savin. Gaelic : samhan (Armstrong), alteration of "sabina," the "sabina herba" of Pliny. Common in Southern Europe, and frequently cultivated in gardens, and used medicin- ally as a stimulant, and in ointments, lotions, &c. Taxus — According to Benfey, is derived from the Sanskrit, taksh, to spread out, to cut a figure, to fashion. Persian tak. Greek : to£o<$, an arrow. Irish and Gaelic : tuagh, a bow made of the taxos or yew, now applied to the hatchet used in place of the old bow. T. baccata — Common yew. Gaelic and Irish : iuthar, iubhar, iughar, from ////. Greek : pvs (Gaelic, abhra), the eyelash, to which the delicate fringe of the inner sepals may be well compared. " A plant with two leaves " — Freund. 0. or List era ovata — Tway blade. Gaelic : da-dhuillcach, two-leaved ; da-bhileach, same meaning. Epipactis latifolia — White helleborine. Gaelic : 'elebor-geal.1 A plant used formerly for making snuff. " The root of hellebor cut in small pieces, the pouder drawne vp into the nose causeth sneezing, and purgeth the brain from grosse and slimie humors " — Gerard, 1597. This is probably the plant referred to in " Morag," when M'Donald describes the buzzing in his head, for even his nose he had to stop with hellebore, since he parted from her endearments. " Mo cheann tha Ian do sheilleanaibh O dheilich mi ri d'bhriodal Mo shron tha stoipt' a dh-elebor. Xa deil, le teine dimbis." Iridace.e. Iris — Signifying, according to Plutarch, the " eye." Canon Bourke maintains " it is derived from etpw, to settle. And as a name it was by the pagan priests applied to the imaginary mes- senger, sent by gods and goddesses to others of their class, to announce tidings of goodwill. At times they imagined her sent to mortals, as in Homer, to settle matters, or to say they were destined to be settled. Such was the duty of Iris. Now 1 See Helleborus viridis. 174 The Scottish Naturalist. amongst Jews and Christians, the rainbow was the harbinger of peace to man, hence it was called 'Iris;' and the circle of blue, grey, or variegated tints around the pupil of the eye is not unlike the rainbow — therefore this circlet was so called by optic scientists, simply because they had no other word; and botanists have, by comparison, applied it to the fleur-de-lis, because it is varied in hue, like the iris of the eye, or the rainbow. Iris does not and did not convey the idea of eye." I. pseudacorus — The yellow flag. Gaelic: boguisge — bog, soft, but here a corruption of bogha-uisge, the rainbow. Gaelic and Irish : seilisdear, often seileasdear, and siolasiar. The ter- mination tar, dear, or astar, in these names, means one of a kind, having a settled form or position. One finds this ending common in names of plants — as, oleaster, cotoueaster, &c, like •k ttjp " in Greek, " dear " in Gaelic. Sell (the first syllable), from sol, the sun : solus, light; sol and leus, i.e., lux, light. Greek : HXios (rj or e long), hence sell, e and i to give a lengthened sound, as in Greek. Seileastar, therefore, means the plant of light — Fleur de luce. Other forms of the word occur. Siol instead of sell, as siol sir ach ; siol or sil, to distil, to drop — an alteration probably suggested by the medicinal use made of the roots of the plant, which were dried, and made into powder or snuff, to produce salivation by its action on the mucous membrane. " Feileastrovi, feleastrom, feleastar. Here /is the affected or di- gammated form. When eleastar (another form of the word) lost the ' s,' then, for sound's sake, it took the digammated form (f)elcastar. Strom (the last syllable) is a diminutive termina- tion. Seilistear, diminutive form seilistrin, and corrupted into seilistrom " — Bourke. Crocus — Greek : KpoKoq. Much employed amongst the an- cients for seasonings, essences, and for dyeing purposes. C. sativus } o a- j a- ~ , , . . , > — Sanron crocus, meadow sanron. Colchicum autumnale j Gaelic and Irish : cro, crodh, crock — crodh chorcar.1 " 'Se labhair Fionn nan chro-shnuaidh." — Conn Mac Dearg. Thus spake Fingal the saffron-hued. " Spiocnard agus croch." — Dana Sholhim, iv. 14. Spikenard and saffron. Saffron was much cultivated anciently for various purposes, but above all for dyeing. " The first habit worn by persons of dis- 1 For coi'cur, see Lceanora tartarea. The Scottish Naturalist. i / D tinction in the Hebrides was the iein eroic/i, or saffron shirt, so called from its being dyed with saffron" — Walker. The Romans had their croeota, and the Greeks 6 k/ookwto?, a saffron -colon red court dress. Welsh : saffrwm, saffron, from the Arabic name, zafaran, which indicates that the name of the plant is of Asiatic origin. A M ARYLLI DACE.«. Narcissus pseudo-narcissus ) ~ V ,'.. ~ r , ,• , f .,, } — Daffodil. Gaelic : lus a chrom ,, jonquilla J chinn, the plant having a bent or drooping head. Galanthus nivalis — Snowdrop. Gaelic and Irish : gealag lair, — gea/ag, white as milk ; ldr} the ground. Galanthus. Greek : yaXa, milk, and avOos, a flower. Aloe — Hebrew, m^ntf, aJialoth. Gaelic and Irish : aloe. " Leis na h-uile chraobhaibh tuise, mirr agns aloe.'''' With all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes. — Song OF SOLOMON, iv. 14. The aloe of Scripture1 must not be confounded with the bitter herb well known in medicine. LlLIACE.E. Lilium — Greek : Xcipiov. From the Celtic : It. colour, hue. Welsh : ttiu. Gaelic : //. " A mhaise-mhna is ailidh lit " — FingaliAN Poems. Thou fair-faced beauty. 'Lily seems to signify a flower in general" — Wedgewood. Gaelic and Irish : lilidh or l\li. Convallaria majalis — Lily of the valley. Gaelic : lilt nan Ion. Lilt nan gleann. " Air ghilead, mar lili nan Idintean." — M 'Donald. Whire as the lily of the valley. " Is ros Sharon mise lili nan gleann.'''' — Stuart. I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the glen. " The lily of Scripture was probably Lilium chalcedonicuni "- Balfour. Allium — The derivation of this word is said to be from all (Celtic), hot, burning. There is no such word. The only word that resembles it in sound, and with that signification, is sga//la, burned, scalded ; hence, perhaps, " scallion," the English for a vouns: onion. Latin : calor. 1 Aquilaria agallochum. 176 The Scottish Naturalist. A. cepa (cep, Gaelic : ceap, a head) — The onion. Gaelic : uinnean. Irish : oinninn. Welsh : wynwyn. French : oignon. German : onjon. Latin : unio. Gaelic : siobaid, sioba?in. Welsh : sibol. Scotch : sybo. German : zwiebel, scallions or young onions. Cutharlan, a bulbous plant. In Lome, and elsewhere along the W. Highlands, frequently called Srbnamh (probably from Srbn and amh, raw in the nose, ox pungent in the nose). A. porrum1 — Garden leek. Gaelic and Irish : leigis, leiceas, leicis. German : lauch, leek. " Agus na leicis agus na Yfuinneinean." — Numbers xi. 5. And the leeks and the onions. Irish : bugha (Shaw), leeks, fear. O'Clery, in his ' Vocabulary,' published a.d. 1643, describes it thus: " Bugh, i.e., luibh gorm no glas ris a samhailtean sliile bhios gorm no glas." That is, a blue or grey plant, to which the eye is compared if it be blue or grey. The resemblance between a leek and the eye is not very apparent, as the following quotation shows : — " Dhearca mar dhlaoi don bliugha, Is a dha bhraoi cearta caol-dhubha." — O'Brien. His eyes like a bunch of leeks, And his two eyebrows straight, dark, narrow. Although Shaw gives the name to the leek, probably the plant referred to is the bluebell (see Scilla non - scripta). Irish : coindid, coimie, cainnen. Welsh : renin (cen, a skin, peel, scales, given to onions, garlic, leeks). " Do roidh, no do cohidid, no do ablaibh." Thy gale, nor thy onions, nor thy apples. Coindid, though applied to leeks, onions, &c, means seasoning, condiments. Latin : condo. A. ursinum — Wild garlic. From the Celtic. Gaelic and Irish : garleag. Welsh : gar/leg, from gar, gairce, bitter, most bitter. Gairgean. Creamh (Welsh, era/), cream, to gnaw, chew. Lurachan, the flower of garlic. " Le d' lurachain chreamhach fhason 'Sam buicein bhan orr' shuas." — M'DONALD. The feast of garlic, " Feisd chreamh," was an important occasion for gatherings and social enjoyment to the ancient Celts. 1 a Porrum " from the Celtic, port, to eat, to graze, to browse. The Scottish Naturalist. 177 " Ann's bidh creamh agus sealgan, agus luibhe iomdha uile fhorreas, re a n-itheadh lirghlas feadh na bleadhna ma roibhe ar teitheadh 6 chaidreath na n-daoine, do 'n gleann da loch." — Irish. Where garlic and sorrel, and many other kinds, of which I ate fresh throughout the year before I fled from the company of men to the glen of the Two Lochs.1 A. Scorodoprasum — Rocambole. Gaelic and Irish : creamh nan crag (M'Kenzie), the rock garlic. A. ascalonicum — Shallot. Gaelic : sgalaid (Armstrong). (See Allium). A. Schoenoprasum — Chives. Gaelic : feuran. Irish : fear an, the grass - like plant. Saidse. Creamh gharadh, the garden garlic. Welsh : cenin Pedr, Peter's leek. A. vineale — Crow garlic. Gaelic: garleag Mhuire (Arm- strong), Mary's garlic. Narthecium ossifragum — Bog asphodel. Gaelic and Irish : blioch, bliochan, from blioch, milk, Welsh : gwaew'r trenin, king's lance. e* Nuair thigheadh am buaichaill a mach, 'Sa gabhadh. e mu chul a chruidh Mu'n cuairt do Bhad-nan-clach-glas, A bhuail 'air m bu trie am bliochd." — M'Leod. When the cowherd comes forth. And follows his cows Around Bhad-nan-clach-glas, Often he is struck with the asphodel. Scilla non-scripta— Bluebell; wild hyacinth. Gaelic : fit at h tnhuic, the pig's fear or aversion, the bulbs being very obnoxious to swine. Brog na cubhaig, cuckoo's shoe. Irish : buth a muc. Probably buth is the same as bugha (see Allium porrum), fear, the pig's fear. IVPLauchainn called it lili gucagach. " Lilt gucagach nan cluigean." The bell-flowered lily. S. verna — Squill (and the Latin, scilla, from the Arabic, dsgyl). Gaelic : l-ear uineann, the sea-onion. Lear, the sea, the surface of the sea. l< Clos na wm-lear uaine." — OssiAN. The repose of the smooth green sea. Welsh: winwyny mor, sea-onion. 1 A most gloomy and romantic spot in the County of Wicklow. " Glen da lough ! thy gloomy wave, Soon was gentle Kathleen's grave." — Moore. VOL. VI. M 178 The Scottish Naturalist. Tulipa sylvestris — Tulip. Gaelic : tuiliop. The same name in almost all European and even Asiatic countries. Persian : thoidyban (De Souza). Asparagus officinalis — Common asparagus. Gaelic : creamh maC'fiddh. Irish : creamh-miuc Jiadh, wild boar's leek or garlic. The same name is given to hart's-tongue fern. Asparag, from the generic name cnrapacrcru), to tear, on account of the strong prickles with which some of the species are armed. Ruscus — Latinised form of Celtic root rus, wood, husk ; rus- gach, holly. Welsh : rhysgiad, an over-growing. Also bruscus, from Celtic, brus, bruis, small branches, brushwood. R. aculeatus — Butcher's broom. Gaelic : calg-bJimdhainn (Armstrong). Irish: calg-bhrudhan (Shaw) — ca/g, a prickle, from its prickly leaves ; and bruth, bruid, a thorn, anything pointed ; brudha/z, generally spelled brughan, a faggot. Or it may only be a corruption from brum, broom. . Calg bhea/aidh, the prickly broom. It was formerly used by butchers to clean their blocks, hence the English name " butchers' broom." (To be continued.) PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS OF PERTHSHIRE. By F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. ( Continued from page 1 4 1 . ) XLIII. Arenaria L. 96. Verna L. Meall Duin Croisg, Breadalbane. 97. Rubella Hook. Rare. Breadalbane mountains. 98. Trinervia L. Common. 99. Serpyllifolia L. Var. sphcerocarpa Ten. Common. Var. leptoclados Guss. Local, or overlooked. 100. Cherleria Fenzl. Breadalbane mountains. xliv. Sagina L. 1 01. Apetala L. i. Sub-species apetala. Very local, or overlooked. ii. Sub-species ciliata Fr. Commoner than apeta/a, but also probably overlooked. Hi. Sub-species maritima Don. Invergowrie. 102. Procumbens L. Common. The Scottish Naturalist. 179 103. Saxatilis Wimm. Common on the richer hills. 104. Nivalis Fr. On several of the Breadalbane hills. 105. Subulata Wimm. Chiefly on the trap hills. 106. Nodosa L. Local. Var. glandulosa Bess. Local. xlv. Spergula L. ^<^Tp"^ 107. Arvensis L. A common weed of cultivation, ^v --— ^5.C xlvi. Spergularia Pers. /o~ (O c *^rt\ 108. Rubra St Hil. Common, but sporadic. \0 109. Marina Camb. I ^ | L ' * Y J ZQ Sub-species media L. Estuary of the Ta\£ /^* PORTULACE^E. V^"" ^V^ xlvi 1. Monti a L. ^ — 2— ' 1 10. Fontana L. Var. minor Gm. Dry places. Local. Var. rivularis Gm. Watery places. Common. xlviii. Claytonia L. hi. Perfoliata Don. 112. Alsinoides Sims. Both as escapes in several places. C. sibirica is also reported as an escape. PARONYCHIACE^]. XLIX. SCLERANTHUS L. 113. Annuus L. A common weed of cultivation. Var. biennis Reut. Local. In stony uncultivated places on the trap hills. ELATINACE^E. L. Elatine L. 114. Hexandra D.C. Very local. HYPERICACE^. li. Hypericum L. 115. Androscemum L. Very local; in the south-west of the county. 116. Calycinum L. Only where planted. 117. Perforatum L. Common. 118. Quadrangulum L. i. Sub-species dubium Leers. Local. ii. Sub-species tetrapterum Fr. Not uncommon. 180 The Scottish Naturalist. 119. Humifusum L. Rather local. 120. Pulchrum L. Common. 121. Hirsutum L. Somewhat local. MALVACEAE. LII. Malva L. 122. Moschata L. Widely distributed, but not very common. Possibly an introduction. 123. Sylvestris L. Not rare, but often, if not always, an escape. LINACE^J. LIII. LlNUM L. 124. Catharticum L. Common. 125. Usitatissimum L. Rare, and always introduced. liv. Radiola Gm. 126. Millegrana Sm. Local, but widely distributed. GERANIACE^l. lv. Geranium L. Sanguineum L. Local. Sylvaticum L. Common. Pratense L. Not uncommon. Pyrenaicum L. Naturalised in a few places. Phaeum L. Not common. An introduction. Molle L. A weed of cultivation. Columbinum L. Very local. Dissectum L. Common. Robertianum L. Common. Lucidum L. Rather local. 127 128 129 130 132 133 *34 135 136 lvi. Erodium L'Her. 137. Cicutarium L'Her. Var. commixtum Jord. Var. trivia le Jord. Var. pilosum Bor. Widely distributed, but not usually abundant. OXALIDACE^l. LVII. OXALIS L. 138. Acetosella L. Common. The Scottish Naturalist. 181 AQUIFOLIACE^]. lviii. Ilex L. 139. Aquifolium L. Widely distributed, but rare as an in- digenous plant. EMPETRACE^E. lix. Empetrum L. 140. Nigrum L. Common in the Silurian districts. SAPINDACE^J. lx. Acer L. 141. Pseudoplatanus L. Naturalised. LEGUMINOS^]. lxi. Genista L. 142. Anglica L. Not uncommon. lxii. Ulex L. 143. Europaeus L. Common. lxiii. Cytisus L. 144. Scoparius Link. Common. lxiv. Ononis L. 145. Arvensis L. Not uncommon. lxv. Medicago L. 146. Sativa L. Rare. An escape in a few places. 147. Lupulina L. Common. 148. Maculata Sibth. Near Doune. Doubtless an escape. lxvi. Melilotus Tourn, 149. Officinalis L. Rare. An introduction. lxvii. Trifolium L. 150. Arvense L. Local. 151. Incarnatum L. Rare. An escape. 152. Pratense L. Var. sativum. Common ; an escape from cultiva- tion. Var. sylvestre. Not uncommon. 153. Medium L. Not uncommon. 154. Striatum L. Local. Mostly on the trap hills. 155. Hybridum L. Not uncommon. An escape. i%2 The Scottish Naturalist. 156. Repens L. Common. 157. Procumbens L. Common. 158. Minus Sm. Common. lxviii. Anthyllis L. T59. Vulneraria L. Not uncommon. lxix. Lotus L. 160. Corniculatus L. Var. vulgaris. Common. Var. crassifolius Pers. Invergowrie. 161. Major Scop. Common. lxx. Astragalus L. 162. Glycyphyllos L. Local, and not common. 163. Hypoglottis L. Not uncommon, but local. lxxi. Oxytropis D.C. 164. Uralensis D.C. Ben Chonzie and Ben Lawers. Rare. lxxii. Ornithopus L. 165. Perpusillus L. Local. lxxiii. Vicia L. 166. Hirsuta Koch. Common. 167. Cracca L. Common. 168. Orobus D.C. Very local. Rannoch and Athole. 169. Sylvatica L. Local. 170. Sepium L. Common. Var. montana Koch. On the higher mountains. 171. Sativa L. i. Sub-species sativa. An occasional escape from cul- tivation. ii. Sub-species angustifolia Roth. Var. segetalis Koch. Local. Var. Bobartii Forst. Local. 172. Lathyroides L. Local. lxxiv. Lathyrus L. 173. Pratensis L. Common. 174. Sylvestris L. Very rare. An escape. 175. Macrorrhizu's Wimm. Common. Var. tenuifolius Roth. Common. 176. Niger Wimm. Very local and rare. Killiecrankie. The Scottish Naturalist. 183 ROSACEA. lxxv. Prunus L. 177. Communis Huds. i. Sub-species spinosa L. Common. it. Sub species insititia L. Rare. Doubtfully native. Hi. Sub-species domestica L. An escape. 178. Avium L. Not uncommon, but doubtfully indigenous. 179. Padus L. Not rare. lxxvi. Spiraea L. 180. Ulmaria L. Common. 181. Salicifolia L. In several places, but only where it has been planted originally. lxxvii. Rubus L. 182. Chamaemorus L. Common on the Silurian hills. 183. Saxatilis L. Not uncommon. 184. Idaeus L. Common. 185. Fruticosus L. Common in the Lowlands, less common in the Highlands. The following forms have been noticed. Probably many others occur and should be looked for. i. Sub-species suberectus Anders. Common in the Highlands. it. Sub-species fissus Lindl. Hi. Sub-species plicatus W. and N. iv. Sub-species affinis W. and N. v. Sub-species rhamnifolius W. and N. vi. Sub-species latifolius Bab. vii. Sub-species leucostachys Sm. (?) viii. Sub-species villicaulis W. and N. ix. Sub-species macrophyilus Weihe. Var. umbrosus Arrh. x. Sub-species radula Weihe. Common. xi. Sub-species Kcehleri Weihe. Var. infcstus Bab. xii. Sub-species foliosus Weihe. xiii. Sub-species corylifolius Sm. Common. LXXVIII. Dryas L. 186. Octopetala L. Local. Athole and Breadalbane. lxxix. Geum L. 187. Urbanum L. Common. 184 The Scottish Naturalist. 188. Rivale L. Common. The hybrid G. intermedium Ehr. is not uncommon, but the form approaching rivale (urbano-rivale) is commoner than the other (rivali- urbanum). lxxx. Fragaria L. 189. Vesca L. Common. LXXXI. POTENTILLA L. 190. Comarum Nestl. Common. 191. Tormentilla Sibth. i. Sub-species erecta L. Common. ii. Sub-species procumbens Sibth. Not common, or overlooked. 192. Reptans L. Local, and not common. 193. Verna L. Sub-species maculata Pourr. Widely spread on the richer hills. 194. Anserina L. Common. 195. Fragariastrum Ehr. Common. 196. Argentea L. Local. LXXXII. SlBBALDIA L. 197. Procumbens L. On the richer hills, but local. lxxxiii. Alchemilla L. 198. Arvensis Lamk. Common. 199. Vulgaris L. Common. Var. montana Willd. Rare. 200. Alpina L. Common on the Silurian hills. lxxxiv. Agrimonia L. 201. Eupatoria L. i. Sub-species eupatoria L. Local. ii. Sub-species odorata Mill. St Fillans. LXXXV. POTERIUM L. 202. Sanguisorba L. i. Sub-species sanguisorba L. Local and rare. ii. Sub-species muricatum Spach. Was established on rocks opposite Kinnoull church (whence it was re corded as P. sanguisorba), but the rocks have been removed and the plant is gone. It possibly grows in other places and has been confounded with the other species. Sanguisorba canadensis has been found in two localities. The Scottish Naturalist. 185 lxxxvi. Rosa L. 203. Spinosissima L. Local, but not uncommon. 204. Villosa L. 1. Sub-species mollis Sm. Common. Var. siibccerulea Baker. Dunkeld. ii. Sub-species tomentosa Sm. Common. Var. scabriuscula Sm. Rare. Var. subglobosa Sm. Not rare. Var. farinosa Raw. Blair-Athole. 205. Involuta Sm. Var. Sabini Woods. Rare. Var. Doniana Woods. Rare. 206. Rubiginosa L. Not uncommon. An escape (?). 207. Canina L. Common. The following forms have been observed, but much remains to be done amongst the Perthshire roses, both of this and of other species. Var. lutetiana Lem. Local. Var. sfthcerica Gren. Local. Var. dwnalis Bechst. Common. Var. urbica Lem. Common. Var. arvatica Baker. Not uncommon. Var. dumetorum Thuill. Dunkeld (?). Var. incana Woods. Killin (?). Var. andez>agensis Bast. Not common. Var. ccesia Sm. Rare. Var. verticillacantha Merat. Not common. Var. Reuteri Godet. Not uncommon. Var. subcristata Baker. Common. Var. implexa Gren. Local. Var. coriifolia Fr. Local. Var. Watsoni Baker. Local. Var. mai'ginata Wallrost. Rare. 208. Arvensis L. An escape in one or two places. R. alpina occurs on Kinnoull Hill, but is doubtless an escape. lxxxvii. Pyrus L. 209. Communis L. One or two plants escaped from cultiva- tion. 210. Malus L. Var. acerba D.C. Widely distributed, but rather local. Truly wild. Var. mitts. Here and there as an escape. 1 86 The Scottish Naturalist. 2ii. Aucuparia Gsertn. Common. lxxxviii. Crataegus L. 212. Oxyacantha L. Sub-species monogyna Jacq. Common, but usually though not always an introduction. SAXIFRAGACEA lxxxix. Saxifraga L. 2I3- Oppositifolia L. Not uncommon on the Silurian hills. 214. Nivalis L. Rather local and rare. 215. Stellaris L. Silurian hills, not uncommon. 216. Umbrosa L. Naturalised in several places. 217. Aizoides L. Not uncommon. 218. Tridactylites L. Very local and rare. 219. Rivularis L. Reported from Ben Lawers. 220. Granulata L. Not uncommon. 221. Cernua L. Ben Lawers. 222. Hypnoides L. Sub-species hypnoides L. Not uncommon on the hills. Var. platypeiala Sm. Var. gemmifera Bosw. xc. Chrysosplenium L. 223. Alternifolium L. Local. 224. Oppositifolium L. Common. xci. Parnassia L. 225. Palustris L. Not uncommon. RIBBSIACE^E. XCII. RlBES L. 226. Grossularia L. An escape. 227. Alpinum L. Only where planted. 228. Nigrum L. Probably always an escape. 229. Rubrum L. Probably an escape. CRASSULACRaE. xciii. Sedum L. 230. Rhodiola D.C. On many of the richer hills. 231. Telephium L. Sub-species purpurascens Koch. Not uncommon but local, in the Lowlands. Native (?). 232. Villosum L. Local, and not very common. The Scottish Naturalist. 187 233. Album L. Rare, and only where planted. 234. Anglicum L. Local. 235. Acre L. Common in the Lowlands. 236. Reflexum L. Naturalised in several places. DROSERACE^S. xciv. Drosera L. 237. Rotundifolia L. Common. 238. Anglica Huds. Very local, and not common HALORAGACE^E. xcv. Hippuris L. 239. Vulgaris L. Very local. xcvi. Myriophyllum L. 240. Alternirlorum D.C. Common. 241. Spicatum L. Rare or overlooked. xcvii. Callitriche L. 242. Verna L. Common. The following forms occur — i. Sub-species vernalis Kuetz. ii. Sub-species platycarpa Kuetz. Var. stagnalis Kuetz. Hi. sub-species pedunculata D.C. 243. Autumnalis L. Locally abundant. ONAGRACE^J. xcviii. Epilobium L. 244. Angustifolium L. Common. Var. brachycarpum Leighton. Rare. An escape. 245. Hirsutum L. In the Lowlands only, and local. 246. Parviflorum Schreb. Local. Var. intermedium Merat. In several places. 247. Montanum L. Common. 24S. Tetragonum L. Sub-species obscurum Schreb. Common. Tetra- gonum proper requires corroboration as a Perth- shire plant. 249. Palustre L. Common. 250. Alsinifolium Vill. Common on many of the Silurian hills. 251. Alpinum L. Common on many of the Silurian hills. Var. anagallidifolium Lamk. The usual form. 1 88 The Scottish Naturalist. xcix. Circ^ea Tourn. 252. Lutetiana L. Local. 253. Alpina L. Local, but commoner than lutetiana. Var. inte?'media Ehrh. In several places. LYTHRACE^E. c. Lythrum L. 254. Salicaria L. Rare, though frequently an escape. It is native in a few places. ci. Peplis L. 255. Portula L. Rare or local. UMBELLIFER^l. en. Hydrocotyle L. 256. Vulgaris L. Common. CHI. ASTRANTIA L. 257. Major L. Very rare. Banks of the Tay. An escape. civ. Sanicula L. 258. Europaea L. Local. cv. Conium L. 259. Maculatum L. Rare, and like many other Umbellifera doubtfully native. cvi. Helosciadium Koch. 260. Inundatum. Local. cvii. Carum L. 261. Carvi L. In a few places. An escape. cviii. Cicuta. L. 262. Virosa L. Near Methven. Very local and rare. cix. Sium. L. 263. Angustifolium L. Rare. Carse of Gowrie. ex. ^Egopodium L. 264. Podagraria L. Common. CXI. PlMPINELLA L. 265. Saxifraga L. Common. 266. Magna L. An escape at Leny near Callander, where also CEnaiithe pimpi?ielloides has been found, but only as an introduction. The Scottish Naturalist. 189 cxii. Conopodium Koch. 267. Denudatum Koch. Common. cxiii. Myrrhis Scop. 268. Odorata Scop. Not uncommon, but local and scarcely indigenous. cxiv. Scandix L. 269. Pecten-Veneris L. A weed of cultivation. cxv. Ch^erophyllum L. 270. Temulum L. Common in the Lowlands. Native (?). cxvi. Anthriscus Hoffm. 271. Vulgaris Pers. Very local. Kinnoul Hill. Native (?). 272. Sylvestris Hoffm. Common. cxvu. GEnanthe L. 273. Crocata L. Banks of the lower parts of the Tay and Earn. cxvni. ^Ethusa L. 274. Cynapium L. A weed of cultivation. Rather local. cxix. Meum Jacq. 275. Athamanticum Jacq. Local, and not common. cxx. Angelica L. 276. Sylvestris L. Common. cxxi. Peucedanum L. 277. Ostruthium Korh. An escape in a few places. cxxn. Heracleum L. 278. Sphondylium L. Common. cxxiil Daucus L. 279. Carota L. Roadsides, &c. Not very common, and doubtfully indigenous. cxxiv. Caucalis L. 280. Anthriscus Huds. Common. Native (?). ARALIACEA cxxv. Hedera L. 281. Helix L. Not uncommon. 190 The Scottish Naturalist. CORNACE^E. cxxvi. Cornus L. 282. Suecica L. On some of the Silurian hills, but local and rather rare. CAPRIFOLIACE^3. cxxvii. Viburnum L. 283. Opulus L. Rather rare, but widely distributed. cxxviii. Sambucus L. 284. Ebulus L. In several places, but not indigenous, 285. Nigra L. Not uncommon, but doubtfully native. cxxix. Adoxa L. 286. Moschatellina L. Local, but widely distributed. CXXX. LONICERA L. 287. Periclymenum L. Not uncommon. cxxxr. Linn/ea Gron. 288. Borealis Gron. Very rare and local. RUBIACE^E. cxxxn. Galium L. 289. Verum L. Common. 290. Cruciata Scop. Chiefly in the Lowlands, where it is rather common. 291. Palustre L. Common. Var. Witheringii Sm. Not uncommon. 292. Uliginosum L. Local or overlooked. 293. Saxatile L. Common. 294. Sylvestre Poll. Var. montanum Vill. Glen Tilt and Glen Shee. 295. Mollugo L. Sub-species erectum Huds. Not common. 296. Boreale L. Locally abundant, and chiefly on river banks. 297. Aparine L. Common. CXXXIII. ASPERULA L. 298. Odorata L. Local, but not uncommon. cxxxiv. Sherardia Dill. 299. Arvensis L. Not uncommon. The Scottish Naturalist. 191 VALERIANACE^l. cxxxv. Valeriana L. 300. Excelsa Poir (* = Officinalis L. var. Sambucifolia Mik.) Common. 301. Pyrenaica L. Naturalised in a few places. cxxxvi. Valerianella Tourn. 302. Olitoria Mcench. Local. Possibly native in some localities. 303. Dentata Poll. Very rare. A casual in Carse of Gowrie. ( To be continued. ) REVIEW. The Berries and Heaths of Rannoch. By A Snowdrop. London : G. Bell & Sons, 1881. Pp. 24. With 12 Coloured Plates. The berries and heaths which adorn the Scottish mountain-sides are plants that are attractive to many of the numerous visitors whom sport, scenery, or business attract to Scotland every summer ; and though, of course, they are well known to many who do not pretend to botanical knowledge, yet there must be a numerous class who will be glad to learn something about these plants, and to have that knowledge presented to them in an attractive form. Our author, therefore, whose modesty has led him to conceal his identity, has probably placed a boon within the reach of many anxious inquirers ; and his work, though restricted to the species of one district only in Perthshire, will be found useful by the visitor to any part of the Highlands of Scotland. The berries enumerated are the cranberry ( Vaccinium oxycoccos), the com- mon bilberry, or, as it is called in Scotland, blaeberry {V. myrtillus), the bog bilberry ( V. uliginosiun), the cowberry or whortleberry, often termed (though erroneously) the cranberry (V. vitis-idcea), the redbearberry {Arctosta- phylos uva-icrsi), the black bearberry {A. a/pina), the crowberry {Empetrutn nigrum), and the cloudberry (Rubus chamccmorus), which is often called the averon. The heaths of Rannoch are the ling {Calluna vulgaris), the four- leaved or cross-leaved heath {Erica tetralix), and the three-leaved heath or common bell heather {£. cinerea). In addition to these, two other species are figured, Andromeda polifolia, which occurs in South Perthshire, and Lois- eleuria procutnbens, which grows on several of the Rannoch hills. In addition to popular and yet careful descriptions, accompanied by in- teresting remarks on the qualities of the fruit (in the case of the berries) and distribution of the plants, each species has a coloured plate (borrowed from Sowerby's ' English Botany ') devoted to it, which should render its identifi- cation perfectly easy to every one. A list of the Gaelic names extracted from the papers, by Mr Cameron, in these pages, completes a book which, with- out any pretension on the part of the author to have put forward a novel scientific work, will doubtless be a pleasant companion to many a sojourner among the hills, and perhaps induce them to take up the study of botany for themselves. * See Dr Bonnet's remarks in ' Le Naturaliste,' 1881, p. 386. 192 j n ii ■; 11 n n 11 11 1 1 1 _" " ' "~ " " " " " " H If xc TT-Tl INSECTA SCOTICA, THE COLEOPTERA OF SCOTLAND. Edited by D. SHARP, M.B. ( Continued from p, 96. ) Index to the Families Enumerated. Anthicidae, v. 45. Anthribidae, v. 372. Brucidae, v. 373. Buprestidae, iv. 180. Byrrhidae, iv. 130. Cantharidae, v. 47. Carabidae, i. 204. Cerambycidae, v. 373. Chrysomelidae, v. 376; vi. 47. Cicindelidae, i. 204. Cissidae, iv. 324. Cleridae, iv. 276. Coccinellidae, iii. 280. Colydiidae, iii. 376. Corylophidae, iii. 280. Cryptophagidae, iv. 36. Cucujidae, iv. 35. Curculionidae, v. 47. Dascillidae, iv. 227. Dermestidae, iv. 130. Dytiscidae, ii. 89. Elateridae, iv. 224. Endomychidae, iii. 280. Erotylidae, iii. 280. Georyssidae, iv. 131. Gyrinidae, ii. 137. Heteroceridae, iv. 131. Histeridae, iii. 368. Hydrophilidae, ii. 138. Lagriidae, iv. 365. Lathridiidae, iv. 83. Limexylonidae, iv. 322. Lucanidae, iv. 176. Malacodermidae, iv. 228. Melandryadidae, iv. 364; v. 44. Mordellidae, v. 46. Mycetophagidae, iv. 129. Nitidulidae, iii. 370. Parnidae, iv. 131. Phalacridae, iii. 370, Pselaphidae, iii. 184. Ptinidae, iv. 322. Pyrrochroidae, v. 46. Pythidae, iv. 363. Rhipidophoridae, v. 47. Scaphadidae, iii. 277. Scarabaeidae, iv. 176. Scolytidae, v. 336. Scydmaenidae, iii. 232. Silphidae, iii. 323. Staphylinidse, ii. 144, &c. ; iii. 33. Tenebrionidae, iv. 362. Throscidae, iv. 223. Trichopterygidae, iii. 277. Trogositidae, iii. 376. ( Concluded. ) GEOLOGY, THE INTERCROSSING OF ERRATICS IN GLAGTAL DEPOSITS. By JAMES GEIKIE, LL.D., F.R.S., F.G.S., Of H.M. Geological Survey of Scotland. AMONG the many phenomena connected with the glacial deposits of this country which have puzzled geologists to account for, there is none more remarkable than the "inter- crossing of erratics." The fact that such wandered blocks have apparently crossed each other's tracks in their journeys, appears at first sight inexplicable on the assumption that their transport has been effected by land -ice. The phenomena in question, therefore, have always been appealed to by those who uphold the iceberg origin of our boulder-clays, &c, as evidence decis- ively in favour of their views. No one can deny that any degree and amount of intercrossing might take place in the case of icebergs. We can readily conceive how floating. ice, detached from a long line of coast, might be compelled by shifting winds and changing -currents to tack about again and again, so as to pursue the most devious course, and scatter their stony burdens in the most erratic manner over the sea-bottom. While, on the other hand, it is quite impossible to understand how a similar irregular distribution of erratics could take place under one and the same glacier, flowing in a determinate direc- tion. It is little wonder, then, that the curious phenomena of the " intercrossing of erratics" should have had much import- ance attached to it by the upholders of the iceberg theory, see- ing that all the other proofs which have been adduced in favour of this theory have only served to demonstrate its insufficiency. Upon the facts connected with the " intercrossing of erratics," the supporters of this time-honoured theory are now making what I must believe is their last stand. I purpose therefore, in this paper, to give a short outline of those facts, with the view of showing that so far from being antagonistic to the land -ice theory, they are in complete harmony with it ; and indeed VOL. VI. N 194 The Scottish Naturalist. must be considered as affording an additional demonstration of its truth. Some years ago I called attention to the fact that in the middle districts of Scotland the boulder -clay not infrequently contains a curious commingling of northern and southern erratics.1 I showed that this was the case throughout a belt of country extending from the sea-coast near Ayr, north-east to the valley of the Irvine, and thence across the watershed into the Avon, and east to Lesmahagow, then down the valley of the Clyde to Carluke, stretching away to the east by Wilsontown, and thereafter continuing along the crest of the Pentlands and the northern slopes of the Lammermuir Hills, by Reston and Ayton to the sea. "All along this line," I remarked, "we have a ' debatable ground ' of variable breadth, throughout which we find a commingling in the till of stones which have come from the north and south. South of it, characteristic Highland stones do not occur, and north of it stones derived from the south are similarly absent." The explanation of these facts is obvious. The belt of ground referred to was evidently the meeting-place of the Highland and Southern mei's de glace. Here the two opposing ice-flows coalesced and became deflected by their mutual pres- sure to right and left — one great current going east and another west. It is evident that the line of junction between the two mers de glace would not be rigorously maintained in one and the same position during a period of glaciation, but would tend to oscillate backwards and forwards, according as one or the other ice-sheet prevailed. Sometimes the Southern ice- sheet would be enabled to push back the Northern mer de glace, while at other times the converse would take place. Nor is it necessary to suppose that the advance of one ice-sheet was general along the whole line. On the contrary, it is most likely that the move- ment was quite irregular — an ice-sheet advancing in some places, while at other points its line of junction with the opposing ice- sheet remained stationary, or even retrograded. Such move- ments would obviously give rise to oscillations in the sub-glacial debris of clay and stones ; and thus we have a simple and natural explanation of those intercrossings of erratics which are so characteristic of that region which I have termed the " debat- able ground." And this conclusion is borne out by the fact that the glacial striae of the same "debatable ground" afford like evidence of oscillation in the trend of the ice-flow. 1 ' (J rent Ice Age,' p. 609. ___ The Scottish Naturalist. 195 Along the base of the Highland mountains in Forfarshire, &C, we meet with similar intercrossings of erratics. Thus we occasionally encounter in the boulder-clays overlying the Silurian regions erratics of Old Red Sandstone rocks which have come from the east or south-east ; while the abundant presence of erratics of Silurian origin, on the other hand, bespeak an ice- flow from the west towards the low grounds. In some places within the Silurian area we encounter a greyish-blue boulder- clay, containing Silurian fragments only, while in other places within the same area the boulder-clay becomes reddish, and is charged with many boulders of Old Red Sandstone rocks. Now the greyish-blue till could only have been laid down by glacier- ice descending from the Silurian high grounds to Strathmore, while the red boulder-clay points to a partial invasion of the Silurian regions by land-ice, which had previously traversed the lower-lying Old Red Sandstone areas. These apparently contra- dictory movements are readily accounted for by the former presence in the area of the North Sea of the great Scandinavian mer de glace. My friend Dr Croll was the first to point out that the glacial phenomena of Caithness and the Shetlands could only be accounted for by the advance of the Scandinavian ice- sheet towards our coasts, where it encountered and deflected the Scottish ice-sheet out of its normal course — a sagacious induction, which the admirable and exhaustive researches of my colleagues, Messrs B. N. Peach and J. Home, have now firmly established. The lower blue boulder-clay was evidently accumu- lated at a time when the Scottish ice was able to flow more or less directly east or south-east towards what is now the coast-line ; while the overlying red boulder -clay points to a subsequent period when the presence of the Scandinavian mer de glace was sufficiently great to compel the Scottish ice out of its normal course, and cause it to flow in a north-easterly direction. In doing so it now and again passed from tracts of Old Red Sand- stone to invade the Silurian area, and thus an overlying red boulder-clay was here and there accumulated upon the surface of a greyish-blue till in which not a single fragment of any Old Red Sandstone rock occurs.1 1 The blue or grey boulcler-clay of the region referred to, I am inclined to assign to an earlier epoch of the glacial period than I would the red boulder-clay. The latter I take to be the moraine profonde of the last ice-sheet which, as the researches of B. N. Peach and J. Home have shown, flowed northwards along the seaboard of Scotland from as far south at 196 The Scottish Naturalist. Recently Messrs B. N. Peach and }. Home, in a most instructive paper on the " Glaciation of Caithness," 1 have described some remarkable comminglings of material which occur in a region where the glacial striae afford equally striking evidence of conflicting ice-movements. These phenomena are developed here and there along a line which indicates the meet- ing-place of two rival ice-streams, on each side of which the boulder-clay presents different characteristics — the one boulder- clay being the moraine profonde of the ice that flowed E.N.E. and N.N.E. towards the Caithness plain, while the other is an accumulation formed underneath the ice that streamed across that plain from S.E. to N.W. These phenomena are thus, as my colleagues remark, quite analogous to those met with in the middle districts of Scotland, as described by me, and referred to in a preceding paragraph. Now it is obvious, that while these examples of " intercrossings " of erratics and "cross- hatching " of striae all go strongly to support the land-ice theory of the glacial phenomena, they at the same time negative the notion of floating- ice having had anything to do with the pro- duction of the phenomena under review. Before considering the evidence adduced by Mr Mackintosh and others as to the intercrossings of erratics in the drift- deposits of England, I shall mention some of the more re- markable examples of the same phenomena which have been noticed by Continental geologists. The first I shall cite are those which have been observed in the glacial accumulations of the Rhone valley in Eastern France. The land-ice origin of these accumulations has never been called in question, and as the intercrossings of erratics in that region are not only more common, but much more striking and apparently inexplicable than any which have been noticed elsewhere, it will be admitted that they of themselves afford a strong presumption that the conflicting courses followed by the erratics in certain regions of our own country are the result rather of oscillations in the flow least as Fife — erratics of Fifeshire rocks occurring in the till of the Shet- lands. Many facts connected with the glacial geology of Perthshire and Forfarshire have led me to the same conclusion. I believe, however, that the ice-sheet of an earlier cold epoch of the Glacial Period (represented as I think hy the grey till just referred to) flowed south rather than north in the bed of the North Sea, from some point probably as far north as Aberdeen- shire. Put the facts upon which this belief is grounded are too numerous and detailed to be given here. 1 Proc. Royal Physical Society, Edinburgh, 1881. The Scottish Naturalist. 197 of land-ice than of the random and eccentric action of icebergs. The researches of Swiss and French glacialists have proved that during the climax of the Glacial Period an enormous area in the low grounds of Eastern France was covered with a huge mer de glace formed by the union of the great Rhone glacier with the glaciers descending from the mountains of Savoy and Dauphiny. A line drawn from Bourg by way of Chatillon, Villeneuve, Tre'- voux, and Lyons to Vienne, and thence south-east by Beaure- paire to the valley of the Isere, a few miles above St Marcellin, indicates roughly the furthest limits reached by the mer de glace. Over all the low grounds between that terminal line and the mountains are found widespread sheets of boulder-clay and sand and gravel, together with loose erratics. Now and again, too, well-marked terminal moraines make their appearance, while the rock-surfaces, when these are visible and capable of bearing and retaining glacial markings, present the usual aspect of roches moutonuces. The same kinds of morainic materials and ice-markings may of course be followed up into the valleys not only of the Alps properly so-called, but also into those of the hills of Bugey and the secondary mountain-chain of Savoy and Dauphiny. It has indeed long been known that local glaciers formerly occupied the mountain-valleys of Bugey. A number of small glaciers, for example, have descended from the slopes of the mountains west of Belley (such as Bois de la Morgue, Bois de Lind, &c.) to the Rhone, and again from Mont du Chat to the north-west. These glaciers were quite independent of the greater ice-streams of the neighbouring Alps of Savoy, and the same was the case with the glaciers of that mountainous tract which extends from Nantua south to Culoz, between the valleys of the Ain and the Rhone. From this elevated region many local glaciers descended, such as that of the Valromey which flowed for a distance of some twenty miles from north to south. Again, similar local glaciers have left abundant traces of their former presence throughout that moun- tainous belt of land that stretches between Chambery and Gren- oble to the west of the valley of the Isere. The moraines of all those local glaciers, charged as they are with the debris of the neighbouring heights, clearly indicate that the local glaciers flowed each down its own particular valley. There are certain other appearances, however, which seem at first sight to contra- dict this view. Sometimes, for example, we encounter in the same valleys erratics which do not belong to the drainage- 198 The Scottish Naturalist. system within which they occur, but have without doubt been derived from the higher Alps of Switzerland and Savoy. And the course followed by these foreign erratics has crossed at all angles that which the local glaciers have certainly pursued — occasionally, indeed, the one set of erratics has travelled in a direction exactly opposed to the trend taken by the others. As examples, I may cite the case of the erratics which occur in Petit Bugey. In this district we encounter many locally-derived erratics which have come from Mont du Chat to the west of the Lac du Bourget — that is to say, they have travelled in a north- westerly direction. But in the same neighbourhood are found many erratics of Alpine origin which have been carried from north-east to south-west, or at right angles to the course followed by the local erratics. Again, in the valley of the Seran we have evidence in erratics and terminal moraines of a local glacier which flowed south as far as -the Lyons and Geneva Railway, in the neighbourhood of which, a few miles to the west of Culoz, its terminal moraines may be observed. This is the extinct Glacier du Valromey of MM. Falsan and Chantre. Now it is especially worthy of note that in the same valley we have dis- tinct evidence of an ice-flow from south to north — i.e., up the valley. Erratics and morainic materials which are unquestion- ably of Alpine origin have been followed a long way up the valley — for two-thirds of its length at least. Before they could have entered that valley and approached the slopes of Romey, they must have travelled down the valley of the Rhone from the higher Alps of Savoy in a south-west and south direction until they rounded the Montagne du Grand Colombier. It was only after they had rounded this massive mountain-ridge that they could pursue their course up the valley of the Seran, in a direc- tion precisely opposite to that which they had previously fol- lowed. These and many similar and even more remarkable examples of the " intercrossings " of streams of erratics are described by MM. Falsan and Chantre, and graphically por- trayed in their beautiful and instructive work on the 'Ancient Glaciers and Erratic Deposits of the Basin of the Rhone ; ' and the explanation of the phenomena given by them is extremely simple and convincing. The local erratics and moraines per- tain partly to the commencement and partly to the closing stage of the Glacial Period. Long before the south branch of the great glacier of the Rhone had united with the glacier of the Arve, and this last with the glaciers of Annecy and Beaufurt, The Scottish Naturalist. 199 and before these had become confluent with the glacier of the Isere, &c, the secondary mountain-ranges of Savoy and Dau- phiny and the hills of Bugey were covered with very consider- able snow-fields, from which local glaciers descended all the valleys to the low ground. But when the vast ice-flows of Switzerland, Upper Savoy, &c, at last became confluent, they completely overflowed many of the hilly districts which had formerly supported independent snow-fields and glaciers, and deposited their bottom-moraines over the morainic debris of the local glaciers. In other cases, where the secondary hill- ranges were too lofty to be completely drowned in the great mer de glace, long tongues of ice dilated into the valleys, and com- pelled the local ice out of its course ; sometimes, as in the case of the Valromey, forcing it backwards up the valleys down which it formerly flowed. But when once more the mighty mer de glace was on the wane, then the local glaciers came again into existence, and reoccupied their old courses. And thus it is that in the hilly regions at the base of the higher Alps, and even out upon the low grounds and plains, we encounter that remarkable commingling of erratics which has been described above. Not unfrequently, indeed, we find one set of moraines superposed upon another, just as in the low grounds of North- ern Germany, &c, we may observe one boulder-clay overlying another, the erratics in which give evidence of transport in different directions. The observations recorded by MM. Falsan and Chantre, and their colleagues, thus demonstrate that " intercrossings " of erratics of the most pronounced character have been brought about solely by the action of glaciers. In the case of the erratics and morainic accumula- tions of the basin of the Rhone, the action of icebergs is entirely precluded. I may now mention some of the more remarkable examples of " intercrossings " of erratics which have been recorded from the glacial accumulations of North Germany, &c. An exami- nation of the glacial striae, roches mouto.nnees, and boulder-clays of Saxony leads to the conviction, according to Credner, Penck, Torell, Helland, and others, that the whole of that region has been invaded by the great Scandinavian mer de glace which flowed into Saxony from N.N. E. to S.S.W. Erratics from Southern Sweden and Gothland occur in the boulder-clay, and the presence of these, taken in connection with the direction of the glaciation, leaves us no alternative but to agree with the 200 T/ie Scottish Naturalist. conclusions arrived at by the Saxon geologists. But, apparently in direct contradiction of this conclusion, we have evidence to show that boulders of the same kinds of rock occur in Denmark and Holland, pointing to a former ice-flow from north-east to south-west and west. Thus boulders derived from Gothland occur at Groningen in Holland, while fragments from the island of Oland are met with in Faxo ; and erratics from the borders of the Gulf of Finland are encountered at Hamburg. Indeed, when geologists come to examine the erratics in North Germany and Poland generally, they find evidence of apparently two ice- flows — one of which went south-south-west, south, and south-east — spreading out, as it were, in a fan-shape towards the southern limits reached by the great " Northern Drift," — while the other seems to have followed the course of the Baltic depression, over- flowing the low grounds of Northern Prussia, Holland, &c., in a south-west and west direction. Now, it is quite evident that no one mer de glace could have followed these various directions at one and the same time. The explanation of the apparent anomaly, however, is not far to seek. It is reasonable to infer, that long before the mer de glace had attained its maximum dimensions, when as yet it was confined to the basin of the Baltic and was only able to overflow the northern regions of Prussia, &c, its course would be determined by the contour of the pavement upon which it advanced. It would, therefore, be compelled to follow the Baltic depression, and for a long time it would carry erratics from Finland, the Baltic Islands, and Eastern Sweden, in a south-west and west-south-west direction. And this would continue to be the direction even after a con- siderable portion of the low grounds of Prussia, &c, had been overflowed. But when the ice- sheet was enabled to advance south into Saxony, Poland, and Lithuania, erratics from Fin- land, the Baltic Islands, &c. would necessarily cease to travel towards the west, and hold on a S. S.E., S., and S.S.W. course. Again, when the mer dc glace was on the decline, a time would return when the ice, as before, would be con- trolled in its flow by the Baltic depression, and this would give rise to a further distribution of erratics in a prevalent west- by-south direction.1 1 For a fuller discussion upon the distribution of erratics on the Continent, I may refer to Appendix, Note B, in ' Prehistoric Europe,' where the reader will find references to the literature of this interesting subject. (To be continued.) ZOOLOGY, SOME NOTES ON COLLECTING AND PEESERYINC MYKIAPODA. By T. D. GIBSON-CARMICHAEL. N" EWPORT, writing in 1844, remarked : "The myriapoda have been more neglected by naturalists than almost any other division of articulata ; " and the remark, as far as this country is concerned, still remains' true. On the Continent of late years much has been done both in the way of description of known species and research into the internal anatomy of the group ; so much, indeed, that Haase, in the introduction to his pamphlet on ' Schlesiens Chilopoden,' claims for his study the merit that it is quite in accordance with the spirit of the time. It is much to be wished that some few, of the many persons interested in the fauna of this country, may take up the subject, at least so far as to collect specimens in their own districts, so that material may not be wanting to form a satisfactory list of our native species. They are not very numerous, yet they are to be found everywhere ; and much might be done at little trouble by our collectors of shells or of beetles. All that is needed for collecting them is a fairly wide-mouthed bottle, with some cotton-wool or bits of moss and broken bark in it. The creatures are easily caught with the fingers (the very small specimens are lifted by being touched with the wetted finger-tip), and on being placed in the bottle they run in among the moss or cotton - wool, where they become somewhat en- tangled, and lie still, without biting each other's limbs off, as they are apt to do when placed in an empty box or bottle. Both centipedes and millipedes are to be found under stones, in decaying wood, under loose bark, in fungi, in rotting fruit — in fact, in most places where beetles are to be found. It is as well, on turning over a stone or raising a piece of bark or wood, to do so slowly, as many of the centipedes are very 202 27ie Scottish Naturalist. quick in getting out of sight, while others drop to the ground at the slightest touch. First capture any of the quick-running centipedes, Lit/iobii, &c, which are visible; these are generally to be found in pairs. Then look carefully for any millipedes ; those which roll themselves into a pill-like ball should be secured first, then any large Juhis or Polydermus ; small specimens are less liable to drop, and may be picked up more leisurely. The long narrow centipedes with many legs (Geofihili), though rather hard to see when in a hole, seldom escape ; for though they wriggle a great deal they make little progress, wasting their energies in knotting themselves in the most curious manner. These latter, and all millipedes, are more or less gregarious in their habits. The peculiar odour given out by Jitlus generally enables the collector to know where to expect many specimens. A special look-out should be kept for specimens with eggs, or pairing, and for those which have just changed their skin, and are therefore particularly valuable for anatomical purposes. Such specimens should, where possible, be enclosed separately in a tube or pill-box, and the circumstances connected with them noted down. Shady and damp localities are the best for myriapoda ; both great dryness and great wetness being fatal. On reaching home the specimens must be transferred to bottles containing fairly strong spirit (70 per cent is perhaps the most use- ful). It is as well to do this soon, as centipedes die and shrivel up very quickly; the calcareous covering of the millipedes enables them to live longer. I find it most convenient to open my col- lecting bottles over saucers containing boiling or very hot water, into which the creatures are dropped. This saves trouble, as it kills them instantaneously, and so any sorting of the specimens is rendered easy, and the chances of the animals escaping about the room are greatly diminished. It also has an additional ad- vantage : many myriapoda, especially Jul us, give off a pungent liquid when annoyed ; this liquid stains the fluid they are im- mersed in, and by killing them in hot water before transferring them to spirit a great deal of this is got rid off. There is no need to go into details as to the preservation of the animals for the cabinet — each will adopt his own plan for himself. I hope, however, that these remarks may be of some use, and may induce a few collectors, even if they do not form a collection for themselves, to secure a few specimens for those who do. I myself shall be glad to receive specimens from any The Scottish Naturalist. 203 locality ; and if I can be of any assistance in giving information as to literature, dissection, or any other matters, I shall be glad to do so. In the present state of knowledge any notes regard- ing the habits of myriapoda are of value. The literature of the subject is mostly contained in scattered papers in the transactions of foreign societies, but it is well worth studying. Castle Craig, Dolphinton. ON THE OCCURRENCE IN" SCOTLAND OF THE BLUE -THROATED WARBLER. By J. A. HARVIE BROWN, F.R.S.E., F.Z.S. ON the 24th September of the present year I received a box containing three birds which were captured during the two previous days at the lantern of the Isle of May Light- house, in the Firth of Forth, and which the reporter, Mr Joseph Agnew, head lighthouse-keeper, desired to have named. One of these was a Night-jar, Caprimulgus europceus, a species hitherto unknown at this station ; another was an adult male Redstart, Ruticilla phoenicura ; and the third is the subject of this notice. Along with the box of birds, Mr Agnew sent me the third fully filled-in schedule which I have received from him for 1881, and I cannot pass on here without testifying to the intelligent interest and careful attention which is manifested in these schedules. At the same time, I am glad to testify in like manner to the general interest created by the Abstract of our Report on Migration, read at the last meeting of the British Association, and by the distribution of this report to the various lightship and lighthouse stations in England and Scot- land. We have to thank the Trinity House for the liberal view they have taken of the work, and for relieving us of much ex- pense in connection with it. According to Mr Agnew's schedule, under date Sept. 17th, the wind was light westerly with haze. The next record occurs on the 2 2d, the date of the capture of this specimen and of numerous arrivals of Redstarts, Mavises, Swallows, Golden Plover, Ring Dotterel, Lapwings, Chaffinches, one Corn-crake, one Robin, Curlews, &c. — indeed, of a "rush" of migrants. 204 The Scottish Naturalist. On that day, and for some days previous, the wind was strong S.E., and it continued so all day: weather, very thick haze, approaching to fog, with a continuous downpour of rain. Mr Agnew adds, "All the birds seen to-day seemed perfectly bewildered." The bird of which I now speak is Cyanecula Wolfi, or the white-spotted — sometimes spotless — form of the Blue-throated Warbler. The other form, Cyanecula suecica, or Red-spotted Blue-throat, is more northern in its range in Europe than the bird under consideration, and hitherto, with only three excep- tions, is the only species or form of the genus which has been recorded in Great Britain. Cyanecula Wolfi is found over Central Europe, and breeds in Holland, Germany, and south- ward, and is found in winter in Spain, Italy, and the shores of the Mediterranean (vide Dresser's ' Birds of Europe/ vol. i. p. 312); and according to Prof. Newton (Yarrell, 4th ed., vol. i. p. 324), has only once before occurred in Britain (vide Hadfield, Zool. 1866, p. 172, where the bird recorded as " Blue-throated Warbler" belongs to this form), vide Zool. 1876, p. 4956. The specimen in my possession closely agrees with the bird figured in Dresser's 'Birds of Europe' (vol. i. pi. 50), of which he says (p. 320), "a male of C. Wolfi in rather peculiar autumn plumage." I have now, therefore, to record the third occur- rence of the white - spotted form (which two Dresser unites under Cyanecula Wolfi) in Britain, and its first occurrence in Scotland. Now, in connection with the distribution and rare occur- rences of European or other species in Britain, I wish here to say a few words. In 1875, on the 10th November, I obtained a Black Redstart, Ruticilla titys, at Kincardine on-Forth, which was duly recorded, and the specimen exhibited, at the Royal Physical Society's meeting in Edinburgh, on the 21st February 1877. At that time I said, "What we have for a long time considered as accidental — purely accidental — occurrences of Continental species ought, in many instances, I think, rather to be held as indications of extension towards the north of their breeding limits on the Continent." Since then, as I will show, I have somewhat modified this opinion, as I think, besides such occurrences being partly due to northern extension of the breed- ing range, they are also due to prevalence of easterly and south- easterly winds and gales blowing the migrants more to the northward than in other circumstances they would be borne. The Scottish Naturalist. 205 But on this point see the Report on Migration of Birds in 1880. Again, near Alloa, at a locality not far removed from Kin- cardine on-Forth, where I shot the Black Redstart, Mr J. J. Dalgleish has recorded 1 the occurrence of another south- eastern species — viz., the Desert Wheat-ear — which will also be found alluded to in the same report. At that time also the prevailing winds were E. and S.E. Now again occurs another Central and South European species (C. Wolfi) at the Isle of May, in the Firth of Forth, during pre- vailing and strong S.E. winds, which species has not before been recorded from Scotland. "What I want specially to point out here is, that the localities of Alloa and the narrow part of the Firth of Forth, and the Isle of May and the shores of the Firth, aH Me in a li?ie, or nearly so, running from E. to W. ; and I only desire further to remark that Alloa and that part of the country appears to be visited by many other rarities, such as the Waxwing and Great Grey Shrike, and a line of distribution of the occurrences of the Great Grey Shrike runs also broadly across Stirlingshire, the narrowest part of Scotland. I indicate these facts for further study and com- parison, only adding that, as far as I can at present judge from numerous statistics at command, I believe the waves of migra- tion of certain species take certain and fixed lines, according to influence of weather and winds ; or, in other words, that certain Continental species are known to turn up at certain localities in Britain with greater regularity and precision than at others — and that, in extraordinary seasons, and with prevalence of wind from unusual quarters, a corresponding change will take place in the distribution of so-called " accidental occurrences " of Continental species in Britain \ and further, that this will be aided to a con- siderable extent by the northern range of such species on the Continent during the breeding season in exceptionally fine summers, or by the natural extension of the breeding haunts of many species. One more point I would like to bring forward in support of what I still consider theory, but which to me seems strongly supported already by known facts. In ' The Field' of May 7th 1 88 1, were recorded occurrences of the Pied Fly-catcher in Sutherland and Rosshire ; and about the same date other occur- rences were recorded from various parts of the east coast of 1 Proc. Royal Phys. Soc. Edin., 1SS0-S1, vol. vi. p. 64. 2o6 TJie Scottish Naturalist. Scotland. A pair lingered a long time at one locality in East Sutherland, but finally disappeared. These, of course, belonged to the spring migration of 1-881, Now, how are we indebted for such an unusual visitation so far west of the continent of Europe at this season ? My idea— theory, if you will — is as follows: As we have shown in our Report for 1880 that birds were carried further west than usual by the easterly gales of the autumn of that year, the consequence of this was that the birds wintered at localities further west than usual, and also returned to their breeding haunts by routes removed farther west than usual in the following spring. It may be said it is a pity to advance theories without suffi- cient bases of facts in such matters, and doing so might perhaps be characterised as unscientific ; but I advance it in what I believe to be the interest of our inquiry, whether correct or erroneous ; because what we want is more general attention to the meteorological necessities of our investigation, and a wider appreciation by our reporters and those who are assisting us of the necessity of a comparison of the data, year with year, in the future. It is on this account that I would urge the mapping out of the distribution of the occurrences of rare Con- tinental forms in Britain, year after year, and also the com- parison of these annual maps, the one with the other, and with the meteorological facts of each year. Mr J. J. Dalgleish and Mr Freke are doing good work in enumerating all the occurrences of American birds in Europe and mapping them out, and vice %>ersa. It would be desirable to extend this plan to all specimens of the rarer Continental species in Britain, the meteorological data, and a corresponding map of Europe, showing the northward range of these birds in the breeding season. We ourselves have not time to devote earnestly to this additional work, but we believe that the field suggested would be sure to yield to any naturalist, taking it up as a separate branch, a rich harvest in course of time. STOEM-PETEELS FOUND IN PEETHSHIKE. ' By COLONEL DRUMMOND HAY, C.M.Z.S. HAVE the pleasure of sending you notice of Leach's Fork- tailed Petrel {Thalassidroma Lcadiii) as having been picked up dead in Strathearn. in a field near Strathallan Castle, on Tues- 1 The Scottish Naturalist. 207 day the 2 2d November last, during the very severe gale of that morning. This bird was sent to me by Lord Strathallan, and proved to be an adult female. Another example of this rare British Petrel was got in A thole on the same morning by Mr Campbell, gamekeeper, who found it lying dead on the lawn in front of Blair Castle, as I was informed by Mr Malloch, Perth, in whose hands it had been placed for preservation, together with a fine specimen of the Little Storm-Petrel (Thalassidroma pelagica) got on the same day dead in a small pond near Dup- plin Castle by Mr Hart. To those who may not be familiar with these birds, it may not be uninteresting to mention something of their habits. The Little Storm -Petrel, the smallest of all our web -footed birds, though a rover for the greater part of the year over the wide Atlantic, often keeping for many days together in company with some ship, both for food and shelter, is abundant during the breeding season in June and July on most of the rocky promon- tories, holms, and skerries along all our coasts from Scilly to Shetland. Not so the Fork-tailed Petrel, a much larger bird,1 and thoroughly oceanic in its habits, which, though perhaps not actually uncommon, yet being a much shyer and more retiring bird, seldom accompanies ships, like the Storm and Wilson's Petrel (which, however, I have occasionally seen them do, but keeping all the time at a respectful distance), and always breed- ing on some far outlying spots, is not often met with. The greater number of specimens obtained are generally, as in the present instance, either picked up dead far inland, or when driven on shore in an exhausted state, after some severe gale, many instances of which have occurred from time to time, both in this country and America. Strange to say, it was only com- paratively a few years ago that this bird was held to be a dis- tinct species, having been first separated by Dr Leach in the 1 The total dimensions of the Strathallan specimen were as follows : — Length from point of bill to longest tail-feather, . 8 inches. 11 11 to centre of fork of tail, . 7K " 11 from anterior joint of wing to longest quill, 6 n 11 11 carpel-joint to do., .... 6l/2 n Total spread of wings, . . . . . 18 n Length of bill from base, .....in 11 of middle toe, . . . . . ij4 » whereas in the Storm- Petrel the whole length does not quite reach § inches, and the wing from the anterior joint not more than ^% inches. 2o8 The Scottish Naturalist. year 1819, he having purchased it at the sale of Mr Bullock's Collection, who obtained it during the year previous at St Kilda, where it was found breeding, and where it is still to be got at that season. This was the first authenticated specimen (which Dr Leach considered to be an undescribed species) obtained in Great Britain, and which he transferred to the national collec- tion in the British Museum, now at South Kensington, there being at that time only three other examples known in Europe — two in private collections in France, and one in the Paris Museum. From the absorption of all fat and oily matter, with which the Petrel is copiously supplied, and which, on capture, is ejected in large quantities from the mouth and nostrils, as also from the bloodless appearance of the flesh, as well as the total absence of all food in the stomach, both in the Strathallan bird and those received by Mr Malloch, there can be no doubt but what they wrere in a thoroughly starved condition, — possibly caught up in a cyclone many degrees to the southward and westward of these islands, and violently hurled along for days together at a con- siderable height, without once touching the ocean, as may be gathered from their having crossed the Grampian range at a height of not less than from two to three thousand feet, and perhaps considerably more, to the spots where they were found ; and, what is worthy of remark, none of these birds had the slightest appearance of violence, bruising, or extravasation on them, all being in good feather; and, what is curious, the body was quite limp and perfectly free from all the stiffness and rigidity found in a recently shot bird, having to all appearance died some time before reaching the earth. Had they been merely blown off the ocean from the vicinity of St Kilda, or any part of the Outer Hebrides, at the rate the wind was travelling on the morning in question, a couple of hours at most would have been sufficient to transport them to where they were found ; and in that short time the stomach could not have been empty, nor, in all probability, would such complete exhaustion have taken place as to produce death, but, on the contrary, life and vigour would still have been retained, and another half-hour carried them to the German Ocean, where life might have been preserved. The velocity and suddenness of this particular gale was such as doubtless to cause more destruction to bird-life than can possibly ever be known ; and so graphically is it all described by Professor Grant of Glasgow University, that I make no The Scottish Naturalist. 209 apology for quoting his observations, bearing as they do on the present subject: "The evening of the 21st presented no in- dications of the terrible commotion which was approaching. The sky was beautifully clear in every direction, the wind was blow- ing gently, and there appeared every prospect of an especially favourable night for astronomical observation. About 5 p.m., however, several significant changes were perceptible. The barometer began to fall steadily ; the wind, which had been blowing from the south-west during the day, was now found to be veering gradually towards the south, and was rapidly increasing in intensity, while the heavens in all directions were assuming a dark and threatening aspect. About 11 p.m. the storm was already raging with extraordinary violence, but it continued to increase in intensity till about 6 o'clock this morning. Just a few minutes before six, there occurred a tremendous gust of wind which, measured by Osier's anemometer, was equivalent to a wind pressure of 48 pounds on the square foot. This result received a satisfactory confirmation from the indications of Robinson's velocity anemometer. It was found by this instrument that the wind, for a few minutes about the same time, was travelling at the rate of nearly 80 miles an hour. As far as the self-recording instruments of this Observatory indicate, the storm of last night is the most violent with which Glasgow has been visited for at least twenty years." Seggieden, Perth. Perthshire Natural History Museum. — The Perthshire Society of Natural Science, under whose charge this institution is, has had a most successful bazaar at Perth in aid of the funds for furnishing and endowing the museum. The bazaar was one of the most popular ever held in Perth, and produced a sum of nearly ^1600. Contributions of scientific books, &c. , will be gratefully received by the Society for its library. VOL VI. O PHYTOLOGY. THE CKYPTOGAMIC FLORA OF MULL. 15 v F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M. D., F. L. S. Secretary of the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland. {Continued from page 162. ) Mosses. THE following contribution to a catalogue of the Mosses of Mull has been compiled by Messrs George Ross and Thomas King ; and, in addition to species noticed during the visit of the Society, includes a number observed by Mr Ross during his residence in the island. The absence of alpine species may be explained by the fact that Mr Ross had no opportunity of collecting on the higher mountains. Andreaea petrophila Ehr. 11 alpina Turn. Sphagnum cymbifolium Ehr. 11 compactum Brid. 11 molluscum Bruch. 11 acutifolium Ehr. Phascum subulatum L. Weissia controversa Hedw. 11 mucronata B. and S. Rhabdoweissia denticulata B. and S. Blindia acuta B. and S. Dicranum rufescens Turn. 11 heteromallum Hed. 11 scoparium Hed. 11 majus Turn. Leucobryum glaucum Hampe. Ceratodon purpureus Brid. Campylopus flexuosus Brid. 11 longipilus Brid. 11 turfaceus B. and S. Pottia minutula Ehr. The Scottish Naturalist. 211 Pottia truncatula L. Didymodon rubellus IB. and S. Tortula muralis Timm. it fallax Hed. n ruralis Hed. 11 intermedia Brid. Hedwigia ciliata Hed. Grimmia apocarpa B. and S. 11 11 var. rivularis. n pulvinata Sm. H Schultzii Brid. 11 patens B. and S. Racomitrium ellipticum B. and S. 11 aciculare Brid. 11 protensum Braun. 11 sudeticum B. and S. 11 fasciculare Brid. i! heterostichum Brid. 11 lanuginosum Brid. n canescens Brid. Glyphomitrium Daviesii Schwg. Ptychomitrium polyphyllum B. and S. Orthotrichum rupestre Schl. n crispum Hed. 11 Bruchii Brid. 11 phyllanthum B. and S. Zygodon Mougeotii B. and S. 11 viridissimus Brid. Diphyscium foliosum W. and M. Atrichum undulatum Beauv. Pogonatum nanum Brid. 11 aloides Brid. Polytrichum commune L. Aulacomnion palustre Schw. Bryum alpinum L. 11 inclinatum B. and S. n capillare Hed. 11 argenteum L. Mnium rostratum Schr. it hornum L. 11 punctatum Hed. 11 subglobosum B. and S. 2 12 The Scottish Naturalist. Funaria hygrometrica Hed. Physcomitrium pyriforme B. and S. Bartramia arcuata Brid. ii fon tana Brid. ii pomiformis Hed. ii ithyphylla Brid. Splachnum ampullaceum L. Fissidens bryoides Hed. ii osmundoides Hed. ii adiantoides Hed. ii taxifolius Hed. Antitrichia curtipendula Brid. Isothecium myurum Dill. it myosuroides Dill. Leskea sericea Dill. Hypnum tamariscinum Hed. it splendens Dill. ii rutabulum Dill. ii populeum Hed. ii plumosum Swartz. M striatum Hed. ii prselongum Dill. it denticulatum Dill. it undulatum Dill. M serpens Dill. .1 hamulosum Frol. ii cupressiforme Dill. ii crista-castrensis L. H cuspidatum Dill. it resupinatum Wils. ii purum Dill. ii squarrosum Dill. ii brevirostre Ehr. ii triquetrum Dill. ii loreum Dill. Neckera crispa Dill. ii complanata B. and S. Hookeria lucens Sm. Fontinalis antipyretica L. ( To be continued. ) The Scottish Naturalist. 213 MYCOLOGIA SO OTIC A. By Rev. JOHN STEVENSON. ( Continued from page 1 70. ) 2232. Agaricus (Amanita) lenticularis Lasch. C. Hbk. No. 15. In woods. East. Tweed West. Roxburgh. Rev. David Paul. England. Europe. 2233. A. (Lepiota) ermineus* Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 33. C. Illust. PL 40. White; pileus somewhat fleshy, campanulate then expanded, even, smooth, then silky-jibriUose round the margin; stem fistulose, equal, becoming smooth, with a remote, torn, evanescent ring ; gills approxi- mate. Fragile. Grassy place in wood. Nov. East. Tay West. Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. 2234. A. (Tricholoma) immundus * C. Illust. PL 61. In hilly pasture. Aug. East. Tay West. Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Berk. C. Hbk. No. 72. 2235. A. (Tricholoma) tumidus Pers. Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 61. Rigid-fragile ; pileus bullate then expanded, undulate, somewhat shining, then incised, rimose, cinereous, bent inwards at the thin margin, 3 in. broad ; stem solid, rooting, swollen^ striate, shining white, 3 in. long (but among moist mosses it is very much elongated); gills marginate, broad, somewhat distant, shining white, at length rufescent- cinereous. Odour and taste insipid. In woods. Oct. East. Moray West. Forres, 1881. Rev. James Keith. Europe. 214 The Scottish Naturalist. 2236. A. (Collybia) platyphyllus * Fr. C. Hbk. No. 139. Among beech-leaves. Oct. East. Tay West. Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. * A. (Collybia) tenacellus Pers. Var. stolonifer* Jung. Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 121. Stem with a creeping, somewhat stoloniferons root. Among pine-leaves. Nov. — Dec. East. Tay West. ■ Perth. Dr. B. White. Glamis. J. S. England. Europe. I have found this as frequently as A. tenacellus, from which it differs only in the root. * A. (Mycena) strobilinus Fr. My col. Scot. p. 27. Altyre, Sept. 1881. Rev. James Keith. Not recorded for Scotland since the time of Greville. 2237. A. (Nolanea) pisciodorus * Ces. Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 208. Pileus somewhat membranaceous, conical then campanulate, then convex, obsoletely umbonate, velvety-soft, tawny-cinnamon ; stem somewhat fistulose, tough, very thinly pruinate, chestnut then becoming black, paler at the apex, somewhat velvety ; gills slighty adnexed, pale yellow then flesh-coloured, at length tawny. Smell of rotten fish. Among decayed fir branches. Oct. East. Tay West. - — - Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. Very similar in appearance to A. cucumis Pers., and easily mistaken without examination of spores. 2238. A. (Pholiota) aurivellus* Batsch. C. Hbk. No. 298. On old fir-stump. Sept. East. Tay West. Logie, Forfarshire, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. America. Hie Scottish Naturalist, 215 2239. A. (Pholiota) subsquarrosus * Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 221. Pileus fleshy, convex, viscid, brown-ferruginous , with darker, floc- cose, addressed scales; stem stuffed, equal, yellow-ferruginous, with darker adpressed scales terminated in an annular zone, without a dis- tinct ring, 3 in. long, yi in. thick; gills somewhat free ; crowded, from yellow to dirty-tan colour. Similar in appearance to A. sqnarrosits, but distinguished by well- marked features. On old stump. Sept. East. — — ■ Tay West. ■ ■ ■ Glamis, 1881. J. S. Europe. 2240. A. (Pholiota) pumilus Fr. C. Hbk. No. 305. Among moss. Sept. — Nov. East. Tweed ■ [Moray West. Grantown. Rev. James Keith. Roxburgh. Rev. David Paul. England. Europe. Australia. 2241. A. (Hebeloma) sinapizans * Fr. C. Hbk. No. 311. In mixed wood. Sept. East. — — Tay West. Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. * A. (Flammula) carbonarius Fr. My col. Scot. p. 60. Growing along with Rhizina undulata Fr., both in abundance, on burnt sandy soil in fir-wood. Logie, Forfarshire. J. S. * A, (Flammula) astragalinus * Fr. Mycol. Scot. p. 60. Glamis, Oct. 1881. J. S. 2242. A. (Hypholoma) elaecodes* Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 291. Pileus fleshy, rather plane, somewhat umbonate, dry, smooth, opaque, brick -red or tan colour, flesh yellow; stem stuffed, then hollow, equal, fibrillose, of the same colour as the pileus, becoming ferruginous, commonly slender, incurved or flexuous ; gills adnate, crowded, thin, green, then pure olivaceous. Caespitose. Odour bitter. On dead trunk. Sept. East. Tay West. 216 The Scottish Naturalist. Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. 2243. Cortinarius (Phlegmacium) saginus * Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 340. Granite, vi. t. 92. Pileus fleshy, plano-convex, unequal, smooth, viscous, yellow, 4-5 in. broad ; stem solid, somewhat bulbous, fibrillose, dingy yellow, (becoming bright yellow), naked at the apex, with a fugacious veil, 3 in. long, I in. and more thick ; gills decurrent, broad, eroded, dirty- pallid, then cinnamon. Flesh white. Very gregarious, somewhat East. West. caespitose, large. In mixed wood. Oct. Tay Glamis, 1 England. 881. J. Europ< S. 2244. C. (Phlegmacium) turbinatus * Fr. C. Hbk. No. 497. In mixed wood. Oct. East. Tay West. ■ ■ ■ Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. America. 2245. C. (Myxacium) delibutus Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 357. Quel., Grev.j t. 108,/! 2. Pileus fleshy, thin, convexo-plane, obtuse, even, glutinous, yellowish, sometimes tawny on the disc, smooth, or when full grown fibrilloso- silky, 2-3 in. broad ; stem stuffed, at length hollow at the apex, elas- tic, thin, attenuated, zuhitish, and like the pileus glutinous, shining, 2-4 in. long, 3-4 lines thick ; gills adnate, obsoletely emarginate, de- current with a slight tooth, broad, plane, somewhat distant, serrulate, pallid-blue then clay-ferruginous. Soft. White within. In woods. Aug. East. ■ Moray West. Grantown, 1881. Rev. James Keith. England. Europe. 2246. C. (Myxacium) stillatitius Fr. C. Hbk. No. 503. In woods. Aug. East. ■ Moray West. Grantown, 1881. Rev. James Keith. England. Europe. The Scottish Naturalist, 217 2247. C. (Dermocybe) cinnabarinus * Fr. ITym. Eur. p. 370. Quel., Grez:, t. no,/. 4. Pileus fleshy, obtuse, silky, then become smooth, shining, and as well as the stuffed, short, firm, now and then bulbous, fibrillose stem, which never becomes yellow, and veil, scarlet cinnabar ; gills adnate, broad, unequal at the edge, somewhat distant, darker. Odour of radishes. In beech wood. Nov. East. Tay ■ West. Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. 2248. C. (Hygrocybe) germanus * Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 397. Quel, Grev., t. 114,/. 2. Pileus somewhat membraceous, conico-expanded, obtusely umbon- ate, somewhat silky, fragile, even, becoming fuscous (clay-colour), without striae, scarcely an inch ; stem somewhat fistulose, thin, equal, smooth, lilac then becoming pale, at length silvery, somewhat twisted, 3 in. long, I line thick ; gills adnate, somewhat distant, broad, watery cinnamon. Strong smelling. In pine-wood. Sept. East. Tay West. ■ Logie, Forfarshire, 1S81. J. S. Europe. 2249. Lactarius vietus * Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 432. Pileus fleshy, thin, at first somewhat umbonate, viscid, then flat- tened, umbilicate, sometimes infundibuliform, even, zoneless, when dry slightly silky, flesh-coloured or livid grey, becoming very pale ; stem stuffed then hollcnv, fragile, livid ; gills somewhat decurrent, thin, dead whitish ; milk from whitish to grey, tardily acrid. Thin, soft, fragile, variable in form. In grassy wood. Oct. East. Tay West. - — - Glamis, 1881. J. S. England. Europe. 2250. Polyporus zonatus Fr. Hym. Eur. p. 568. Pileus somewhat corky-coriaceous, convex, tubercnlose and gibbous behind, somewhat zoned, villous, opaque, becoming dead white at the margin ; pores minute, rounded or become angular, obtuse, dead whitish. On trunks. 2i8 ' The Scottish Naturalist. East. Moray West. Dunphail, 1881. Rev. James Keith. Europe. * Clavaria cinerea Bull. My col. Scot. p. 173. Along with the common form I have gathered fine specimens of the variety figured by Greville (Scot. Crypt. FL, pi. 321), with short thickened stem, ter- minated by a thick fringe of subulate processes. 2251. Clathrns cancellatus Linn. C. Hbk. No. 1067. In woods. East. Forth West. Tynningham, 1881. Miss Violet Chambers. England. Europe. America. * Hydrangium carneum Wallr. My col. Scot. p. 18 5. Edinburgh Botanic Garden, 1880. Dr M. C. Cooke. * Rhizopogon rubescens Tul. My col. Scot. p. 186. The plant recorded from Rannoch is referred to in Rev. M. J. Berkeley's Herbarium as R. luteolus Tul. * Hymenogaster Klotschii Tul. My col. Scot. p. 186. Edinburgh Botanic Garden, 1880. Dr M. C. Cooke. 2252. Puccinia allii Casp. (P. mixta Fckl.) Symb. Myc. />. 53- Spots elongate, dark ; sori dark brown, at first often rounded, be- coming elongate, subepidermal ; spores brown, cell walls nearly uniform in thickness, pedicels short, colourless. Many spores are two-celled, widened upwards, and rounded or squared at the apex, and slightly constricted in the middle (P. allii Casp.) ; others are smaller, undivided, and oval, obovate or quadrangular in form (Uromyces alliorum D. C. ). Both kinds of spores vary considerably in form. Along with them, or in separate sori, of the same form but yellow, occur round or oval oue-celled spores, with smooth, yellow- ish, nearly transparent cell walls, and deep yellow cell contents, forming Undo alliorum D. C. (Urcdo limbata Rabenh.) J. W. II. Trail. On Allium Schivnoprasum. Summer. East. Dee West. ■ Nigg, Aberdeen. Mr W. Forrest. Europe. The Scottish Naturalist. 219 2253. Uredo statices Desm. C. Hbk, No. 1580. On Armeria maritima. Summer. — Autumn. East. Dee West. Aberdeen. Dr B. White. England. Europe. 2254. Synchytrium taraxaci De By. & Wor. Grcvillea, ii. p. 162. Cellules variable, seated beneath the cuticle of living leaves. Zoo- gonidia '00013 mm. diam. On leaves of Taraxacum officinale. Summer — Autumn. East. ■ • Tay Dee West. Argyle England. Europe. 2255. Ascobolus depauperatus B. & Br. C. Hbk. No. 2207. On rabbit- dung. East. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ West. • Argyle Mull. Dr B. White. England. * A. glaber Pers. My col. Scot. p. 337, growing on the disc of A. pilosus Fr. My col. Scot. p. 339. Mr W. Phillips, to whom I submitted this singular case of parasitism, has never met with a similar instance in his researches among EPoellacei. 2256. Apiosporium abietis Cke. Grevillea, ix. p. 94. Effused, black, velvety. Mycelloid hyphae black brown ; peri- thecia globose, very small (*i mm. diam.) ; asci clavate ('02x '007 mm.) ; sporidia elliptical, hyaline ("005 x -002 mm.). Investing the young twigs with a black incrustation resembling soot, in which the perithecia are seated. The subiculum consists of an irregular mass of brown cells resembling a low form of Sporidesmium. On twigs of living spruce. East. ■ Forth West. — Glencorse. Penicuik. Dr M. C. Cooke. The following districts are to be recorded for the species enumerated : — Tweed. — Agaricus ustalis Fr. ; A. columbetta Fr. ; A. sulphureus Bull. ; A. clavipes Pers. ; A. inolens Fr. ; A. stipitarius Fr. ; A. tenerrimus Berk.; A. phlebophorus Dittm. ; A. togularis Bull. ; A. marginatus Batsch. ; A. cucumis Pers. ; A. gracilis Fr. ; Bolbitius hydrophilus Bull. ; Cortinarius 220 The Scottish Naturalist. multiformis Fr. ; Lenzites ssepiaria Schseflf. ; Boletus Iaricinus Berk. ; Poly- porus brumalis Pers. ; P. sanguinolentus A. & S. ; Triphragmium ulmariae Link. ; Puccinia malvacearum Cda., Mycol. Scot. Supp., Scot. Arat. vi. p. 119; Peronospora obliqua Cooke ; Peziza humosa Fr. Forth. — Lenzites sa:piaria Schaeff. ; Hydnanguim carneum Wallr. ; Hy. menogaster Klotschii Tul. ; Sphaeria sabuletorum B. & Br. on Psamma armidinacea. Dee. — Paxillus atro-tomentosus Batsch. ; Polyporus perennis L. ; Uredo alliorum D. C. Moray. — Agaricus pterigenus Fr. ; A. radicosus Bull; Cortinarius clari- color Fr. ; C. livido-ochraceus Berk. ; C. leucopus Bull. ; C. decipiens Pers. ; Lactarius hysginus Fr. ; Marasmius porreus Pers. Argyle. — The following species were gathered on the Island of Mull, during the meeting of the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland in August 1881. Many of the commoner species, which have already been recorded for Argyle, were noticed on the same occasion : — ■ Agaricus granulosus Batsch. ; A. butyraceus Bull. ; A. confluens Pers. ; A. dryophilus Bull. ; A. rubro-marginatus Fr. ; A. polygrammus Bull. ; A. atro-albus Bolt. ; A. alkalinus Fr. ; A. ammoniacus Fr. ; A. filopes Bull. ; A. vulgaris Pers. ; A. chalybceus Pers. ; A. pascuus Pers. ; A. scaber Midi. ; A. semilanceatus Fr. ; A. separatus L. ; A. fimiputrus Bull. ; Coprinus atra- mentarius Bull. ; C. plicatilis Curt. ; Cortinarius cyanopus Seer. ; C. pur- purascens Fr. ; C. cinnamomeus L. ; C. torvus Fr. ; Gomphidius glutinosus Schaeff. ; Hygrophorus chlorophanus Fr. ; Lactarius insulsus Fr. ; L. blen- nius Fr. ; L. vellereus Fr. ; L. deliciosus L. ; L. quietus Fr. ; L. theiogalus Bull. ; L. glyciosmus Fr. ; L. mitissimus Fr. ; Russula nigricans Bull. ; R. rubra D. C. ; R. vesca Fr. ; R. heterophylla Fr. ; R. fcetens Pers. ; R. Queletii Fr. ; R. ochroleuca Pers.; R. alutacea Fr. ; R. fellea Fr. , Mycol. Scot. Supp., Scot. Nat. vi. p. 36; Cantharellus tubaeformis Fr. ; Marasmius peronatus Bolt. ; M. rotula Scop. ; Boletus luteus L. ; B. flavus With. ; B. chrysenteron Bull. ; B. subtomentosus L. ; B. eclulis Bull. ; B. luridus Schaeff. ; Polyporus perennis L. ; P. varius Fr. ; P. vulgaris Fr. ; Crater- ellus cornucopioides L. ; Thelephora palmata Scop. ; Corticium laeve Pers. ; C. calceum Pers. ; Calocera cornea Batsch. ; Tremella foliacea Pers. ; Lyco- perdon gemmatum Fr. ; Fuligo varians Sommf. ; Tilmadoche nutans Pers. ; Reticulata lycoperdon Bull. ; Cyathus striatus Hoffm. ; Melasmia alnea Lev., Mycol. Scot. Supp., Scot. Nat. vi. p. 118.; Septoria hydrocotyles Desm. ; S. scabiosaecola Desm. ; S. lysimachiae West. ; S. stachydis Desm.; Phyllosticta violae Desm.; Asteroma padi Grev. ; A. rosse D. C. ; Ceutho- spora iauri Grev. ; Torula pulveracea Corda. ; Puccinia moliniae Tul. ; P. scorodoniae Link. ; P. galiorum Link. ; P. circseae Pers. ; Coleosporium tussilaginis Lev. ; Melampsora betulina Desm. ; M. salicina Lev. ; Lecythea saliceti Lev. ; L. Valeriana? Berk. ; Trichobasis oblongata Berk. ; Synchytrium mercurialis Fckl., Mycol. Scot. Supp., Scot. ATat. vi. p. 120 ; Urocystis pom- pholygodes Lev. ; /Fcidium compositarum var. tussilaginis Pers. ; Milesia polypodii White ; Ceratium hydnoides A. & S. ; Cladosporium herbarum Link. ; Peronospora rufibasis B. & Br. ; Peziza badia Pers. ; P. humosa Fr. ; P. trechispora B. & Br. ; P. stercorea Pers. ; P. firma Pers. ; P. cinerea Batsch. ; Helotium auuginosum Fr. ; H. pallescens Fr. ; H. claro-flavum Berk. ; Bulgaria sarcoides Fr. ; Rhytisma salicinum Fr. ; R. acerinum Fr. ; The Scottish Naturalist. 2 2 1 Microsphceria penicillata Lev. ; Erysiphe Martii Link. ; Asterina veronicse Lib. ; Torrubia militaris Fr. ; Claviceps purpurea Tul. ; Hypocrea rufa Fr. ; Polystigma fulvum D. C. ; Doth idea junci Fr. ; Stigmatea Robertiani Fr. ; Hypoxylon coccineum Bull. ; Diatrype disciformis Fr. ; Gnomonia coryli Batsch. Ross (Skye). — Dactylium modestum Berk. & White. The following countries are to be added under the species enumerated : — Africa (South). — Agaricus muscarius L. ; A. procerus Scop. ; A. excori- atus Schaeff. ; A. ustalis Fr. ; A. melaleucus Pers. ; A. expallens Pers. ; A. velutipes Curt. ; A. laccatus Schceff. ; A. radicatus Relh. ; A. butyraceus Bull. ; A. acervatus Fr. ; A. tintinnabulum Fr. ; A. clavicularis Fr. ; A. corticola Schum. ; A. hiemalis- Osbeck. ; A. capillaris Schum. ; A. rusticus Fr. ; A. integrellus Pers. ; A. ostreatus Jacq. ; A. atro-caeruleus Fr. ; A. cervinus Schseff. ; A. togularis Bull. ; A; alnicola Fr. ; A. pediades Fr. ; A. tener Schoeff. ; A. hypnorum Batsch. ; A. arvensis Schaeff. ; A. campestris L. ; A. silvaticus Schaeff. ; A. obturatus Fr. ; A. melaspermus Bull. ; A. semiglobatus Batsch. ; A. fascicularis Huds. ; A. Candolleanus Fr. ; A. ericaeus Pers. ; A. atro-rufus Schaeff. ; A. semilanceatus Fr. ; A. fcenisecii Pers. ; A. corrugis Pers. ; A. spadiceo-griseus Schaeff. ; A. separatus L. ; A. campanulatus L. ; A. caliginosus Jung. ; A. gracilis Fr. ; A. pronus Fr. ; Coprinus micaceus Bull.; C. radiatus Bolt.; C. ephemerus Bull.; C. plica- tilis Curt. ; Bolbitius Boltonii Pers. ; B. fragilis L. ; Paxillus panuoides Fr. ; Hygrophorus virgineus Wulf. ; H. coccineus Schaeff. ; Marasmius rotula Scop. ; M. saccharinus Batsch. ; Schizophyllum commune Fr. ; Hydnum ochraceum Pers. ; Clavaria Kunzei Fr. ; Puccinia galiorum Link. ; Hypoxy- lon rubiginosum Fr. Australia. — Agaricus cristatus A. &. S.; A. inversus Scop. ; A. esculentus Wulf. ; A. speireus Fr. ; A. corticola Schum. ; A. capillaris Schum. ; A. gracillimus Weinra. ; A. atro-caeruleus Fr. ; A. praecox Pers. ; A. languinosus Bull. ; A. flavidus Schaeff. ; A. pediades Fr. ; A. inquilinus Fr. ; A. ericaeus Pers. ; A. atro-rufus Schaeff. Tasmania. — Agaricus laccatus Scop. ; A. radicatus Relh. Mauritius. — Polyporus betulinus Fr.; Hydnum ochraceum Fr. ; Hirneola auricula-Judae L. THE GAELIC NAMES OP PLANTS, By JOHN CAMERON. ( Cojitinued from />, 1 78. ) Naiadace.e. Potamogeton. — Greek : 7rora/xo's, a river, and yurov, near. P. natans — Broad-leaved pondweed. Gaelic : duiliasg na ttaibhne, the river leaf. Most of the species grow immersed in ponds and rivers, but flower above its surface. Liobhag, from 222 The Scottish ATaturalist. liobh, smooth, polish, from the smooth pellucid texture of the leaves, their surface being destitute of down or hair of any kind. Irish : liachroda, — Hack, a spoon, rod, a water-weed, sea weed ; liach-Brighide, Bridget's spoon. Probably these names were also given to the other species of pondweeds (such as P. polygonifolius) as well as to P. natans. Zostera marina — The sweet sea -grass. Gaelic and Irish: bilearacli (in Argyle, bileanach), from bileag, a blade of grass. The sea-grass was much used for thatching purposes, and it was supposed to last longer than straw. Alismace^e. Alisma. — Greek : akta-fjia, an aquatic plant ; said to be from a Celtic root, a/is, water. If ever this was a Celtic vocable it has ceased to have this signification : in Welsh alls means the lowest point, hell. A. Plantago — Water-plantain. Gaelic and Irish : cor-chopaig (cor or cora, a weir, a dam, and copag, a dock, or any large leaf of a plant). It grows in watery places. Welsh : llyren, a duct, a brink or shore. Triglochin palustre — Arrow-grass. Gaelic : barr a mhilltich, — " Bun na cipe is barr a' mhilltich.''' — M'Intyre. barr, top, and milltich (Irish), "good grass," and milncach, a thorn or bodkin — hence the English name arrow-grass. Generic name from rpets, three, and yAw^is, a point, in allusion to the three angles of the capsule. Sheep and cattle are fond of this hardy species, which afford an early bite on the sides of the Highland mountains. Milltich is commonly used in the sense of " grassy;" maghanaii millteach, verdant or grassy meadows. LEMNACE/E. Lemna minor — Duckweed. Gaelic : l mac gun athair, son without a father. Irish: lus gan athair gan mhathair, fatherless motherless wort. A curious name, perhaps suggested by the root being suspended from its small egg-shaped leaf, and not affixed to the ground. Gran-lachan, — gran, seed, grain, and lach, a duck. The roundish leaves, and the fact that ducks are voraciously fond of feeding on them, have suggested this and the following names : Ros lachain, the ducks' rose or flower. Irish : 1 Mac-gun-athair may have originally been meacan air, — mcacan, a plant, air, gen. of ar, slow (hence the name of the river "Arar" in France, meaning the slow-flowing river, — " Arar dubitans qui suos cursos agat " — Se.neca), the plant that grows in slow or sluggish water. The Scottish Naturalist. 223 abhran donog (O'Reilly), — abhran is the plural of abhra, an eye- lid, and donog, a kind of fish, a young ling. The fish's eye- lids ; more likely a corruption of aran tunnaig, duck's bread or meat. It was used by our Celtic ancestors as a cure for headaches and inflammations. Arace/e. Arum, formerly aron> probably from the ancient Celtic root a?-, land, earth ; hence Latin, aro, to plough, and Gaelic, aran, bread, sustenance. The roots of many of the species are used both for food and medicine. A. maculatum — Wake-robin, lords and ladies. Gaelic : cluas chaoin, the soft ear (caoin, soft, smooth, gentle, &c, and cluas, ear). The ear-shaped spathe would probably suggest the name. Cuthaidh, from cuth, a head, a bulb — hence cutharlan, any bulb- ous-rooted plant. Cuthaidh means also wild, savage. Gachar and gaoicin cuthigh are given in O'Reilly's Dictionary as names for the Arum, from cai, a cuckoo. Old English : cuckoo's pint. Orontiace^e. Acorns calamus — Sweet- flag. Gaelic : cuilc-mhilis, sweet-rush ; " Cuilc mhilis agus canal." Calamus and cinnamon. cuilc, a reed, a cane. Greek : KaAa/xo?, applied to reeds, bul- rush canes, e.g., cuile na Leig, the reeds of Lego. Cobhan cuilc, an ark of bulrushes. Cuilc-chrann, cane ; mills (Greek : /xeAio-o-a, a bee), sweet. Before the days of carpets, this plant is said to have supplied the " rushes " with which it was customary to strew the floors of houses, churches, and monasteries. TYPHACEiE. Typha, from Greek, ™os, a marsh, in which all the species naturally grow. T. latifolia — Great reed-mace or cat's-tail. Gaelic and Irish : bodan dubh, from bod, a tail, and dubh, large, or dark. Cuigeal ?iam ban-sith, the fairy-woman's spindle. It is often, but incorrectly, called bog bhui?ie or bulrush (see Scirpus lacustris). The downy seeds were used for stuffing pillows, and the leaves for making mats, chair -bottoms, thatch, and sometimes straw hats or bonnets. T. angustifolia — Lesser reed-mace or cat's-tail. Irish : bodan (O'Reilly), dim. of bod, a tail. 224 The Scottish Naturalist. Sparganium. — Name in Greek denoting a little band, from the ribbon-like leaves. S. ramosum — Branched bur-reed. Gaelic : figh seisg, the king's sedge, from its being a large plant with sword-shaped leaves. Seisg mheirg (Stewart), — meirg, rust, a standard or banner. S. simplex — Upright bur -reed. Gaelic: seisg madraidh. Armstrong gives this name to S. erectum, by which he doubt- less means this plant. Seisg, sedge, and madradh, a dog, a mastiff. Name probably suggested by the plant being in per- fection in the dog-days, the month of July, mlos Mhadrail. Juncace^e. Juncus, from the Latin jungo, to join. The first ropes were made from rushes, and also floor covering. Ancient Gaelic : aoin, from aon, one. Latin : wius. Greek : tv. Ger. : ein. " A dath amar dhath an aeil, Coilcigh eturra agus aein. Sida eturra is brat gorm, Derg or eturra is glan chorn. " (From the description of the Lady Crehe's house by Caeilte MacRonain, from the Books of Ballymote, a rare ancient poem. ) The colour [of her dihi\ is like the colour of lime : Within it are couches and green rushes ; Within it are silks and blue mantles ; Within it are red gold and crystal cups. J. conglomeratus — Common rush. Gaelic and Irish : luachar, a general name for all the rushes, meaning splendour, brightness; hence luachar, a lamp. Latin : lucerna. Sanscrit : lauchanau, from the root, lauch, light. The pith of this and the next species was commonly used to make rush-lights. The rushes were stripped of their outer green skin, all except one narrow stripe, and then they were drawn through melted grease and laid across a stool to set. " The title Luachra was given to the chief Druid and magician, considered by the pagan Irish as a deity, who opposed St Patrick at Tara in the presence of the king and the nobility, who composed the convention " — ' Life of St Patrick.' Brog braidhe (O'Reilly), — brog, a shoe ; but here it should be brbdh, straw ; braidhe, a mountain, the mountain straw or stem. J. elfusus — Soft rush. Gaelic : luachar bog, soft rush. Irish : feath, a bog. It grows best in boggy places. Fead, which seems to be the same name, is given also to the bulrush. Fead, a whistle, a bustle. The Scottish Naturalist. 225 " 'S X\ox\m\\ox feadan caol, Air an eirich gaoth." — M'lNTYRE. Doubtless suggested by the whistling of the wind among the rushes and reeds. The common rush and the soft rush were much used in ancient times as bed - stuffs ; they served for strewing floors, making rough couches, &c. J. articulatus — Jointed rush. Gaelic : lochan nan damh. This name is given by Lightfoot in his ' Flora Scotica,' but it should have been lachan nan damh. Lachan, a reed, the ox or the hart's reed. J. squarrosus — Heath-rush, stool-bent. Gaelic : bru-corcur (M'Alpine), — bru-chorachd, the deers' moor-grass; bru, a deer, a hind ; corcach, a moor or marsh. See Scirfius. ' ' Bnichorachd as ciob, x Lusan am bi brigh," &c. — M'Intyre in 'Ben Doran.' Heath-rush and " deer's hair, " Plants nutritious they are, &c. Specimens of this plant have also been supplied with the Gaelic name ?noran labelled thereon, and in another instance muran. These names mean the plants with tapering roots ; the same signification in the Welsh, moron, a carrot. (See Muirneach — Anwwphila arenaria.) J. maritimus and acutus — Sea-rush. Irish : meithan (O'Reil- ly). Meit/i, fat, corpulent. J. acutus (the great sea-rush) is the largest British species. Luzula. — Name supposed to have been altered from Italian, /uccio/a, a glow-worm. It was called by the ancient botanists gramen luxulce (Latin, htx, light). L. sylvatica — Wood-rush. Gaelic : luachar cb'ille, the bright grass or rush of the wood. The Italian name lucciola is said to be given from the sparkling appearance of the heads of flowers when wet with dew or rain. Learman (Stewart), possibly from tear or leir, clear, discernible; a very conspicuous plant, more of the habit of a grass than a rush, the stalk rising to the height of more that two feet, and bearing a terminal cluster of brownish flowers, with large light-yellow anthers. Cyperace/E. Schoenus (from xoivos or crxotVos, a cord in Greek). — From plants of this kind cords or ropes were made. 1 See Scirpus caspitosns. VOL. VI. P 226 The Scottish Naturalist. S. nigricans — Bog - rush. Gaelic : seimhean (Armstrong). Irish: seimhin (scimh, smooth, shining — the spikelets being smooth and shining ; or which is more likely, from siobh or siobhag, straw, — hence sioman, a rope made of straw or rushes ; the Greek name ctxolvos for the same reason). Scirpus, sometimes written sirpus (Freund), seems to be cognate with the Celtic cirs, cors, a bog-plant ; hence Welsh, corsfruyn, a bulrush (Gaelic, curcais). Many plants of this genus were likewise formerly used for making ropes. (Cords, Latin, chorda ; Welsh, cord; Gaelic and Irish, corda ; Spanish, cuerda, — all derived from cors.) S. maritimus — Sea-scirpus. Gaelic and Irish : brbbh. Name from brb. bra, or bradh, a quern, a hand-mill. The roots are large and very nutritious for cattle, and in times of scarcity were ground down in the muileann bradh (French, moulin a bras), to make meal ; bracan, broth, — hence bi'acha, malt, be- cause prepared by manual labour (Greek, fipaxtoiv ; Latin, brachium ; Gaelic, braic ; French, bras, the arm). S. caespitosus — Tufted scirpus, deer's hair, heath club-rush. Gaelic : dob, dpe, and dob cheann dubh (dob = xifi0s ■> Latin, cibus, food ; ceatui, head ; dubh, black). " Le'n cridheacha' meara Le bainne na cioba. ' — M'Intyre. This is the principal food of cattle and sheep in the Highlands in March, and till the end of May. Cruach luacJiair, — cruach, a heap, a pile, a hill, and luachair, a rush. The badge of the Clan M'Kenzie. S. lacustris — Bulrush, lake-scirpus. Gaelic: gobhal luachair, the forked rush (gobhal, a fork), from the forked or branched appearance of the cymes appearing from the top of tall, terete (or nearly so), leafless stems. When this tall stem is cut, it goes by the name of cuilc,1 a cane, and is used to bottom chairs. Irish : gibiun, — gib or giob, rough, and aoin, a rush. Gaelic and Irish, bog mliuiue, boigeau, bog luachair, bog,2 a marsh, a fen, swampy ground, to bob, to wag, — names indicating its habitat, also its top-heavy appearance, causing it to have a bobbing or wagging motion. Curcais (curach, a marsh, a fen) is more a generic term, and equals scirpus. Min-JJicur, a bulrush. (See Festuca ovina.) 1 " Mu lochan nan cuilc a tha ruadh." — Tigiimora. 2 Bog and bblg are frequently interchanged : bblg luachair, prominent or massy rush; from bblg, gen. builg, comes bul in bulrush. The Scottish Naturalist. 227 Badge of Clan M'Kay. Eriophorum (from Ipiov, wool, and €pw, to bear). — Its seeds are covered with a woolly substance — hence it is called cotton- grass. E. vaginatum and E. polystachyon — Cotton-sedge. Scotch : cats-tail. Gaelic and Irish : canach. Irish : cona (from can, white), from its hypogynous bristles forming dense tufts of white cottony down, making the plant very conspicuous in peaty bogs. The canach in its purity and whiteness formed the object of comparison in Gaelic poetry for purity, fair complexion, &c, especially in love-songs : — " Do chneas mar an canach Co cheanalta thla." — M'Intyre. Thy skin white as the cotton-grass So tender and gentle. " Bu ghile na'n canach a cruth."— Ossian. Her form was fairer than the down of Cana. In Ossian the plant is also called caoin cheann {caoin, soft), the soft heads, fair heads. " Ghlac mi'n caoin cheanna sa' bheinn 'Siad ag aomadh mu shruthaibh thall Fo charnaibh, bu diomhaire gaoth." — TiGHMORA. I seized cotton-grasses on the hill, As they waved by their secret streams, In places sheltered from the wind. This is only the plural form of the name canach — caineichean. " Na caineichean aluinn an t-shleibh." — M'Leod. O'Reilly gives the name sgathog fiadhain to E. polystachyon, — sgath, a tail, and og (dim. termination), the little tail, — to distin- guish it from vagitiatum, which is larger. Scotch : cat's-tail. Badge of Clan Sutherland. Carex (likely from Welsh, cors ; Gaelic, carr, a bog, a marsh, or fenny ground). — This numerous family of plants grows most- ly in such situations. Scisg, sedge; gallsheilisdcar, also seilisdear amh (for Seilisdear, see Iris), — amh, raw — the raw sedge. Welsh : hesg. Seasg, barren, unfruitful. Except C. rigida, they are scarcely touched by cattle. According to Dr Hooker, carex is derived from Greek, Kcipw, from the cutting foliage. The Sanscrit root is kar, to cut, shear, divide. C. vulgaris, and many of the other large species — Common 228 The Scottish Naturalist. sedge. Gaelic : gainnisg (Stewart), — gaimie, a sedge, reed, cane, arrow; and seasg. Gramine/e. Agrostis alba— Fiorin-grass. Gaelic and Irish : fioran, feor- iue, or fior-than ; derived from Gaelic : feur, feoir, grass, herb- age, fodder. Latin: vireo, I grow green, — 7'er, spring ; fcenum, fodder — r and ?i being interchangeable. This name is applied in the dictionaries to the common couch-grass, because, like it, it retains a long time its vital power, and propagates itself by extending its roots. Alopecurus — Foxtail-grass. Gaelic : jiteag,—fit, food, refresh- ment. Latin : vita. A. geniculatus. — Gaelic : fitcag chaw, — "A chuiseag dheireach's 7\xifMteagcham" — M'Intyre. ca?n, bent, from the knee-like bend in the stalk. A valuable grass for hay and pasture. Arundo Phragmites — Reed grass. Gaelic : seasgan; seasg, a reed. Lachan, the common reed. Irish : cruisgiornach, cruisigh, music, song; from its stem reeds for pipes were manufactured. Welsh : cawn wellt, cane-grass ; qwellt, grass. Anthoxanthum odoratum — Sweet meadow-grass. Gaelic: mislean, from mi/is, sweet. " 'San canach min geal 's mislean arm." — M'Intyre. The soft white cotton-grass and the sweet grass are there. Borrach (borradh, scent, smell). — (In some places this name is given to the Nardus strieta, which see.) This is the grass that gives the peculiar smell to meadow hay. Though common in meadows, it grows nearly to the top of the Grampians (3400 feet) ; hence the names are given as " a species of mountain grass " in some dictionaries. Milium effusum — Millet -grass. Gaelic: mileid. Welsh: miled. The name derived from the true millet misapplied. Mil- let is translated in the Gaelic Bible meanbh pheasair, small peas (see Faba vulgaris). — Ezekiel iv. 9. Phleum pratense — Timothy grass, cat's-tail grass. Gaelic : bodau, a little tail ; the same name for Typha angustifolia. " This grass was introduced from New York and Carolina in 1780 by Timothy Hanson." — Loudon. It seems to have been unknown in the Hebrides and the Highlands before that date ; for Dr Walker ('Rural Econ. Hebrides,' ii. 27) says, "that it maybe The Scottish Naturalist. 229 introduced into the Highlands with good effect." Yet Lightfoot (1777) mentions it as "by the waysides, and in pastures, but not common." Bo dan is also applied to P. arenarium and P. alpinum. Lepturus filiformis. — Gaelic : ditrfheurfairge, sea hard grass. Dur, hard (Latin, dunts) ; feur, grass ; fairg, the sea, ocean, wave. It grows all round Ireland, as well as in England and South Scotland. Irish : durfher fairge (O'Reilly). Calamagrostis. — Etym. KaAa/xos, and dypocn-15, reed-grass. C. Epigejos — AVood small reed. Cuilc fheur, cane -grass; gainne = cane. Lachan coii/e, wood-rush. Ammophila arenaria (or Psamma arenaria) — Sea-maram; sea- matweed. Gaelic and Irish : muirineach, from muir (Latin mare, the sea), the ocean. It is extensively propagated to bind the sand on the seashore; generally called miiran on west coast. The same name is applied to the carrot, an alteration of moron- — a plant with large tapering roots. M'Intyre alludes to " miiran brlghar" but whether he refers to the carrot or to this grass is a matter of controversy. Not being a seaside Highlander, he was more likely to know the carrot, wild and cultivated, far better than this seaside grass, and associating it with groundsel (a plant which usually grows rather too abundantly, wherever carrots are sown), makes it a certainty that he had not the " sea- maram " in his mind. (See Daucus carota.) Avena sativa — Oats. Gaelic and Irish : coin. Welsh : ceirch. Armoric : querch. Probably from the Sanskrit karc, to crush. " Is fhearr siol caol coirce fhaotuinn a droch fheararin na' bhi falamh. " Better small oats than nothing out of bad land. The small variety, A. nuda, the naked or hill oat, when ripe, drops the grain from the husk ; it was therefore more generally cultivated two centuries ago. It was made into meal by dry- ing it on the hearth, and bruising it in a stone -mortar, the " muileann brddh" — hand-mill or quern. Many of them may still be seen about Highland and Irish cottages. A. fatua and A. pratensis — Wild oats. Gaelic: coin fiadhain, wild oats ; coirc dubh, black oats. Also applied to the Brome grasses. ( To bt continued. ) .^""ol p""**""^ . Li library! , 230 The Scottish Naturalist. PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS OF PERTHSHIRE. By F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. ( Continued from page 191.) DIPSACACEiE. cxxxvn. Dipsacus Tourn. 304. Sylvestris L. Very local and rare. Kirmoull Hill. CXXXVIII. SCABIOSA L. 305. Succisa L. Common. 306. Arvensis L. Common in the Lowlands. COMPOSITE. exxxix. Arctium L. 307. Lappa L. Sub-species minus Schkuhr. Not uncommon. cxl. Saussurea D. C. 308. Alpina D. C. On the richer hills, but not very common. cxli. Centaurea L. 309. Nigra L. Common. 310. Scabiosa L. Chiefly in Gowrie, where it is not un- common. 311. Cyanus L. A weed of cultivation. cxlii. Carduus L. 312. Crispus L. Rather local. Var. litigiosus Gren. and Godr. Moncreiffe. 313. Lanceolatus L. Common. 314. Arvensis Curt. Common. Var. horridus Koch. In several places. 315. Palustris L. Common. 316. Heterophyllus L. Not uncommon. 317. Marianus Gaertn. A casual, and not common. CXLIII. EUPATORIUM L. 318. Cannabinum L. Very local. cxli v. Petasites Tourn. 319. Vulgaris Desf. Not uncommon in the Lowlands. 320. Fragrans Presl. Naturalised in several places. 321. Alba Gaertn. Naturalised in one or two places. Ihe Scottish Naturalist. 231 cxlv. Tussilago Tourn. 2,22. Farfara L. Common. CXLvi. Aster L. 323. Tripolium L. Lower part of the Tay. Several other Asters are naturalised on different parts of the Tay, in- cluding A. novi-Belgii, A. longifolius, &c. cxlvii. Erigeron L. 324. Alpinus L. Rare. Breadalbane. cxlviii. Bellis L. 325. Perennis L. Common. CXLIX. SOLIUAGO L. 326. Virgaurea L. Common. cl. Anthemis L. 327. Arvensis L. Local, but not uncommon in the Lowlands, and occurs also in the Highlands. Anthemis cotula L. has been found at Birnam, and may possibly have been overlooked elsewhere. cli. Achillea L. 328. Ptarmica L. Common. 329. Millefolium L. Common. clii. Matricaria L. 330. Inodora L. Common. cliii. Chrysanthemum L. 331. Segetum L. A weed of cultivation. 332. Leucanthemum L. Common. 37,3. Parthenium Pers. Naturalised in many places. cliv. Tanacetum L. 334. Vulgare L. Not uncommon. Native (?) clv. Artemisia L. 335. Vulgaris L. Not uncommon. Native (?) clvi. Gnaphalium L. 336. Sylvaticum L. i. Sub-species rectum Sm. Common. ii. Sub - species norvegicum Gunn. Reported from Athole. 337- Uliginosum L. Common. 338. Supinum L. On many of the richer hills. 232 The Scottish Naturalist. clvii. Antennaria Br. 339. Dioica Br. Common. clvii 1. Filago L. 340. Germanica L. Var. spathulata Presl. Local, but not uncommon in the Lowlands. 341. Minima Fr. Not uncommon. CLIX. DORONICUM L. 342. Pardalianches L. 343. Plantagineum L. This and the preceding are naturalised in several places. clx. Senecio L. 344. Vulgaris L. A weed of cultivation. 345. Sylvaticus L. Local. 346. Jacobaea L. Common. Var. flosculosus Jord. Rare. Rannoch. 347. Aquaticus Huds. Common. Var. barbarazifolius Reich. Banks of the Tay. clxi. Lapsana L. 348. Communis L. Common. clxii. Hypochceris L. 349. Radicata L. Common. clxi 1 1. Tragopogon L. 350. Pratensis L. Not common, and chiefly in Gowrie. Var. minor Fr. The usual form. clxiv. Leontodon L. 351. Hirtus L. Reported long ago from Dupplin. 352. Autumnalis L. Common. Var. pratensis Koch. Commonest on the hills. clxv. Lactuca L. 353. Virosa L. Very local. clxvi. Taraxacum Juss. 354. Officinale Wigg. Var. dens-lconis Desf. Common. Var. erythrospcrnium Andrz. Very local. Var. lazvigatum D. C. Very local. Var. palustre D. C. Not uncommon on the hills. The Scottish Naturalist. 2$$ clxvii. Crepis L. 355. Virens L. Common. 356. Paludosa Moench. Not uncommon. CLXVIII. SONCHUS L. 357. Arvensis L. 358. Oleraceus L. i. Sub-species oleraceus. ii. Sub-species asper Hoffm. All weeds of cultivation. S. asper is the least common. CLXIX. HlERACIUM L. 359. Pilosella L. Common. 360. Aurantiacum L. Naturalised in a few places. 361. Alpinum L. Rare. Var. holosericeum Backh. Breadalbane and Athole. Var. eximium Backh. Rannoch and Athole. Var. calenduliflorum Backh. Rannoch and Glenshee. 362. Nigrescens Willd. Rare. Var. pulmonai'ium Sm. Breadalbane. Var. globosum Backh. Athole. Var. senescens Backh. Breadalbane. Var. chrysanthum Backh. Athole. Var. lingulatum Backh. Breadalbane. 363. Lawsoni Sm. Sub-species anglicum Fr. Not uncommon on the hills. Var. acutifolium Backh. Breadalbane. 364. Murorum L. i. Sub-species murorum. Common. ii. Sub-species pallidum Backh. Not common. arge?iteum Fr. Rare. Hi. Sub-species caesium Backh. Rare. 365. Sylvaticum Sm. Sub-species vulgatum Fr. Common. 366. Prenanthoides Vill. Local. 367. Strictum Fr. Local. 368. Crocatum Fr. i. Sub-species inuloides Tausch. Breadalbane. ii. Sub-species corymbosum Fr. Breadalbane, &c. LOBELIACE^J. clxx. Lobelia L. 369. Dortmanna L. Not uncommon. 234 The Scottish Naturalist. CAMPANULACE^J. clxxi. Campanula L. 370. Rotund ifolia L. Common. Var. montana Bosw. On the hills. 371. Latifolia L. Local. 372. Rapunculoides L. Naturalised in a few places. ERICACEAE. CLXXII. Vaccinium L. 373. Myrtillus L. Common. 374. Uliginosum L. Local ; on the higher hills. 375. Vitis-idaea L. Common in the Highlands; rarer in the Lowlands. clxxiii. Oxycoccos Tourn. 376. Palustris Pers. Rare, but widely distributed. clxxiv. Arctostaphylos Adan. 377. Uva-ursi Spreng. On the hills, but local. clxxv. Andromeda L. 378. Polifolia L. Blairdrummond Moss. clxxvi. Erica L. 379. Tetralix L. Common. 380. Cinerea L. Common. clxxvii. Calluna Salis. 381. Vulgaris Salis. Common. clxxviii. Phyllodoce Salis. 382. Caerulea Bab. SowofAthole. clxxix. Loiseleuria Desv. 383. Procumbens Desv. On the higher Silurian hills, but not general. clxxx. Pyrola Tourn. 384. Minor Sw. Not uncommon in the Lowlands, rarer in the Highlands. 385. Media L. Not uncommon in the Highlands, rarer in the Lowlands. 386. Rotundifolia L. Reported from " Mid Perth." 387. Secunda L. Local and rare. 388. Uniflora L. Scone. The Scottish Naturalist 235 OLEACE^. clxxxi. Fraxinus Tourn. 389. Excelsior L. Not uncommon, both native and natural- ised. GENTIANACKffi. clxxxii. Erythr^ea Pers. 390. Centaurium Pers. Local and rare. clxxxiii. Gentiana L. 391. Campestris L. Common, especially in the Highlands. 392. Amarella L. Blair-Athole. Moor of Durdie (?) 393. Nivalis L. Very local. Breadalbane. clxxxiv. Menyanthes Tourn. 394. Trifoliata L. Common. CLXXXV. LlMNANTHEMUM Link. 395- Nymphaeoides Link. Moncreiffe, but doubtless planted. CONVOLVULACE^. clxxxvi. Convolvulus L. 396. Arvensis L. Local and rare. 397. Sepium L. Rare, and not native. clxxxvii. Cuscuta Tourn. 398. Europsea L. Seggieden, but doubtless an introduction. 499. Trifolii Bab. Occasionally found. An introduction. BORAGINACE^. clxxxvi 11. Echium Tourn. 400. Vulgare L. Local. clxxxix. Symphytum Tourn. 401. Officinale L. and var. patens Sibth. Not common. Doubtfully indigenous. 402. Tuberosum L. Local. Native (?) cxc. Anchusa L. 403. Arvensis Bieb. A weed of cultivation. 404. Sempervirens L. Naturalised in a few places. 236 The Scottish Naturalist. CXCT. LlTHOSPERMUM Tourn. 405. Officinale L. Loch Earn and Kinclaven. 406. Arvensis L. Chiefly in Gowrie. A weed of cultivation. cxcn. Myosotis L. 407. Palustris With. Common. Var. strigulosa Reich. In several places. 408. Lingulata Lehm. Common. 409. Repens Don. Local. 410. Alpestris Schmidt. Breadalbane. 411. Arvensis HorTm. Common. Var. u?nbrosa Bab. Not uncommon. 412. Collina Hoffm. Local. 413. Versicolor Reich. Common. cxciii. Cynoglosum Tourn. 414. Officinale L. Gowrie only, and local. 415. Montanum Lamk. Barnhill and Fingask ; perhaps native. SOLANACE^]. cxciv. Hyoscyamus Tourn. 416. Niger L. Very local and rare, and only a casual. cxcv. Solanum Tourn. 417. Dulcamara L. Not common. 418. Nigrum L. Pitlochry. Casual. cxcvr. Atropa L. 419. Belladonna L. Very rare, and probably an escape. PLANTAGINACE^3. cxcvn. Plantago L. 420. Major L. Common. 421. Media L. Rare, and only on old lawns, where it has been probably introduced. 422. Lanceolata L. Common.. Var. Tivibali Jord. Perth Harbour. Casual. 423. Maritima L. Banks of the Tay, &c, and mountain valleys. Not uncommon. 424. Coronopus L. Near Invergowrie. CXCVIII. LlTTORELLA L. 425. Lacustris L. Common. The Scottish Naturalist. 237 SCROPHULARIACE^]. cxcix. Verbascum L. 426. Thapsus L. Local, and not common. 427. Nigrum L. Very rare. An escape. cc. Linaria Tourn. 428. Cvmbalaria Mill. Naturalised in several places. 429. Vulgaris Mill. Local, and not very common. 430. Repens Ait. Naturalised in two places. cci. Antirrhinum Tourn. 431. Majus L. Rocks on Kinnoull Hill. Very rare. An escape. ecu. Scrophularia Tourn. 432. Nodosa L. Common. 433- Vernalis L. Naturalised in one or two places. cciii. Mimulus L. 434. Luteus L. Not uncommon. Naturalised. cciv. Digitalis Tourn. 435. Purpurea L. Common. ccv. Veronica Tourn. 436. Agrestis L. A weed of cultivation. i. Sub-species agrestis. Common. ii. Sub-species polita Fr. Rare, or overlooked. 437. Buxbaumii Ten. Not common. An introduction. 438. Hederaefolia L. In the Lowlands chiefly. A weed of cultivation. 439. Peregrina L. A weed in the Perth nurseries. 440. Arvensis L. Common. 441. Serpyllifolia L. i. Sub-species serpyllifolia. Common. ii. Subspecies humifusa Dicks. On the richer hills. 442. Alpina L. Rare. Rannoch and Athole ; Breadalbane (?) 443. Saxatilis L. On several of the richer hills, but local. 444. Officinalis L. Common. 445. Chamsedrys L. Common. 446. Montana L. Local, and not common. 447. Scutellata L. Common. 448. Beccabunga L. Common. 449. Anagallis L. Local, and chiefly in Gowrie. 238 The Scottish Naturalist. ccvi. Bartsia L. 450. Alpina L. Breadalbane. 451. Odontites Huds. Not uncommon. Calyx often 5-fid. ccvn. Euphrasia Tourn. 452. Officinalis L. Common. Var. gracilis Fr. Common. ccviii. Rhinanthus L. 453. Crista-galli L. Sub-species minor Ehr. Common. ccix. Pedicularis Tourn. 454. Palustris L. Common. 455. Sylvatica L. Common. ccx. Melampyrum Tourn. 456. Pratense L. Common in the Highlands, rare in the Lowlands. Var. montanum Johnst. On the hills. A white- flowered variety also occurs. 457. Sylvaticum L. Very local. Var. pallidi flora White. A thole. OROBANCHACE^E. ccxi. Lathr^ea L. 458. Squamaria L. Very local, and not common. LABIATE. ccxii. Mentha L. 459. Sylvestris L. Var. mollissima Bork. Very local. 460. Viridis L. Rare. An escape. 461. Piperita Huds. Not common. An escape (?) 462. Aquatica L. Sub-species hirsuta L. Common. 463. Sativa L. Not common. 464. Arvensis L. Common. ccxiii. Origanum Tourn. 465. Vulgare L. Local, and chiefly in the Lowlands. The Scottish Naturalist. 239 ccxiv. Thymus L. 466. Serpyllum L. i. Sub-species serpyllum. Common in the Lowlands. ii. Sub-species chamaedrys Fr. Common in the High- lands. ccxv. Calamintha Mcench. 467. Clinopodium Benth. Rather local. 468. Acinos Clairv. Rare. ccxvi. Nepeta L. 469. Glechoma Benth. Common. Var. hirsuta Waldst. and Kit. Moncreiffe, &c. ccxvi 1. Prunella L. 470. Vulgaris L. Common. ccxviii. Scutellaria L. 471. Galericulata L. Local. ccxix. Stachys L. 472. Sylvatica L. Common. 473. Palustris L. Common. Var. ambigua Sm. Very rare. 474. Arvensis L. Rare, and chiefly in Gowrie. 475. Betonica Benth. Very local. ccxx. Galeopsis L. 476. Ladanum L. Sub-species angustifolia Ehrh. Carse of Gowrie. Rare. 477. Tetrahit L. i. Sub-species tetrahit. Common. Var. bifida Bcenn. The commonest form. ii. Sub-species speciosa Miller. Common. ccxxi. Lamium L. 478. Purpureum L. /. Sub-species purpureum. Common. Var. decipiens Sond. Moncreiffe. ii. Sub-species hybridum Vill. Less common. 479. Amplexicaule L. Common, and like pu ■rfureutn, a weed of cultivation. 480. Album L. Not uncommon in the Lowlands. Native (?) 48 1. Maculatum L. Naturalised in a few places. ccxxii. Teucrium L. 482. Scorodonia L. Common. 240 The Scottish Naturalist. CCXXIII. AjUGA L. 483. Reptans L. Common. LENTIBULARIACEJ3. ccxxiv. Pinguicula Tourn. 484. Vulgaris L. Common. ccxxv. Utricularia L. 485. Vulgaris L. Very local. Flowers have not been seen, so the identification is so far doubtful. 486. Intermedia Hayne. Very local, but widely distributed. 487. Minor L. Local, but widely distributed. PRIMULACE^J. ccxxvi. Primula L. 488. Vulgaris Huds. Common. 489. Veris L. Common. ccxxvu. Lysimachia L. 490. Vulgaris L. Native in the south-west of Perthshire. 491. Nemorum L. Common. 492. Nummularia L. Very local. Perhaps native (?) 493. Thyrsiflora L. Very local and rare. ccxxviii. Trientalis L. 494. Europaea L. Common in the Highlands ; not uncommon in the Lowlands. ccxxix. Glaux Tourn. 495. Maritima L. Lower part of the Tay. ccxxx. Centunculus L. 496. Minimus L. Very local, or overlooked. ccxxxi. Anagallis Tourn. 497. Arvensis L. A corn-field weed. Not very common. PLUMBAGINACE^E. ccxxxi 1. Armeria Willd. 498. Vulgaris Willd. Banks of the Tay, &c. Var. planifolia Bosw. On the hills, but rare. ( To be continued. ) GEOLOGY. \L THE INTEROEOSSING OP EEEATIOS IN GLAOI DEPOSITS. By JAMES GEIKIE, LL.D., F.R.S., F.G.S., Of H.M. Geological Survey of Scotland. {Continued from page 200. ) i£ > NO one of late years has been more assiduous in the collec- tion of facts relating to the intercrossing of erratics in the drift-deposits of England than Mr D. Mackintosh. He has written many instructive and interesting descriptions of the phenomena in question, which he justly thinks are of prime importance from a theoretical point of view. In a recent paper 1 he presents us with the results of a systematic survey of the direction and limits of dispersion of the erratics of the west of England and east of Wales, which he evidently is of opinion afford strong support to the iceberg theory, while at the same time they are directly opposed to the theory of transport by land-ice. I have attentively considered all the arguments advanced by Mr Mac- kintosh in favour of his views — the one upon which he appar- ently lays most stress being that of the intercrossings of erratics observed by him — and I shall now proceed to point out how the phenomena described by him are most satisfactorily explained by the land-ice theory. They seem to me, indeed, to lend ad- ditional support to that theory, in the same manner as the inter- crossings of boulders observed in Scotland, Northern Germany, &c, and the sub-alpine regions of France. Mr Mackintosh calls attention to the fact that erratics of the well-known Criffel granite are found scattered over a large part of the plain of Cum- berland, from which they extend south along the coast to near the mouth of the estuary of the Duddon. They reappear again on the coast in the neighbourhood of Blackpool and Liverpool, and at intervals on the coasts of North Wales from Flint to Colwyn Bay, and thence to Penmaenmawr and the neighbourhood of Beaumaris. They are dispersed over the peninsula of Wirral 1 ' Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc.,'vol. xxxv. p. 425. VOL. VI. Q 242 The Scottish Naturalist. and the Cheshire plain, &c, and they have been followed south-east as far as the neighbourhood of Cardington near Church Stretton, Burton, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Hare Castle, Macclesfield, and Manchester. This great stream of boulders, therefore, spreads out to south-east, south, and south-west : the erratics, to quote Mr Mackintosh, " have radiated from an area much smaller than their terminal breadth." The same is the case, I may remark in passing, with erratics in the boulder-clays of Scotland, Scandinavia, North Germany, &c, as also with those in the drift-deposits of the great Rhone glacier and other ancient glaciers both on the north and south side of the Alps. Now the course followed by the Criffel erratics is crossed at an acute angle by that pursued by many boulders of Eskdale granite, and various felspathic rocks derived from the Cumber- land mountains. For example, Cumberland erratics of the kinds mentioned occur near St Asaph, and Moel-y-Tryfane, and in Anglesey, and they have been followed over a wide district in Cheshire, &c, extending as far south as Church Stretton and Wolverhampton, and as far east as Rochdale. More than this, we find that numerous erratics of felstone, derived from the mountain of Great Arenig in North Wales, have gone to north- east as far as Halkin Mountain in Flintshire, Eryrys near Llanarmon, and Chirk, from which last-named place they have been traced in a south-easterly direction to Birmingham, Broms- grove, &c. A glance at a map of England will show that this south-easterly drift of erratics crosses at an acute angle the paths followed by the Criffel granite boulders and the erratics derived from Cumberland, so that we have now several " intercrossings " to account for. How can this be done by the land-ice theory ? The explanation seems to me obvious, for the phenomena are, after all, less striking than similar appearances which have been observed in Scotland, especially by my colleagues, Messrs Peach and Home, in Caithness and the Orkney and Shetland Islands ; and they are certainly less intricate than the facts re- corded by MM. Falsan and Chantre concerning the intercross- ing, interosculation, and direct opposition of erratic paths in Savoy and Dauphine. We have only to reflect that the great mer de glace — to which, as I believe, all the English phenomena are due — did not come into existence and attain its maximum dimensions in the twinkling of an eye, nor could it afterwards have disappeared in the same sudden manner. On the contrary ? a period of local glaciation must have preceded the appearance The Scottish Naturalist. 243 of the great ice-sheet. At first, and for a long time, permanent snow would be confined to the higher elevations of the land, and glaciers would be limited to mountain-valleys : but as the tem- perature fell the snow-line would gradually descend, until at last, probably after a prolonged period, it reached what is now the sea-level. Thus the formation of neve and glacier-ice would eventually take place over what are now our low grounds, and other tracts also, which are now submerged. It is quite impos- sible that the vast sheets of ice which can be demonstrated to have covered Scotland, a large part of England, Ireland, Scandi- navia, and North Germany, and even the limited area of the Fasroe Islands, could possibly have been fed by the snow-fields of mountain heights only. The precipitation and accumulation of snow, and the formation of neve and glacier-ice, must have taken place over enormous regions in what are now the tem- perate latitudes of Europe. It is obvious that the direction of ice-flow in the basin of the Irish Sea opposite the south of Scotland and the west of Eng- land, while preserving a general southerly trend, would vary at different periods. Before the mer de glace in that basin had attained its climax, there must have been a time when the ice, streaming outwards from the high grounds of Cumberland, was enabled to push its way far westward out into the basin of the Irish Sea. At that time it was still able to hold its own against the pressure exerted by the Scottish ice. But as the general mer de glace increased in thickness, the course of the Cumberland ice would be diverted ever further and further to the south-east, until, eventually, the Scottish ice came to hug the coast of Cum- berland, and to overflow Lancashire in its progress towards the south-east. So gorged with ice did the basin of the Irish Sea become, that a portion of the Scottish ice was forced over the plain of Cumberland and up the valley of the Eden, where it coalesced with the ice coming north from the Shap district, and thereafter flowed in an easterly direction to join the great mer de glace of the North Sea basin. Thus the " intercrossings " of the Criffel and Cumberland erratics described by Mr Mackintosh receive a ready explana- tion by the land-ice theory. Nor do the " intercrossings " of the Welsh erratics with those derived from Scotland and Cumberland offer any difficulty. The ice coming from the Welsh mountains would naturally be deflected towards south-east by the ?ner de glace that streamed in that direction, and might quite well have 244 The Scottish Naturalist. carried its characteristic boulders as far as Birmingham before the general mer de glace had attained its greatest dimensions. But when that period of maximum glaciation arrived, the Welsh boulders would be unable to travel so far towards the east, and the Scottish and Cumberland boulders would then cross the path formerly followed by the felstone erratics from Great Arenig. Again, it is evident that when the mer de glace was gradually decreasing similar oscillations of the ice-flow would take place, but in reverse order, and thus would give rise to a second series of intercrossings. Moreover, we must remember that the Glacial Period was characterised by several great changes of climate. It was not one continuous and prolonged period of cold conditions, but consisted rather of a succession of arctic and genial climates; so that the same countries were overrun at different epochs by successive mers de glace, each of which would rework, denude, and redistribute to a large extent the morainic materials of its predecessor, and thus might well cause even greater complexity in the dispersion of erratics than has yet been recognised any- where in these islands. Mr Mackintosh refers to the occurrence of chalk-flints and Lias fossils associated with northern erratics in the drift-deposits of the west of England, the presence of which, he thinks, is fatal to the theory of transport by land-ice. Thus, he says, chalk- flints, &c, have been met with at Lillieshall (east of Wellington), at Strethill (near Ironbridge), at Seisdon (between Wolverhamp- ton and Bridgenorth), at Wolverhampton, near Stafford, and near Bushbury. Chalk -flints have also been found as far west as Malvern and Hatfield Camp, south of Ledbury. All these erratics have crossed England from the east, according to Mr Mackintosh and other observers. Not only so, but, as Mr Mackintosh remarks, those found at Wolverhampton, Birming- ham, &c, "must have crossed the course of the northern boulders near its southerly termination." And since both northern and eastern erratics are found associated in the same drift-deposit, it seems to him " impossible to explain the intercrossing by land- ice or glaciers." Now, on the contrary, those eastern erratics are scattered over the very districts where I should have ex- pected to find them. The observations of geologists in East Anglia have shown that that region has been invaded by the mer de glace of the North Sea basin. * This remarkable glacial 1 See Mr Skertchly's description of East Anglian deposits in ' Great Ice Age,' p. 358. The Scottish Naturalist. 245 invasion is proved not only by the direction followed by stones of local derivation, and by boulders which have come south from Scotland and the northern counties, but by the occurrence in the boulder-clay at Cornelian Bay and Holderness of erratics of certain well-known Norwegian rocks, which have been recog- nised by Mr Amund Helland. The occurrence of chalk-flints and fragments of Oolitic rocks in the neighbourhoods mentioned by Mr Mackintosh, thus only affords additional evidence in favour of the land-ice origin of the drift-deposits described by him. The mer de glace that flowed down the east coast of Eng- land seems to have encroached more and more upon the land, until eventually it swept over the low-lying Midlands in a south- westerly direction, and coalesced with the mer de glace that streamed inland from the basin of the Irish Sea, and the ice that flowed outwards from the high grounds of Wales. The united ice-stream would thereafter continue on its south-westerly course down the Severn valley to the British Channel. I have no doubt that Mr Mackintosh will yet chronicle the occurrence of chalk-flints and other eastern erratics from localities much further to the south than Ledbury. Again, considerable stress has been laid by Mr Mackintosh upon the occurrence of chalk-flints in the drift-deposits of Black- pool, Dawpool, Parkgate, Halkin Mountain, Wrexham, the peninsula of Wirral, Runcorn, Delamere, Crewe, Leylands, Piethorne (near Rochdale), and other places. "All these flints," Mr Mackintosh remarks, "belong to the basin of the Irish Sea, and have almost certainly crossed the general course of the northern boulders on their way from Ireland." Here, unfortu- natelv, the Irish Sea intervenes to conceal the evidence that is needed to enable us to track the exact path followed by the erratics in question. I am not so certain as Mr Mackintosh that the chalk flints he refers to came from the north of Ireland. Chalk-flints occur pretty numerously in the drift-deposits in the maritime districts of north-eastern Scotland, which we have every reason to believe have been derived from an area of Cretaceous rocks covering the bottom of the adjacent sea ; and for aught one can say to the contrary, patches of chalk-with-flints may occur in like manner in the bed of the Irish Sea. I cannot at present remember whether any boulders of the basalt-rocks, which are associated with the chalk in the north of Ireland, have been recognised in the drifts of the west of England ; but if the chalk- flints really came from Antrim, it is more than probable that they 246 The Scottish Naturalist. would be accompanied by fragments of the hard igneous rocks which overlie the Cretaceous strata of North Ireland. Chalk and chalk-flints occur in the boulder clay of the Isle of Man, where they are associated, Mr Home tells us, with CrirTel granite and fragments of a dark trap - rock.1 Possibly these last are basalt-rocks from Antrim. It seems reasonable, there- fore, to believe that erratics of Irish origin have found their way to the Isle of Man ; and if this be so, it may be permissible to assume that the chalk-flints of Blackpool, &c. (and perhaps also some of the basalt-rocks), have come from the same quarter. Mr Home has no doubt that the Irish erratics were brought to the Isle of Man by land-ice. Referring to the conclusion arrived at by Mr Close that the Irish mer de glace " was pro- bably not less than 3000 feet in depth," he remarks, " It is highly probable that this great mass of Irish ice succeeded, after a hard battle {i.e., with the Scottish ice-sheet), in reaching the Manx coast-line. It is not to be supposed that the normal momentum of the respective ice- sheets remained constant. The moving force must have varied with changing conditions. On the other hand, it is quite possible that there may have been an 'undertow' of the ice from the north east coast of Ireland, which would easily account for Antrim chalk and chalk-flints in the Manx till." I would go further, and state my conviction that before the united ice-sheets had attained their maximum development, it is almost certain that the ice flowing into the Irish-Sea basin by the North Channel would for a long time exceed in mass the coalescent glaciers that descended from the southern uplands of Scotland, and would therefore be enabled to extend much further to the east than it could at a later date, when the general mer de glace had reached its climax. It might thus have advanced as far as and even beyond the Isle of Man. This inference is based upon the simple fact that the area drained by the mer de glace of the North Channel was very much greater than the area extending from the watershed of the southern uplands of Scotland to the Isle of Man. Erratics from the north of Ireland would thus travel down the bed of the North Channel, and eventually be distributed over a wide area up to, and possibly even some distance beyond, the Isle of Man. But as the Scottish and Cumbrian ice-flows gradually increased in importance, the mer de glace coming from the North Channel would be forced further and further to the 1 'Trans. Edin. Geol. Soc.,' vol. ii. : 1874. The Scottish Naturalist. 247 west, until the ice flow issuing from the high grounds of Kirk- cudbright at last succeeded in reaching the middle of the Irish Sea basin. This gradual modification of the general ice-flow in that basin would of course give rise to a redistribution of the ground -moraine, and the Irish erratics would then travel on- wards underneath the Scottish ice, and eventually reach the low grounds of Lancashire and Cheshire, along with erratics from Criffel and the Cumbrian mountains. It is, therefore, quite unnecessary to suppose that the mer de glace of the North Channel actually crossed the whole breadth of the basin of the Irish Sea to invade Lancashire, Cheshire, and North Wales. Had this been the case, chalk flints, chalk, and many other kinds of rock derived from the north of Ireland, and even from Arran and Argyle, would have abounded in the drifts of the west of England. Erratics coming from Ireland could not possibly have travelled underneath Irish ice further east than the Isle of Man. There or thereabouts, as I have said, the mer de glace of the North Channel would begin to encounter the ice streaming down from the uplands of Galloway and the mountains of Cumberland ; and as the ice from these quarters increased in thickness, it would gradually override what had formerly been the bottom-moraine or till of the North Channel mer de glace. Thus Irish erratics would become commingled with erratics from Criffel, &x., and be rolled forward in a southerly and south-easterly direction. The chalk-flints in the drifts of Lancashire, Cheshire, &c, are therefore merely remanies — the relics of the bottom - moraine of the North Channel mer de glace rearranged and redistributed. And this is why they and other Irish rocks are so comparatively rare in the glacial accumulations of the west of England. Thus all the instances of " intercrossings " adduced by Mr Mackintosh, as favouring the iceberg theory, and condemning its rival, I would cite as proving exactly the converse. So far from presenting any real difficulty to an upholder of the land-ice theory, they, in point of fact, as I have already remarked, lend that view additional support. It is not my purpose to criticise all the arguments and reasons advanced by Mr Mackintosh in favour of his special views, but I may be allowed a few remarks on the somewhat extraordinary character of the agents which, according to him, were mainly instrumental in producing the drift -phenomena of Western England. Before doing so, however, I may point out that, in 248 The Scottish Naturalist. ascribing the transport of erratics in that region (and by implica- tion, the formation of the boulder-clays, &c, with which most of these erratics are associated) to floating ice and sea-currents, Mr Mackintosh has failed to furnish us with any " fossil evidence " to show that Western England was under water at the time the boulder-clays and erratics were being accumulated. He speaks of cold and warm currents, but where do we find any traces of the marine organisms which must have abounded in those waters ? Where are the raised sea-beaches which must have marked the retreat of the sea ? Where do we encounter any organic relics that might help us to map out the zones of shallow and deep water? The sea shells, &c, which occur in the boulder-clays are undeniably remanies ; they are erratics just as much as the rock- fragments with which they are associated. Similar assemblages of organic remains are met with in the till of Caithness, where shallow water and deep-sea shells, and shells indicative of genial, and again, of cold conditions, are all confusedly distributed throughout one and the same deposit. The same, or analogous facts, are encountered in the Blocklehm of some parts of Prussia, — marine and fresh-water shells occurring commingled in the boulder-clay. Nay, even in the moraine profonde of the ancient Rhone glacier, broken and well-preserved shells of Miocene and Pliocene species appear enclosed in the tumultuous accumula- tion of clay, sand, and erratics. And precisely similar pheno- mena confront us in the glacial deposits of the neighbourhood of Lago Lugano. Mr Mackintosh refers to the so-called " strati- fication" of the boulder clay, as if that were a proof of accumu- lation in water. But a rude kind of bedding, generally marked by differences of colour, and sometimes by lines of stones, was the inevitable result of the subglacial formation of the boulder- clay. The " lines of bedding" are due to the shearing of the clay under great pressure, and may be studied in the boulder- clay of Switzerland and Italy, and in the till not only of the Lowlands but of the Highlands of Scotland. Occasionally the " lines " are so close that the clay sometimes presents the appear- ance of rude and often wavy and irregular lamination — a section of such a boulder-clay reminding one sometimes of that of a gnarled gneiss or crumpled schist. And these appearances may be noted in boulder-clays which occupy positions that preclude the possibility of their being marine — as in certain valleys of the Highlands, such as Strathbraan, and in the neighbourhood of Como in Italy. This " lamination " is merely indicative of the The Scottish Naturalist. 249 intense pressure to which the till was subjected during its grad- ual accumulation under the ice. It is assuredly not the result of aqueous action. Aqueous lamination is due to sifting and winnowing — the coarser or heavier, and finer or lighter particles being separated in obedience to their different specific gravity, and arranged in layers of more or less regularity according to circumstances. There is nothing of this kind of arrangement, however, in the so-called stratified boulder-clay. If the clay of an individual lamina be washed and carefully sifted, it will be found to be composed of grains of all shapes, sizes, and weights, down to the finest and most impalpable flour. It is impossible to believe that such a heterogeneous assemblage of grains could have been dropt into water without the particles being separated and sifted in their progress to the bottom. Of course every one knows that patches and beds of laminated clay and sand of veri- table aqueous origin occur now and again in boulder-clay. I suppose there is no boulder clay without them. I have seen them in the till of Italy and Switzerland, where they show pre- cisely the same features as the similar laminated clays in the till of our own islands. But these included patches and beds point merely to the action of subglacial waters, such as we know circu- late under the glaciers of the Alps, of Norway, and of Greenland.1 Again, I would remark that Mr Mackintosh has ignored all the evidence which has been brought forward from time to time to demonstrate the subglacial origin of boulder-clay, and to prove the utter inefficacy of floating ice to account for the phe- nomena. And he adduces no new facts in support of the now discredited iceberg theory, unless it be his statement that flat striated rock-surfaces (such as those near Birkenhead) have been caused by floating ice — the dome-shaped roches moutonnees being, on the other hand, the work of land - ice. As a matter of personal observation, I can assure Mr Mackin- tosh that flat striated surfaces are by no means uncom- monly associated in one and the same region with roches moutonnees. What are roches moutonnees but the rounded 1 It is perhaps hardly necessary to say that I do not call in question the fact of a great submergence having taken place in England during a certain stage of the Glacial Period. The marine sands and gravels which occur be- tween the lower and upper boulder-clays of Western England, and the high- level shell-beds of Wales, are the proofs of that submergence. What I deny is, that either the lower or upper boulder-clay, or the erratics which are asso- ciated with these glacial deposits, were deposited in water- 250 The Scottish Naturalist. relics of what were formerly rough uneven tors, projecting bosses, and prominent rocks? The general tendency of glacial action is to reduce the asperities of a land-surface ; hence pro- jecting points are rounded off, while flat surfaces are simply, as a rule, planed smoother. Mr Mackintosh might traverse acres of such smoothed rock-surfaces in regions where the strata are comparatively horizontal, — for example, in the case of the basal- tic plateaux of the Faeroes and of Iceland, which have certainly been glaciated by land-ice. Similar flat glaciated surfaces are met with again and again both in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland, occupying positions and associated with roches moutonnces and till of such a character as to prove, beyond any doubt, that they no less certainly are the result of the action of land-ice. But it is needless to discuss the probability or possi- bility of glaciation of any kind being due to floating ice. We know that glaciers can and do polish and striate rock-surfaces; no one, however, can say the same of icebergs : and until some one can prove to us that icebergs have performed this feat, or can furnish us with well-considered reasons for believing them to be capable of it, glacialists will continue sceptical. But leaving these and other points which serve to show the weakness of the cause which Mr Mackintosh supports with such keen enthusiasm, I may, in conclusion, draw attention to cer- tain very remarkable theoretical views of his which seem to me to be not only self-contradictory, but opposed to well-known natural laws. Briefly stated, his general view is that the erratics of the west of England have been distributed by floating ice during a period of submergence — the scattering of erratics and the accumulation of the associated glacial deposits having com- menced at or about the time when the land began to sink, and continued until the submergence reached some 2000 feet below the present sea-level. In applying this hypothesis to explain the phenomena, Mr Mackintosh makes rather free use of sea-cur- rents and winds. For example, he holds that a current coming from Criffel carried with it boulder-laden ice which flowed south- west to the Isle of Man, south to North Wales, and south-east in the direction of Blackpool and Manchester, Liverpool and Wolverhampton, Dawpool and Church Stretton. Now, in the first place, it is very strange that there is not a vestige or trace of any such submergence, either in the neighbourhood of Criffel itself or in the region to the north of it. The whole of that region has been striated and rubbed by land-ice coming down The Scottish Naturalist. 251 from the watershed of the Galloway mountains, to the north of which the strne, rocJics moutonnees, and track followed by erratics, indicate an ice-flow towards the north-west, north, and north- east. It is therefore absolutely certain that at the time the granite erratics are supposed to have sailed away from Criffel on floating ice, the whole of the southern uplands of Scotland were covered with a great ice-field extending from Wigtown to Berwickshire; so that, according to Mr Mackintosh's hypothesis, we should be forced to believe that an ocean-current originated in Criffel itself! But waiving this and other insuperable objec- tions which will occur to any geologist who is familiar with the glacial phenomena of the south of Scotland, and confining myself to the evidence supplied by the English drifts, I would remark that Mr Mackintosh's hypothesis is not consistent with itself. A current flowing in the direction supposed could not possibly have permitted floating ice to sail from Cumbria to the Isle of Man, to Moel-y-Tryfane and Colwyn Bay. Mr Mac- kintosh admits this himself, but infers that the transport of the Cumbrian erratics may have taken place at a different time. But how could this be, seeing that the Criffel and Cumbrian erratics occur side by side in one and the same deposit? Again, the hypothesis of an ocean -current coming from Criffel is inconsistent with the presence of the Irish chalk-flints in the drifts of the west of England. Did these also come at a different time? And what about the dispersion of erratics from Great Arenig, which have gone north-east and north-north- east, almost exactly in the face of the supposed Criffel current ? Here an ocean-current is obviously out of the question ; and accordingly we are told that this dispersion of Welsh boulders was probably the result of wind. But why should this wind have propelled the floating ice so far and no farther in an easterly direction? Surely if floating ice was swept outwards from Great Arenig as far as Eryrys, bergs must have been carried now and again much farther to the east. And if they did not sail eastwards, what became of them? Did they all melt away immediately when they came into the ice -laden current that flowed towards the south-east ? * A still greater 1 Mr Mackintosh says nothing about the "carry" or direction of the erratics in West and South Wales. Were the paths of these erratics de- lineated upon a map, we should find it necessary to suppose that the wind or sea-current by which the floating ice was propelled had flowed outwards in all directions from the dominant heights ! 252 The Scottish Naturalist. difficulty remains. The Criffel and Cumbrian erratics suddenly cease when they are followed to the south, great quantities of them being accumulated over a belt of country extending from beyond Wolverhampton to Bridgenorth. What was it that defined the southern limits of these northern boulders? It is clear that it could not have been high ground, for the Severn valley, not to speak of low-lying regions further to the north- east, must have been submerged according to Mr Mackintosh's hypothesis. There was therefore plenty of sea-room for the floating ice to escape southwards. And yet, notwithstanding this, vast multitudes of bergs and floes, so soon as they arrived at certain points, suddenly melted away and dropt their burdens ! In what region under the sun does anything like that happen at the present day? Mr Mackintosh thinks that the more or less sharply-defined boundary-line reached by the erratics "could only have resulted from close proximity to a persistent current of water (or air?) sufficiently warm to melt the boulder-laden ice." He does not tell us, however, where this warm current of water or air came from, or in what direction it travelled. He forgets some of his own facts connected with the appearance of erratics of eastern derivation, and which, according to him, point to an ocean-current that flowed across from Lincolnshire into the very sea in which the Criffel granite and Cumbrian boulders were being dropped. The supposed warm ocean-current, then, if such it was rather than air, could hardly have come from the east. Neither is it at all likely that it could have come from the west, sheltered as the region of the Severn valley must have been by the ice-laden mountains of Wales. Again, the south is shut to us ; for there are no erratics in the south of England from which to infer a submergence of that district. If it be true that all the northern erratics which are scattered over the low grounds of England, Denmark, Holland, Germany, Poland, and Russia, owe their origin to boulder-laden ice carried by ocean -currents, no such warm water as Mr Mackintosh de- siderates could possibly have come from the east or south-east. We are left then to infer that the supposed warm current must have flowed up the Severn valley directly in the face of the CrifTel current,1 underneath which it suddenly plunged at a high temperature, the line of junction between it and the cold 1 It must have likewise flowed in more or less direct opposition to the current which, in accordance with the iceberg hypothesis, transported boulders southwards from the high grounds of South Wales ! The Scottish Naturalist. 253 water being sharply defined, and retaining its position unchanged for a long period of time ! However absurd this conclusion may be, it is forced upon us if we admit the hypothesis at present under review. For we must remember that the floating ice is supposed to have melted whenever it came into contact with the warm current. The erratics occur up to a certain boundary-line, where they are concentrated in enormous num- bers, and south of which they do not appear. Here, then, large and small floes alike must have vanished at once ! Certainly a very extraordinary case of dissolution. If we dismiss the notion of a warm ocean-current for that of a warm wind, we do not improve our position a whit. Where did the warm wind come from ? Not, certainly, from the ice- laden seas to the east. Are we to suppose, then, that it flowed in from the south or south-west ? If so, we might well ask how it came to pass that in the immediate proximity of such a very warm wind as the hypothesis demands, great snow-fields and glaciers were allowed to exist in Wales? Passing that objection, we have still to ask how this wind succeeded in melting large and small masses of floating ice with such rapidity that it pre- vented any of them ever trespassing south of a certain line? It is obvious that it must have been an exceedingly hot wind ; and that, just as the hypothetical warm ocean-current must have suddenly dived under the cold water coming from the north, so the hot wind, after passing over the surface of the sea until it reached a certain more or less well-defined line, must have risen all at once and flowed vertically upwards into the cold regions above. Thus, in seeking to escape from what he doubtless considers the erroneous and extravagant views of " land-glacialists," Mr Mackintosh adopts a hypothesis which lands him in self-contra- dictions and a perfect " sea of troubles " — a kind of chaos, in fact. In attempting to explain the drifts of Western England and East Wales, he has ignored the conditions that must have obtained in contiguous regions — 'thus forgetting that " nothing in the world is single," and that one ought not to infer physical conditions for one limited area without stopping to inquire whether these are in consonance with what is known of adjacent districts, or in harmony with the existing phenomena of nature. I have so strongly opposed Mr Mackintosh's explanation of the sudden termination of the northern erratics in the neigh- bourhood of Wolverhampton and elsewhere, that perhaps I 254 The Scottish Naturalist. ought to offer an explanation of my own, that it may, in its turn, undergo examination. I labour under the disadvantage, how- ever, of not having studied the drifts in and around Wolver- hampton, &c, and the suggestion which I shall throw out must therefore be taken for what it is worth. It seems to me, then, that the concentration of boulders in the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton, and the limits reached by the northern erratics generally, mark out, in all probability, the line of junction be- tween the vier de glace coming from the basin of the Irish Sea and that flowing across the country from the vast mer de glace that occupied the basin of the German Ocean. Along this line the southerly transport of the northern boulders would cease, and here they would therefore tend to become concentrated. But it is most likely that now and again they would get under- neath the ice-flow that set down the Severn valley, and I should anticipate that they will yet be detected, along with erratics of eastern origin, as far south even as the Bristol Channel. If it be objected to this view that erratics from Great Arenig have been met with south of Wolverhampton, at Birmingham, and Bromsgrove, I would reply that these erratics were probably carried south either before or after the general mer de glace had attained its climax — at a period when the Welsh ice was able to creep out further to the east than it could when the invasion of the North Sea ice was at its height. I cannot conclude this paper without expressing my admira- tion for the long-continued and successful labours of the well- known geologist whose views I have been controverting. Al- though I have entered my protest against his iceberg hypothesis, and have freely criticised his theoretical opinions, I most will- ingly admit that the results of his unwearied devotion to the study of those interesting phenomena with which he is so famil- iar have laid all his fellow-workers under a debt of gratitude. New British Fungus. — The Puccinia found on Oxyria in Skye, and noticed at page 156, appears to be P. oxyricc Fckl. — a species not hitherto recorded as British. — F. Buchanan White. «?^«:^^-J,^^feC" Sfe^.ta^^^«^^^f^ PHYTOLOGY, uj LIBRARY SCOTTISH GALLS. By J. W. H. TRAIL., A.M., M.D., F.L.S. T'HE galls described below, with the exception of that on Juncus lamprocarpus, were sent me during the year i38i by Dr Buchanan White. The gall of Sedum rhodiola was found by him on Ben Blabhein in the island of Skye in SeJDtem- ber; the others were found in Perthshire in May and June. Tilia europ^ea, L. — (d) Galls of a Cecidomyia. They agree pretty well with the description of the galls of Cec. floricola, Rudow (Giebel's 'Zeitschrift f. d. Gesammt. Naturwissenschaf- ten,' 1875, p. 40), and probably are the work of that midge. They are swellings on the flower-stalk just where it separates from the bract or where the branches arise, or they may consist of a single swollen deformed flower-bud. Their form is round or oval ; in size they vary from \ to \ inch in length by rather less in breadth. Their texture is fleshy, and they accordingly shrivel in drying. The surface is smooth when fresh ; the deformed flower-buds are naked, but the swellings of the flower-stalks are covered with short woolly white hairs. The galls enclose an irregular cavity. I found these galls some years ago in the gardens at Kew, but am not aware that they have been yet recorded as British. Pyrus communis, L. {Pear-tree). — I have already recorded in this magazine the occurrence in Scotland, from various localities, of leaf-blisters, caused by mites, on leaves of Pyrus aucuparia and of P. aria. I have now to add that quite similar galls on leaves of a pear-tree were sent me from Perthshire last summer by Dr White. Very probably the galls on all these plants are the work of the same species of mite (Phytoptus pyri, Pag.). They have often been mentioned as occurring on pear-trees (though I have not met with any previous notice of their occurrence in Scotland), and therefore I shall refer only to Sorauer's ' Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankenheiten,' where (p. 169) they are well described, and both galls and mites are well figured in a coloured plate. 256 The Scottish Naturalist. The galls appear as yellowish spots, which become brown, and at last dark-brown, and are irregularly raised and corrugated on the surfaces above and below. On section, the cells of the internal tissues of the leaf are found to be irregularly torn apart, leaving large interspaces in which the mites live in considerable numbers. A small opening on the lower surface of the leaf shows the point of entrance, and allows exit to the occupants. These galls vary much in size, having no definite limits, and often unite together so as to cover almost the whole surface of a leaf. Sedum rhodiola, Dc. — Galls of mites (Phytofttus), described by Dr Fr. Loew in ' Verhandl. d. Z. B. Gesellsch.,' Wien, 1881 (vol. xxx. p. 7, t 3., f. 4). The galls may be restricted to defined spots on any part of the leaves, though more commonly near the base, or they may spread over the whole of the young leaves towards the tip of a branch ; and Dr Loew states that they often affect the flowers also. The form of the isolated galls is usually rounded or oval (but the outline may be irregular), and in size they usually reach ^ to ^ inch across. Each consists of a prominent ring of tissue, irregularly fissured and warty on the free edge, which bends inwards so as to leave only a narrow fissure or opening in the middle. In colour they are yellowish green, passing into purple. The surface bears no hairs. On section, the ring is found to surround a space into which project small fleshy cel- lar outgrowths from the surface of the leaf, and between these the mites may be found. Tanacetum vulgare, L. — The edges of the leaf-segments are rolled in by mites {Phytoptus), either in limited spots, or, in the younger leaves near the tip of the shoot, in their whole length. The affected leaves become covered with a hoary coat of white silky hairs, thereby becoming somewhat conspicuous. The mites live in the tubes formed by the leaf-margins in considerable numbers. These galls seem the same as those described by Dr Thomas (Giebel's ' Zeitschrift,' 1877, p. 365), from Boppard on the Rhine. Fagus sylvatica, L. — In this magazine (vol. i. p. 235) I described galls on leaves of beech, which I referred to Cec. ( Hormomyid) piligera, H. Lw., though they did not possess the erect hairs said to occur on the typically developed galls of that insect. I have since then found galls of C. (//.) piligera at Forres, and at Glamis in autumn of 1880, as well as in numer- TJie Scottish Naturalist. 257 ous localities in Germany and elsewhere on the Continent, and find that they differ from those previously described by me in the very noticeable coating of erect brown hairs, in the more rounded apex, and in not being so long nor projecting so abruptly from the upper surface of the leaf. The two forms are much the same size, however, and the raised wart on the lower surface opposite the gall is the same in both, and both fall off the leaf when mature. The smooth gall agrees very well in every respect with galls figured by Bremi (' Monogr. d. Gallmiicken,' 1847, P- 23> t. 1. f. 13), under the name Cecidomyia tornatella, but from which he did not rear the insect. So far as my own observation goes the latter is much the less common gall on the Continent, though the commoner in the north of Scotland. Juncus lamprocarpus, Ehrh. Pseudogalls of a homopteron, Livia juncorum^ Latr. — The buds at the tip of a stem or of a short branch are attacked, and each galled bud may reach a length of rather over an inch and a breadth of % to ^ inch. Usually, however, several galled buds arise close together, and the whole mass may reach an inch or more in diameter. The leaves of the buds affected remain shortened, and their bases become widened out and overlap one another so as to enclose spaces in which live the insects. The growth of the bud seems to cease early. The galls are not uncommon near Aberdeen in suitable spots, and I have also seen them elsewhere. THE MODES OF DISPEKSION OF THE SEEDS OF SCOTTISH WILD PLANTS.1 By Professor J. W. H. Trail, A.M., M.D., F.L.S. THE subject that I have selected to put before you at this meeting is one of considerable interest and importance from several points of view. This interest is rendered still greater to evolutionists, alike by the effort to explain the origin of the various adaptations for dispersion of seeds met with among plants, and by their bearing on the value of characters to the systematist in his endeavours to approach a natural system of classification. Observation and experiment have shown that the vegetative organs of plants (stems, leaves, &c), vary greatly 1 Communicated to the Perthshire Society of Natural Science, February 2, 1882. VOL. VI. R 258 The Scottish Naturalist. in most species when the conditions around them are changed — e.g., in poor or stony soil as contrasted with rich fertile ground, in open or in shady places, and so forth; hence the amount of importance attached to diversities in these parts is very limited. On the other hand, the organs of reproduction {i.e., flowers, fruits, and seeds), are less directly exposed to the influence of surrounding conditions ; and, save in number, and to some extent in size, they are hardly modified by the influences that so markedly act on the organs of vegetation. Accordingly, they are found to be far more constant in form and in structure, and hence are chiefly used by sys-tematists. But the flowers and fruits, though but little affected by the causes above-mentioned, are yet exposed to influences from which the other parts are exempt. These seem to have in course of time had a great effect in modifying the structure of both flowers and fruits in many plants to suit the conditions under which they live. These influences as regards flowers have been studied by careful and enthusiastic observers in Great Britain, but more especially in Germany ; and numerous works, some of great merit, have been written on them and on their effects. In the flowers the great requisite is the conveyance of the pollen from the anthers to the stigma, so as to fertilise the ovules. In many plants this is effected by the wind, but in others insects are the bearers of pollen ; and it is in these that we meet with the most striking and beautiful forms of flowers. There is reason to believe that very great modifications of form and structure have been brought about in these in course of time, suiting them for visits of insects, the structure of which specially enables them to convey the pollen aright, while colour and size have also been greatly affected in the same way. Hence characters liable to such influences must be used with much caution. In the fruits modifications are beneficial for a new object — viz., the wide distribution of the seeds, and the agents are for the most part different ; hence the modifications resulting from their action are of a different nature. Frequently the result may be attained in closely allied plants by modification of distinct parts, while the same means may be employed in two or more plants not at all closely related. Therefore, care is required to distinguish between such adaptational resemblances and those due to relationship, as they are of very different value to the systematist and to the genealogical botanist. Examples of close The Scott is Ji Naturalist. 259 resemblances in fruits of widely distinct species and of differ- ences in those of closely allied species will be noted in the sequel. It is unnecessary to dwell long on the great advantage that plants derive from wide distribution of seeds. When widely distributed there is, it is evident, a greater likelihood of some being brought into favourable conditions for healthy and vigor- ous growth. On the other hand, however favourable the condi- tions may have been to the parent plant, were all the seeds to fall close around it and to germinate there, it is evident that there could not be room for the healthy growth of the progeny. It is well known that the same crops cannot be grown for several years continuously without impoverishing the soil, by the removal of certain ingredients that must be artificially replaced to keep that soil fertile. The same holds good with wild plants ; hence advantage ensues from the young plants not occupying the same spot as the parent. Moreover, as they necessarily take the same substances from the soil, the struggle for existence is more severe between plants of the same species than between plants of different species, and this holds still more with the offspring of the same plant ; hence it is of great advantage to the young plants to be scattered to some distance from one another. After these preliminary remarks, I shall now go on to notice some of the various adaptations that favour the dispersion of seeds. These adaptations are frequently far more striking in exotic species than in any of our native plants, but I shall almost restrict myself to the latter, in the hope that it may excite the attention of some of you to what may be verified at home, and may induce you to inquiry into a subject that has been comparatively neglected among us. The agents in the dispersion of seeds are : — 1. Wind, in many species. 2. Water, in a few. 3. Animals, almost solely quadrupeds or birds. They con- vey seeds, or one-seeded fruits, from place to place (a) attached to hair or feathers by means of hooks, prickles, or sticky surfaces ; (b) they swallow the fruits, and the seeds are discharged uninjured from the intes- tines almost always at some distance from the place where they were swallowed. The seeds of plants grow- ing in shallow water and sinking into mud are often 2 60 The Scottish Naturalist. conveyed, as pointed out by Darwin, on the feet of wading birds to considerable distances. But in this case there are no special adaptations of structure neces- sary, so there is no need to refer to them at greater length. 4. In some plants the seeds are thrown to some distance by elastic dehiscence of the seed-vessel, — e.g., in the broom, or of a seed-coat, as in the wood-sorrel. 5. Movements may be effected by awns. Wind as an agent in dispersion. — One of the simplest and most general modes of utilising wind as an agent is seen in plants which bear the fruits supported on a stalk of some length — e.g., foxglove, poppy, hemlock, and many others. In most of such plants the fruit is dry, and splits open in someway or other to allow the escape of the seeds, which in such fruits are generally numerous and small. In these fruits the opening is almost always near the top ; or if, as in the bluebell {Cam- panula), it is near the base, the fruit usually hangs reversed. In this way the seeds are retained in it so long as it is at rest, but when the fruits and stems are driven about by wind the seeds are thrown to some distance around. In some plants, such as the hemlock, the fruits are one-seeded, and do not split open, but remain attached when ripe, till jerked off when the plant is shaken by wind. Seeds of small size are carried off in the air, and are blown about like so much dust ; and among cryptogams this is a very frequent mode of distribution, and the geographical range of these plants is often extremely wide. Among phanerogams or flowering plants the seeds are seldom small enough for this, but they are frequently rendered suffi- ciently light by modifications of various kinds ; — in their own structure if set free from the seed-vessel, or in the carpel or outer parts of the flower in the case of one-seeded indehiscent carpels. In orchids generally, and here and there among other plants (e.g., Pyrola, Parnassia, Drosera angliea, &c), the seeds are very numerous and small, and the outer coat of the seed much wider than the inner, forming a loose bag filled only with air ; hence such seeds are very light and are easily blown about. A number of plants have the outer coat of the seed prolonged to form a thin, membranous wing, yielding the same advantage. In some (e.g., Spergularia marginata and Rhinanthus crista- galli), the wing surrounds the seed. No native Scottish plant The Scottish Naturalist. 261 has such a wing of large size, but in some tropical species (e.g., Bigtioniacece) it reaches a breadth of over an inch. The firs and various other conifers have a large wing directed obliquely upwards and to one side ; probably most persons have noticed how far these seeds are carried by even a moderate breeze before reaching the ground. The effect may also be understood if one examines moorlands or natural pastures for some distance around a fir wood. Young fir-trees will be found to be abun- dant in such localities, though cropped so close to the soil in pasturage that they need to be looked for. In other plants the seeds bear a coat of hairs over the sur- face (as in the cotton plant), but of this we have no conspicu- ous native example. Among willows and poplars, and also in the willow herbs (Epilobium), each seed bears a tuft of hairs at one end, and the seeds themselves are small and light, so that they are wafted on by the faintest breeze. The disper- sion of the seeds from a clump of willows or of poplars is often too noticeable to have been overlooked by even the least observant. Among one-seeded indehiscent carpels we meet with adapta- tions very similar to those just noticed among seeds, and also with others of a different nature, all serving the same use in the economy of the plant. Carpels are frequently so like seeds in appearance that they are often called seeds (as in the so-called carraway seeds, or those of the daisy, of grass, &c), and a care- ful inspection may be needed to show their true nature. The readiest test is to cut through the suspected body, in which case, if it is a carpel, the seed will be found inside it. Such carpels {e.g., those mentioned above) are frequently small, but they are very rarely small enough to be carried about like dust, and equally rarely are rendered light by means of empty space in the walls of the carpels (e.g., in Myagrum and Valeria nrfla species). On the other hand, one-seeded carpels are often winged. The most rudimentary adaptation of this kind is seen in plants where the carpels are flattened as in Heracleum, with- out being prolonged into a noticeable wing. From this stage all intermediate forms occur up to the bilateral wing of the elm and birch, and the large unilateral wing of the maples. The ash-tree also has a long wing projecting beyond the seed-bearing portion. Similar winged carpels are found in many exotic plants of different genera and orders. A rarer form of wing occurs in Paliurus aculeatus, in which it encircles the carpel like 262 The Scottish Naturalist. an umbrella about halfway between the base and the apex. In all these cases the wing of the carpel is small in, or even absent from, the flower, becoming developed only as the ripening of the seed advances. Less frequently, very rarely indeed in British plants, the carpel becomes covered with a growth of long hairs, which form a float to support it in the air. In Dryas octopetala and in Cle- matis among native plants, and in various foreign species of different genera, the style, instead of falling off after the ovules are fertilised, increases much in size, and becomes converted into a float by the growth of long hairs all over it. In many plants the outer envelopes of the flower — viz., corolla and calyx, or the flower-stalk or bract (i.e., the leaf between which and the stem the flower grows out) — may become or may bear the adaptation for wind-carriage. The outer envelope or calyx is the part most frequently modified. If the calyx arises from the flower-stalk below the base of the ovary, and is free from the ovary, it may become much enlarged and bladdery, so as to surround the fruit, and to leave a large empty space be- tween, rendering the whole body light. Such an arrangement may occur in plants with a calyx of coherent sepals (e.g., Tri- folium fragiferum), or with a calyx of free sepals {e.g., Rumex). In some foreign plants (e.g., Gyrocarpus) two or more sepals may become much enlarged so as to form apparent wings; this may be the case in superior as well as in inferior calyces. In superior calyces, or those which arise apparently from around the top of the ovary, the modifications met with are greater than in inferior calyces, and are also more frequently met with; but, as in them, become conspicuous only as the seeds ripen. In some plants the calyx spreads out like an umbrella, or like scales or plates, which buoy the fruit up, and render its fall slower. Most Composites (dandelion, thistles, &c.) and some allied groups — e.g., Valeriana, have the calyx repre- sented by the pappus, a spreading crown of hairs arising (as in thistles) directly around the top of the ovary, or (as in the dande- lion and goat's beard) supported on along beak that extends from the upper end of the ovary. These hairs may stand in one or in several rows, and may be simple or more or less branched. Their efficacy in floating the fruits is probably familiar to every one. In the cotton-grasses (Eriophorutri) we meet with a similar modification in the floral envelopes. These consist of merely some slender hairs, which in the flower are quite small. As the The Scottish Naturalist. 263 seeds mature the hairs lengthen, and finally they become very conspicuous, forming large heads like masses of silky cotton, familiar to every one that has seen a Highland moor in summer. When the seed-like carpel breaks away the hairs are carried with it, and the whole floats away on the breeze. The corolla or inner floral envelope is so seldom modified apart from the outer that it needs no further comment here. In several of our native plants the flower-stalk bears hairs which elongate after the seeds are fertilised, and at last form relatively large tufts. Among the grasses Phragmites communis (reed) and Arena pubescens may be instanced. Typha lat-ifolia also shows this arrangement. In such cases the flower-stalk breaks away, remaining attached to the ripe fruit. The lime-tree or linden (Ti/ia) gives an excellent example of the bract forming the wing. The flower-stalk (bearing several flowers, and therefore also several fruits) is adherent in part of its length to the long rather narrow bract. When the seeds are ripe the bract falls off with the fruits and flower-stalk, and is a very efficient means of conveying them to some distance before reaching the ground. In the hornbeam (Carpinus) and hop each fruit stands sessile in the axil of a small bract which falls off Avith it like a wing. In many grasses the glumes or bracts fall off with the fruit, and form imperfect floats — e.g., in Holcus, Plialaris, &c. Yet other modifications adapted for this mode of conveyance of seeds are met with, but it would be tedious to dwell on them now; and, moreover, they rarely are found in Scottish plants. Conveyance by water is a far less general means than by wind, and special adaptations are rare. Of course, the seeds or fruits of any plants growing on the side of a stream may fall into it, and may be conveyed to a considerable distance, if light enough to float, before being again cast on land. Of this mode of con- veyance we have clear proof in the occurrence of typically alpine plants frequently here and there along our rivers in the lower grounds. But no special adaptations are needed or are met with for this method. Very few of our native plants live float- ing freely on the surface of the water, though in the tropics such plants are so abundant as to form floating islands, often over an acre in extent. The seeds of these plants germinate under water, and they are dispersed without special means by the movements of the plant freely on the surface of the water, carried along by winds or by currents. 264 The Scottish Naturalist. Special adaptations occur in the water-lilies so commonly to be found in Scottish lochs. The fruit in both the white and the yellow water-lilies contains several spaces ranged round a cen- tral column like the spaces between the spokes of a wheel : in these lie numerous seeds. In the yellow water-lilies (Nuphar) the outer coat of the fruits alone splits open when the seeds are ripe, and the inner layer enclosing each of the various divisions splits away, containing the seeds and also enough air to buoy up the whole on the surface, where it floats for a time, driven about by winds or currents till a hole forms in the wall and seeds drop out and sink to the bottom of the loch. There they germinate in the mud. In the white water-lily (Nymphcea) the seeds are set free when the fruit splits ; but each seed has a coat that has grown up from the funiculus or stalk loosely round it so as to cover it, enclosing air enough to float the seed, and thus to allow of its conveyance to some distance. On the decay of this coat, and the escape of the air, the seed sinks to the bottom. Adaptations for conveyance attached to the bodies of animals. — Sticky secretions very seldom form the means among our native plants ; never, in fact, as regards the seeds themselves, one might say, though the seeds of Linuni and of a few other plants become sticky when moistened. The fruits of a few show a similar quality, and the ovary of Linnoza borealis is said to be sticky when ripe by reason of gland hairs. In some Labiates, the calyx, which breaks away with the fruits, is sticky for the same reason. Prickles or hooks form by far the most frequent means for attaching the fruits to the bodies or limbs of animals. It may be said that no Scottish plants show structures of this kind on the seeds themselves — indeed seeds so provided are rarely met with anywhere. The surface of the ovary sometimes bears many small prickles (e.g., Ranunculus arvensis, Cynoglossum offici- nale) ; or, as in some exotic genera, it may bear one or more spines or hooks of considerable size. A well-known example is the fruit of the " Wait-a-bit Thorn " of South Africa (Harpa- gophytum), with hooked branched spines an inch long, and very strong. These fruits are said to be very injurious to sheep through sticking in their wool, and irritating the skin when the sheep lie down on them. Many Scottish plants with inferior ovaries have the outer surface of the receptacle-tube covered closely with prickles (e.g., Carrot, Torilis, &c.) or small sharp The Scottish Naturalist. 265 hooks (e.g., Circcea. Galium aparine or Cleavers, Asperula, Sanicula, &c), which form very efficient grasping organs. In others there is only a ring (or two or three rings) of hooks round the edge below the calyx (e.g., Agrimonia). In the native species of Geufn the styles elongate as the seed ripens. Near its middle there is an abrupt bend. When the seed is ripe the part of the style beyond this breaks away, leaving a sharp hook which, though small, can take a firm grasp. In a few exotic plants the corolla of the flower remains adherent to the top of the carpel, forming sharp, hard hooks as in Tragce- ceros, in which there are two such in the rayflowers. Such a modification of the corolla is not met with in any of our native plants. The flower stalk seldom bears hooks or spines for grasp- ing, but not rarely the bracts are so furnished. In the burdock (Arctium Lappa) each of the narrow bracts that form the invo- lucre ends in a small sharp hook. The whole head breaks away from the stalk, and very readily adheres to the fur or feathers of passing quadrupeds or birds, or to the clothes of passers by. In some Umbelliferce the flowerhead or inflorescence breaks off and becomes attached to passing animals by aid of small spines over the surface of the bracts. In many grasses (e.g., barley) the glumes or bracts end in long prickly awns, which form efficient organs of attachment. Fleshy fruits are, as a rule, specially suited for the dispersion of the seeds by quadrupeds, or more generally by birds; and plants with fruits of this kind may frequently be found in situa- tions, such as to show that the seeds must have been brought from a distance. As previously mentioned, the fruits are swal- lowed ; the seeds pass, but little, if at all, the worse, through the intestine, being protected usually in some way by their structure from injury in their passage, and when discharged they germin- ate as readily as, or in some cases even more readily than, if they had never been subjected to this treatment. The seeds suited for this mode of dispersion are frequently protected from injury by being enclosed in a hard covering, which in some is the outer coat of the seed (e.g., nutmeg), while in others it is the inner layer of the carpel (stone of cherry, &c.) Other seeds (e.g., gooseberry) are enclosed in a soft jelly-like pulp, which seems to protect them. Few Scottish plants have the seeds themselves exposed, the attraction being found in a fleshy growth, called an aril, that surrounds the seed, and is usually conspicuous in colour ; but 266 The Scottish Naturalist. we find examples of such in the yew and the spindle tree (Etion- ymus). Among exotic plants a frequently-quoted instance of this method is the nutmeg, the seed of which is the size of a pigeon's egg. It is covered with the fleshy mace, and is swal- lowed for this by large fruit-eating pigeons, and is widely dis- persed by this means* At one time the Dutch tried to restrict the cultivation of nutmegs to the Banda islands, in order to retain a monopoly of them, and destroyed the trees on the other Malay islands ; but their efforts were vain, as the seeds were continually conveyed to these islands from Banda by the birds. Very commonly the walls of the carpel become fleshy in whole or in part, and remain indehiscent. Such fruits may be divided into the two groups of (a) berries, with the whole wall soft, enclosing numerous seeds ; and (b) drupes, where the outer part of the wall is fleshy, but the inner layer is leathery or stony as in cherries, enclosing usually not more than two seeds, generally only one. Both groups are well represented among us. Of berries we have the gooseberry and currants, the barberry, privet, vacciniums, honeysuckle, crowberry, potato, Solomon's Seal, and various others. Of drupes we have the cherry, gean, sloe, and a few others of a similar nature. The raspberry and bramble are merely masses of small drupes crowded on a slightly-fleshy stalk. A modification of the drupe is seen in the apple, pear, rowan, and others of the genus Pyrus, in which the leathery carpels are sunk completely into a cuplike fleshy flower- stalk, which enlarges greatly as the seeds ripen. In the haw- thorn, well known to be much eaten by many of our birds, the structure is much as in Pyrus, only the carpels are of stony hardness. In roses the flower-stalk is hollowed out and encloses a number of small one-seeded carpels, generally mistaken for seeds. The rosehip is this flower stalk much enlarged, fleshy, and sweet ; it is very attractive to various animals. The straw- berry, on the other hand, is a convex flower-stalk much enlarged, and becoming sweet and fleshy as the seeds ripen. The so- called seeds on its surface are small one-seeded carpels. They are swallowed with the edible part, and the seeds are protected by the carpels in their passage through the intestine. These are the various adaptations met with among our native plants that favour this mode of dispersion, but I may be permitted to note one or two additional parts that become fleshy in fruits of other lands. The mulberry at first glance looks not unlike a bramble, but is essentially different, being made up of a number of flowers, The Scottish Naturalist. 267 each consisting of a one-seeded ovary enclosed in two pairs of enlarged fleshy sepals. In figs there is what reminds us of a rose in its structure, but in the fig the hollow flower-stalk sup- ports and envelopes a multitude of minute flowers, each one of which has a small one-seeded ovary, — the so-called seed of the fig. The flower-stalk is the eatable part, and makes up the great mass of the fruit. In a few plants the bracts become fleshy, but this is rarely the case, and I am not aware of any example of this structure among Scottish species. The pine-apple (Auanassa sativa) shows it well, and its appearance is probably familiar to most persons nowadays. Elastic dehiscence of fruits frequently occurs in certain orders of plants, notably among the Leguminosoz and Gcraniacece. The mode of dehiscence of the former forces itself on one's notice, to the ear at least, in the fine sunny days of autumn on any piece of ground overgrown with broom or whins. The sharp report of the bursting pods are often to be heard on all sides in such circumstances. When the seeds are ripe in the fruits of this order, there are two lines from tip to base of the pod — viz., its two edges — where the structure renders them most liable to give way. In dry sunny weather some moisture evaporates, and contraction of the walls of the pod follows. If this goes beyond a certain limit, it becomes too great for the resistance offered at these lines, which suddenly give way, the two halves burst apart, and the jerk throws out the seeds, often to a distance ot several inches, or even feet. In the wild geraniums each carpel usually contains only one seed, but generally five carpels are present in each flower. The ovaries are closely adherent in the flower to the base of a central column, while their long styles are adherent to the column nearly to their tips. When the seed is ripe, in dry weather, each ovary separates suddenly from its attachment, while the style remains adherent to the column, and thus throws the seed, as if from a sling, to some distance. In the nearly-allied wood- sorrel (Oxalis) the seed is thrown out by a different mechanism. The fruit is a capsule that, when the seed is ripe, bursts into five parts in which the seeds lie. Each seed has on outer coat or arillus in addition to the usual coats, and this arillus is very elastic. When the fruit bursts the fleshy arillus contracts through loss of moisture, bursts, and by its elasticity propels the seed, as one propels a pea from between the finger and thumb. Still another mode of elastic dehiscence 268 7 lie Scottish Natutalist. is met with in one or two plants allied to the cucumber — viz., Elaterium, or " squirting cucumber." The fruit is a fleshy oval body with elastic walls in a constant state of tension. The seeds lie imbedded in a mass of pulp in its interior. When they are ripe the fruit drops off its stalk, leaving an opening at the point of attachment, and through this opening the seeds and pulp are shot out to a distance of several feet by the sudden contraction of the elastic walls. Of this kind of dehiscence we have no ex- ample among native plants, and I must apologise for digressing to mention it. Lastly, we find among grasses some in which the fruits are able to move over the surface of the ground, or even to burrow into it to sufficient depth to cover themselves. These move- ments result from the nature of the awns, which remain attached to the glumes or bracts, which break away and remain as a covering to the ovary. The awns are bent or twisted, and have the peculiarity of being very ready to absorb or to give off moisture, the bend or spiral altering its dimensions with every variation in the amount of moisture. Every such change of position moves the ovary, but, owing to fine prominences on the glumes, &c, they can move only in one direction; — thus every movement propels it forward, and in this way the seeds may be pretty widely distributed after some time. As formerly mentioned, frequently the same methods of dis- tribution are found in plants wide apart in structure, while in other plants nearly allied to one another, the methods are very distinct, the adaptations being suited to very different agencies. And you will probably readily understand that such resem- blances are no proof of genetic relationship, and such differ- ences no proof of distance apart, but that they depend on environment, and on the conditions best suited for the welfare of the various species of plants. Though this paper is already a long one, I may perhaps be permitted to instance more fully a few examples of resemblances and of differences in this view. Of resemblances we meet with the elongated plumose style, serving as a float, in Clematis and in Anemone Pulsatilla among Ranimculacece. ; and again in Dry as octopetala and Geum mon- tanum among Rosacece. Seeds with an unilateral wing occur in Coniferce (firs, &c), in the mahogany tree (Swiete?iia), in Pro- teacece (Banksia, &c), and various others ; seeds surrounded with a wing in Bigfioniacece, Caryoft/iyllacece (Spergi/laria, Dian- t/uts, &c.), Crueifercc (Alyssum, &c), Liliacecz, (Liliwn, &c), The Scottish Naturalist. 269 and others; hairy seeds in Malvaceae (Gossypiu/u), Sterculiaceae (Bombax); and seeds bearing a tuft of hairs in Epilobium, in Ascltpiadaceae, Salicaccce, and various others ; winged fruits are present in Fraxinus, Ulnius, Betula, Ptelea, Angelica, Acer, F a //isteria, and many other genera belonging to different orders. Examples of such resemblances in widely-different plants might be multiplied indefinitely, but these may suffice. Turning now to the various modes of distribution met with in the same natural order, and even in the same genus, these are at times very different. In Onagracece, we find (1) Epilobium, with capsular fruit enclosing very numerous small seeds, each provided with a tuft of hairs. (2) Fuchsia, nearly allied, but with the fruit a berry, and no hairs on the seeds. (3) Circcea, with a small indehiscent fruit (with one or two seeds), covered with small hooked prickles for grasping. Among Rosacea are numerous and very various modes of distribution. Looking at the arrangement of the genera in any flora of Scotland, we find that (1) Pruuus has the fruits and drupes distributed chiefly by birds swallowing them, and voiding the seeds enclosed in the stone (e.g., cherry and sloe). (2) Spiraea has fruits that open when ripe (follicles), but require to have the seeds shaken out by action of wind on the stems. (3) Agrimonia has one or few seedlike indehiscent carpels enclosed in a tubular flower-stalk which bears round its edge small hooks ; this part breaking off, with the ripe carpels enclosed, the hooks serve for grasping. (4) Alchemilla and Potentilla, no special adaptations. (5) Fra- garia — strawberry — has the flower- stalk enlarged, fleshy, and convex, with many seed-like carpels over its surface. The large stalk is swallowed bearing the carpels, which are thus distributed when voided by birds. (6) Rubus — raspberry, bramble, &c. — the fruit is a mass of small drupes like minia- ture cherries, and is distributed in like manner by birds. (7) Geum, as far as concerns our native species, has the style pro- vided in the middle with a bend, which forms a hook for grasp- ing when the apical half falls off, as it does when the seed is nearly ripe. The carpels are small. (8) Dry as octopetala and Geum montanum have the style elongated and hairy, to float the seedlike indehiscent carpel. (9) Rosa has numerous seedlike carpels enclosed in a hollow flower-stalk, which becomes en- larged and fleshy, and is eaten by animals along with the enclosed carpels, which are thus distributed. (10) Crataegus (hawthorn) and Pyrus (apple, pear, rowan, service berry, &c. ) 270 The Scottish Naturalist. have the stony or leathery carpels enclosed in a fleshy flower- stalk so closely that it seems to form a part of the carpels. This is eaten by animals, and the seeds, alone or enclosed in the carpels, are distributed, when voided, to some distance from the tree on which they grew. Thus among our native Rosacea we meet with nine different adaptations for distribution of the seeds; — five specially suited for passing through the bodies of animals, two for conveyance attached to fur or feathers, and two for distribution by wind. Similar facts may be elicited bv an examination of other natural orders, but need not be dwelt on at present. In conclusion, it may not be amiss to point out that the various adaptations occur only under such conditions as are directly useful and beneficial to the plant in promoting the wide dispersion of its seeds, either alone, or still enclosed in the ovary. Modifications in the seeds themselves occur only in such fruits as open to allow the escape of the seeds. It is only in these that we find loose seed-coats, or wings, or hair- tufts ; very rarely are hooks or spines found on seeds, as they would apparently be in the way in the ovary. Again, modifica- tions in the ovary, suiting it for conveyance by wind or attached to bodies of animals, are found only in ovaries that contain one or two seeds, and that do not open, but themselves break off from the parent plant, and are dispersed as if they were seeds. In like manner the parts eaten by animals, whether an arillus, or the ovary itself, or some outer part of flower or flower-stalk, always inclose the seed or seeds in such a way as to ensure the great likelihood of their being swallowed without injury. Modi- fications of the envelopes, of the flower-stalk, or of the bract, suited for dispersion by wind, or by attachment to the bodies of animals, are found only in those cases in which the part modified breaks off from the plant, and continues attached to the ovary. From an examination of the structures of plants in view of the dispersion of seeds, we are warranted in believing that we may succeed in understanding something of the way in which specialisation of parts to ends is brought about to meet the con- ditions of healthy vitality, while we find here as everywhere economy of force, and adaptations of means to ends ungrudg- ingly, but with no trace of waste of power. The Scottish Naturalist. 271 THE GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS. /&%^zA By JOHN CAMERON. f-C AT^«^ <2\ {Continued from p, 229.) LIB' *'- » " Do'n t-siol chruithneachd, chuireadh gu tiugh ; ^C^/V^VfA 3 Cha b' e' n fhiteag, no' n coirc dubR." — M'Donald. N^/*/ When oats become black with blight, the name coirc dubh is applied, but especially to the variety called Arena strigosa. Hordeum distichon — Barley ; the kind which is in common cultivation. (" Barley " comes from Celtic bar, bread, now obsolete in Gaelic, but still retained in Welsh — hence barn, and by the change of the vowel, beer.) Gaelic and Irish : eorna, orna. Irish : earn (perhaps from Latin, horreo, to bristle ; Gaelic, br, a beard) — O'Reilly. " The bearded or bristly bar- ley ; " " brog" a sheaf of corn. Hordeum, sometimes written ordeum (Freund), is from the same root. " It was cultivated by the Romans for horses, and also for the army; and gladia- tors in training were fed with it, and hence called hordiarii" It is still used largely in the Highlands for bread, but was for- merly made into " crowdie," properly corrody, from Low Latin, torrodium. a worrv. " Fuarag eorn arm' sail mo bhroge, Biadh a b' f hearr a fhuir mi riamh. " Barley-crowdie in my shoe, The sweetest food I ever knew. Irish : eaineog, oats and barley — from cain (Greek, ktjvo-os ; Latin, census), rent, tribute. Rents were frequently paid in " kind," instead of in money. Secale cereale — Common rye. Gaelic and Irish : seagall. Greek : (jzyakr). Armoric : segal. French : seigle. " An cruithneach agus an seagall." — Exodus. The wheat and the rye. Welsh : rhyg, rye. Molinia caerulea — Purple melic- grass. Gaelic: bunglds (M'Donald), punglas. {Bun, a root, a stack ; gtds, blue.) The fishermen round the Avest coast and in Skye make ropes for their nets of this grass, which they find by experience will bear the water well without rotting. Irish : mealoigfer corcuir (O'Reilly), — mealoig= melic (from me/, honey), the pith is like honey; 272 The Scottish Naturalist. fer or fiur\ grass ; corcuir, crimson or purplish. In some parts of the Highlands the plant is called brabau (Stewart.) Glyceria. — From Greek, yXvxvs, sweet, in allusion to the foliage. G. fluitans — Floating sweet grass. Mi/scan uisge, millteach uisge, — perhaps from millse, sweetness. Horses, cattle, and swine are fond of this grass, which only grows in watery places. Trout (Salmo fario) eat the seeds greedily. The name millteach is frequently applied to grass generally as well as to Triglochin palustre (which see). Feur uisge, water-grass. Briza. — Quaking-grass. Gaelic and Irish : conan, — conan, a hound, a hero, a rabbit, — may possibly be named after the cele- brated " Cohan Maol" who was known among the Feine for his thoughtless impetuosity. He is called " Aimlisg na Feinne" the mischief of the Fenians. This grass is also called feur gortach, hungry, starving grass. " A weakness, the result of sudden hunger, said to come on persons during a long journey or in particular places, in consequence of treading on the fairy grass '; — (Irish Superstitions). Feur sitheih sithe, — literally, a blast of wind ; a phantom, a fairy. The oldest authority in which this word slthe occurs is Tirechan's ' Annotations on the Life of St Patrick,' in the Book of Armagh, and is translated " Dei terreni? or gods of the earth. Crlth fheur, quaking-grass. Grigleann (in Breadalbane), that which is in a cluster, a festoon ; the Gaelic name given to the constellation Pleiades. Cynosurus. — Etym. kvuw, a dog, and ovpd, a tail. C. cristatus — Crested dog's-tail. Gaelic : goinear, or goin fheur, and sometimes conau (from coin, dogs, and feur, grass). Irish : feur clwinein, dog's grass. Festuca. — Gaelic : feisd. Irish : feiste. Latin : fastus and festus. French : feste, now fete. English : feast, as applied to grass, good pasture, or food for cattle. F. ovina — Sheep's fescue - grass. Gaelic and Irish: feur chaorach. " Mln-fheur chaorach. "— M'lNTYRE. Soft sheep grass. This grass has fine sweet foliage, well adapted for feeding sheep and for producing good mutton — hence the name. But Sir H. Davy has proved it to be less nutritious than was formerly supposed. Mln-fheur (Armstrong), is applied to any soft grass — as Holcus mollis — to a flag, a bulrush; as " mln-fheur gun uisge,-" a bulrush without water (in Job). The Scottish Naturalist. 273 Triticum, according to Varro, was so named from the grain being originally ground down. Latin : tritus, occurring only in the ablative (tero). Greek : rc, to rub, bruise, grind. T. sestivum (and other varieties) — Wheat. Gaelic and Irish : cruithneachd — cruineachd. This name seems to be associated with the Cruithne, a tribe or tribes who, according to tradition, came from Lochlan to Erin, and from thence to Alban, where they founded a kingdom which lasted down till the seventh century. Another old name for wheat — breothan, may simi- larly be connected with another ancient tribe, " Clanna Breogan. They occupied the territory where Ptolemy in the second cen- tury places an offshoot of British Brigantes." — Skene. Were these tribes so called in consequence of cultivating and using wheat ? or was it so called from those tribal names ? are ques- tions that are difficult to answer. It seems at least probable that they were among the first cultivators of wheat in Britain and Ireland. Breothan, that which is bruised ; the same in meaning as triticum. Other forms occur, as brachtan,1 being bruised or ground by hand in the " muileann bradh" the quern ; sometimes spelled breachtan. Mann, wheat, food. Jnormann, — -fior, genuine, and mann, a name given to a variety called French wheat. Tuireann, perhaps from tuire, good, excellent. The flour of wheat is universally allowed to make the best bread in the world. Komhan, Roman or French wheat; " branks." T. repens — Couch, twitch. Scotch : dog-grass, quickens, &c. Gaelic : feur d-phuint (M'Kenzie), the grass with points or articulations. Every joint of the root, however small, having the principle of life in it, and throwing out shoots when left in the ground, causing great annoyance to farmers. (From the root punc or pung ; Latin, pundum, a point.) Goin- fheur, dogs- grass ; or goin, a wound, hurt, twitch. According to Rev. Mr Stewart, Nether Lochaber, this name is also given to Cynosurus. Fiothran, the detestable. It is one of the worst weeds in arable lands on account of the propagating power of the roots. Bruim fheur, flatulent grass. Probably only a term of con- tempt. T. junceum — Sea-wheat grass. Gaelic : glas fheur, the pale 1 Latin : brace or brance. Gallic, of a particularly white kind of corn. According to Hardouin, bleblanc Dauphine, Triticum Hibernian, Linn., var. Grants a/bis. Lat., sandala. " Gallia? quoque suum genus farris dedere : quod illie brance vocant apud nos sandalum nitidissimi grani."— PLINY, 18, 7. VOL. VI. £ 274 The Scottish Naturalist. green grass ; a seaside grassv It helps, with other species, to bind the sand. Lolium perenne and temulentum — Darnell, rye - grass. Gaelic : breoillean. Irish : breallan {breall or b reattach, knotty), from the knotty appearances of the spikes, or from its medicinal virtues in curing glandular diseases. " And being used with quick brimstone and vinegar it dissolveth knots and kernels, and breaketh those that are hard to be dissolved " — Culpepper. DMhean, darnel ; perhaps from dlth, want, poverty. It may be so named from its growing on poor sterile soil, which it is said to improve. "They have lately sown ray-grass to improve cold, clayey soil" — Dr Platt, 1677. Roilte. Irish: raidhteadh, from raidhe, a ray — hence the old English name ray-grass. French : ivraie, darnel. Welsh : efr — perhaps alterations of the French ivre, drunk. The seeds of darnel, when mixed with meal, cause intoxication, and are believed to produce vertigo in sheep — the disease that maketh them reel ; and for this reason the grass is often called sturdan, from sturd, — hence Scotch sturdy grass. Siobhach, from siobhas, rage, fury, madness. " It is a malicious plant of sullen Saturn : as it is not without some vices, so it hath also many virtues " — Culpepper. Cuiseach (M'Alpine), rye-grass. Ruintealas (O'Reilly), the loosening, aperient, or purgative grass — from ruinnec, grass, and tea/ach, loosening. Nardus stricta — Mat -grass, moor -grass. Gaelic: beitean (perhaps from bei'the), was refused. Cattle refuse to eat it. It remains in consequence in dense tufts, till it is scorched by early frosts. In this condition it is frequently burned, in order to destroy it. Borrach (in some places), parching. Car ran (Stewart), a name given also to Spergula arvensis. To this grass and other rough species, as rushes, sedges, &c, the name riasg is given. " Cuiseagan-a's riasg Chinneas air an t'sliabh." — M'Intyre. Aira flexuosa — Waved hair-grass. Gaelic : wibin-fheur, peat- grass. It grows generally in peaty soil. CRYPTOGAMIA. FlLICES. Filices — Ferns. Gaelic : raineach, raineach. Irish : raith, rait/me, raithneach ; also, reaihnach. Welsh : rhedyn. Perhaps formed from ?rath, a revolution or turning about, or rat, motion, The Scottish Naturalist. 275 from the circmate evolution of the young fronds — an essential characteristic of ferns. Polypodium vulgare — Clock - reaihneach (Armstrong), the stone-fern ; dock, a stone. It is common on stone-walls, stones, and old stems of trees. Ceis-chrann. Irish : c'eis chrainn, — cis, a tax, tribute, and era tin, a tree, because it draws the sub- stance from the trees ; or from the crosier-like development of the fronds, like a shepherd's crook, " cis-cecm." Sgeamh 11a clock. Sgeamh means reproach, and sgiamh or sgeimh, beauty, orna- ment ; " na clock" of the stones. The second idea seems, at least in modern times, to be more appropriate than the first, especially as the term was applied to the really beautiful oak- fern. " Mu chinneas luibhean 'us an sgeimh." How the flowers and the ferns grow. Reidh raineack, — reidh, smooth, plain. Raineach nan crag, the rock-fern. Mearlag (in Lochaber), perhaps from wear or meiir, a finger, from a fancied resemblance of the pinnules to fingers. P. Dryopteris — Oak-fern. Gaelic and Irish : sgeamh dharaich (O'Reilly), the oak-fern. No Gaelic name is recorded for the beech-fern (P. Phegopteris). Blechnum spicant — Hard fern. The only Gaelic name sup- plied for this fern is " an raineach chruaidh" hard fern. It is impossible to say whether this is a translation or not. Being a conspicuous and well-defined fern, it must have had a Gaelic name. Cystopteris fragilis — Bladder-fern. Gaelic : friodh raineach, or frioth fhraineach, — "friotk" small, slender. The tufts are usually .under a foot long ; stalks very slender. Polystichum aculeatum, lohatum, and angulare — Gaelic : ibkig (Rev. A. Stewart), the name by which the shield-ferns are known in the West Highlands. This name may have ref- erence to the medicinal drinks formerly made from the pow- dered roots being taken in water as a specific for worms (see L. filix-mas), from ibh, a drink. French : ivre. Latin : ebrius. P. Lonchitis — Holly fern. Gaelic: raineach-chuilinn (Stewart), holly fern, known by that name in Lome ; also cblg raineach, in Breadalbane and elsewhere. For cu ilea mi and cblg, see Ilex aquifolium. Lastrea Oreopteris — Sweet mountain fern. Gaelic : crim- 276 The Scottish Naturalist. raineach (Stewart). Most likely from crcim, a scar, the stalks being covered with brown scarious scales. In some places the name _/«//s7cg, moss. Sphagnum — Bog-moss. Gaelic: mointeach liath (mom, peat, and Hath, grey). From its roots and decayed stalks peat is formed. Fionnladi, from fibnn, white. It covers wide patches of bog, and when full grown it is sometimes almost white ; occasionally the plant has a reddish hue (coinncadi dhearg, red moss). Martin re- fers to it in his ' Western Islands : ' " When they are in any way fatigued by travel or otherways, they fail not to bathe their feet The Scottish Naturalist. 299 in warm water wherein red moss has been boiled, and rub them with it on going to bed." This seems to be the only moss having a specific name in Gaelic, the rest going by the generic term cbinneach. " Coinich uine mu 'n iomall, A's imadach seorsa." — M'lNTYRE. Green moss around the edges, Many are the kinds. MaRCHANTIACE/E AND Lichenes. Marchantia polymorpha — Liverwort. Gaelic: his attainean, the liverwort. Irish : cidsle aibheach. Welsh : ilysiar afu — afu, the liver. (Names derived from its medicinal effects on the liver.) Irish : duilleog 11a cruif/uieachta, the leaf of (many) shapes or forms. Cri/th, form, shape, synonymous with Greek " fio/y- morpha? Peltidea canina — The dog -lichen. Gaelic: his ghonaich (from gbifi, wound ■ gbi/icach, agonising). This plant was for- merly used for curing distemper and hydrophobia in dogs. The name " geara/i, the herb dog's-ear," is given in the dictionaries. Probably this name was applied to this plant, meaning a com- plaint, a groan. Welsh : geraiu, to squeak, to cry. Lecanora. — Etymology of this word uncertain (in Celtic, lech or leac means a stone, a flag). Greek : XtOos. L. tartarea — Cudbear. Gaelic and Irish : corcar or coreur, meaning purple, crimson. This lichen was extensively used to dye purple and crimson. It is first dried in the sun, then pul- verised and steeped, commonly in urine, and the vessel made air-tight. In this state it is suffered to remain for three weeks, when it is fit to be boiled in the yarn which it is to colour. In numerous Highland districts many of the peasants get their living by scraping off this lichen with an iron hoop, and sending it to the Glasgow market. M'Codrum alludes to the value of this and the next lichen in his line " Spreigh air mointich, Or air chlachan." Cattle on the hills, Gold on the stones. Parmelia saxatilis and P. omphalodes — Stone and heath par- melia. Gaelic and Irish : crotal. These lichens are much used in the Highlands for dyeing a reddish brown colour, prepared like tartarea. And so much did the Highlanders believe in the 300 TJie Scottish Naturalist. virtues of crotal that, when they were to start on a journey, they sprinkled it on their hose, as they thought it saved their feet from getting inflamed during the journey. Welsh : cen da, black head, applied to the species Omphalodes. Sticta pulmonacea (Pnlmonaria of Lightfoot) — Lungwort lichen. Scotch : hazelraw. Gaelic and Irish : crotal coille (" coille" of the wood), upon the trunks of trees in shady woods. It was used among Celtic tribes as a cure for lung diseases, and is still used by Highland old women in their oint- ments and potions. According to Shaw, the term grim was applied as a general term for lichens growing on stones. Martin, in his description of his journey to Skye, refers to the superstition " that the natives observe the decrease of the moon for scraping the scurf from the stones." The two useful lichens, corcur and crotal, gave rise to the suggestive proverb — £: Is fhearr a' chlach gbarbh air am faighear rud-eigin, na 'chlach mhin air nach faighear dad idir. " Better the rough stone that yields something, than the smooth stone that yields nothing. FUNGL Agaricus — The mushroom. Irish and Gaelic dictionaries give agairg for mushroom. Welsh : cullod. A. campestris — Balg bJuiachail (balg is an ancient Celtic word, and in most languages has the same signification — viz., a bag, wallet, pock, &C. (Greek, fioXyvs ; Latin, bulga ; Sax. beige ; Ger. bdlg), buac/iail, a shepherd). Balg losgainn (losgann a frog, and in some places balgbhuachair, — buachar, dung), Leirin sugach. In Aberfeldy A. campestris is called bonaid bhuidhli smachain (Dr M'Millan). Boletus bovinus — Brown boletus. Gaelic and Irish : bonaid an losgainn, the toad's bonnet ; and also applied to other species of this genus. Tuber cibarium — Truffle. Ballan losgainn, Dr M'Millan, from ball, a ball, a tuber. These are subterraneous ball-like bodies, something like potatoes, found in woods, and probably applied to other species as well. Lycoperdon giganteum — The large fuz-ball or devil's snuff- box. Gaelic and Irish : beac, beacan, from beach, a bee. This mushroom or puff-ball was used formerly (and is yet) for smothering bees : it grows to a large size, sometimes even two or three feet in circumference. Trioman (O'Reilly). TJie Scottish Naturalist. 301 L. gemmatum — The puff-ball, fuz-ball. Gaelic and Irish: caoc/iag, from caoch (Latin, ccecus), blind, empty, blasting. It is a common idea that its dusty spores cause blindness. Balg smuid, the smoke-bag; balg seidid/i, the puff-bag. Balg peiteach bocan, or bochdan-bearrach (bochdan, a hobgoblin, a sprite, and bearr, brief, short), and bonaid an losgainn, are frequently applied to all the mushrooms, puff-balls, and the whole family of the larger fungi. Polyporus. — The various forms of cork -like fungi growing on trees are called caise (Irish), meaning cheese, and in Gaelic spuing or (Irish) spuinc, sponge, from their porous spongy character. P. fomentarius and P. betulinus — Soft tinder. Gaelic : cail- leach spuinge, the spongy old woman, — a corruption of the Irish caisleach spuine, soft, cheese-like sponge. It is much used still by Highland shepherds for making amadou or tinder, and for sharpening razors. Mucedo — Moulds. Cxaelic : rfoimh liat/i, grey down. Mildew, milchco. Mushrooms bear a conspicuous part in Celtic mythology from their connection with the fairies, — they formed the tables for their merry feasts. Fairy rings (Marasmius oreades, and other species of Agarici) were unaccountable to our Celtic ancestors save by the agency of supernatural beings. Alg.e. The generic names assigned to sea-weeds in Gaelic are : feamainn (fea?n, a tail) ; trailleach (M'Alpine), (from trdig/i, shore, sands) ; barra-rochd (barr, a crop), roc. Greek : pw£, French : roche, a rock. Welsh : gwymon, sea-weed. French : varec, from Sanscrit, bharc, through the Danish vrag. All the olive -coloured sea -weeds go by the general name feamainn buidhe ; the dark green, feamainn dub/i ; and the red, feamainn derg. Fucus vesiculosus — Sea-ware, kelp-ware, black tang, lady- wrack. Gaelic : propac/i, sometimes prablach, tangled ; in some places grbbac/i, grob, to dig, to grub. This fucus forms a considerable part of the winter supply of food for cattle, sheep, and deer. In the Hebrides cheeses are dried without salt, but are covered with the ashes of this plant, which abounds in salt. It was also used as a medicinal charm. " If, after a fever, one chanced to be taken ill of a 302 The Scottish Naturalist, stitch, they [the inhabitants of Jura] take a quantity of lady- wrack and red fog and boil them in water; the patients sit upon the vessel and receive the fume, which by experience they find effectual against the distemper." — Martin's 'Western Isles.' F. nodosus — Knobbed sea-weed. Gaelic: feamainn bholgainn, builgach, — bolg, builg, a sack, a bag, from the vesicles that serve to buoy up the plant amidst the waves. Feamuinn buidhe, the yellow wrack. It is of an olive-green colour; the receptacles are yellow. F. serratus— Serrated sea-weed. Gaelic: feamainn di/bli, black wrack. Aon chasach, one-stemmed, applies to this plant when single in growth. F. canaliculars — Channelled fucus. Gaelic : feamainn chir- ean (clr, a comb). This plant is a favourite food for cattle, and farmers give it to counteract the injurious effects of sapless food, such as old straw and hay. Laminaria digitata — Sea-girdles, tangle. Gaelic and Irish : stamh, s/at-mhara, sea-wand. Dnidhean, the stem, and liagkag or leathagan, barr-stamh, and bragair, names given to the broad leaves on the top. Do/re (in Skye), tangle. Though not so much used for food as formerly, it is still chewed by the Highlanders when tobacco becomes scarce. It was thought to be an effectual remedy against scorbutic and glandular diseases, even long before it was known to contain iodine. "A rod about four, six, or eight feet long, having at the end a blade slit into seven or eight pieces, and about a foot and a half long. I had an account of a young man who lost his appetite and had taken pills to no purpose, and being advised to boil the blade of the Alga, and drink the infusion boiled with butter, was restored to his former state of health" — Martin's 'Western Isles.' By far the most important use to which this plant and the other fuci have been put was the formation of kelp ; much employment and profit were derived from its manufacture : e.g., in iSi2,in the island of North Uist, the clear profits from the proceeds of kelp amounted to ;£i 4,000; but the alteration of the law regarding the duty on barilla reduced the value to almost a profitless remuneration of only £35°°- L. saccharina— Sweet tangle, sea-belt. Gaelic : smeartan (smear, greasy). The Rev. Mr M'Phail gives this name to "one of the red sea-weeds." Other correspondents give it to this plant. The Scottish Naturalist. 303 L. bulbosa— Sea furbelows, bulbous-rooted tangle. Gaelic : sgrothach. This name is doubtful (sgroth, pimples, pustules). Alaria esculenta — Badderlocks, hen-ware (which may be a contraction of honey-ware, the name by which it is known in the Orkney Islands). Gaelic : mircean (one correspondent gives this name to " a red sea-weed "), seemingly the same as the Norse name Maria kjerne, — Mart, Mary, and kjerne is our word kernel, and has a like meaning. In Gaelic and Irish diction- aries, muirirean (Armstrong), muiririn (O'Reilly), " a species of edible alga, with long stalks and long narrow leaves " — Shaw. In some parts of Ireland, Dr Drummond says, it is called mur- lius — probably a corruption of muiririn^ muirichlinn, muirlinn (M'Alpine), (from muirt mara, the sea). It is known in some parts of Ireland by the name sparain or sporain, purses, because the pinnated leaflets are thought to resemble the Highlander's sporan. Gruaigean (in Skye). Rhodynienia palmata — Dulse. Gaelic and Irish : duiliasg, from duille, a leaf, and uisge, water — the water-leaf. The High- landers and Irish still use duiliasg, and consider it wholesome when eaten fresh. Before tobacco became common, they used to prepare dulse by first washing it in fresh water, then drying it in the sun : it was then rolled up fit for chewing. It was also used medicinally to promote perspiration. Fithreach, dulse. Duiliasg staimhe (staimh, La miliaria digitata). It grows fre- quently on the stems of that fucus. Duiliasg chlaiche — i.e., on the stones, the stone dulse. Duileasg is also given to Laurejitia pinnatijida, formerly eaten under the name of pepper dulse. Porphyra laciniata — Laver, sloke. Gaelic and Irish : sloucan, slochdan, from sloe, a pool or slake. Sldbhcean (in Lewis), slabhagan (Shaw). Lightfoot mentions that " the inhabitants of the Western Islands gather it in the month of March, and after pounding and stewing it with a little water, eat it with pepper, vinegar, and butter ; others stew it with leeks and onions." Ulva latissima — Green ulva. Gaelic : glasag, also applied to other edible sea-weeds. In some places in the Western High- lands the names given to laver are also given to this plant. Glasag, from glas, blue, or green. Palmella montana (Ag.) — Lightfoot describes, in his 'Flora Scotica,' a plant which he calls Ulva montaua, and gives it the Gaelic name duileasg nam beann — i.e., the mountain dulse. This 304 The ScottisJi Naturalist. o plant is Gloeocapsa magma (Kutzing) ; Protococcus magma (Bre- bisson, Alg. Fallais) ; Sorospora montana (Hassall). Lightfoot was doubtless indebted to Martin (whose 'Western Isles' furnished him with many of his useful notes on the uses of plants among the Highlanders) for the information respecting such a plant. Martin describes it thus : " There is seen about the houses of Bernera, for the space of a mile, a soft substance resembling the sea-plant called slake [meaning here Ulva latissima], and grows very thick among the grass ; the natives say it is the product of a dry hot soil ; it grows likewise on the tops of several hills in the island of Harris." " It abounds in all mountainous regions as a spread- ing crustaceous thing on damp rocks, usually blackish-looking ; but where it is thin the purplish nucleus shines through, giving it a brighter aspect." — Rov. Chondrus crispus — Irish moss, known in the Western High- lands by the Irish name an earraeeen, as the chief supply used to come from Carrageen in Ireland. At one time it was in much repute, for from it was manufactured a gelatinous easily digested food for invalids, which used to sell for 2s. 6d. per lb. Mathair an duileasg, the mother of the dulse, as if the dulse had sprung from it. Oorallina officinalis. — Gaelic : coireall (M'Alpine). Latin : eorallium, coral. Linean. It was used as a vermifuge. Polysiphonia fastigiata. A tuft of this sea-weed was sent to me with the Gaelic name Fraoch mara, sea -heather, written thereon. Himanthalia lorea. — The cup-shaped frond from which the long thongs spring is called aiomlaeh, or iomleach (iomleag, the navel), from the resemblance of the cup shaped disc to the navel. Dr Neill mentions that in the north of Scotland a kind of sauce for fish or fowl, resembling ketchup, is made from the cup-like or fungus-like fronds of this sea-weed. Halydris siliquosa. — Gaelic: roineach mhara, the sea -fern. (In the Isle of Skye.) Chorda filum — Sea-laces. In Shetland, Lucky Minny's lines ; Ayrshire, dead men's ropes. Gaelic : gille ma leann (or mu Hon), — gille, a young man, a servant ; lion, a net. Lightfoot mentions that the stalks acquire such toughness as to be used for fishing lines, and they were probably also used in the manu- facture of nets. At all events it is a great obstacle when trawl- ing with nets, as it forms extensive sea-meadows of long cords floating in every direction. In some parts langadair is given to The Scottish Naturalist. 3°5 a " sea-weed, by far the longest one." This one is frequently from twenty to forty feet in length. Sargassum vulgare (or bacciferum) — Sea-grapes. Gaelic: tiir- usgar (sometimes written trusgar, from trus, gather), from turns, a journey. This weed is frequently washed by the Gulf Stream across the great Atlantic, with beans, nuts, and seeds, and cast upon the western shores. These are carefully gathered, preserv- ed, and often worn as charms. They are called uibhean sithei/i, fairy eggs, and it is believed that they will ward off evil-disposed fairies. The nuts are called cnothan-spuinge, and most frequently are Dolichas urens and Entada scandens. To Callithamnion , Plocamium, &c, and various small red sea- weeds, such as adorn ladies' albums, the Gaelic name smbcan is applied. Confervae, such as EnteromorpJia and Cladophora. Gaelic and Irish : lianach or linnearach {linne, a pool). Martin de- scribes a plant under the name of linarich — "a very thin, small, green plant, about eight, ten, or twelve inches in length ; it grows on stones, shells, and on the bare sands. This plant is applied plasterwise to the forehead and temples to procure sleep for such as have a fever, and they say it is effectual for the purpose." — Martin's ' Hebrides.' Barraig uaine, the green scum on Lochan. Griobhars- Eeuruisge, stagnant water. gaich, the green scum on water water-grass. " Tha uisge sriith na dige Xa shruthladh diibh gun sioladh Le barraig uaine, liogh ghlas, Gu mi bhlasda grannd, Feur lochan is tachair An cinn an duileas bhaite. " — M'lNTYRE. The water in its channel flows, A dirty stagnant stream, And algae green, like filthy cream, Its surface only shows. With water-grass, a choking mass, The water-lily grows. (To be continued.) VOL. VI. U 306 The Scottish Naturalist. ON THE DISTRIBUTION OP TBE NATIVE ALPINE FLOKA IN SCOTLAND,1 By EDWARD MOIR. THE subject of the distribution of the alpine flora in Scotland opens up many considerations of a very interesting char- acter; and these considerations are often not less curious and puzzling. If we could fall back upon a special creation of species where they are now found, it would solve all questions at the outset, and obviate the necessity of further inquiry into the why and the wherefore of many problems calling for solution. But apart altogether from the fragmentary nature of the flora in question, the geological and physical changes which have occurred on the surface of our country in comparatively recent times, preclude our entertaining the thought of such a supposition. Undoubt- edly these geological and physical changes, which result in the elevation and depression of the land, to the extent sometimes of causing even a change from a continental to an insular situation, including, of course, change of climate, together with the great glacial forces which at one time played so conspicuous a part in the country, have been powerful factors in the distribution of the flora. It need not. be questioned that an alpine flora did exist in our country before the changes referred to occurred, but it is with the presently existing flora, which probably is a mere fragment of the former, that we have now to do; and the questions that come up for solution are, whence, when, and in what manner was it introduced? It would neither be possible nor desirable in the limits of a short paper to go over all the ground covered or suggested by our subject. I will therefore confine my remarks to three points. Some points touched cannot be safely dogmatised upon, and on them one man's opinion is perhaps as good as another's. My remarks are the result of any little study I have been able to give to the subject, so far as I have had access to the opinions of those qualified to write regarding it. The three points I shall briefly allude to are — ist, What are alpine plants? 1 Read at a meeting of the Dundee Naturalist's Society, March 22, 1S82. The Scottish Naturalist. 307 2d, Some peculiarities and anomalies in their distribution in our country ; and 3d, Whence and when introduced, and how distributed? i. What are alpine plants? This is a question more easily asked than answered. It may be said to be an arbitrary term, signifying the vegetation belonging to elevated regions above the tree limits, and above the limits of cultivation on the one hand, and on the other bounded only by the line of perpetual snow. Of course in our country there is no upper limit to our alpine flora, as we have no line of perpetual snow, the compara- tively low altitude of the hills, together with our insular climate, preventing its accumulation to such an extent as to be perpetual. Our hills as a rule are free of snow during the summer months, although in some seasons large masses lie in the corries all the year round. But what are alpine plants in some countries, agreeing to these conditions, are lowland plants in other countries. Dr Lawson, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, says, in reference to Scotland : " It is natural that botanists should regard all the plants now found on the mountains exclusively as really alpine plants, growing there by preference because the climate is more suitable for them than the lowlands. Per contra, we have not- able facts around us here in Nova Scotia. Some of these Scotch mountain plants come down into the glens, as Rub us chamaemorus and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Now these are essentially moun- tain plants in every country in Europe in which they occur ; but here, with our warm summer climate, so much drier and hotter than that of any part of England, we have Rubus chamcemorus abounding at the sea-level, and providing the Halifax market every season with its fruit, well known under the name of Bake- apple. The Arctostaphylos creeps over the bare rocks about Windsor Junction, and all along the rocky track of our railway; and even on the hot granite and limestone cliffs of Ontario we find it maintaining its luxuriance along the banks of the great lakes. Epilobium alpinum does not grow with us except in the lower parts of the St Lawrence gulf, where both the water and the air remain cold for a long period of the growing season. There also Dryas octopetala grows. " Woodsia ilvensis, one of the rare alpine ferns of Scotland, grows with us not only in Nova Scotia but in Ontario as well, on hot dry sunny cliffs. Polystichiuu tonchitis, not in bleak rocky corners, as in Clova, but by the sea or lake shores. Asplenium J 08 The Scottish Naturalist. 7'iride, in humid but not elevated localities. As for Lifincea borcalis, it is one of our commonest wayside flowers in Nova Scotia ; and in the season when it is in bloom, one cannot walk out into the country without seeing wreaths of it around hats to keep off the mosquitoes, when the thermometer is standing far above any ordinary British temperature. It is still more abun- dant on the hot arid plains of Ontario, but only around ponds, under trees, and in swamps. " Long years ago we pointed out that local humidity, not low temperature, is what many of these supposed alpine or arctic plants require. In America as the forests are cleared away they disappear. In a country like Scotland, that lost its Lowland forests so long ago, and has been cleared and cultivated for ages, many of the native plants have no doubt been extirpated, and others are to be seen only in the remnants left on undis- turbed spots on the mountains." Similarly in Norway, many plants which in our own country are only found on or near the summits of the highest hills, are found growing by the wayside and in the fields. In Greenland some forty or fifty species of what are counted as our rarest alpines are growing at the sea-level. The explanation of this must be sought for in climatic influences, altitude in our country being equivalent to so many degrees of latitude in the Arctic regions, where at sea-level a similar climate prevails to what is found on the summits of our highest hills. The flora of our country, having relations with other parts of Europe, has been divided into five geographical groups. Three of these — viz., the Asturian, which has a few representatives in the south-west of Ireland ; the Devonshire, on the south-west of England and south-east of Ireland, and the Kentish flora in the south of England — are so limited in their number that they need only to be mentioned. The other two remaining groups consti- tute the great bulk of the flora of our country : the Germanic, which overruns all the lowlands, and the Scandinavian, which forms our alpine or Highland flora, as a rule rarely descending below 1500 feet of altitude, but in certain circumstances occa- sionally coming even as low as sea-level, where, by climatic influences, it is not so much exposed to contend with the stronger lowland vegetation. On the other hand, the lowland or Germanic flora often invades the domains of the alpine, many species ascending to a height of 3000 feet and upwards ; but owing to the rigour of The Scottish Naturalist* 309 the climate at that altitude, they do not feel at home, but be- come dwarfed and stunted, so that the alpine flora is there able to contend successfully with them. This it is not able to do on the lowlands, and hence takes refuge, both by choice and of necessity, on the hills, as we mentioned before — never descend- ing, as a rule, below 1500 or 2000 feet of altitude. This peculi- arity constitutes their title to be classed as alpine plants in our country. As a rule, they are exceedingly dwarf, scarcely rising, higher than the mosses with which they are surrounded, growing in dense tufts, or creeping along the surface of the rocks. The flowers are large comparatively to the size of the plant, and of bright, sometimes intense, colours. 2. I shall now touch on some peculiarities and anomalies of distribution. The number of species of flowering plants and ferns in Britain is estimated variously at from 1425 to 1680, according as some are reckoned as sub-species or varieties. The proportion of these that are strictly alpine according to the foregoing defini- tion is comparatively small, being under 100 — in fact, they only number 91 species, or about six per cent of the whole British flora. Of these 91 species of British alpines, %% are natives of Scotland, 45 are natives of England and Wales, while only 25 are natives of the Irish hills. With the exception of 6 or 8, all are natives of arctic Europe or Scandinavia, while 46 at least are also found in the Polar regions. It will thus be seen that only three species of the British alpine flora are absent from Scotland. One of these is the Saxifraga umbrosa, or London Pride, which is found in Britain only on the Irish hills, and is a member of the Asturian flora formerly mentioned. A second is Lloydia se?-otina, a small bulbous plant with white flowers, found only on some of the Welsh mountains. Its distribution is pretty extensive, ranging from the European Alps to the Himalayas and North America. The third and last species absent from Scotland is the lovely Gentiana z'ema, in- habiting the Teesdale Hills in England, and the hills of Mayo, Galway, and Clare in Ireland. Its centre of distribution is the European Alps. The distribution of the alpine flora in Scotland is confined to the Grampian range, and principally to two localities in that range — viz., the Clova and Caenlochen mountains in Forfarshire, and the Breadalbane mountains in Perthshire, — in each of which counties 73 out of the 88 Scottish species are found. Lochna- 310 The Scottish Naturalist. gar and Glen Callater come next, with the Braemar mountains generally, including the Cairngorm range, although Ben Mac- dhui, notwithstanding its great height, has comparatively few alpine species. The same may be said of Ben Nevis, Ben Lomond, and Ben Voirlich, the number of species seeming to decrease rapidly on the way south-westward from the Ben Lawers range to the Clyde mountains, till, on Goatfell in Arran, so rich in its flora generally, only six or seven alpine species exist. Coming back to the two principal centres of distribution in Scotland — viz., in the counties of Perth and Forfar — in each of them Ave find 73 species ; but a comparison of these by no means shows that they are identical, as there are seven species present in Perth which are absent in Forfar, and, vice versa, seven species are wanting in Perth which are present in Forfar. It may be worth while looking at some of these in detail, as they are among the rarer or more interesting" of our alpines. Taking the Perthshire species which are absent from Forfar : among the rocks near the summit of Ben Lawers, and one or two others of the Breadalbane hills, is found the Draba rupestris, a very dwarf species with small white flowers, which occurs in one other county in Britain — viz., Sutherlandshire. It is a truly arctic species, not being found on the Alps. Another plant is Saxifraga cernua, found growing in company with the preceding on Ben Lawers. This is its only British locality, and the most southerly in Europe. Near the summit of one or two of the Breadalbane mountains is found the Alsine rubella, a tiny in- significant-looking plant with inconspicuous flowers. There is one other locality for it only in Scotland — Ben Hope, in Suther- land-— and it also reaches its most southerly limit in Breadalbane. The next plant is the Myosotis alpestris, or alpine Forget-me-not, and is plentiful at a height of 3000 feet on Ben Lawers. It is a plant not less beautiful than rare, there being only one other locality for it in Britain — viz., Micklefell in Teesdale. Its centre of distribution is the European Alps. Another remarkable Perth- shire plant, found in this country only on the Sow of Athole, where it is now rarely met with, is a species of heath with a large purple bell, the Menziesia aerulea, or Phyllodoce casrulca, its exotic distribution being the Arctic regions, Pyrenees, Siberia, and North America. The alpine plants found on the Forfarshire hills, but absent from Perthshire, are the Lychnis alf>iua, having pretty rose- The Scott isJi Naturalist. 3 1 1 coloured flowers, and found in Britain only on the Little Cul- rannoch in Clova, on the summit of which, on two spots about half a mile apart, and 3000 feet above sea-level, it grows spar- ingly ; and on Hobcarten Crag in Cumberland, where it differs from the Scottish plant in being larger in all its parts. Its exotic distribution is the Arctic regions and the European Alps. The Oxytropis campestris is in Britain found only on one hill- side in Clova, at an elevation of 2000 feet, and never spreads beyond a very limited range. Its exotic distribution is arctic and alpine Europe, and North America. Astragalus alpinus grows on the summit of a cliff on Craig-mad in Clova, and on the Little Craigendall in Braemar, the only two British localities, its exotic distribution being the same as the last-mentioned species. The Mulgedium alpinum is rather an anomaly among alpine plants, growing two to three feet high, in ravines in Clova and Caenlochen, and on Lochnagar, where it is getting rare. Its exotic distribution is arctic and alpine Europe and Asia. The Gentiana nivalis, found in Britain only on Ben Lawers, on Cam- creag, and in Caenlochen, is thus common to both counties, and is one of the rarest alpine gems. Its exotic distribution is arctic and alpine Europe and America. Azalea procumbens, an evergreen shrub growing in spreading tufts and sheets an inch high, and covered with small pink flowers, grows on many of the Highland hills, its exotic distribution being arctic and alpine Europe, and arctic Asia and America, but excluding the Pyrenees. It would occupy too much time to specify all our native alpines, but several of the alpine ferns may be mentioned which are common to both counties. These are Cystopteris montana, very rare ; it is widely distributed in the arctic and alpine regions of Europe, Asia, and in Canada. The two species of Woodsia, ilvmsis and hyperborea. are also very rare with us, and have a distribution similar to the last ; as have also Polypodium alpestrc, and its remarkable congener or sub-species, P. flexile, found only in Glenprosen and Ben Aulder. Ben Lawers is by far the richest locality for alpine plants in Scotland, individual species being there present in much greater profusion than elsewhere, many spots displaying a rich mosaic of Saxifrdga, Dryas, Silc/te, Cerastiu/n, Myosotis, &c. — a picture which only those can see who undergo the toil of climbing 3000 feet. It will be seen how irregular, localised, and fragmentary is the distribution of our alpine flora, so contrary to the method 312 The Scottish Naturalist. or order we might reasonably be led to look for, had it been originally created where it is found. And this leads to the third and last of the three points with which we set out — viz.: 3. Whence and when was our alpine flora introduced, and how distributed ? These, also, are questions more easily put than answered. It is scarcely possible to answer them individually and categori- cally, but we may consider them as a whole. We know from recent scientific investigation that great phy- sical changes have at various times taken place on the surface of our country, producing considerable alterations on its features and on the comparative level of land and sea. According to geologists, at a comparatively recent period, as- they reckon time, nearly all our country and the northern half of Europe were enveloped in a continuous ice-sheet similar to what may be seen in Greenland at the present day, but its properties greatly intensified on account of its vastly larger proportions. Greenland has a fringe of land at its sea-shores free from ice and snow during its short summer season, which is covered with an arctic vegetation sometimes of great beauty. Mr Chichester Hart, in his ' Report on the Botany of the British Polar Expe- dition of 1875-76,' says, " It is only on the low grounds of the more southerly parts of Greenland visited, as at Egedesmonde, Disco, Rittenbank, and Proven, that the surface is uniformly covered with vegetation for any extent, and this consists of small tufted perennials of low matted growth, through which the arctic willows and Ericaceai trail and extend their branches, the first alone rarely rising, under the shelter of a cliff, to a height of three or four feet. Through this brownish-green carpet, which is about the hue of an Irish mountain-bog, conspicuous and beautiful blossoms of Rhododendron, Azalea, Diapensia, Pyrola, and other ericaceous plants, are lavishly scattered, while the cream-coloured Dryas, the snowy white Cerastium and Stellaria, the pink Silene, and the gorgeous red-purple Saxifrage, often form luxuriant sheets of colour, the latter being comparable to our Scotch heather, though richer in its effects. True blue flowers, as Veronica alpina, rarely occur; true reds are never met with ; and most of all is felt the absence of a greensward, such as the eyes are accustomed to at home." But the ice-sheet on our country at the period referred to left no margin of land at the sea-shores where vegetation could The Scottish Naturalist. 313 exist, but swept everything before it into the sea, on all sides, itself filling up the hollow of the German Ocean, and forming one continuous sheet with that covering Norway and Sweden, forbidding the idea of the existence of either animal or vegetable life. On the Continent the climate of the southern half of Europe would then be of such a character that only an arctic fauna and flora could exist in the low grounds, being driven there gradually before the advancing ice- sheet, whence previ- ously the temperate or European flora had been driven still farther south. That this was so is no mere conjecture, as in several localities in south Europe the peat-bogs have yielded remains which go far to prove it. Some of these peat-beds are only a few feet in thickness, and between the peat and the clay on which it rests have been found leaves of Betula nana, Dryas octopetala, Salix reticulata, and Salix polaris, the latter being a characteristic Spitzbergen plant, — all being plants which now are confined to the high hills in temperate Europe, or the most northerly latitudes where vegetation will exist. Thus we learn how the arctic and alpine flora, driven southward by the en- croachment of the great northern mcr de glace, at last came to occupy the low grounds of temperate Europe. In course of time a change occurred. The climate began to ameliorate, and the ice-sheet gradually retreated northward and up the hills. The arctic fauna and flora followed, and gradually reoccupied the ground from which they had been formerly driven. Dr Buchanan White, in his paper 1 on the Mountain Lepi- doptera of Britain, has so graphically described the process of immigration of the alpine flora which now occupies our country, at the close of the great ice age, that I cannot do better than give his account of it briefly. He says : " In course of time the altered condition of things would be felt in Britain, but the English Channel would as yet cut it off from the advancing tide of life. Still it is probable that the winds and sea -currents would carry thither the spores of mosses, lichens, and other cryptogamic vegetation, and perhaps even the seeds of some of the higher plants, which would find suitable resting-places out of reach of the great floods which continued to sweep over much of the low ground. " Finally, after several variations in the relative heights of the land or sea (the latter being at one time 100 feet higher on our 1 ' Scottish Naturalist,' vol. v. p. 97. 314 The Scottish Naturalist. shores than it is at present), the land rose so much that the bed of the German Ocean became dry land, and afforded a passage for the great mass of our plants and animals. Amongst the first plants to occupy the dry bed of the German Ocean, would be the various species that followed closest on the retreating ice- sheet (viz., the arctic and arctic-alpine) ; but they, at least in the southern part, would soon be crowded out by the plants that followed. "We may have some idea of the order in which the species would grow if we study the sequence in which our wild plants occupy any portion of ground recently made bare,- — as, for example, a moor from which the turf has been pared, a drained lake, or a slope uncovered by a landslip on the hills. Perhaps the latter will show us something of what may in part have actually happened at the time of which I treat. Examining such a place, we will notice how, in course of time, one set of plants, and frequently those which are rarest in the immediate vicinity, begin to dot the surface of the unoccupied ground. In a year or two they are joined and jostled, as it were, by others before whom they gradually disappear, and then, perhaps, the second set are joined by others before which some of them, too, vanish. So it is easy to imagine how the arctic and arctic- alpine plants, which seem less fitted than others to live in a crowd, would first occupy the German Ocean plain, gradually cross it and invade Britain, spread over, perhaps, a great part of the country, be pursued and crowded by other plants, and be finally driven up the mountains, where the conditions of life would place them more on an equality with their pursuers (not all of which could live on the mountains), and where they could hold their own." Thus it is apparent how powerful an agency climate has been in the distribution and dispersion of our alpine flora. The arctic- alpine flora would be the first to enter our country, likely at several points on the east coast, would gradually spread over the low grounds so long as the snow and ice were on the hills, and would finally ascend the hills when a change of climate from arctic to temperate supervened. For then the temperate or Germanic flora, entering the country with its hosts, would con- test the occupancy of the lowlands with its first immigrants, the arctic-alpines, and as the two could not coexist there, a struggle would commence which, after many fluctuations, would finally result in the latter being driven up the hill before their The Scottish Naturalist. 3i5 pursuers, with much loss, whole species and even genera being extinguished in the process, others being modified, and consid- erable alteration taking place in the geographical distribution of almost all — truly affording a fine illustration of the phrase, "sur- vival of the fittest." In some cases, as we have seen, only the fragments remain on two or three favoured spots on the moun- tains where the lithological character of the soil seems to prevent their extension to the regions beyond. And this last may per- haps furnish the key to some of the recondite causes why so many of our Highland hills are so poor in alpine species. Mr A. R. Wallace, in ' Island Life,' gives as a reason why Britain is poor in species of both fauna and flora, that "there is good evidence that a considerable portion, if not the entire area, of our country has been submerged to the extent of upwards of 1300 feet, shell-bearing gravels having been found at that height on some of the hills, so that only the hills would remain as groups of rocky islets. This submersion must have destroyed the greater part of the life of our country; and as it certainly occurred during the latter part of the glacial epoch, the sub- sequent elevation and union with the continent cannot have been of very long duration ; and this fact must have had an im- portant bearing on the character of the existing fauna and flora of Britain. When England became continental, these entered our country ; but sufficient time does not seem to have elapsed for the migration to have been completed before subsidence again occurred, cutting off the further influx, and leaving us without the number of species which our favourable climate and varied surface entitle us to." We have seen how very meagre the alpine flora of Ireland is, only numbering about 25 species : but that is not all. The whole Irish flora does not number more than, if as many species as, are contained in the single comparatively small county of Forfar. The same anomaly is presented by its fauna. How is this to be accounted for? Is it that the climate is less denial than that of England or Scotland, or the soil less productive? That the contrary is the case is well known. The following geological and physical changes will account for it, and the ex- planation may also help to illustrate the cause of the apparent freaks and irregularities of distribution in our own country. At the close of the glacial era Britain was receiving its flora from Europe. This flora was gradually finding its way west- ward. Ireland would thus be the last to receive her flora, which 3 1 6 The Scottish Naturalist. immigrated from Scotland and England by a land-connection, the whole country standing higher out of the water than at present, transforming the Irish Sea into a lake. The first plants to occupy Ireland of course would be the arctic alpines, which had only time to partially take possession when a gradual sink- ing of the land took place, cutting off the connection with Britain, and necessarily also the immigration of the flora, which would then be driven up the hills by the advance of the sea. Once more came another upheaval of the land, again connect- ing Ireland with Britain, over whose area by this time the amelioration of the climate had caused the Germanic or lowland flora to be on the rapid march westward. This flora accordingly was now gradually finding its way into Ireland, which, however, before the immigration was complete, once more became iso- lated, and has so remained ever since. Hence the compara- tively limited fauna and flora of the Green Isle. Dr James Geikie says : 1 "It is perhaps owing to the late appearance of the land-connection that the Scandinavian type of vegetation is so poorly represented in the Hibernian flora. The climate, we may suppose, was already become milder, and the high alpine forms were gradually vanishing from the low grounds, so that only a few of these could make their way south into Ireland." The geographical, physical, and climatal changes we have been speaking of were, it may be imagined, very gradual, and occupied long periods of time. And as there were what geolo- gists term interglacial periods — that is, a warm or temperate period, then a return of glacial conditions more or less severe — the process of redispersal and redistribution of the fauna and flora was repeated. Wherever species were originally created, or evolved, as some would have it, these changes were the means of their distribu- tion into other countries where soil, climate, and other condi- tions were found suited to their wellbeing, although many species have a wonderful adaptability to change of circumstances and surroundings, and often themselves thereby undergo a change in their habit and appearance, even, according to some high authorities, to the extent of becoming new species. Suppose certain species transferred from one locality where the summer is hot and short and the winter long and severe, and where, during the greater part of the year, they are covered 1 ' Prehistoric Europe.' The Scottish Naturalist. 3 1 7 up with snow, to another where the seasons are comparatively temperate, we cannot but believe that in course of time some modification will take place in the form and habit of the species. The same species that in our hills reproduce themselves from seed, in Greenland, north of Disco, have not time during their short summer in which to ripen their seed, consequently seed- lings are never met with ; and the extension of the range of any given species would seem to be due to the creeping powers of the individual which, with few exceptions, all possess, or to plants being drifted downward on blocks of half-frozen mud and ice containing plants and roots, torn out and hurried to the shore. Circumstances have there compelled species to adapt and accommodate themselves to their surroundings. Mr Wallace relates that many islands throughout the globe now contains certain species both of animals and plants which are peculiar to these islands, not being known to exist anywhere else in the world. Many of these islands must at one time have received their fauna and flora from the nearest continent by former land -connection, and he accounts for the change of species, which he contends must in many instances have taken place, by such considerations as change or modification of climate from continental to insular, which would produce a series of changes, the most important of which would arise from isolating small groups of individuals of many species, and thus altering their relations to the rest of the organic world. Many of these would be at once exterminated, while others, being re- lieved from competition, might flourish and become modified into new species. Any one at all acquainted with the genus Saxifraga, or that of Primula, knows how difficult it is often to distinguish the difference between species, sub-species, and varieties, the modi- fications of form being seemingly endless. The American form of Azalea procumbens has a looser and larger habit than our Scottish form, quite marked and distin- guishable ; so also with the American form of Linncea borealis, the leaves of which are much larger than our native form. Again, there is a marked difference in Lychnis alfiiua, which in Scotland is much dwarfer than the English or Continental form. These variations of appearance are all permanent in cultivation, and may not amount to what would constitute a difference in species, only variety. What Mr Wallace contends for is, that provided always sufh- 318 The Scottish Naturalist. cient time is allowed, it requires no great stretch of imagination to suppose that these changes of circumstances and surround- ings may produce such modifications as gradually to evolve different species. After all, it is difficult to define what a " species " is : there is infinite variety in nature. But having got into a slight digres- sion, we will conclude by summing up the answers to the three questions of our third head — viz., whence and when was our alpine flora introduced, and how distributed? At the close of the glacial era, our country having no flora, the Scottish alpine flora was introduced into the country across the dry bed of the German Ocean from the south of Europe; and climate has been the principal agent in its distribution and dispersal. A NEW LIST OP THE FLOWERING- PLANTS AND PERNS OF ORKNEY. Edited by W. IRVINE FORTESCUE. ALTHOUGH more than one catalogue of Orkney plants has been published, it is now many years since the last of these appeared, and therefore another may not be without interest. About thirty years ago Dr A. R. Duguid of Kirkwall and Mr Robert Heddle compiled a MS. list of all the Orkney plants they had met with, and this has been recently corrected and added to by Dr J. T. Boswell of Balmuto, whose name is a sufficient guarantee for the authenticity of all that has come under his notice. Thanks are due to Dr Clouston for some interesting observa- tions ; and Dr H. H. Johnston and others have added many localities to the list ; and several plants which have been either named or verified by Dr Boswell. The 590 N. latitude and the 30 W. longitude pass almost through the centre of the Orkney Islands, while a parallelogram 47 miles from N. to S., by 37 miles from E. to W., will include the whole group. The Pentland Firth, only 5^ miles wide at its narrowest point, separates them from Caithness, while a gap of 50 miles divides them from Shetland. The Mainland, which is by far the largest island, occupies the centre of the group, the islands to the north and south of it being called respectively the North and South Isles. The total area of the Orkneys amounts The Scottish Naturalist. 3 1 9 to something like 330 square miles. The geology is simple, the whole group belonging to the Old Red Sandstone. With the exception of Hoy, all the islands are occupied by the lower or flaggy strata of that formation, and are correlated by geologists with the higher subdivisions of Caithness. Hoy fortunately differs from that " land of flatness, flags, and fossil fishes," being principally composed of "coarse siliceous, red and yellow sandstones, and marls," which belong to the upper Old Red Sandstone. An arenaceous series, in appearance much re- sembling the red and yellow rocks of Hoy, but placed in the lower division of the formation, occupies nearly the whole of Eday, and occurs in Sanday, Stronsay, and Shapinshay. It also composes a large portion of most of the South Isles, and crosses the Mainland in a narrow belt from Inganess to the church of Orphir. Granite and gneiss crop up N.W. of Strom- ness, and in Graemsay ; and several dykes of basalt occur throughout the islands, while two volcanic necks are found in Hoy, and an ancient lava flow is seen near the foot of Shapin- shay. As may be expected from the geology, there is a sameness in the physical features : most of the islands showing a low undu- lating outline, terminating seawards in a bold cliff, or sloping down to a sandy bay. In Rousay and Westray remarkable terraced hills of rusty-coloured flags occur, due to the denuda- tion of the softer parts in pre-glacial times. In Hoy the hills rise to over 1500 feet, gashed by narrow valleys, with numerous inland cliffs. " Here no man dies, for all their necks are broke." Here, too, are " many comical plants," as a native once informed Dr Boswell ; and, in reality, here is the only glimpse of an alpine flora. From Hoy in the S.W., the islands gradually decline in alti- tude towards the N.E. The Ward Hill of Orphir attains 876 feet, while Rousay rises to 732 feet, Westray to 549 feet, and Eday to 310 feet — the remainder of the islands being decidedly flat. The soil for the most part consists either of peat or of a clay- ish loam, formed by the disintegration of the flaggy rocks. The island of Sanday, as its name implies, is largely covered with blown sand. Several " links," usually of small extent, are met with throughout the islands. The average yearly rainfall is 37.22 inches, — May, with 1.73 inches, being the driest, and October, with 4.85 inches, the wettest 320 The Scottish Naturalist. month. The mean temperature for fifty-four years is 45°.8i ; the highest in shade for the last four years, 730; the lowest in shade for the last four years, 7°.8; and the lowest by exposure in 1 88 1, and also for the last fifty-four years, 2°.$ below zero. The winter, though usually mild, is a succession of westerly gales, laden with salt-spray, and accompanied with drenching showers, which blast the very heather-bushes on their western side, except in the more sheltered situations. Heavy falls of snow occur in hard winters. The summer is deficient in heat, and therefore trees do not now succeed well in Orkney. The new growth being seldom thoroughly ripened, they die back almost as much in winter as they had gained during the warmer months.1 Hazelnuts and stems of trees, apparently birch, are fre- quently found in the peat, showing that a warmer climate must have prevailed in Orkney at one time. These trees rarely ex- ceed six inches in diameter, and, judging from their remains, must have been more or less stunted. They were probably confined to comparatively sheltered local- ities. Dr Clouston mentions having seen a tree-stump in Berrie- dale in Hoy several feet in diameter, one of its roots having a diameter of about a foot at a distance of twelve feet from the main stem. Doubtless the largest trees grew in the sheltered valleys of Hoy, almost the only place where their descendants still linger. Vegetation is from a fortnight to three weeks later than in the middle and south of Scotland. It may be worthy of note that Fuchsia Mage/latiica thrives in the open air in Orkney, though it does not attain the same size as on the south-west coast of Scotland ; and Veronica decussata succeeds even better, while Phonnium tenax flourishes with Dr Traill in North Ronaldshay. Much remains to be done, especially in the North Isles, in the way of recording the localities of plants. In the following list, the authority for a species or locality is given immediately after it. B. stands for Dr J. T. Boswell of Balmuto; D. for Dr A. R. Duguid ; and H. for Mr Robert 1 I believe that the cause of trees not thriving in Orkney is that the gales laden with chloride of sodium destroy the leaves where they are exposed to the sea-winds and become incrusted with salt. Where trees are protected by houses or walls, they grow much better than where exposed to the direct action of winds from the sea. — T. T. B. The Scottish Naturalist. 321 Heddle. In several cases Dr Boswell has not actually seen the plants growing ; but specimens have been shown to him, either by myself or by Dr H. H. Johnston. Very doubtful or extinct plants will be mentioned at the end of the list. RANUNCULACE^E. I. Thalictrum L. t. Alpinum L., B. Not uncommon on the hills of Hoy. More local on the hills of Orphir. Vishall Evie, D. Rousay, H. Houton Head, Mainland, B. 2. Minus L. a. maritimum. Links at Hoxa, South Ronaldshay, B. At Dingeshow, Deerness, H. The only known sta- tions. Links at Melsetter, Waas, B. II. Ranunculus L. 3. Diversifolius Gilib. a. radians, B. Probably local. Quarry near Kirkwall. This is now allowed to be R. trichophyllus with floating leaves. 4. Drouetii Schultz. Swanbister, B. Probably more common than the last. 5. Hederaceus L. Papa Westray, D. Quendal, Rousay, H. 6. Flammula L., B. Common. b. pseudo-reptans. Kirbister Loch. Orphir, B. 7. Acris L., B. Common. 8. Repens L., B. Common. 9. Bulbosus L. Introduced at Swanbister 1849, B. Sandy links, D. Melsetter, H. 10. Arvensis L. Hobbister, H. Doubtless introduced, B. 11. Ficaria L., B. Common. 111. Caltha L. 12. Palustris L., B. Common. Included with the other yellow- flowered species of this order under the name "butter- cups." PAPAVERACE^. iv. Papaver L. 13. Rhceas L. Westness, Rousay, H. Probably only where introduced. VOL. VI. x 322 The Scottish Naturalist. 14. DubiumL., B. Evie, D. Cornfields at Kierfiold. A weed of cultivation. Very local. FUMARIACE^E. V. FUMARIA L. 15. Pallidiflora Jord. b. Boraei, B. A weed of cultivation. 16. Officinalis L., B. A weed of cultivation. CRUCIFER^E. vi. Cakile Goertn. 17. Maritima Scop. Smoogrow, Scalpa, and Hoy, B. Sanday, D. and H. Not uncommon. vii. Raphanus L. 18. Raphanistrum L., B. Common. VIII. Sinapis L. 19. Arvensis L., B. This and the last are very common weeds of cultivation, and are known as " Runshuk." ix. Sisymbrium L. 20. Officinale Scop. Swanbister. Introduced (?), B. Church of Hoy, D. and H. x. Cardamine L. 21. Pratensis L., B. Common. 22. Hirsuta L., B. Common. 23. Sylvatica Link., D. xi. Arabis L. 24. Thaliana L. Wall-tops near Kirkwall, D. and H. xn. Barbarea Br. 25. Vulgaris Brown. Gardens at Kirkwall, Westness, H. No doubt introduced. xiii. Nasturtium Br. 26. Officinale Brown. Scalpa, B. Local. Formerly at Swan- bister. xiv. Armoracia Rupp. 27. Rusticana Rupp. Fields near Bay of Houton ; Cornquoy, Evie, D. and H. Introduced. The Scottish Naturalist. 323 XV. COCHLEARIA L. 28. Officinalis L., B. Common. b. alpina, B. xvi. Drab a L. 29. Verna L., B. Not uncommon. 30. Incana L. Hoy, B. Rousay and Vishall, Evie, D. Rather rare. xvii. Thlaspi L. 31. Arvense L. Near Kirkwall and Rousay, D. xviii. Capsella Mcench. 32. Bursa-pastoris Mcench, B. Not uncommon. xix. Lepidium L. ^2- Smithii Hook. Reported from near Wideford. Requires confirmation. VIOLACE^E. xx. Viola L. 34. Palustris L., B. Not uncommon. 35. Sylvatica Fries. a. Riviniana, B. Common. 36. Tricolor L., B. Common as a weed of cultivation. DROSERACE^. xxi. Drosera L. 37. Rotundifolia L., B. Frequent on heaths on the Mainland, Hoy, and Rousay. 38. Anglica Huds., B. Confined to Hoy and Walls, where it is not uncommon. POLYGALACE^E. XXII. POLYGALA L. 39. Depressa Wender., B. Common. C AR YOPH YLL AC E^E. XXIII. SlLENE L. 40. Maritima With., B. Not uncommon. 41. Acaulis L., B. Confined to the hills of Hoy, where, Iioav- ever, it is common on the rocky ledges.1 1 In 1849 I found it abundant on the debris under the rocks of Hoy Hill, but it is now restricted to rocks inaccessible to sheep. — J. T. B. 324 The Scottish Naturalist. xxiv. Lychnis L. 42. Vespertina Sibth., B. Sparingly at Kierfiold, Sandwick. Probably introduced. 43. Diurna Sibth., B. Rather local. Houton on the Mainland, Hoy, and Burray. 44. Flos-cuculi L., B. Common. 45. Githago Lam. Cornfields. Probably introduced with seeds, D. and H. xxv. Cerastium L. 46. Tetrandrum Curt., B. Common. 47. Semidecandrum L. Reported by Dr Macnab. Requires confirmation. 48. Glomeratum Thuil., B. Common. 49. Triviale Link, B. Not uncommon. xxvi. Stellaria. L. 50. Media With., B. Common. 51. Graminea L., B. Rather scarce. 52. Uliginosa Murr., B. Common. xxvii. Arenaria L. 53. Serpyllifolia L. Common, D. XXVIII. HONKENEJA Ehr. 54. Peploides Ehr., B. Common. xxix. Sagina L. 55. Maritima Don. Swanbister, B. 56. Procumbens L., B. Not uncommon. 57. Nodosa Meyer., B. Rather local. xxx. Spergula L. 58. Arvensis L., B. Common, especially as a weed of cultiva- tion. xxxi. Spergularia Pers. 59. Rubra Fenzl. The Ayre, Kirkwall, D. 60. Neglecta Syme, E. B. Swanbister, B. 61. Marginata Syme, E. B. Wauk Mill Bay and Hoy, B. Probably the two last are not uncommon, though local. PORTULACACE^E. XXXII. MONTIA L. 62. Fontana L., B. Frequent. The Scottish Naturalist. 325 HYPERICACE^E. xxxiii. Hypericum L. 63. Pulchrum L., B. Not uncommon. LINACE^E. xxxiv. Radiola Gmel. 0 64. Millegrana Sm., B. Common. xxxv. Linum L. 65. Catharticum L., B. Not uncommon. 66. Usitatissimum L. As a weed among wheat, H. Wheat has only been tried occasionally, and is never sown now. GERANIACE^J. xxxvi. Geranium L. 67. Sylvaticum L. Pastures about Kirkwall, D. and H. 68. Molle L. Swanbister. Introduced, B. A rather scarce weed of cultivation. 69. Dissectum L. I found one plant of this at Firth, when in company with Dr Boswell. Sides of fields, H. 70. Robertianum L. Between Loch of Carness and the sea, D. and H. xxxvii. Oxalis L. 71. Acetosella L., B. Confined to Calf of Flotta and Rissa Little. Lowe wrote of the Calf of Flotta in 1774 — " Observed in this island the plant Oxalis acetosella for the first time in Orkney, but here growing in vast plenty." LEGUMESTIFER^E. xxxviii. Ulex L. 72. Europasus L. Introduced, B. Local. xxxix. Anthyllis L. 73. Vulneraria L., B. Common. xl. Medicago L. 74. Lupulina L., B. Not unfrequent. XLI. Trifolium. L. 75. Pratense L., B. Common. a. sylvestre, B. 326 The Scottish Naturalist. 76 77 78 79 80 Medium L. Common, H. Arvense L. Artificial pastures. Not rare, H. Repens L., B. Common. Procumbens L. Artificial pastures. Not rare, H. Minus Relhan. Swanbister, B. Introduced. xlii. Lotus L. 81. Corniculatus L., B. Common. XLIII. VlCIA L. 82. Hirsuta Koch. Field near Kirkwall, Westness, H. Pro- bably only introduced occasionally. S3. Cracca L., B. Not uncommon. 84. Sepium L., B. Rather local. 85. Sativa L. Cultivated fields as a weed, D. and H. Only when introduced. xliv. Lathyrus L. 86. Pratensis L., B. Common. xlv. Orobus L. 87. Tuberosus L., B. Burn of Ore, Wails, H. Very local. ROSACEiE. xlvi. Spiraea L. 88. Ulmaria L., B. Common. Orkney "yule grass." xlvii. Alchemilla L. 89. Arvensis Scop., B. Cultivated places. 90. Vulgaris L., B. Rather scarce. • ( To be continued. ) PRELIMINARY LIST OP THE FLOWERING PLANTS AND FEKNS OP PERTHSHIRE. By F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. ( Continued from page 287. ) cclxxxix. Eleocharis Br. 635. Palustris Br. i. Sub-species palustris. Common. ii. Sub-species uniglumis Link. Invergowrie. 636. Multicaulis Sm. Local. The Scottish Naturalist. 327 637. Acicularis Sm. Local. 638. Casspitosa Link. Common. 639. Pauciflora Link. Not uncommon. ccxc. Eriophorum L. 640. Vaginatum L. Common. 641. Polystachyon L. i. Sub-species angustifolium Roth. Common. ii. Sub-species latifolium Hoppe. Very local. ccxci. Rhynchospora Vahl. 642. Alba Vahl. Local. ccxcu. Kobresia Willd. 643. Caricina Willd. On several hills in Breadalbane. ccxciii. Carex L. 644. Pauciflora Light. On the hills. 645. Pulicaris L. Common. 646. Dioica L. Not uncommon. 647. Rupestris All. Reported from Ben Lawers. 648. Disticha Huds. Very local. 649. Teretiuscula Good. Local. 650. Muricata L. Very local. 651. Vulpina L. Very local. Invergowrie. 652. Stellulata Good. Common. 653. Remota L. Local. 654. Bcenninghauseniana Weihe. Breadalbane. 655. Leporina L. Common. 656. Canescens L. Local. Var. alpicola Wahl. On the hills. Not common. 657. Atrata L. Breadalbane. 658. Rigida Good. Not uncommon on the hills. 659. Aquatilis Wahl. Not common, or overlooked. Margins of the Tay and Isla. 660. Vulgaris Fr. Common. 661. Limosa L. i. Sub-species limosa. Very local. ii. Sub species irrigua Hoppe. Rare. 662. Glauca Scop. Common. Var. stidocarpa Sm. Breadalbane. 663. Pallescens L. Not uncommon. 664. Panicea L. Common. 328 The Scottish Naturalist. 665. Vaginata Tausch. Rare. Breadalbane, Athole, Rannoch. 666. Capillaris L. Local on the hills. 667. Pendula Huds. Mid-Perth (?) Balquhidder (?) 668. Praecox Jacq. Common. 669. Pilulifera L. Common. 670. Hirta L. Common. 671. Filiformis L. Local, but widely distributed. 672. Ustulata Wahl. Ben Lawers. G. Don, 1810. 673. Flava L. Common. Var. lepidocarpa Tausch. Common. Var. CEderi Ehr. Rare. 674. Distans L. Sub-species fulva Good. Not uncommon, especially in the Highlands. 675. Laevigata Sm. Breadalbane, &c. 676. Binervis Sm. Common in the Silurian district; rarer or overlooked in the Devonian. 677. Sylvatica Huds. Local. 678. Vesicaria L. /. Sub-species vesicaria. Very local or overlooked. Meikleour, &c. Var. Grahami Boot. Reported from Ben Cruban, Killin. ii. Sub-species saxatilis L. Breadalbane and Rannoch, but local. 679. Ampullacea Good. Common. 680. Paludosa Good. Local. GRAMINE^E. ccxciv. Nardus L. 681. Stricta L. Common. ccxcv. Phleum L. 682. Pratense L. Common. Var. tiodosiim L. Abundant. 683. Alpinum L. Ben Lawers. ccxcvi. Alopecurus L. 684. Alpinus Sm. Very rare. Glen Tilt. Var. Watsonii Bosw. Very rare. Glen Tilt. 685. Pratensis L. Common. 686. Geniculatus L. Common. The Scottish Naturalist. 329 ccxcvii. Phalaris L. 687. Canadensis L. A casual, on town rubbish-heaps. 688. Arundinacea L. Common. ccxcviii. Anthoxanthum L. 689. Odoratum L. Common. ccxcix. Sesleria Scop. 690. Caerulea Scop. Breadalbane. Very local. ccc. Agrostis L. 691. Canina L. Common. 692. Vulgaris With. Common. Var. pumila L. Not uncommon on the hills. 693. Alba L. Common. Var. stolonifera L. Not uncommon. ccci. Milium L. 694. Effusum L. Very local. cccn. Calamagrostis Adans. 695. Epigeios Roth. Very local. Dunkeld. ccciii. Aira L. 696. Flexuosa L. Common. Var. montana L. On the hills. Var. voirlichensis Cosmo Melvill, MS. Spikelets with three perfect flowers. Ben Voirlich. 697. Setacea Huds. Rare. Ben Bhrackie. 698. Caespitosa L. i. Sub-species cpespitosa. Common. Var. brevifolia Parn. On the hills, and on the banks of the Tay. it. Sub-species alpina L. On the hills. Rare. 699. Caryophyllea L. Common. 700. Praecox L. Common. ccciv. Avena L. 701. Fatua L. Rare, and sporadic. 702. Pratensis L. Local. Var. alpina Kunth. On the hills. 703. Pubescens L. Very local. Bonhard. 33° The Scottish Naturalist. 704. Flavescens L. Local. Doubtfully native. 705. Elatior L. Common. Var. bulbosa Willd. Common. cccv. Holcus L. 706. Lanatus L. Common. 707. Mollis L. Not uncommon. cccvi. Triodia Br. 708. Decumbens Beauv. Not uncommon. cccvi 1. Phragmites Trin. 709. Communis Trin. Common. cccviii. Melica L. 710. Nutans L. Local, but not uncommon. 711. Uniflora Retz. Often with nutans. cccix. Dactylis L. 712. Glomerata L. Common. cccx. Kceleria Pers. 713. Cristata Pers. Not uncommon. cccxi. Molinia Schrank. 714. Caerulea Moench. Not uncommon. Var. depauperata LindL Not uncommon. cccxii. Poa L. 715. Annua L. Common. 716. Pratensis L. Common. Var. subcarulea Sm. A thole. 717. Compressa L. Local and rare. 718. Trivialis L. Common. 719. Nemoralis L. Common. i. Sub-species nemoralis. Common. Var. angustifolia Bab. Not uncommon. Var. coarctata Gaud. Rare or local. ii. Sub-species Balfourii Parn. Breadalbane. Var. montana Parn. Breadalbane, &c. Hi. Sub-species glauca. Sm. Ben Lawers. 720. Alpina L. Breadalbane, Athole, &c, but local. The Scottish Naturalist. 331 cccxiii. Catabrosa Beauv. 721. Aquatica Beauv. Rare. cccxiv. Glyceria Br. 722. Aquatica Sm. Abundant along the lower parts of the Tay and Earn ; rarer elsewhere. 723. Fluitans Br. i. Sub-species fluitans. Common. ii. Sub-species plicata Fr. Local or rare. cccxv. Sclerochloa Beauv. 724. Distans Bab. Invergowrie. cccxvi. Briza L. 725. Media L. Common. cccxvi 1. Festuca L. 726. Elatior L. Local. 727. Pratensis Huds. Common. 728. Gigantea Vill. Local but not uncommon. 729. Sylvatica Vill. Local and rare. 730. Ovina L. i. Sub-species ovina. Common. Var. glauca. More local. ii. Sub-species duriuscula L. Common. Hi. Sub-species rubra L. Not uncommon. - 731. Myurus L. Sub snecies sciuroides Roth. Somewhat local. cccxviii. Bromus L. 732. Asper Murr. Somewhat local. 733. Sterilis Huds. Rare, except in Gowrie. 734. Racemosus L. Var. commutatus Schrad. Not common. 735. Mollis L. Common. Var. glabrescens Bosw. Kinnoull. cccxix. Cynosurus L. 736. Cristatus L. Common. cccxx. Brachypodium Beauv. 737. Sylvaticum R. and S. Not uncommon. cccxxi. Triticum L. 738. Caninum Huds. Common. / 33 2 The Scottish Naturalist. 739. Repens L. Sub-species repens. Common. Var. barbatum. Local. cccxxn. Lolium L. 740. Perenne L. Common. L. italicum A. M. is a cultivated form. 741. Temulentum L. Once at Pitkaithly. CCCXXIII. HORDEUM L. 742. Murinum L. Very local. Kinfauns. FILICBS. cccxxiv. Hymenophyllum Sm. 743. Unilaterale Willd. Local, and almost confined to the Silurian districts. cccxxv. Pteris L. 744. Aquilina L. Common. cccxxvi. Cryptogram me Br. 745. Crispa Br. Local. cccxxvii. Lomaria Willd. 746. Spicant Desv. Common. CCCXXVIII. ASPLENIUM L. 747. Ruta-muraria L. Rather local, and chiefly in the Low- lands. 748. Germanicum Weiss. Very rare. Dunkeld. 749. Septentrionale Hiell. Rare. Dunkeld. 750. Trichomanes L. Common. 751. Viride Huds. Not uncommon in the Highlands. 752. Adiantum-nigrum L. Not uncommon. cccxxix. Athyrium Roth. 753. Filix-fcemina Roth. Common. Many forms occur. cccxxx. Ceterach Willd. 754. Ofticinarum Willd. Very local, and chiefly on the Sidlaw hills. CCCXXXl. SCOLOPENDRIUM Sw. 755. Vulgare Sm. Very local and rare. The Scottish Naturalist. ^i cccxxxn. Woodsia Br. 756. Hyperborea Br. On several hills in Breadalbane, and also near Crieff. 757. Ilvensis Br. Reported from Ben Lawers. cccxxxiii. Cystopteris Bernh. 758. Fragilis Bernh. Sub-species fragilis. Common. Var. dentata Hook. Common on the hills. Var. Dickieana Sim. Said to have been found at Dunkeld. 759. Montana Link. Widely distributed in Breadalbane, and not rare, but very local. cccxxxiv. Aspidium S\v. 760. Lonchitis S\v. On the Silurian hills, but local. 761. Aculeatum S\v. i. Sub-species lobatum S\v. Common. Var. lonchitidioides is a young state. it. Sub - species aculeatum. Reported, but perhaps more properly referred to lobatum. Hi. Sub-species angulare Willd. Reported from the Ochils. cccxxxv. Nephrodium Rich. 762. Filix-mas. Rich. Common. Var. Borreri Newm. Not uncommon. 763. Spinulosum Desv. i. Sub-species spinulosum. Not uncommon. ii. Sub species dilatatum Desv. Common. Var. nanum Newm. On the hills. 764. Oreopteris Desv. Common in the Highlands ; rarer in the Lowlands. CCCXXXVI. POIYPODIUM L. 765. Vulgare L. Common. 766. Phegopteris L. Common. 767. Dryopteris L. i. Sub-species dryopteris. Common. ii. Sub - species Robertianum Hoff. Formerly near Aberfeldy, now extinct. 334 The Scottish Naturalist. 76S. Alpestre Hoppe. i. Sub-species alpestre. On the richer hills, but not general. ii. Sub-species flexile Moore. Ben Aulder. CCCXXXVII. OSMUNDA L. 769. Regalis L. Chiefly in the south-west. cccxxxviii. Ophioglossum L. 770. Vulgatum L. Very local or overlooked. CCCXXXIX. BOTRYCHIUM Sw. 771. Lunaria Sw. Not uncommon. EQUISETACE^. CCCXL. Equisetum L. 772. Arvense L. Common. 773. Pratense Ehr. Local, but very widely distributed. Not in marshes, but near streams in well drained places. 774. Sylvaticum L. Not uncommon. 775. Palustre L. Common. Var. polystachyon. Breadalbane. Var. nudum D.C. On the hills. 776. Limosum L. Common. Var. fluviatile L. Common. 777. Hyemale L. Very local. Stobhall, &c. 778. Variegatum Schl. Rare. Glen Tilt. LYCOPODIACE^. CCCXLI. Lvcopodium. L. 779. Clavatum L. Not uncommon. 780. Annotinum L. Breadalbane, Athole, and Rannoch. 781. Alpinum L. Not uncommon in the Highlands ; rarer in the Lowlands. 782. Inundatum L. Rare. Dunkeld, &c. 783. Selago L. Common in the Highlands; rarer in the Low- lands. SELAGINELLACE^J. cccxlii. Selaginella Beauv. 784. Selaginoides Gray. Not uncommon on the hills. The Scottish Naturalist. 335 CCCXLIII. ISOETES L. 785. Lacustris L. Sub-species lacustris. Common in many of the High- land lochs. The other sub-species — echitiospora — should be looked for. MARSILEACE^J. CCCXLIV. PlLULARIA L. 786. Globulifera L. Local, and chiefly in the Lowlands. ADDENDA. The following genera were omitted: — cxll* Serratula D.C. 311.* Tinctoria L. and var. monticola Bor. Near Comrie (J. Cosmo Melvill). Native (?) cxux.* Bidens L. 326.* Cernua L. Very local, and not common. Stormont Loch, Dunning, &c. 326.** Tripartita L. Very local, and not common. Cluny Loch, Aberuthven, Blairdrummond Moss, &c. clxi.* Arnoseris Gcertn. 348.* Pusilla Gcertn. Corn-fields near Invermay (Winch in Linnean Society's Herbarium). An introduction which, though not recently found, may be looked for elsewhere. The following species have been reported : — clxiv. Leontodon L. 351.* Hispidus L. Near Blair-A thole, perhaps introduced (G. C. Druce). clxvii. Crepis L. 355.* Hieracioides W. and K. Near Blair Athole (G. C. Druce). CLXIX. HlERACIUM L. 363. Lawsoni Sm. ft. Sub-species iricum Fr. Ben Chonzie (J. Cosmo Melvill). 3$ 6 The Scottish Naturalist. 365. Sylvaticum Sm. ii. Sub-species tridentatum Fr. Aberuchill 1875 (J. Cosmo Melvill). 219. Saxifraga rivularis L. Mr W. West has sent me a specimen gathered by himself on Ben Lawers in 1 880. 386. Pyrola rotundifolia L. Having had an opportunity of consulting the late Mr H. C. Watson's herbarium, now at Kew, I find that the entry in Topographical Botany of Mid Perth for the species is based on a specimen collected at "Dunkeld" by J. G. Lyon, and sent out by the Botanical Society of London in 1840. I hope some one may rediscover it at Dunkeld. From the list just concluded, it appears that in Perthshire there are 792 species of flowering-plants and. ferns, representing 348 genera. If, however, for the sake of comparison with the London Catalogue of British Plants, we count the sub-species as species, we arrive at a total of 876 species out of 1665 enu- merated in the London Catalogue. The Flora of Arbroath and its Neighbourhood. — The little book, of which the above is the title, and which in its " get-up " is extremely credit- able to Arbroath, has been prepared by a Committee of the Arbroath Horti- cultural and Natural History Association, and while (as we learn from the preface) not professing to have any very high scientific value, will yet, we are persuaded, amply fulfil the objects for which it has been compiled. The district embraced by the flora is the space included by the triangle that would be formed by a line drawn from Montrose to Forfar and from Forfar to Dundee, the sea-coast making the third side. As the species are not numbered, nor any census given, we are unable to say how many plants are grown within these boundaries ; but from a rough calculation, we judge that about 500 flowering-plants and ferns are enumerated, from which we imagine that the list is not very far from complete. That it is not absolutely complete, may be gathered from the fact that such plants as Cardamine sylvatica, Cerastium semidecandrum, Myosolis collina, &c. , are not enumerated. In addition to the flowering - plants, lists of mosses, lichens, and sea-weeds are given. As regards these, and in some measure but not to the same extent as regards the flowering-plants, we think it a great mistake to coin, or at least endeavour to perpetuate, what are known as "English names." The young botanist, however ignorant he may be of Latin, will find it quite as easy to remember the scientific names (which sooner or later he must make himself acquainted with), as to endeavour to get up the grotesque combination of English and Latin, fa- cetiously called " popular names." %^g?8|i mm ^kk» ^»SyJ* v?^j. * /y *'^''*^JgS^utf»SSfe5g t-fl *^^^*~^&r^&£a^?M ZOOLOGY. THE LEP1D0PTEKA OF ORKNEY, SHETLAND, AND THE OUTEE HEBEIDES. By F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. {Continued from page 291.) Apamea unaminis. ^Orkney. ,, gemina. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. „ basilinea. Mamestra furva. Orkney, Shetland. ,, brassicae. *Orkney. Caradrina cubicularis. Orkney, Shetland. Rusina tenebrosa. Outer Hebrides. Agrotis suffusa. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. „ porphyrea. ,, pyrophila. Orkney. Triphaena orbona. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. ,, pronuba. Noctua glareosa. Orkney. ,, augur. Orkney. „ C nigrum. ,, brunnea. Outer Hebrides. „ festiva. Orkney. ,, ,, var. conflua. ,, baia. Outer Hebrides. „ Dahlii. Orkney. ,, neglecta. Orkney. ,, xanthographa. Orkney. Pachnobia hyperborea. Shetland. Taeniocampa gothica. Orkney. Xanthia ferruginea. Orkney. Dianthaecia conspersa. Shetland. YOL. VI. 338 The Scottish Naturalist. Epunda lutulenta var. lunebergensis. Orkney „ viminalis. Orkney. Aplecta occulta. Phlogophora meticulosa. ^Orkney. Euplexia lucipara. *Orkney. Hadena adusta. ,, glauca. Orkney. „ dentina. „ thalassina. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. „ pisi. *Orkney. Calocampa vetusta. Orkney. ,, exoleta. Orkney. Abrostola urticse. '^Orkney. Plusia gamma. Orkney, Shetland. ,, iota. ^Orkney. „ pulchrina. ^Orkney. Stilbia anomala. Orkney. Anarta melanopa. Shetland. ,, myrtilli. *Orkney. Odontopera bidentata. Outer Hebrides. Boarmia repandata. Outer Hebrides. Dasydia obfuscata. Outer Hebrides. Scodiona belgiaria. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. Fidonia atomaria. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. Oporabia filigrammaria. Orkney. Cheimatobia brumata. ^Orkney. Larentia didymata. „ caesiata. „ salicata. Orkney. ,, pectinitaria. Orkney. Emmelesia albulata. •)•> ericetata. Orkney. )> blandiata. Orkney. Eupithecia . venosata. Orkney, Shetland. 5) satyrata. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. >1 lariciata. Outer Hebrides. >» nanata. >> vulgata. Outer Hebrides. tl sobrinata. Orkney. }' minutata. * Orkney. •)•) pumilata. Orkney, Outer Hebrides »> n. sp. ? ( Duter Hebrides. The Scottish Naturalist. 339 Thera simulate. Orkney. ,, variata. Outer Hebrides. Ypsipetes ruberata. Orkney. ,, elutata. Orkney. „ impluviata. Outer Hebrides. Melanthia ocellata. Orkney. Melanippe hastata. Outer Hebrides. ,, sociata. Orkney. ,, montanata. „ fluctuata. *Orkney, Shetland. Coremia munitata Orkney, Shetland. ,, propugnata. *Orkney. „ ferrugata. Outer Hebrides. Camptogramma bilineata. Cidaria miata. Orkney. „ russata. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. ,, immanata. Orkney, Shetland. ,, suffumata. Outer Hebrides. ,, testata. Orkney, Shetland. „ populate Orkney. ,, fulvata. Orkney. ,, prunata. *Orkney. Carsia imbutata. Orkney, Shetland. Anaitis plagiata. Orkney. Herbula cespitalis. Orkney. Scopula lutealis. Orkney. ,, prunalis. Orkney. Stenopteryx hybridalis. Orkney. Scoparia ambigualis. Shetland. ,, atomalis. Orkney. ,, murana. Outer Hebrides. „ angustea. Outer Hebrides. ., alpina. Orkney, Shetland. Crambus pratellus. ,, culmellus. ,, margaritellus. Outer Hebrides. Amphisa Gerningiana. ^Shetland. Tortrix icterana. Outer Hebrides. Peronea caledoniana. Orkney. '„ variegana. Orkney. ,, hastiana. Orkney. Teras caudana. Orkney. 340 The Scottish Naturalist. Teras contaminana. Orkney. Dictyopteryx Loeflingiana. Orkney. Pardia tripunctana. Outer Hebrides. Penthina marginalia. Orkney. Sericoris littoralis. Orkney, Shetland. ,, urticana. Outer Hebrides. Sciaphila Penziana. Outer Hebrides. Mixodia Schulziana. Cnephasia musculana. Orkney, Shetland. Clepsis rusticana. Orkney. Bactra lanceolana. Orkney, Shetland. Phoxopteryx unguicana. ,, myrtillana. Orkney. Grapholitha Campoliliana. Orkney, Outer Hebrides. ,, Penkleriana. Orkney. Phceodes tetraquetrana. Orkney. Hypermecia cruciana. Orkney. Poedisca Solandriana. Orkney. ,, sordidana. Orkney. Ephippiphora Pflugiana. Orkney. Coccyx hyrciniana. Outer Hebrides. Pamplusia monticolana. Orkney. Catoptria ulicetana. Dichrorampha tanacetana. Shetland. Xylopoda Fabriciana. Orkney. Eupcecilia angustana. Orkney. ,, ciliella. Orkney. ,, thuleana. Shetland. Argyrolepia Baumanniana. Orkney. „ cnicana. Orkney, Shetland. Aphelia pratana. Orkney, Shetland. Tinea rusticella. Shetland. Gelechia ericetella. Shetland. Glyphipteryx cladiella. Shetland. Endrosis fenestrella. ^Shetland. CEcophora pseudospretella. ^Shetland. To these must be added — Vanessa urticre. ^Orkney — which Dr Boswell tells me he has taken. Of the 175 species given in the above list, 137 are found in Orkney, 59 in Shetland, and 62 in the Outer Hebrides; but 24 The Scottish Naturalist. 341 species only are common to all the three groups of islands. Orkney has 77 species that have not yet been detected in Shet- land or the Outer Hebrides; while Shetland has 14, and the Outer Hebrides 23 species not found in the other islands. To Orkney and Shetland 21 species are common which have not been seen in the Outer Hebrides ; while the latter group and Orkney have in common 15 species not in Shetland. On the other hand, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides have no species in common that are not also in Orkney. It is extremely likely that further investigation will add more or less to the number of species in each group — probably adding considerably to the number of Hebridean species — but at the same time it is pos- sible that the relative proportions will not be very greatly disturbed. Before proceeding to inquire into the origin of the fauna of each of the groups, it will be desirable to glance at some pecu- liarities presented by many of the species, as indicated by Mr Jenner Weir in the papers already cited. Hepialus humuli. — In Shetland the very peculiar form, Hcth- landka Stgr., in which the male, instead of having immaculate silvery-white wings, shows a greater or less tendency to assume the very different coloration of the female, is not uncommon, but ordinary-coloured males also occur. In Orkney and the Hebrides the male is of the normal colour. The females are normal in all the groups of islands. Cheloiiia plantagitiis. — Both in Shetland and Orkney there is a tendency to have the upper wings marked with pale yellow, and the lower wings a dark yellow. Dasypolia te?)ipli. — A light variety occurs in Shetland, as also a darker variety. Noctua /estiva, JV. Dah/ii, and Ar. rtibi, are in Orkney very similar, the prevailing colour being a ruddy brown. DiaHthcecia conspersa. — In Shetland much darker than usual. Aplecta occulta. — In Shetland this is pale like the southern type, and not dark as in the Scottish Highlands. Anarta mclanopa. — In Shetland the front wings are yellower than in Rannoch examples. Boar?nia repandata presents in the Outer Hebrides a well- defined local variety (sodorenshnn), in which the wings (especially in the female) are leaden grey with darker markings, but with little or no trace of brown. Dasydia obfuscata. — In the Outer Hebrides lighter than usual. 342 The Scottish Naturalist. Larentia didymata. — In Shetland and the Outer Hebrides darker than usual ; in Orkney lighter than usual. Emmelesia albulata in Shetland departs very much from the ordinary form, the colour being "luteous lead-colour" and the markings more or less obliterated. The name var. Thules has been proposed for this form. In Orkney the colour is normal, but in the Outer Hebrides there occurred along with ordinarily coloured specimens several pure white specimens, to which the name var. Hebridium has been given. Eupithecia venosata. — Normal in Orkney, but in Shetland ot a dull lead-colour, with the markings often ill defined. Melanippe montanata. — Normal in Orkney. In Shetland pre- sents a well-defined variety (Shetlandica) in which the median band is much broken up and the hind wings streaked with narrow dark lines, the ground-colour being pale or dark. In the Outer Hebrides the specimens are small and the ground-colour suffused with grey, but the median band is not broken up. Camptogramma bilineata. — In Shetland this is of a pale straw colour, but, as usual, the markings vary in intensity. In the Outer Hebrides there is a grey look about the front wings. Cidaria russata. — Very variable in Orkney. On the other hand, in the Outer Hebrides there is a striking uniformity in the coloration — the more remarkable as this insect is usually so variable — grey and black being the prevailing colours, and the usual red markings being very faintly shown. The size also is smaller than usual. Though the above are the more striking variations afforded by individual species, yet if collections from each of the three groups of islands are examined, they present, when compared inter se, certain noteworthy features. The Orkney insects differ very little, if at all, from those of the north of Scotland in general appearance, nor, considering the proximity of Orkney to Scot- land, ought we to expect this to be otherwise. The Outer Heb- ridean insects are more differentiated than the Orcadian, and amongst them, especially in the Geometras, the prevailing colour is grey. In the Shetlandic insects the most striking feature is not only a wider range of variation in colour, but that some of the species have diverged into very well denned varieties. The special features of the insects of each group is just what we might reasonably expect. Of the three groups the Orkneys are not only the one most recently insulated, but from their proximity to the coast of Scotland it is almost certain that in- The Scottish Naturalist. 343 sects may, with favourable winds, be carried across the Pentland Firth. In this way additions may not only be made to the list of species, but — what would tend greatly to prevent the develop- ment of insular varieties — individuals of already existent species would introduce fresh blood. The Outer Hebrides, on the other hand, are more remote, and have been longer isolated. Into them, also, it is not im- possible that occasionally new colonists are introduced, but much more rarely than into the Orkneys. Hence there have been time and opportunities for the development of local races, and, as Mr Jenner Weir remarks, the environment has been very favourable for such development. In the "battle of life" insects of the order Lepidoptera rarely depend upon weapons of offence or defence for protection from their numerous enemies, but by the assimilation of their colour or shape to those of neighbouring objects. Hence the green ground-colour and lines, bands, and spots of many caterpillars ; the mottled grey., black, and white of the wings of moths that rest on tree-trunks ; the mimicry of bits of stick and withered leaves that others present ; and the numerous other contrivances of protective resemblance. No one of course believes that insects consciously assume these colours and forms. Such pro- tective resemblances are gradually brought about by the law of natural selection, whereby the species or varieties best fitted for the locality will survive, and those less fitted perish. Now a form that in one locality will be the fittest will in another be less adapted for the surroundings, and unless natural selection inter- venes, will probably soon perish. When natural selection inter- venes its action is this. All species have a greater or less tendency to variation. Those individuals which vary — be it ever so little — in the direction of a greater protective resem- blance, will survive and propagate the species when other less favoured individuals fall a prey to enemies. In the next gen- eration this resemblance will be more intensified in some indi- viduals than in others, and the same weeding process will go on. This will be repeated generation after generation, till in course of time the whole race has acquired the protective form or colour, and any relapses to the ancestral type (which will pro- bably occasionally occur) will be more readily discovered (being less protected) by enemies, and hence not have an opportunity of reproducing their like. The insects of the Outer Hebrides show many examples of this law of nature. As an instance we 344 The Scottish Naturalist. will take the case of Boarmia repandata. This insect is grey, with a brownish tint, and its wings more or less traversed by darker lines and bands. As a rule it rests on the trunks of trees, and its colours very much resemble the bark, and so protect it from observation. In the Outer Hebrides, however, there are now no indigenous trees, though there were probably such when Boarmia repandata first arrived there. When the trees got scarcer the insect would have to repose on other objects, such as stones. On these its colour would be no protection, and consequently it would fall an easier prey to its enemies. But those individuals which more resembled the stones in colour would be less readily detected, and hence, in course of time, the colours of all the Hebridean race of Boarmia repandata would become modified till they became as they are at the present day — namely, leaden-grey, with darker markings, and rarely a very faint trace of brown, resembling very closely the gneiss rock on which the insects rest. Thus has been brought about the grey colour, which is a striking feature of many of the Hebridean insects. The Shetland Isles are, as we have seen, the most remote of the three groups from the mainland of Scotland. They were also the first to become islands, and were hence cut off at a comparatively early period from the north -flowing stream of immigrants that peopled the other islands. New immigrants at the present day must also be of rare occurrence. From this it follows that the number of species in the Shetlands is small, and that those that are there have fewer competitors to contend with, and probably fewer enemies to protect themselves from. Under these circumstances more and better defined varieties have arisen and survived. It is very much to be desired that something should be learned of the insects of the Faroe Islands. These, as well as Iceland, derived their fauna and flora from Britain, and should, for scientific purposes, be considered as forming part of it. Endromis versicolor. — Two fine specimens, now in the collection of Mr George Sim, Gonrdas, Fyvie, were taken on birch at Ballater in May 1880, by Mr Alexander Chivas, policeman, a local entomologist. — L. D. Dunbar, Wick. \*jJMpi "^*^©^ Avi?fe^p>?Z^C ^^^\D < & k-. w^.-rf'SVi -^ — -" ^iriDv^ . f^ ^ PHYTOLOGY. KEDISOOVEKY OF OALTHA EADIOANS. By WALTER GRAHAM. THIS very rare and interesting plant was discovered by Don in 1790. He sent it to London to Sir Joseph Banks, who recognised in it specific characters, and named it radicans, from its strong tendency to root at all the nodes. Its rediscovery two years ago occurred under the following circumstances : In a letter about something else, Mr Babington writes me of date 3d June 1880, "There is a matter in your county which very much needs determination. Caltha radicans was found by Don ninety years ago, on the estate of Carse, near Forfar. It is now known only in cultivation in a very few gardens. If it could be found again it would be very satisfactory indeed. If you can get any information on the matter you would be doing good service to botany." Several days later he adds : " The Caltha has not been found in any other spot in the whole world, and if Don did not find it" in a wild state, "its history is a complete puzzle." I went to Don's station in search, without result. The place has been so much altered by drainage, that the dif- ficulty now is to find suitable conditions there. Having failed at Hatton of Carse, I set to work here, on the margins of Rescobie Loch, and in the adjoining marshes and ditches, where Caltha grows abundantly. On June 12, 1880, after much look- ing, I was so fortunate as to find a late-flowering plant some- thing like what the descriptions of the manuals indicate. I continued to look about for a fortnight without finding anything better, — finding, indeed, very little else that would do. On writing Mr Babington, and sending him rooted pieces at his request, he replied that he thought I had got the right plant, but gave no definite opinion till he should see it growing. This completed all that was possible in 1880. In May of last year he writes : " We have the Caltha growing well. They have 346 The Scottish Naturalist. flowered. I think that they are the true radicans, although, like you, I have had (and still have) some little doubt. It may be that radicans is not different from palustris minor. But that ijs a mountain plant. The leaves of your plant are very peculiar." Having observed that our plant had spreading carpels, while the minor is described as having its carpels erect, I requested Mr Babington to examine the carpels of his plant. He replied that it had not produced carpels, and on my sending him matured fruits upon their stalks, he writes : "There can be no doubt of the spreading character of these fruits, which you have so kindly sent. If the description of the fruit of C. minor is correct, there can be no question of these not being like them. I see this is a rooting plant, and so is in all probability the C. radicans of all authors." Having studied leaf-character more than any other point, and with little satisfaction, I was still very far from being convinced, — thinking the plant rather an extreme form than a separate species. I had found it quite impossible to draw a definite line anywhere in regard to the leaf. For example, the serration of the margin cannot be relied on as a character of one plant only. I have frequently seen very acute serration in a coarse palustris. Dependent I think upon situation, the leaf of palustris is ex- tremely variable. In regard to the flower, it is difficult to say sometimes whether the sepals ought to be regarded as contigu- ous or not ; and the narrowness of the sepal, as a character for radicans, is equally troublesome. As to rooting, my experience is that all Calthce root at one joint at any rate, if not prevented by competing vegetation. In the presence of so much teasing variation, it is a very remarkable fact that the cultivated plant — that at Kew, for example, one of Don's undoubted specimens — has retained its characters unchanged by ninety years of cultivation. Failing distinctly permanent character, one would have expected such cultivation to have thrown out, or modified something. But this I am assured is not the case. The Rescobie plant roots at all, or nearly all, the joints. The flower - stalks seek the ground from the first, and before being loaded by the heavy fruit. The radical leaf, and the first at each node, are triangular, and " the base of the leaf is nearly at right angles with the petiole." The outline of the other leaves forms a curvilinear triangle, the two upper sides being convex, and the base concave, or from that to cordate. If The Scottish Naturalist. 347 cordate, the lobes will be much less heavy than in the typical paiustris, — will seldom approach, and never overlap. I think the peculiar triangular leaf is deciduous, withering soon after the seed is discharged. Unlike the variety Guerangerii of pai- ustris, the carpel beaks of our plant cannot be described as long ; unlike variety minor, its carpels are divaricately arranged, and its only known station has an elevation of scarcely over 200 feet. PaJustris in its ordinary condition is a larger, coarser plant, with leaves which are less flat, and of different outline. But the root- ing, as the name implies, is the important point of difference. The other plants root, so far as I have been able to make out, at about one joint The leaves are no doubt peculiar, but the common pahistris and the minor tone in at every character of the leaf. The non-contiguous sepal is the character which is most easily noticed. It was that principally which led to the rediscovery. Mr Druce, of Oxford, was here two weeks ago. He knows the plant at Kew. When I showed him our plant, he at once said (speaking of the leaves), "That is just it;" and afterwards re- marked that the closeness was much more striking than he ex- pected to find it. On the 9th current Mr Babington writes : " I have no doubt that we have the true Caltha radicans of Don in the place where you have found it. It now remains to be seen if it is in other spots near. I should expect to find it in any bog from which any of the streams flow, or other wet places. It seems best suited for peaty ground where it can run and root on the fairly level ground. I do not at all think that it is the same as the variety minor of paluslris, which is sometimes found anion 2j the hills." Rescobie, ^ist August \%%2. THE GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS. By JOHN CAMERON. (Continued from p. 305.) APPENDIX.— ADDITIONAL NAMES. THESE names were either unintentionally omitted, or did not come under my observation until too late for inser- tion in their proper botanical order. 348 The Scottish Naturalist, Airgiod luachra (Spircea ulmaria) — Meadow-sweet, meaning the silvery rush. Airgiod. Latin : argentum. Amharag (Sinapis arvensis) — Cherlock. From the root amh, raw or pungent, and probably corrupted into " Afarag" bhuidhe ; also in Cochlear ia officinalis. A'maraich, for amharaich, from the same root, on account of the pungent taste of both plants. Barr a-bhrigean (Potentilla anserind) — Silverweed. Bath ros {Rosmarinus officinalis) — Rosemary. From bath, the sea ; and ros, a rose. Bearnan bearnach (Taraxacum dens-leonis) — Dandelion. Bearnan bealtine (Caltha palustris) — Marsh-marigold. Billeog an spuinc (Tussilago farfara) — Coltsfoot. Biodh an 't sionaidh (Sedum anglicum). (Sionaidh, a prince, a lord, chief; biodh, food.) From the name it is evident that the plant was formerly eaten, and considered a delicacy. Bior ros (Nymphcea) — Water-lily. Bior, or its aspirated form bhir or bhior, meaning water; in Arabic, Mr; Hebrew, beer. From this root comes the name bhiorag, a water-plant, and such place and river names as ver in Inver, her in Hereford, and the river Wear in Durham. Blath nam bodaigh (Papaver) — Poppy, meaning the rustic's flower. Buidhechan-bo-bleacht (Primula verts) — Cowslip. The milk- cow's daisies. Cal Phadruigh (Saxifraga umbrosa) — London pride ; Peter's kale. Cannach (Myrica gale) — Bog-myrtle. (This name must not be confounded with canach, the bog-cotton.) It means any fra- grant shrub, pretty, beautiful, mild, soft. Caorag leana (Lychnis flos-cuculi) — Ragged robin. Caorag, a spark ; and leana, a marsh. Caor con ( Viburnum opulus) — Dogberry. Caor, a berry ; con, dog. Cerrucan (Daucus carota and Sium sisarum) — Skirrets. Name applied to the roots of these and the next plant. Curran earraich (Potentilla anserind) — Silver - weed ; wild skirret. " Mil fo thalamh, currain Earraich." Underground honey, spring carrots. " Exceptional luxuries. The spring carrot is the root of the silver-weed." — Sheriff Nicolson. The Scottish Naturalist. 349 Coirean coilleach {Lychnis diurnd). Collaidin ban (Papaver) — White poppy. Corran lin (Spergula arvensis) — Spurrey. Cuirinin (Nymph tea) — Water-lily. Daileag (Phoenix daclyli/era) — The date-tree. Dearag thalmhainn (Fumaria officinalis) — Fumitory. From dearg, red ; thalamh, earth, ground. Dearcan dubh (Ribes nigrum) — Black currants. Deochdan dearg ( Trifolium pratense) — Red clover.' Driuch na muine {Drosera rotundifolia) — Sun-dew. Driuch, dew ; and na muine, of the hill. Dun, lus (Scrophularia nodosa) — Figwort, the high plant. According to Bede, dun means a height in the ancient British language ; hence the terminations of names of towns, don and ton. Eabh (Populus tremula) — Aspen. The Gaelic for Eve. Eanach (Nardus stricta). Easdradh (Filices) — Ferns. Eidheann mu chrann (Hcdera helix) — The ivy. " Gach fiodh 's a' choille Ach eidheann mu chrann a's fiodhagach." Every tree in the wood Except ivy and bird-cherry tree. Feathlog fa chrann (Lonicera periclymenum). Fib ( Vaccinium vitis idcea) — Whortleberry. Fineal ghreugach (Trigonella) — Greek fennel. Fiodh almug {Sautalum album) — Sandal- wood. " Agus mar an ceudna loingneas Hiram a ghlulain or o Ophir, agus ro mhoran <\ofhiodh a/muig." — (Stuart) i Kings x. n. The navy of Hiram brought in from Ophir gold and great plenty of Almug trees. Fionnach (Nardus stricta) — From Jionn, white. Fiuran and giuran (Heracleum sphondylium) — Cow-parsnip. Fofannan min (Sonchus oleraceus) — Sow-thistle. For fofannan, see fothannan. Forr dris (Rosa rubiginosa)— Sweet-brier. Fuaim an t' Siorraigh (Fumaria officinalis) — Fumitory. Fuaim, sound ; an f Siorraigh, of the sheriff! Probably only a humorous play on the words "fumaria officinalis." Furran (Quercus robur)— The oak. Gairleach collaid (Erysimum alliaria) — Jack-by-the-hedge; meaning hedge garlic. 350 The Scottish Naturalist. Gairteog (Pyrus malus) — Crab -apple. From ga?g, sour, bitter. Gall pheasair (Luprinus) — Lupin. Gall uinnseann (Pyrus aria) — Quickbeam tree. Gearr bochdan (Cakile mariiima) — Sea gilly-flower. Glaodhran (Oxalis and Rhinanthus crista-galli) — Meaning a "rattle." Dictionaries give this name to wood-sorrel; in Bread- albane it is applied generally to the yellow rattle. Glocan {Primus padus) — Bird-cherry. Glocan or g/aea/i, a prong or fork. Goirgin garaidh {Allium ursinum) — Garlic. Goirmin searradh ( Viola tricolor) — Pansy ; heart's-ease. Gran arcain (Ranunculus ficaria) — Lesser celandine. Arc, a cork, from its cork-like roots. Leamhnach (Potentilla tormeutilla) — Common tormentil. Name in Gaelic, meaning "tormenting," from which " leann- artach " probably is a corruption. ', \ (Cotyledon umbilicus) — Navel wort. Loan cat J Lochal mothair ( Veronica beccabunga) — Brook-lime. Lusra na geire-boirnigh (Arbutus uva-ursi) — Red bear berry, the plant of bitterness. Geire, bitterness ; and boimigh, femi- nine. See " meacan easa fiorine" Lus na meala mor (Malva sylvestris) — The common mallow. Lus mor. Also applied to Verbascum thapsus, Mullein, as well as to the foxglove (Digitalis). Lus ros (Geranium Robertiatium) — Herb Robert ; crane's-bill ; the rose-wort. Lus an lonaidh (Angelica sylvestris) — Wood angelica. Lon- aidh is the piston or handle of the churn. The umbelliferous flower has much the appearance of that implement. The com- mon name in Breadalbane. Lus an t' seann duine — The old man's plant. Name given in some places to " southernwood," Artemisia abrotanum. Lus na seabhag — Hawkweed. Meacan easa beanine (Pceonia) — Female paeony. Meacan easa fiorine (Pceonia) — Male paeony. Old botanists used to distinguish between two varieties of this plant, and named them male and female. This was a mere fanciful distinction, and had no reference to the real functions of the stamens and pistils of plants ; but yet there existed a vague idea, from time immemorial, that fecundation was in some degree analogous to > (Sanicula europtza) — Wood-sanicle. The Scottish Naturalist. 351 sexual relationship, as in animals — hence such allusions as " Tarbh, coille," " Dair na coille" Meilise (Sisymbrium officinale) — Hedge mustard. Neandog chaoch (Lamium) — Dead nettle ; blind nettle. Onn. Some authorities give this name to Ulex europcea, as well as to Euonymus. Welsh, chwyn — hence Scotch and English whin. Peasair tuilbh (Orobus tuberosus) — Bitter vetch. Ponair churraigh (Menyanthes) — Marsh-trefoil, meaning the marsh-bean, bog-bean. Pis phreachain ( Vicia sativa) — Pis = peas. Preacha?i, a raven- ous bird. Raibhe (Rapha?ius) — Radish. Ramasg — Applied to various species of Fuci, from ram, a branch, an oar = oar-weed. Reagha maighe, Reagaim and raema Reilige, reilteag [Geranium Robertianum) — From reil or reu/, a star. Rian roighe (Geranium Robertianum) — Crane's-bill. Ros mall (Althcea rosea) — Hollyhock. Rotheach tragha (Crambe maritima) — Seakale. Searbhan muic (Cichorium endiva) — Endive. Seircean mor (Arctium Zappa) — Burdock. Seud (Hypericum). Sibhin (Scirpus lacustris) — Bulrush. Son duileag (Lapsana communis) — Nipple-wort. Son, good ; dui/eag, a leaf. Spriunan (Ribes nigrum and rubrum) — Currants. Straif (Prunus spinosa) — Sloe. Sreang thrian (Ononis arvensis) — Rest-harrow. Staoin (Nepeta glechoma) — Also applied to ground -ivy in some places, as well as to juniper. Subh nam ban sithe (Rubus saxatilis) — Stone-bramble ; the fairy-woman's strawberry. Toir-pin (Scmpervivum tcctorum) — House-leek; probably the same as tir-pin. Traithnin (Geum urbanum) — Geum. Truim crann (Sambucus nigra) — Elder, corruption from drum. Tuile thalmhainn (Ranunculus bulbosus) — Tui/e, a water-course. Tuimpe — Turnip. 352 The Scottish Naturalist. NOTES. Nasturtium officinale — Water-cress. A curious old super- stition respecting the power of this plant as a charm to facilitate milk-stealing was common in Scotland and Ireland. " Not long ago, an old woman was found, on a May morning, at a spring- well cutting the tops of water-cresses with a pair of scissors, mut- tering strange words, and the names of certain persons who had cows, also the words, " S' liomsa leath do choud sa " (half thine is mine). She repeated these words as often as she cut a sprig, which personated the individual she intended to rob of his milk and cream." " Some women make use of the root of groundsel as an amulet against such charms, by putting it amongst the cream." — Martin. Among the poorer classes, water -cress formed a most important auxiliary to their ordinary food. " It they found a plot of water-cresses or shamrock, there they flocked as to a feast for the time." — Spencer. Drosera rotundifolia — Sun- dew. Lus na fearnaich. " Ear- nach " was the name given to a distemper among cattle, caused, it is supposed, by eating a poisonous herb. Some say the sun- dew— others, again, aver the sun-dew was an effectual remedy. This plant was much employed among Celtic tribes for dyeing the hair. Linum usitatissimum (Lion). "Meirle salainn 's meirle frois, Meirl' o nach fhaigh anam clos ; Gus an teid an t-iasg air tir, Cha 'n fhaigh meirleach an lin clos." "This illustrates the great value attached to salt and lint, espe- cially among a fishing population, at a time when the duty on salt was excessive, and lint was cultivated in the Hebrides." — Sheriff Nicolson. Hypericum. Martin evidently refers to this plant, and calls it " Fuga dcemouumP "John Morrison, who lives in Bernera (Harris), wears the plant called "Send" in the neck of his coat to prevent his seeing of visions, and says he never saw any since he first carried that plant about with him." Children have a saying when they meet this plant — •'Luibh Cholum Chille, gun sireadh gun iarraidh, 'Sa dheoin Dia, cha bhasaich mi nochd." St Columbus-wort, unsought, unasked, and, please God, I won't die to-night. Shamrock — Wood sorrel and white clover. The shamrock The Scottish Naturalist. 353 is said to be worn by the Irish upon the anniversary of St Patrick for the following reason : When the Saint preached the Gospel to the pagan Irish, he illustrated the doctrine of the Trinity by showing them a trefoil, which was ever afterwards worn upon the Saint's anniversary. " Between May-day and harvest, butter, new cheese, and curds and shamrock, are the food of the meaner sort all this season." — Piers's ' West Heath.' Gaelic Alphabet. Antecedent to the use of the present alphabet, the ancient Celts wrote on the barks of trees. The writing on the bark of trees they called oghuitn, and sometimes trees, feadha, and the present alphabet litri or letters. " Cormac Casil cona churu, Leir Mumu, cor mela ; . Tragaid im righ Ratha Bicli, Na Litri is na Feadha." Cormac of Cashel with his companions Minister is his, may he long enjoy ; Around the King of Raith Bicli are cultivated The Letters and the Trees. The " letters " here signify, of course, our present Gaelic alphabet and writings; but the "trees" can only signify the oghuwi, letters, which were named after trees indigenous to the country." — Prof. O'Curry. Orobus tuberosus (Corra meille, M'Alpin, and cairmea/, Armstrong) — Bitter vetch — and sometimes called " wild liquorice " — seems to be the same name as the French " cara- mel" burnt sugar; and according to Webster, Latin, " ca?ina mellis? or sugar-cane. The fermented liquor that was formerly made from it, called cairm or cuirm, seems to be the same as the "courmi" which Dioscorides says the old Britons drank. The root was pounded and infused, and yeast added. It was either drunk by itself, or mixed with their ale — a liquor held in high estimation before the days of whisky ; hence, the word "cuirm " signifies a feast. That their drinking gatherings cannot have had the demoralising tendencies which might be expected, is evident, as they were taken as typical of spiritual communion. In the Litany of " Aengus Ceile De," dating about the year 798, we have a poem ascribed to St Brigid, now preserved in the Burgundian Library, Brussels. Ropadh maith lem corm-lina mor, Do righ na righ, Ropadh maith lem muinnter nimhe Acca hoi tre bithe shir." VOL. VI. 1y> ui LIBRARY 354 The Scottish Naturalist. I should like a great lake of ale For the King of kings ; I should like the family of heaven To be drinking it through time eternal. To prevent the inebriating effects of ale, " the natives of Mull are very careful to chew a piece of ' charmeV root, finding it to be aromatic — especially when they intend to have a drinking- bout ; for they say this in some measure prevents drunkenness." — Martin's ' Western Isles.' Trees, Thorns. A superstition was common among the Celtic races, that for every tree cut down in any district, one of the inhabitants in that district would die that year. Many ancient forts, and the thorns which surrounded them, were preserved by the veneration, or rather dread, with which the thorns were held ; hence, perhaps, the name sgitheach, sgith (anciently), fear; hence also, droighionn (druidh), enchantment, witchcraft. Rubus fruticosus— (Smearagan) Blackberries. It was and is, I believe, still a common belief in the Highlands that each blackberry contains a poisonous worm. Another popular belief is — kept up probably to prevent children eating them when unwholesome — that the fairies defiled them at Michaelmas and Halloween. Pyrus aucuparia — (Craobh chaoran) Mountain-ash. The Highlanders have long believed that good or bad luck is connected with various trees. The caoran or fuinnseach coille (the wood enchantress) was considered by them as the most propitious of trees ; hence it was planted near every dwelling- house, and even far up in the mountain glens, still marking the spot of the old shielings. " And in fishing-boats as are rigged with sails, a piece of the tree was fastened to the haul-yard, and held as an indispensable necessity." " Cattle diseases were supposed to have been induced by fairies, or by witchcraft. It is a common belief to bind unto a cow's tail a small piece of mountain-ash, as a charm against witchcraft." — Martin. And when malt did not yield its due proportion of spirits, this was a sovereign remedy. In addition to its other virtues, its fruit was supposed to cause longevity. In the Dean of Lismore's Book there occurs a very old poem, ascribed to Caoch O'Cluain (Blind O'Cloan) ; he described the rowan-tree thus — "Caorthainn do hhi air Loch Maoibh do chimid an traigh do dheas, Gach a re 'us gach a mios toradh abuich do bin air. Seasamh bha an caora sin, fa millise no mil a bhlath, The Scottish Naturalist. Do chumadh a caoran dearg fear gun bhiaclh gu ceann naoi trath Bleadhna air shaoghal gach fir do chuir sin is sgeul dearbh." 355 A rowan-tree stood on Loch Mai, We see its shore there to the south ; Every quarter, every month, It bore its fair, well-ripened fruit; There stood the tree alone, erect, Its fruit than honey sweeter far, That precious fruit so richly red Did suffice for a man's nine meals ; A year it added to man's life. " — Translated by Dr M'Lauchlan. Ribes grossularia. The prickles of the gooseberry-bush were used as charms for the cure of warts and the stye. A wedding- ring laid over the wart, and pricked through the ring with a gooseberry thorn, will remove the wart. Ten gooseberry thorns are plucked to cure the stye — nine are pointed at the part affected, and the tenth thrown over the left shoulder. Meum athamanticum — Muilceann. The Inverness local name for this plant, "Brian" is probably named after St Brian, who flourished about the year 637. He had a great establish- ment at Tuaim Drecain. His reputation as a saint and "ollamh" or doctor, extended far and wide; to him Cennfaeladh, the learned, was carried to be cured after the battle of Magh Rath. He had three schools for philosophy, classics, and law. It seems very strange, however, that this local name should be confined to Inverness, and be unknown in Ireland, where St Bricin was residing. Pastinaca sativa — {Curran geal) The white wild carrot, parsnip. The natives of Harris make use of the seeds of the wild white carrot, instead of hops, for brewing their beer, and they say it answers the purpose sufficiently well, and gives the drink a good relish besides. " There is a large root growing amongst the rocks of this island — the natives call it the ' Curran petrisj the rock- carrot — of a whitish colour, and upwards of two feet in length, where the ground is deep, and in shape and size like a large carrot." — Martin. Daucus carota — Curran buidhe. "The women present the men (on St Michaelmas Day) with a pair of fine garters, of divers colours, and they give them likewise a quantity of wild carrots."— Martin. 356 The Scottish Naturalist. Sambucus nigra— (Druman) The elder. "The common people [of the Highlands] keep as a great secret in curing wounds the leaves of the elder, which they have gathered the first day of April, for the purpose of disappointing the charms of witches. They affix them to their doors and windows." — C. de Iryngin, at the Camp of Athole, June 30, 165 1. Misletoe and ivy were credited with similar powers. " The inhabitants cut withies of misletoe and ivy, make circles of them, keep them all the year, and pretend to cure hectic and other troubles by them." — See Appendix to Pennant's < Tour.' "The misletoe," says Valancey, in his 'Grammar of the Irish Language,' "was sacred to the Druids, because not only its berries, but its leaves also, grew in clusters of three united to one stock." Carduus benedictus — Fothannan beannuichte, though applied to " Marianus" is probably " Centawea be7iedicta" and was so called from the many medicinal virtues it was thought to possess. It is a native of Spain and the Levant, C. heterophyllus — Melancholy thistle. Was said to be the badge of James I. of Scotland. A most appropriate badge ; but yet it had no connection with the unfortunate and melan- choly history of the Stuarts, but was derived from the belief that a decoction of this plant was a sovereign remedy for mad- ness, which, in older times, was called " melancholy." The plant generally selected to represent the Scotch heraldic thistle is Onopordon acanthium, the cotton-thistle, and, strange to say, it does not grow wild in Scotland. Achaius, king of Scotland (in the latter part of the eighth century), is said to have been the first to have adopted the thistle for his device. Favine says Achaius assumed the thistle in combination with the rue : the thistle, because it will not endure handling ; and the rue, because it would drive away serpents by its smell, and cure their poisonous bites. The thistle was not received into the national arms before the fifteenth century. Quercus robur — Darach. The age of the oak-tree was a matter of much curiosity to the old Gaels : — " Tri aois coin, aois eich ; Tri aois eich, aois duine ; Tri aois duine, aois feidh ; Tri aois feidh, aois firein ; Tri aois firein, aois craoibh-dharaich. " The Scottish Naturalist. 357 Thrice dog's age, age of horse ; Thrice horse's age, age of man ; Thrice man's age, age of deer ; Thrice deer's age, age of eagle ; Thrice eagle's age, age of oak. "The natives of Tiree preserve their yeast by an oaken wyth, which they twist and put into it, and for future use keep it in barley straw." — Martin. Chrysanthemum leucanthemum — Ox-eye daisy, called in Gaelic " Breinean brothach." Breinean or brainean also means a king ; Welsh, brenhin. The word is now obsolete in the Highlands. The plant was a remedy for the king's-evil. Achillea millefolium — Earr thalmhainn. The yarrow, cut by moonlight by a young woman, with a black-handled knife, and certain mystic words, similar to the following, pro- nounced— " Good-morrow, good-morrow, fair yarrow, And thrice good-morrow to thee ; Come, tell me before to-morrow, Who my true love shall be." The yarrow is brought home, put into the right stocking, and placed under the pillow, and the mystic dream is expected ; but if she opens her lips after she has pulled the yarrow, the charm is broken. Allusion is made to this superstition in a pretty song- quoted in the ' Beauties of Highland Poetry,' p. 381, beginning — " Gu'n dh'eirich mi moch, air madainn an de, 'S ghearr mi'n earr-thalmhainn, do bhri mo sgeil ; An diiil gu'm faicinn-sa ruin mo chleibh ; Ochoin ! gu'm facas, 's a cul rium fein. " I rose yesterday morning early, And cut the yarrow according to my skill, Expecting to see the beloved of my heart. Alas ! I saw him — but his back was towards me. The superstitious customs described in Burns's " Halloween " were common among the Celtic races, and are more common on the western side of Scotland, from Galloway to Argyle, in con- sequence of that district having been occupied for centuries by the Dalriade Gaels. Fraxinus excelsior — Craobh uinnseann (the ash-tree) was a most potent charm for cures of diseases of men and animals — e.g., murrain in cattle, caused, it was supposed, by being stung in the mouth, or by being bitten by the larva of some moth. " Bore a hole in an ash-tree, and plug up the caterpillar in 358 The Scottish Naturalist. it, the leaves of that ash are a sure specific for that disease." Martin adds, "the chief remedies were 'charms' for the cure of their diseases." Verbena officinalis — Trombhod. Borlase, in his ' Antiquities of Cornwall,' speaking of the Druids, says : "They were exces- sively fond of the vervain ; they used it in casting lots and foretelling events. It was gathered at the rising of the dog- star." Corylus avellana — Calltuinn. Col, edl, in Welsh, signifies loss, also hazel-wood. The Welsh have a custom of presenting a forsaken lover with a stick of hazel, probably in allusion to the double meaning of the word. Allium porrum — •" Bugha" The explanation given by Shaw that this was a name for leek seemed improbable, especially as it was a favourite comparison to the eye " when it is blue or dark." Turning to a passage describing Cormac Mac Airt, I found — " Cosmail ri bugha a shiiili," which Professor O' Curry renders — " His eyes were like staes," — a far more appropriate comparison. Narcissus, Lus a chromchinn (the bent head), suggests the beautiful lines of Herrick — " When a claffodill I see Hanging its head t'wards me, Guesse I may what I must be : First, I shall decline my head ; Secondly, I shall be dead ; Lastly, safely burried." A. ursinum — Creamh. " 'Is leigheas air gach tinn Creamh 'us im a' Mhaigh. " Garlic and May butter Are remedies for every illness. " Its medicinal virtues were well known ; but like many other plants once valued and used by our ancestors, it is now quite superseded by pills and doses prepared by licensed practi- tioners."— Sheriff Nicolson. Potamogeton natans — Duiliasg na Haibhne. The broad-leaved pondweed is used in connection with a curious superstition in some parts of Scotland, notably in the West Highlands. " It is gathered in small bundles in summer and autumn, where it is found to be plentiful, and kept until New Year's Day (old The Scottish Naturalist. 359 style) ; it is then put for a time into a tub or other dish of hot water, and the infusion is mixed with the first drink given to milch cows on New-Year's Day morning. This is supposed to keep the cows from witchcraft and the evil eye for the remainder of the year ! It is also supposed to increase the yield of milk." — Rev. A. Stewart, Nether Lochaber. Arundo phragmites — Cruisgiornach (cndsigh, in Irish, music, song). Reeds were said by the Greeks to have tended to sub- jugate nations by furnishing arrows for war, to soften their man- ners by means of music, and to lighten their understanding by supplying implements for writing. These modes of employment mark three different stages of civilisation. The great reed mace (Typha latifolid) cuigeal na?n ban sithe, is usually represented .by painters in the hand of our Lord, as supposed to be the reed with which He was smitten by the Roman soldiers, and on which the sponge filled with vinegar was reached to Him. Oats — Coirc. Martin mentions an ancient custom observed on the 2d of February. The mistress and servant of each family take a sheaf of oats and dress it in woman's apparel, put it in a large basket, with a wooden club by it, and this they call BriiiTs bed. They cry three times Briid is come, and welcome. This they do before going to bed, and when they rise in the morning they look at the ashes for the impress of Briid's club there ; if seen, a prosperous year will follow. Algae — Feamaijin. The inhabitants of the Isle of Lewis had an ancient custom of sacrificing to a sea-god called " Shony " at Hallowtide. The inhabitants round the island came to the church of St Mulvay, each person having provisions with him. One of their number was selected to wade into the sea up to the middle, and carrying a cup of ale in his hand, standing still in that position, crying out with a loud voice, " Shony, I give you this cup of ale, hoping you will be so kind as to send us plenty of sea-ware for enriching our ground the ensuing year." And he then threw the cup into the sea. This was performed in the night-time ; they afterwards returned to spend the night in dancing and singing. Shony (Sjoni), the Scandinavian Neptune. This offering was a relic of pagan worship introduced into the Western Isles by the Norwegians when they conquered and ruled over these islands centuries ago. K'Eogh's Works. — The Rev. John K'Eogh wrote a work on the plants of Ireland, ' Botanalogica Universalis Hibernia,' and 360 The Scottish Naturalist. another on the animals, ' Zoologica Medicinalis Hibernia,' about the year 1739, giving the Irish names as pronounced by the peasantry at that period. They are now rare works, and are of no value save for the names, for they contain no information except the supposed medicinal virtues of the plants and animals given in them. All creatures, from the biggest mammal to the meanest worm, and all plants, were supposed to have some potent charm or virtue to cure disease. A large number of K'Eogh's prescrip- tions are compounds of the most disgusting ingredients. We can only now smile at the credulity that would lead any one to imagine that by merely looking at the yellow-hammer {Ember- iza citrinella) " by any one who has the jaundice, the person is cured, but the bird will die." Or that "the eyes drawn entire out of the head of a hare taken in March, and dried with pepper, and worn by women, will facilitate childbirth." He gives this singular cure for the jaundice : "A live moth, laid on the navel till it dies, is an excellent remedy ! Nine grains of wheat taken up by a flea, are esteemed good to cure a chincough — that insect is banished and destroyed by elder leaves, flowers of pennyroyal, rue, mint, and fleabane, celan- dine, arsmart, mustard, brambles, lupin, and fern-root." For worms: "Take purslane seeds, coralina, and St John's-wort, of each an equal part ; boil them in spring water. Or take of the powders of hiera picra (Pieris hleraeioides), of the seeds of the bitter apple, of each one dram, mixed with the oil of rue and savin, spread on leather, and apply it to the navel ; this is an approved remedy." Epilepsy — " The flesh of the moor hen, with rosemary, lemons, lavender, and juniper berries, will cure it." And for children — "Take a whelp (cullane), a black sucking puppy (but a bitch whelp for a girl), strangle it, open it, and take out the gall, and give it to the child, and it will cure the falling-sickness." One more example will sufficiently illustrate the value of K'Eogh's books. " 'Usnea capitis humani, or the moss growing on a skull that is exposed to the air, is a very good astringent, and stops bleeding if applied to the parts, or even held in the hand." Ollamh. This was the highest degree, in the ancient Gaelic system of learning, and before universities were established, in- cluded the- study of law, medicine, poetry, classics, &c. A suc- cession of such an order of literati, the Beatons, existed in Mull from time immemorial, until after the middle of last century. The Scottish Naturalist. 361 Their writings were all in Gaelic, to the amount of a large chest- ful. Dr Smith says that the remains of this treasure were bought as a literary curiosity for the library of the Duke of Chandos, and perished in the wreck of that nobleman's fortune. If this lost treasure could be recovered, we would have valuable material for a more complete collection of Gaelic names of plants, and information as to the uses to which they were applied, than we now possess. Medicinal Plants. — The common belief that a plant grew not far from the locality where the disease prevailed, that would cure that disease, led to many experiments which ultimately resulted in finding out the undoubted virtues of many plants ; but wholesale methods were frequently adopted by gathering all the herbs, or as many as possible, in that particular district and making them into a bath. At the battle of " Magh Tuireadh," we are informed " that the chief physician prepared a healing bath or fountain with the essences of the principal herbs and plants of Erinn, gathered chiefly in Zus-Afagh, or the Plain of Herbs ; and on this bath they continued to pronounce incantations during the battle. Such of the men as happened to be wounded in the fight were immediately plunged into the bath, and they were instantly refreshed and made whole, so that they were able to return and fight against the enemy again and again." — Prof. O'Curry. Incantations with Plants. — Cures by incantations were most common. A large number of plants were thus employed. When John Roy Stewart sprained his ankle, when hiding after the battle of Culloden, he said : — " Ni mi'n ubhaidh rinn Peadar do Phal, 'S a luighean air fas leum bruaich, Seachd paidir n' ainm Sagairt a's Pap Ga chuir ris na plilasd mu'n cuairt. " I'll make the incantation that Peter made for Paul, With the herbs that grew on the ground : Seven paternosters in the name of priest and pope, Applied like a plaster around. "And if the dislocated joints did not at once jump into their proper places during the recitation, the practitioner never failed to augur favourably of the comfort to the patient. There were similar incantations for all the ills that flesh is heir to : the toothache could not withstand the potency of Highland magic ; 362 The Scottish Naturalist. dysentery, gout, &c, had all their appropriate remedies in the never-failing incantations." — M'Kenzie. See 'Beauties of High- land Poetry,' p. 268, where several of the "orations" repeated as incantations are given. Plants and Fairy Superstitions. — A large number of plant -names in Gaelic have reference to fairy influence. At births many ceremonies were used to baffle the fairy influence over the child, otherwise it would be carried off to fairy- land. The belief in fairies as well as most of these super- stitions, is traceable to the early ages of the British Druids, on whose practices they are founded. The foxglove (Meuran sithe), odhran, the cow-parsnip, and cofiagach, the docken, were credited with great power in breaking the fairy spell ; on the other hand, some plants were supposed to facilitate the fairy spell, and would cause the individual to be fairy "struck" or " buillite" The water-lily was supposed to possess this power, hence its names, B nil lite and Rabhagach, meaning beware, warning. Rushes found a place in fairy mythology : Schcenus nigricans (Seimhean) furnished the shaft of the elf arrows, which were tipped with white flint, and bathed in the dew that lies on the hemlock. Nettles — " They also used the roots of nettles and the roots of reeds as cures for coughs." In some parts of Ireland there is a custom on May eve and May day amongst the children, especially the girls, of running amuck with branches of nettles, stinging every one they meet. They had also a belief that steel made hot and dipped in nettle-juice made it flexible. Camden says " that the Romans cultivated nettles when in Britain in order to rub their benumbed limbs with them, on account of the intense cold they suffered when in Britain." A remedy worse than the disease. A NEW LIST OP THE FLOWERING PLANTS AND PERNS OP ORKNEY. Edited by W. IRVINE FORTESCUE. {Continued from page 326.) xlviii. Potentilla L. 91. Tormentilla Sibth., B. Common. Orkney "bark," for- merly used for tanning fishing nets; a decoction ot the roots in milk is still occasionally taken medicinally as an astringent. ■The Scottish Naturalist. 363 92. Anserina L., B. Common. XLIX. COMARUM L. 93. Palustre L., B. Common. l. Fragaria L. 94. Vesca L. Trumland loch behind Westness, and rocks, Rousay, D. and H. li. Rubus L. 95. Fissus Lindl., B. Very rare, confined to one small spot at the South Burn of Quoys, Hoy. 96. Mucronulatus Blox. Swanbister. Introduced, B. 97. Saxatilis L., B. The Mainland, Hoy, and Rousay. Not un- common on rocky banks of streams and lochs. li 1. Geum L. 98. Rivale L., B. The Mainland and Hoy. Rather scarce. li 1 1. Dryas L. 99. Octopetala L., B. North-west side of Hoy Hill, D. and H. Very rare ; the only station. liv. Rosa L. 100. Mollissima Willd. Wauk Mill Bay, B. b. cserulea. South Burn of Quoys, Hoy, B. 1 01. Tomentosa Sm., B. 102. Canina L. e. dumalis. Learquoy Burn, Orphir, B. /. Reuteri. Eus, Firth, B. u. subcristata. Eus, Firth, B. lv. Pyrus L. 103. Aucuparia Gaert., B. Confined to a few of the south isles. Not unfrequent in the valleys of Hoy and Walls ; a bush or two on Calf of Flotta. One bush formerly at Veness, Orphir, is now apparently dead. LYTHRACE^l. LVI. Peplis L. 104. Portula L. Near Free Church of Orphir; Harray, B. Pool near schoolhouse, Evie; Kirkwall, D. 364 The Scottish Naturalist. ONAGRACE^E. lvii. Epilobium L. 105. Angustifolium L. Naversdale, Orphir, and Rysadale. B. Gill Burn, Scalpa ; Trumland ; Dwarfie Stone, Hoy, D. and H. Rare. 106. Parviflorum Schreb. Wet places. Dr Macnab. Doubtful. 107. Montanum L., B. Common. 108. Tetragonum L. Gill Burn, Scalpa, Neill. Stromness, J. G. Iverach. (Doubtless E. obscurum. J. T. B.) 109. Obscurum Schreb., B. Smoogrow and Ward Hill of Orphir. no. Palustre L., B. Ward Hill of Orphir. lviii. Circ^ea Tourn. in. Alpina L., B. Shady places among rocks Hoy, Evie, &c, D. Naversdale, Orphir, where it is limited to a tuft of heather about two square yards in area. Local. Rare. HALORAGACE^J. lix. Myriophyllum L. 112. Spicatum L. Bridge of Broigar, B. 113. Alterniflorum D.C., B. Common. lx. Hippuris L. 114. Vulgaris L., B. Scalpa, Evie, Crantit, &c, D. and H. A pool by the side of the Binscarth and Harray road; a pool by the Finstown and Rendall road. Local. lxi. Callitriche L. 115. Stiignalis Scop., B. Common. b. platycarpa. B. 116. Hamulata Ktz. Fidge at Swanbister, B.; Rendall road, 1882. 117. Autumnalis L., B. Dr Johnston and I obtained one specimen in the Loch of Skail in 1881. GROSSULARIACE^E. LXII. RlBES L. 118. Rubrum L. Berriedale, Hoy, D. (introduced?). The Scottish Naturalist. 365 CRASSULACE^J. lxiii. Sedum L. 119. Rhodiola D.C., B. Rousay, D. and H. Common on the cliffs of Hoy. 120. Acre L., B. Confined to the links of Hoxa, South Ron- aldshay, where it is extremely scarce. SAXIFRAGACE^S. lxiv. Saxifraga L. 1 21. Oppositifolia L., B. Hoy Hill. Rare. 122. Stellaris L. On rocks near Rackwick, Hoy, D. 123. Aizoides L., B. Not uncommon on the hills of Hoy. lxv. Chrysosplenium L. 124. Oppositifolium L., B. Rocky banks of streams. Not rare. lxvi. Parnassia L. 125. Palustris L., B. Common. UMBELLIFER^E. lxvii. Hydrocotyle L. 126. Vulgaris L., B. Common. lxviii. Helosciadium Koch. 127. Inundatum Koch., B. Kingsdale, and mill-pond Wide- ford, D. and H. Loch of Wasdale, Dr Johnston. Pools near Standing Stones of Stennes. Local. lxix. ^Egopodium L. 128. Podagraria L., B. Introduced; fortunately very local, but abundant in some places, lxx. Carum L. 129. Carui L. Meadows below Cletts, South Ronaldshay, H. The only record. lxxi. Bunium With. 130. Flexuosum With. Fields near Kirkwall, Dr Gillies, and D. Certainly not common. lxxii. Pimpinella L. 131. Saxifraga L. Pickaquoy, Kirkwall, D. 366 The Scottish Naturalist. lxxiii. Sium L. 132. Angustifolium L. Burn at Loch of Ayr, Holm, D. lxxiv. ^Ethusa L. 133. Cynapium L., B. Gardens Kirkwall; fields Rousay, H. LXXV. LlGUSTICUM L. 134. Scoticum L., B. Scalpa, Walls, Rousay, D. and H. Holms of Copinshay and Flotta, " in vast plenty," Lowe. Tankerness, Orphir, Hund, Flotta Calf, Burray. lxxvi. Angelica L. 135. Sylvestris L., B. Common on grassy banks by the sea, and sides of streams. lxxvii. Heracleum L. 136. Sphondylium L., B. Common. lxxviii. Daucus L. 137. Carota L. Swanbister, introduced, B. ; fields at Hob- bister, Kirkwall, and Wideford, D. and H. lxxix. Ch^erophyllum L. 138. Anthriscus Lamk. Given in D. and H.'s list. No autho- rity. 139. Sylvestre L. Swanbister, introduced ? Not uncommon. 140. Temulum L. Waysides. Not common, H. lxxx. Scandix L. 141. Pecten- Veneris L., B. Cornfields, D. Westness, H. lxxxi. Cg-nium L. 142. Maculatum L. In Kirkwall, B. Tingro. Scarce. ARALIACEiE. LXXXII. Hedera L. 143. Helix L. Only recorded from Berriedale, Hoy, B., and Rousay, D. and H. Rare. CAPRIFOLIACE^l. LXXXIII. Sambucus L. 144. Nigra L. Kirkburn, Hoy, D. Introduced, B. Only where planted. 145. Ebulus L. Banks of Wideford Burn, D. The Scottish Naturalist. 367 LXXXIV. LONICERA L. 146. Periclymenum L., B. Rocks in Orphir, Hoy, and Rysa Little. Rousav, H. RUBIACE^E. lxxxv. Galium L. 147. Verum L., B. Common. 148. Saxatile L., B. Common. 149. Sylvestre Poll. Hoy Hill, and Houton Head, B. Burn of the Sale, Hoy, H. 150. Palustre L., B. Not uncommon. 151. Aparine L., B. Not uncommon, especially among gravel by the sea-shore. lxxxvi. Sherardia Dil. 152. Arvensis L. Cultivated fields, D. and H.'s list, but no authority given. VALERIANACKSS. lxxxvii. Valeriana L. 153. Officinalis L. Not uncommon by the side of streams on the Mainland and Hoy. a. Mikanii. B. Common, Hoy. lxxxviii. Valerianella Tour. 154. Olitoria Mcench. Fields, D. DIPSACEJE. lxxxix. Scabiosa L. 155. Succisa L., B. Common. 156. Arvensis L., B. Sparingly at Kierfiold; probably intro- duced. COMPOSITE. xc. Carduus L. 157. Lanceolatus L., B. Common. 158. Palustris L., B. Common. 159. Arvensis Curt., B. Common. b. setosus. Hooker's ' Student's Flora.' xci. Arctium L. 160. Nemorosum Lej. (Bab.) Hoy, B. A. majus is the only 368 The Scottish Naturalist. one mentioned in D. and H.'s list. " Sandy links, waste places." No authority given. xcn. Saussurea D.C. i 6 i. Alpina, D.C. Hoy Hill, B. The only station. Rather scarce. xciii. Centaurea L. 162. Nigra L. Pastures Sanday, Westray, Rousay, D. and H. There has been for some years one plant at Swanbister, accidentally introduced, apparently from Caithness with Thurso flagstones. 163. Cyanus L. "Cornfields not frequent," D. and H. Swan- bister, 1882. xciv. Chrysanthemum L. 164. Segetum L.J B. Common in cornfields. 165. Leucanthemum L. Introduced. Swanbister, B. Was- bister and Kirkwall, D. and H. Stromness. xcv. Matricaria L. 166. Inodora L., B. Common (the form salina.) c. maritima. B. xcvi. Tanacetum L. 167. Vulgare L. Introduced, B. xcvn. Anthemis L. 168. Arvensis L. Wideford among oats, 1848, D. 169. Nobilis L. Piggar, Swanbister. Introduced, B. xcvin. Achillea L. 170. Millefolium L., B. Common. Corrupted in Orkney to " meal and folly." 171. Ptarmica L., B. Common. xcix. Artemisia L. 172. Vulgaris L., B. A weed of cultivation. Not uncommon. c. Gnaphalium L. 173. Uliginosum L., B. Common. 174. Sylvaticum L., B. Common. 175. Dioicum L., B. Piggar, Swanbister. ci. Senecio L. 176. Vulgaris L., B. Common. The Scottish Naturalist. 369 177. Sylvaticus L. Smoogrow, B. 178. Viscosus L. Dr Clouston. 179. Jacoba^a L., B. Swanbister. "Dry sandy pastures, Scalpa, Burray, &c. Not common. Limited in dis- tribution," D. and H. 180. Aquaticus Huds., B. Common. en. Inula L. 181. Helenium L. Near Maeshow, and near Wastdale Mill, Firth. Introduced, B. Kirkburn, Hoy. Burn in Rousay, D. cm. Bellis L. 182. Perennis L., B. Common. civ. Aster L. 183. Tripolium L. Eus at Firth, B. Rocks at Quendale, Rousay, H. CV. SOLIDAGO L. 184. Virga-aurea L., B. Holm, Scalpa, Fitty Hill Westray, Rosness, D. and H. Hobbister, Hoy, Flotta Calf. Local. cvi. Tussilago Tour, 185. Farfara L., B. Common. cvn. Petasites Tour. 186. Vulgaris Desf. Burn of Evie, Churchyard St Andrews, Birsay Links, D. and H. Abundant at the first- named station. cviii. Lapsana L. 187. Communis L., B. Not uncommon. cix. Hypochceris L, 188. Radicata L. Learquoy burn, Orphir, R Dry banks and pastures. Common, D, ^T"?C* , -^ ex. Leontodon L. X V^rs~7^\ / > 189. Autumnalis L., B. • Common. />i?^*-^ v^ b. pratensis. B. The commoner form.; ^t" , _ Q * © v ■ Lull LIBRARY 1 cxi. Taraxacum Juss. \*z\ *v>->'v 190. Officinale Wigg., B. Common. Vd^V a. dens-leonis. B. VOL. VI. 370 The Scottish Naturalist. b. erythrospermum. B. d. palustre. B. cxii. Sonchus L. 191. Oleraceus L., B. Common. 192. Asper HofTm., B. Not uncommon. T93. Arvensis L., B. Common. cxiii. Hieracium L. 194. Pilosella L., B. Not uncommon. The Mainland and Hoy. 195. Anglicum Fries. Hoy Hill, Seal pa, Hobbister, B. 196. Iricum Fries. Hoy Hill, Pegal Burn, B. 197. Pallidum Fries. Doubtful. 198. Murorum L. Hoy Hill, B. 199. Caesium Fries. Specimens from Hoy Hill, collected in 1849, are named H. caesium by Mr James Backhouse. I believe they are H. murorum — J. T. B. 200. Vulgatum Fries. Hoy Hill, Waulk Mill Bay, and Hobbister, B. 201. Strictum Fries. Hobbister, Pegal Burn, B. The Pegal Burn plant is, I think, rather H. corymbosum Fr., but I have not been able to obtain it for cultivation. A Hieracium at Gear, Orphir, may be H. gothicum, but the specimens I have are not sufficiently good to en- able me to give an opinion, and seeds of these have not germinated — J. T. B. CAMPANULACB^E. cxiv. Lobelia L. 202. Dortmanna L., B. Sandswater, Walls, Rousay, H. Helialswater, Walls. The only stations. cxv. Jasione L. 203. Montana L. Confined to Eday and North Ronaldshay. I have specimens from both islands sent by Mrs Hebden, and Dr Traill, who tells me it also occurs in Fair Isle, and in Unst, Shetland. ERICACE^L cxvi. Vaccinium L. 204. Vitis-idaea L. Hoy, Walls, Rousay, Orphir, D. Scarce on the Ward Hill of Orphir. The Scottish Naturalist. 371 205. Uliginosum L. Walls and Hoy Hill, B. Rare. 205*. Myrtillus L., B. Common. Occurs on many of the islands. Frequently only two to four inches high. cxvn. Arctostaphylos Ad. 206. Alpina Spreng., B. Hills of Hoy, Walls, and Rousay, D. and H. 207. Uva-ursi Wimm., B. Hoy and Walls. Not common. cxviii. Loiseleuria Desv. 208. Procumbens Desv. Hoy Hill, B. Very rare. cxix. Erica L. 209. Tetralix L., B. Common. 210. Cinerea L., B. Common. cxx. Calluna Sal. 211. Vulgaris Sal., B. Common on almost all the islands. A hairy variety occurs near the Berry, Walls. cxxi. Pyrola Tour. 212. Rotundifolia L., B. Near small lake hills of Rousay, D. and H. " Evie " has afterwards been added in pencil. I have a specimen from Rousay, but as far as I could ascertain not from near the small lake. GENTIANACE^J. cxxn. Gentiana L. 213. Amarella L., B. Links at Aikerness, Deerness, Hoy, Stronsay, Westray, D. and H. ; also at Skail, and Hoxa, South Ronaldshay. 214. Campestris L., B. Common. cxxiii. Menyanthes Tour. 215. Trifoliata L., B. Common. CONVOLVULACE^l. cxxiv. Convolvulus L. 216. Sepium L. A weed in Captain Baikie's garden, Kirk- wall, H. cxxv. Cuscuta Tour. 217. Epilinum Weihe. Introduced at Swanbister 1875, B. Has since disappeared. 372 The Scottish Naturalist. SOLANACE^E. cxxvi. Solanum Tour. 2 1 8. Dulcamara L. As a weed in Wideford Garden, J. G. Iverach, D. and H.'s list. SCROPHULARIACE^. CXXVII. SCROPHULARIA Tour. 219. Nodosa L. Burn of Redland, Firth, and burn above church of Firth, D. cxxviii. Digitalis L. 220. Purpurea L., B. Not uncommon on the heaths of Orphir. cxxix. Veronica L. 221. Hederaefolia L., B. A common weed of cultivation. 222. Polita Fries. Swanbister and Houton, B. Westness, Hobbister, H. 223. Agrestis L., B. Common. 224. Arvensis L., B. Common. 225. Serpyllifolia L., B. Common. 226. Officinalis L., B. Common. 227. Chamaedrys L., B. "Corner of grass field in which the manse of Holm stands; as yet nowhere else in Ork- ney," D., prior to 1858. Now established at Swan- bister and Binscarth, where it was introduced by Miss Bain along with other British wild flowers not indigen- ous to Orkney. 228. Scutellata L., B. Trumland, H. Crantit, D. Swanbister, Harray. Local. 229. Anagallis L., B. Groundwater, Scalpa, B. Plentiful at Loch of Aikerness, Evie. Local. 230. Beccabunga L., B. Not uncommon. cxxx. Euphrasia Tour. 231. Officinalis L., B. Common. A large-flowered variety is also common. cxxxi. Bartsia L. 232. Odontites Huds. Fields. Common, D. and H. a. verna. Gear, Naversdale, B. I have not seen it elsewhere. The Scottish Naturalist. 373 cxxxn. Pedicularis Tour. 233. Palustris L., B. Common. 234. Sylvatica L., B. Common. cxxxiii. Rhinanthus L. 235. Crista-galli L., B. Common. 236. Minor L., B. Common. cxxxiv. Melampyrum Tour. 237. Pratense L. Naversdale, Orphir, and Hoy. c. montanum. Naversdale and Berriedale, Hoy, B. LABIATE, cxxxv. Mentha L. 238. Hirsuta L., B. Common. 239. Arvensis L. Lowe. cxxxvi. Thymus L. 240. Serpyllum Fries., B. Common. cxxxvu. Prunella L. 241. Vulgaris L., B. Common. cxxxviii. Stachys L. 242. Palustris L., B. Common. 243. Ambigua Sm., B. Common. 244. Sylvatica L., B. Rare. Houton. 245. Arvensis L. Spot of grass among fields at Rackwick, H. cxxxix. Galeopsis L. 246. Ladanum L. Lowe. 247. Versicolor Curt. Cornfields, Orphir, Westness, &c, H. 248. Tetrahit L. Common. b. bifida. B. Common. cxl. Lamium L. 249. Amplexicaule L., B. Common. 250. Intermedium Fries., B. Common. 251. Incisum Willd. Fields and gardens, D. and H. 252. Purpureum L., B. Common. 253. Album L. Lowe. CXLI. AjUGA L. 254. Reptans L. Scalpa, Birstane, Finstown, Rousay, &c, D. and H. 374 T?ie Scottish Naturalist. 255. Pyramidalis L., B. Sides of bill on right hand from Berriedale to Rackwick in 1820, D. Since at Rack- wick, H. Scarce at Naversdale, Orphir. The only stations. Rare. cxlii. Teucrium L. 256. Scorodonia L., B. Scarce. Naversdale. BORAGINACE^E. cxliii. Echium Tour. 257. Vulgare L. " Cornfields, Lopness, Sanday ; found by Mr Strang," D. cxliv. Mertensia Roth. 258. Maritima Don, B. Scalpa, Holm, South Ronaldshay, Walls, Sanday, North Ronaldshay. Formerly at Swan- bister. CXLV. LlTHOSPERMUM Tour. 259. Officinale L. Field near Kirkwall, D. and H. Hob- bister, H. . cxlvi. Myosotis L. 260. Csespitosa Schnltz. Common, B. 261. Palustris With. Introduced. Swanbister burn, B. Now disappeared. A garden escape. b. strigulosa. Scalpa, B. 262. Repens Don. Swanbister, B. 263. Arvensis Hoffm., B. Common. 264. Versicolor Reich., B. Common. cxlvii. Anchusa L. 265. Arvensis Beib., B. Cornfields. Rather local, preferring sandy soil. Houton, Hoy, South Ronaldshay, Aiker- ness, &c. LENTIBULARIACKffi. cxlviii. Pinguicula Tour. 266. Vulgaris L., B. Common. 267. Lusitanica L., B. Rare. I once found this at Westquoy, Orphir, but have been unable to find the spot again. cxlix. Utricularia L. 268. Minor L., B. Rare. Dr H. H. Johnston gathered speci- mens in 1879, either in Harray or near Stromness — probably in Harray. The Scottish Naturalist. 375 PRIMULACE^E. cl. Primula L. 269. Vulgaris Huds., B. Common. 270. Officinalis L., B. Sparingly at links of Aikerness, Evie. Dr H. H Johnston found a few plants some distance down the cliffs between Hoy Head and the Kame. The only stations. b. intermedia. " Sparingly, with P. veris, at Links of Aikerness," D. and H., but named by them " elatior." 271. Scotica Hook., B. Westray, Rousay, Sanday, Stromness. Houton, Walls, D. and H., Shapinshay, Stones of Stennes. Not native in North Ronaldshay, but intro- duced by Dr Traill. b. acaulis. B. Standing Stones of Stennes. This be- comes the true form when planted in better soil. ( To be continued. ) THE FLORA OF THE SOUTH-WEST OF SCOTLAND.1 IT is with much pleasure that we have read Mr M 'Andrew's list of the flowering-plants of a very interesting part of Scotland. On a former occasion we had satisfaction in noticing that the Society which publishes the list was doing good work in cataloguing the fauna and flora of its special district, and, apart from its own merits, we hail the present list as additional evidence of the good work that the Society is doing. But we trust that this is only a precursor of a more extensive flora of the district, for which the list now before us may pave the way, and with this expectation we are tempted to criticise, perhaps more severely than we would otherwise have done, Mr M 'An- drew's catalogue. It is but fair, however, to notice that the author says expressly that the list is given for the purpose " of having its deficiencies corrected," and at the same time states that he has not been able to " personally verify the existence and localities of each species given in the list." He, moreover, 1 A List of the Flowering Plants of Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire, compiled for the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Anti- quarian Society. By James M 'Andrew. 1882. 376 The Scottish Naturalist. suggests that some of the authorities given (e.g., the parish lists in the ' Statistical Account of Scotland ') are not to be taken as absolutely correct. While admitting that there is a great deal that is valuable in the ' Statistical Account,' we quite agree with our author that each list in it must be judged on its own merits. And on this point we do not speak without experience. We will not readily forget our amusement when, on consulting the ' Statistical Account ' for information regarding the botany of a certain parish, we read, under the heading of "Botany of the Parish," that there were many interesting plants in the green- houses at , with which remark the reverend compiler dis- misses the subject. Mr M'Andrew further regrets his inability to give what he terms " Botanists' varieties of the Ranunculi," &c. Doubtless when these are worked out, several interesting species will be recorded for the district. As no summary of the number of species contained in the list is given, we can only form an estimate of the extent of the flora. A rough calculation gives upwards of 950 species; but as this includes various naturalised plants, and several others whose occurrence is more than doubtful, it is probable that the actual number of indigenous or well-established plants is between 800 and 900. As in a district possessing hills, the alpine or sub-alpine flora is, for several reasons, the most interesting, it is to be regret- ted that Mr M'Andrew has not devoted a few lines to point out the limits in the district of the alpine flora. Amongst the alpine plants enumerated are Thalictrum alpinum, Cerastittm alpinum, Alchcmilla alpina, Saxifraga stellaris, S. oppositifolia, S. aizoides, Sedum rhodiola, Epilobium alpinum, Saussurea alpina, Salix herbacea, Juncus triglumis, J. tripdus, Car ex rupestris, C. atrata, C. capillaris, &c. The first of these is said to be " com- mon on the hills," — rather too vague a statement ; for the others (or most of them), the neighbourhood of Moffat is the locality indicated. Doubtless many of them do occur, but a little later authority than that of the ' Statistical Account ' is desirable. Some, such as Carex rupestris, are almost certainly recorded in error, and, along with /uncus castaneus, and one or two other spe- cies which are said to be "very doubtful," should be omitted in future editions of the list, unless verified by competent botanists. Passing now to the lowland plants, we may just notice the occurrence of such interesting species as Lychnis viscaria, Alsine verna, Lathyrus sylvestris, Serratula tiuctoria, Inula critlwioides, The Scottish Naturalist. 377 Pyrola secunda, Orobanche major, Scutellaria minor, Euphorbia porllandica, Orchis pyramidalis, Carex Bcenninghauseniana, C. acuta (if this is not lowland aquatilis), C. punctata, Lepturus filiformis var. incurvatus, &c, &c. A weak part of the list is that relating to the water plants, such as the Batrachian Ra- nunculi, and Potamogetons ; and as the author is aware of this, he should urge upon his colleagues the desirability of a thorough investigation of the numerous lochs that are to be found in Gal- loway. Such an investigation is sure to be rewarded by many interesting discoveries. To work a loch thoroughly, the investi- gator should be provided with a boat, and a pole ten or twelve feet long, armed with two curved iron claws at one end. With this he should go over every part of the loch that is not too deep, and carefully investigate all his " hauls." We should not be surprised if such rareties as Naias flexilis were to turn up if properly looked for. Of the aquatic species already found, four forms of Ranun- culus a a ua tills are mentioned, but three of them are queried. Fissifolius, Schrank, is not given, but Lochmaben is mentioned as a locality in the 'Student's Flora.' Nuphar pumilum is given as reported. This should be cleared up. Mention should also be made as to whether both forms of Nymphcea occur. Myriophyllum altcmiflorum (by error altertiifolium) is said to be " very rare," and M. verticillatum " very doubtful ; " the latter is a doubtful Scottish species, but the former is, at least in central Scotland, the commonest one in streams, spicatum being more confined to lochs, and somewhat local. Callitriche requires working up. Of Potamogeton, seven or eight species are given, whereas there ought to be fourteen or fifteen. If we mistake not, we have specimens of P. plantagineus from near Dumfries. It is very desirable that the sub-species of some common species should be determined. For example, those that come under the old Fumaria capreolata. Cochlearia officinalis is said to occur far inland, as at the Grey Mare's Tail. Is this not alpina 1 Viola canina is given as common, but V. sylvatica is not mentioned. So with Poly gal a vulgaris — P. depressa, which is far commoner, not being given. Spergularia rupestris is abun- dant in Colvend, where we found it for the first time in Scotland. Arenaria serpyllifolia is said to be common on the shore. Surely it occurs inland also. The var. rivularis of Montia fontana is given as distinct from the type. As we understand the species, it is made up of rivularis and minor. There is something wrong VOL. VI. 2 B 378 The Scottish Naturalist. in the arrangement of the Hypericums — several species (e.g., liumifusum, pulchrum, &c.) being given as sub-species; but this is probably a typographical error. Geranium lucidum is sup- posed to be " perhaps an escape " ! Epilobium tetragonum is given ; but E. obscurum, by far the commonest species, is not mentioned ; Galium sylvestre, var. montanum, and G. pusillum are given as distinct, but they are the same thing. Primula elatior is probably not that species, but a hybrid between 77//- garis and verts. Luzula campestris var. congcsta is probably L. multiflora. Carex vesicaria is said to be very common ; C. ampullacea not so common. The reverse is usually the case. Isoetes lacustris is reported from two lochs in Colvend. Is this true lacustris, or echinospora ? With these criticisms (which we trust the author will accept in the spirit that they are offered) we must conclude. Sphagnum Austini, &c, in the South-west of Scotland. — During the present summer I have found, within six miles of New Galloway, in Kirk- cudbrightshire, abundance of Sphagnum Austini Sull., and its var. imbrica- turn. Jt grows in large hassocks on Moss Raploch, on the farm of Clatter- ingshaws, the scene of one of King Robert Bruce's victories. I have also found Jungermannia Pearsoni Lindb. in this district, perhaps the first time that it has been got in Scotland. Atetzgeria conjugata Lindb. occurs in this district in plenty. In the neighbouring parish of Dairy I also came upon a station for Pyrola secuiida, perhaps now the only one in the three south- western counties. I also find Sphagnum Austini, but not in plenty, in Barend Moss, Laurieston, near Castle Douglas, and also in Auchencairn Moss, near Auchencairn. — James M 'Andrew, New Galloway. Note on some Perthshire Plants. — Thlaspi alpcslre. — I have recently found this on Ben Chualaich in Rannoch, where it occurs very sparingly on a limestone rock in company with Saxifraga oppositifolia, Armeria maritima, and several very rare lichens. The rock on which these grow is of very small extent, and it is interesting to observe how these plants are entirely restricted to it — the neighbouring rocks (of a different geological formation) having none of them. This is a second Perthshire, and the third Scottish locality for Thlaspi alpcstre. Agrimonia odorata. — I observed this appar- ently wild near Connie. It has already been recorded for St Fillans, about six miles from Comrie, but some doubt was thrown on its being indig- enous. Lactuca muralis. — This grows on a wall between Crieff and Comrie, and seems to be fairly established, though it cannot be claimed as native. — P. Buchanan White. KND OF VOLUME VI. 3STo. XLI. JANUARY 1881. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A QUARTERLY I purine of Ijtoiarjtl 31)istoi^v0o«^ Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D.J.LS. w Trail, M.A CONTENTS. Zoology— On the Occurrence of the White-beaked Dolphin on the East Coast of Scotland, — J. M. Campbell. Notes on the Birds of the Basin of the Tay and its Tributaries {con- cluded),— Colonel Drummond Hay, C.M.Z. S., Occurrence of Rare Birds, — Geo. Sim (Aberdeen), Lesser Whitethroat in Fyvie, — G. Sim (Fyvie), A Curious Bird, — T. J. Harry Moncreiffe, Blatta germanica in Glasgow, — Professor J. W. H M.D., F.L.S., . . . . . A New British Trichopteron, — J. J. King, . Notes, Phytology— Scottish Galls,— Professor J. W. H. Trail, M.A, M.D., F.L.S., The Gaelic Names of Plants {continued), — John Cameron, . Mycologia Scotica, — Rey. J. STEVENSON, Preliminary List of the Fungi of Perthshire {concluded), — Editor, Remarks on Polypodium flexile and its relation to P. alpestre, — F Buchanan White, M.D., F.L.S., Insecta Scotica— The Coleoptera of Scotland {continued), — D. Sharp, M. B Page 13 H 14 15 20 30 39 43 47 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. John Smith & Sox, Glasgow; Lewis Smith, Aberdeen; John Christie, Perth \V. Kidd, Dundee; G. Walker, Montrose; J. Cook & Son, St Andrews; J. & J. H. Rutherfurd, Kelso ; R. S. Shearer, Stirling ; W. M. Dick, Ayr ; John Anderson & Son, Dumfries. PRICE ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE The Scottish Naturalist. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. Annual Subscription, strictly payable in advance, 4s. post free. Single numbers, is. 2d. Articles and communications for the Magazine should be sent to the Editor (Dr F. Buchanan White, Perth) before the 1st of December, March, June, or September, if intended for publication in the January, April, July, or October numbers respectively. Orders for copies, subscriptions, &c, should be sent to the Publishers, from whom also the back numbers may be had. Authors desiring copies of their communications can obtain them at the following rates, sent carriage paid : — Pages. 4 4 4 and so on in proportion. Copies. Pages. Price. 25 2 4s. 3d. 50 2 4s. 9d. TOO 2 6s. 3d. Price. Pages. Price. 5S. 3d- 8 7s. 3d 6s. 3d. 8 9s. 6d 8s. od. 8 12s. od This Day is Published. Fifth Edition, Revised throughout and Greatly Enlarged. THE MOOE AND THE LOCH. CONTAINING MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS IN ALL HIGHLAND SPORTS. With Wanderings over Crag and Corrie, Flood and Fell. TO WHICH IS NOW ADDED RECOLLECTIONS OF THE AUTHOR'S EARLY LIFE. By JOHN COLQUHOUN, Fifth Edition, Revised and Greatly Enlarged. Two Vols, post 8vo. With Two Portraits, and other Illustrations. Price 26s. CONTENTS. Vol. I. " Sport "—Deer-Stalking— Deer-Driving in Mull— Wild-Goats— Roe-Hunting — Seal-Shooting — Capercailzie-Shooting — Grouse and Black-Game Shooting — Ptarmigan- Shooting — The Alpine or White Hare— Woodcocks and Snipes — Sea-Fowl Shooting in the Firth of Forth — Wild-Fowl Shooting on the Highland Lochs — The Peat Isle — Dogs for the Gun— Instinct of Dogs — Natural History and Sport of Bute — Appendix. Vol. II. Corrach-Bah ; or, A Plea for the Wastes — Hawking — On Eagles — The Kite — Owls— The Mountain-Fox— The Wild-Cat— The Marten— The Otter— Wild Pigeons— The Common Dotterel — Rock and River Ousels — A Spring Week in the West Highlands — The Hill Poacher — The Natural History of Sport — My Museum — Salmon-Angling — Autumn Angling on the Lyon — October on the Stinchar — Loch Salmon-Fishing— Trolling for the Salmo-Ferox — River-Trouting — The Moor-Burn — Loch-Fishing — Fishing on Salt-Water Lochs — A Raid on Sutherland — The Sound of Mull — Fragments. " In the present delightful volumes, however, he presents all lovers of Scotland with the completest details of every Highland sport, on all of which he is an unexceptionable authority ; and with what many will value even more, a series of life-like sketches of the rarer and more interesting animals of the country. He has thus brought up to the present level of knowledge the history of all the scarce birds and beasts of Scotland. . . . Hence- forth it must necessarily find a place in the knapsack of every Northern tourist who is fond of our wild creatures, and is simply indispensable in every Scotch shooting-lodge." — Academy. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. THE NATURALIST. Journal of The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and General Field-Club Eecord. Edited by C. P. HOBKIRK, F.L.S., and G. T. PORRITT, F.LS. Monthly, price 4d., or 4s. per annum in advance. Containing Original Articles on Natural History Subjects ; Papers read at Meetings of Natural History Societies and Field Clubs ; Reports of Meetings and Excursions ; Notes and Queries ; Exchanges ; Diary of Meetings, &c. The volumes commence with the August number in each year. Vol. VI. commenced August 1880. Post free of B. BROWN, Publisher, Huddersfield. Price Sixpence. THE GARDENER: A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE. Edited by DAVID THOMSON, Gardener to His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch at Drumlanrig ; Author of ' Handy Book of the Flower-Garden. ' Assisted by a Staff of Practical Gardeners throughout the Kingdom. The Number for January contains— Orchid-Culture. The Renovation of an Old Garden. How to Make the Most of Wall-Borders Botany for Gardeners. — No. III., Stems ; in Kitchen-Gardens. — No. I. No. IV., Leaves. Roses on their own Roots. Flower-Gardening : Cost of the Two Sys- Greenhouse Plants. — No. I,, The Azalea. terns. The Fruit-Garden. — No. I. Among the Chrysanthemums. Notes on Decorative Greenhouse Plants Cattleya labiata at Bothwell Castle. — Lisianthus Russellianus and L. prin- Storrs Hall. ceps. Dundee Horticultural Association. , Notes from the Papers. Calendar — Hints for Amateurs. Forcing Department. Peas and their Culture. Kitchen-Garden. Choice New or Rare Hardy Flowers. Notices to Correspondents. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. On the xst of every Month, price Sixpence, 24 pp. 8vo, THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. Conducted by J. IV. DOUGLAS; R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S., F.L.S.; E. C. RYE, and H. T. STAINTON, F.R.S., &c. This Magazine was commenced in 1864, and its pages are principally devoted to infor- mation respecting British Entomology. London : JOHN VAN VOORST, 1 Paternoster Row, E.C. N.B. — The volumes commence with the June number in each year. Subscriptions (6s. per volume, post free) should be forwarded to the Editors at the above address. "W _A_ IN" T IE ID. Nos. i, 2, 4, and 5 of 'THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST.' The Publishers will give One Shilling for clean copies of these Numbers. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF C0NCHOL0GY. This Journal circulates widely amongst Conchologists throughout the world, and contains every quarter Articles dealing with all departments of the Science. Price is. per number, or 45. 4d. per annum, post free. Edited by JOHN W. TAYLOR, St Ann's Printing Works, Leeds. To whom all Post-office Orders should be made payable, and all communications addressed. London : DAVID BOGUE, 3 St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, W.C. a . . REVUE ET MAGASIN DE Z00L0GIE, PARAIT UNE LIVRAISON CHAQUE MOIS, Et forme chaque anne'e tin fort volume in 8vo, de 500 pages et 30 planches environ. 23 francs par an (18s. 6d. post free). Ce recueil fonde en 1831 par M. Guerin Meneville est toujours sous la direction scientifique de ce celebre auteur. II contient un grand nombre de travaux inedits sur toutes les branches de la zoologie, et des comptes-rendus des ouvrages nouveaux ayant trait a cette science. Les abonnements pour l'Angleterre doivent etre adresse a Mr Boucard, 55 Great Russell Street, W.C., London; pour les autres pays, chez Deyrolle Fils, 23 Rue de la Monnaie, Paris. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST: A Monthly Publication on Insects, issued by the Entomological Society of Canada. Subscription : Five Shillings sterling for volume of 12 numbers, free of postage. Address— Rev. C. J. S.. BETHUNE, Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. No. XLII. APRIL 1881. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A QUARTERLY sprite fff Itstnral Jistorj. y^cX) Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. . (u-il Page CONTENTS. Zoology— The Mammalia of Scotland, — Editor, 49 Phronima sedentaria and its Beroe, — Rev. G. GORDON, LL.D., . . 56 Story of a Dog, — W. Japp, 59 The Capercaillie in Scotland, — J. A. Harvie-Brown, F.R. S.E., F.Z.S., .60 Effects of the Winter of 1880-81, — Editor, 61 The Woodlark, — G. SlM, 61 Occurrence of Vertigo pusilla in Scotland, — R. Rimmer, F.L.S. , . 61 Phytology— The Life and Labours of a Scottish Naturalist, George Don of Forfar, — John Knox, 62 The Gaelic Names of Plants (continued), — J. Cameron, ... 70 Notices of New Books, 82 Inseeta Seotica— The Coleoptera of Scotland (continued),—!). Sharp, M.B., . . 88 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. John Smith & Son, Glasgow ; Lewis Smith, Aberdeen ; John Christie, Perth ; W. Kidd, Dundee; G. Walker, Montrose; J. Cook & Son, St Andrews; J. & J. H. Rltherflrd, Kelso; R. S. Shearer, Stirling; W. M. Dick, Ayr ; John Anderson & Son, Dumfries. PRICE ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE The Scottish Naturalist. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. Annual Subscription, strictly payable in advance, 4s. post free. Single numbers, is. 2d. Articles and communications for the Magazine should be sent to the Editor (Dr F. Buchanan White, Perth) before the 1st of December, March, June, or September, if intended for publication in the January, April, July, or October numbers respectively. Orders for copies, subscriptions, &c, should be sent to the Publishers, from whom also the back numbers may be had. Authors desiring copies of their communications can obtain them at the rates, sent carriage paid : — Pages. Price. 4 5s. 3d. 4 6s. 3d. 4 8s. od. following Copies. Pages. Price. 25 2 4s. 3d. So 2 4s. od. 100 2 6s. 3d. Pages. 8 8 8 Price. 7S- 3d. 9s. 6d. 12s. od. and so on in proportion. BOOKS RECEIVED. Rabenhorst's Kryptogamen-Flora von Deutschland, Oesterreich und der Schweiz. Erster Band. Pilze. Von Dr G. Winter. Parts I. and II. Papilio. Organ of the New York Entomological Club. Parts I. and II. A List of European Birds. By H. E. Dresser, F.L.S., &c. The Scientific Roll. Conducted by Alexander Ramsay. Part I. No. 1. 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ON THE STRUCTURE AND AFFINITIES OF THE "^-TABULATE CORALS" OF THE PAL/EOZOIC PERIOD. J_ With Critical Descriptions of Illustrative Species. Illustrated with Engravings on Wood and 15 Lithographed Plates. Royal 8vo, 21s. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. THE NATURALIST. Journal of The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and General Field-Club Record. Edited by C. P. HOBKIRK, F.L.S., and G. T. PORRITT, F.LS Monthly, price 4d., or 4s. per annum in advance. Containing Original Articles on Natural History Subjects ; Papers read at Meetings of Natural History Societies and Field Clubs ; Reports of Meetings and Excursions ; Notes and Queries ; Exchanges ; Diary of Meetings, &c. The volumes commence with the August number in each year. Vol. VI. commenced August 1880. Post free of B. BROWN, Publisher, Huddersfield. Price Sixpence. THE GARDENER: A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE. 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WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. On the 1st of every Month, price Sixpence, "2.\pp. Svo, THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. Conducted by C. G. BARRETT; J. W. DOUGLAS; R. M'LACHLAX. F.R.S., F.L.S.; E. C. RYE; E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S., and H. T. STAIXTOX, F.R.S., 6»*. This Magazine was commenced in 1864, and its pages are principally devoted to infor- mation respecting British Entomology. London : JOHN VAN VOORST, 1 Paternoster Row, E.C. N.B. — The volumes commence with the June number in each year. Subscriptions (6s. per volume, post free) shouid be forwarded to the Editors at the above address. "W A IT T E D. Nos. i, 2, 4, and 5 of 'THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST.' The Publishers will give One Shilling for clean copies of these Numbers. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF C0NCH0L0GY. This Journal circulates widely amongst Conchologists throughout the world, and contains every quarter Articles dealing with all departments of the Science. Price is. per number, or 4s. 4d. per annum, post free. Edited by JOHN W. TAYLOR, St Ann's Printing Works, Leeds. To whom all Post-office Orders should be made payable, and all communications addressed. London : DAVID BOGUE, 3 St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, W.C. REVUE ET MAGASIN DE Z00L0GIE, PARAIT UNE LIVRAISON CHAQUE MOIS, Et forme chaque amide unfort volume in Zvo, de 500 pages et 30 planches environ. 23 francs par an (18s. 6d. post free). Ce recueil fonde" en 1831 par M. Guerin Meneville est toujours sous la direction scientifique de ce celebre auteur. II contient un grand nombre de travaux inedits sur toutes les branches de la zoologie, et des comptes-rendus des ouvrages nouveaux ayant trait a cette science. Les abonnements pour l'Angleterre doivent etre adresse" a Mr Boucard, 55 Great Russell Street, W.C., London; pour les autres pays, chez Deyrolle Fils, 23 Rue de la Monnaie, Paris. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST: A Monthly Publication on Insects, issued by the Entomological Society of Canada. Subscription : Five Shillings sterling for volume of 12 numbers, free of postage. Address— REV. C. J. S. BETHUNE, Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. No. XLIII. JULY 1881. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A QUARTERLY SHagajiw irf ItsiBrsI Jistorj. Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L. /- liMTN CONTENTS. The Perthshire Natural History Museum, ^i : 33/ 97 Phytology— On the Genus Usnea, and a new genus allied to it, — J. Stirton, M.D., F.L.S., 99 The Life and Labours of a Scottish Naturalist, George Don of Forfar {continued), — John Knox, 109 Mycologia Scotica {continued), — Rev. J. STEVENSON, . . . . 117 The Gaelic Names of Plants {continued), — J.Cameron, . . .125 Preliminary List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Perthshire, — Editor, 133 Notes on the Past Winter, — Walter Graham, .... 141 Caltha radicans,— Id., ......... 142 Effects of the Winter of 1880-81,— M. King, . ' . .142 Notices of New Books, *42 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. John Smith is: Sox, Glasgow; Lewis Smith, Aberdeen; John Christie, Perth W. K.10D, Dundee; G. Walker. Montrose; J. Cook & Son, St Andrews; J. & J. H. RuTHERFfRD, K.EI.SO J R. S. SHEARER, STIRLING ; W. M. Dick. Ayr ; John Anderson & Son, Dumfries. PRICE ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE The Scottish Naturalist. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. Annual Subscription, strictly payable in advance, 4s. post free. Single numbers, is. 2d. Articles and communications for the Magazine should be sent to the Editor (Dr F. Buchanan White, Perth) before the 1st of December, March, June, or September, if intended for publication in the January, April, July, or October numbers respectively. Orders for copies, subscriptions, &c, should be sent to the Publishers, from whom also the back numbers may be had. Authors desiring copies of their communications can obtain them at the following rates, sent carriage paid : — Pages. Price. 4 5s. 3d. 4 6s. 3d. 4 8s. od. Copies. Pages. Price. 25 2 4s. 3d. 50 2 4s. 9d. TOO 2 6s. 3d. Pages. 8 . 8 8 Price. 7s. 3d. 9s. 6d. 12s. od. and so on in proportion. H. W. MAESDBN, BEING in regular communication with the best Collectors in NORTH- ERN and EASTERN EUROPE, can always supply fine Specimens of EUROPEAN & BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS AND BIRD-SKINS, Including many very rare Species. Price Lists on application. SPECIAL! — Young Birds in the Down, from Lapland, &c, are now on offer. Also PRESERVED LARVyE of LEPIDOPTERA : EUROPEAN and EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA, COLEOPTERA, ORTHOPTERA, &c, &c. ; and the best BOOKS on ENTOMOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY, and OOLOGY. REGENT STREET, GLOUCESTER. FIRST-CLASS CRYPTOGAM FLORA. Just issued. RABENHORST'S CRYPTO- GAM FLORA OF GERMANY, AUSTRIA, & SWITZERLAND. Gujde - Book for the Definition of the Cryptogamic Plants. Second Edi- tion, recently revised by A. Grunow, F. Hauck, G. Limfricht, P. Richter, Dr G. Winter, and others. With numerous Wood Engravings and Plates. The 1st Volume, containing the fungus, by Dr G. Winter in Zurich, is published in Parts of 4-5 sheets, at 2s. $d. each. The Volume containing "Large-leaved Moss and Fountain Liverwort" (Laub-und- Lebermoose), by G Limpkicht, is in print. Dr L. Rabenhorst's Portrait, in cop- per Engraving, may be obtained at all Booksellers, on application, at 2s. Leipzig: ED. KUMMER. NEW BOOKS. THOMAS CARLYLE. An Essay. By General Sir E. B. Hamley, K.C.M.G. Second Edition. Crown 8vo, 2s. 6d. AN OLD EDUCATIONAL RE- FORMER— Dr BELL. By J. M. D. Meiklejohn, M A., Professor ofthe Theory, History, and Practice of Education in the University of St Andrews. Crown 8vo, 3s. 6d. VALLOMBROSA. By W. W. STORY, Author of ' Roba di Roma,' 'Graf- fiti D'ltalia,' &c. Reprinted from ' Black- wood's Magazine.' Post 8vo, 5s. Second Edition. AT HOME IN FIJI. By C. F. GORDON CUMMING, Author of 'From the Hebrides to the Himalayas.' New Edi- tion. Two volumes, post 8vo, with Illustra- tions and a Map, 25s. Wm. BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. This Day is Published, Fourth and Improved Edition. THE HANDY BOOK OF BEES, and their Profitable Management. By A. PETTIGREW. Fourth Edition, Enlarged, with Engravings. Crown 8vo, 3s. 6d. "The most practical manual on the subject that has ever been published." — St James's Gazette. "A delightful little volume on bees Here we have an account, from a thoroughly practical man who has had great experience and been a close and practical observer, of how to manage bees properly, so as to make them a profit The book abounds in useful hints and instructions for bee- keepers, and descriptions of the habits and customs and extraordinary instincts of bees." — Bell's Weekly Messenger. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. THE NATURALIST. Journal of The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and General Field-Club Record. Edited by C. P. HOBKIRK, F.L.S., and G. T. PORRITT, F.L.S. Monthly, price 4d., or 4s. per annum in advance. Containing Original Articles on Natural History Subjects ; Papers read at Meetings of Natural History Societies and Field Clubs ; Reports of Meetings and Excursions ; Notes and Queries ; Exchanges ; Diary of Meetings, &c. The volumes commence with the August number in each year. Vol. VI. commenced August 1880. Post free of B. BROWN, Publisher, Huddersfield. Price Sixpence. THE GARDENER: A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE. Edited by DAVID THOMSON, Gardener to His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch at Drumlanrig ; Author of ' Handy Book of the Flower-Garden.' Assisted by a Staff of Practical Gardeners throughout the Kingdom. The Number for July contains— The Electric Light as applied to Horti- culture. Notes. How to Make the Most of Wall-Borders in Kitchen-Gardens. — No. VII. Roses under Glass. Fruit-Culture — The Apple. Hints for Amateurs. Tabernaemontana coronaria flore-pleno. Shrubberies. Cultivation of the Gooseberry in the North of England. Strawberries. Greenhouse Plants: No. V. — The Pim- Botany for Gardeners : No. VIII. — Fruit. Hardy Plants in and out of Doors. Notes on Decorative Greenhouse Plants. Effects of Last Winter's Frost on Ever- green Shrubs. Asparagus. The Late Winter. Royal Horticultural Society. Dundee Horticultural Association. Notice of Book. Calendar — Forcing Department. Kitchen Garden. elea. Notices to Correspondents. Free by Post,- 7s. per annum, payable in advance. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. On the 1st of every Month, price Sixpence, 24 pp. 8vo, THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. Conducted by C. G. BARRETT; J. IV. DOUGLAS; R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S., F.L.S. ; E. C. RYE; E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S., and H. T. STAIN TON, F.R.S., &»c. This Magazine was commenced in 1864, and its pages are principally devoted to infor- mation respecting British Entomology. London : JOHN VAN VOORST, 1 Paternoster Row, E.C. N.B. — The volumes commence with the June number in each year. Subscriptions (6s per volume, post free) should be forwarded to the Editors at the above address. "W A1TTED. Nos. i, 2, 4, and 5 of 'THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST.' The Publishers will give One Shilling for clean copies of these Numbers. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF C0NCH0L0GY. This Journal circulates widely amongst Conchologists throughout the world, and contains every quarter Articles dealing with all departments of the Science. Price is. per number, or 4s. 4c!. per annum, post free. Edited by JOHN W. TAYLOR, St Ann's Printing Works, Leeds. To whom all Post-office Orders should be made payable, and all communications addressed. London: DAVID BOGUE, 3 St Martin's Place. Trafalgar Square, W.C. REVUE ET MAGASIW DE Z00L0GIE, PARAIT UNE LIVRAISON CHAQUE MOIS, Et forme chaque annee unfort volume in 8vo, de 500 pages et 30 plafiches environ. 23 francs par an (18s. 6d. post free). Ce recueil fonde en 1831 par M. Guerin Meneville est toujours sous la direction scientifique de ce celebre auteur. II contient un grand nombre de travaux inedits sur toutes les branches de la zoologie, et des comptes-rendus des ouvrages nouveaux ayant trait a cette science. Les abonnements pour l'Angleterre doivent etre adresse a Mr Boucard, 55 Great Russell Street, W.C, London; pour les autres pays, chez Deyrolle Fils, 23 Rue de la Monnaie, Paris. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST: A Monthly Publication on Insects, issued by the Entomological Society of Canada. Subscription : Five Shillings sterling for volume of 12 numbers, free of postage. AdJress-REX. C. J. S. BETHUNE, Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. No. XLIV. OCTOBER 1881. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A QUARTERLY /• / ap^iite of ItstBtsi Sistaifjj Edited , M.D.,VJ£lL N^ * ] CONTENTS. Page Zoology— Notes on the Habits of Dytiscus lapponicus, — Editor, . . . 145 Helix rufescens in the South-west of Scotland, — J. Land ALE, . . 147 Obituary Xotice of the late Mr R. Walker, 147 Phytology— The Life and Labours of a Scottish Naturalist, George Don of Forfar {concluded), — John Knox, 149 Notes on a few Rare Aquatic Plants, — A. Sturrock, . . . 153 The Cryptogamic Flora of Mull, — F. Buchanan White, M.D., F.L.S., 155 Mycologia Scotica {continued) , — Rev. J. Stevenson, .... 163 The Gaelic Names of Plants {continued), — J. Cameron, . . .170 Preliminary List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Perthshire, — {continued), — Editor, . . . . . . . . .178 Review— The Berries and Heaths of Rannoch, . . . . . .191 Insecta Scotica — The Coleoptera of Scotland {concluded),— I). Sharp, M.B., . . 192 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. John Smith & Sox, Glasgow ; Lewis Smith, Aberdeen- ; John Christie, Perth ■ W. Kidd, Dundee; G. Walker, Montrose; J. Cook; & Sox, St Axdrews ; J. & J. H. Rltherfurd, Kelso; R. S. Shearer, Stirling; W. M. Dick, Ayr ; John Axderson & Son, Dumfries. PRICE ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE The Scottish Naturalist. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. Annual Subscription, strictly payable in advance, 4s. post free. Single numbers, is. 2d. Articles and communications for the Magazine should be sent to the Editor (Dr F. Buchanan White, Perth) before the 1st of December, March, June, or September, if intended for publication in the January, April, July, or October numbers respectively. Orders for copies, subscriptions, &c, should be sent to the Publishers, from whom also the back numbers may be had. Authors desiring copies of their communications can obtain them at the following rates, sent carriage paid : — Copies. Pages. Price. 25 2 4s. 3d. 50 2 4s. od. TOO 2 6S. 3d. Pages. Price. 4 5s. 3d. 4 6s. 3d. 4 8s. od. Pages. Price. 8 7s. 3d. 8 . 9s. 6d. 8 12s. od. and so on in proportion. H. W. MAESDBN, BEING in regular communication with the best Collectors in NORTH- ERN afid EASTERN EUROPE, can always supply fine Specimens of EUROPEAN & BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS AND BIRD-SKINS. Including many very rare Species. Price Lists on application. SPECIAL!— Young Birds in the Down, from Lapland, &c.j are now on offer. Also PRESERVED LARV.E of LEPIDOPTERA : EUROPEAN and EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA, COLEOPTERA, ORTHOPTERA, &c, &c. ; and the best BOOKS on ENTOMOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY, and OOLOGY. REGENT STREET, GLOUCESTER. With 13 Coloured Plates, super-royal 8vo, price 7s. 6d. THE BERRIES AND HEATHS OF RANNOCH. By A SNOWDROP. London : G. BELL & SONS, York Street, Covent Gardkn. Sixth Edition, Revised and Improved. AN ETYMOLOGICAL AND PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, Including a very Copious Selection of Scientific, Technical, and other Terms and Phrases. Designed for Use in Schools and Colleges, and as a Handy Book for General Reference. By the Rev. JAMES STORMONTH. The Pronunciation carefully revised by Rev. P. H. PHELP, M.A. Cantab. Sixth Edition, carefully revised throughout. Crown 8vo, pp. 800, price 7s. 6d. "It is, as many of our readers .know, the very model of the dictionary required by students— the dic- tionary that does not fail at a pinch, seeing that it gives pronunciation, derivation, all the inflections of words, postfixes, abbreviations, classic and foreign phrases, Scripture and other proper names, with the pronunciation, &c. It is, so far as words go, a little library of reference ; and the whole presents itself in handy size." — School Board Chronicle. " Should find a place on every library table."— Notes and Queries. " We have not space to describe all its excellences, or to point out in detail how it differs from other lexicons; but we cannot with justice omit mentioning some of its more striking peculiarities. In the first place, it is comprehensive, including not only all the words recognised by the best authori- ties as sterling old English, but all the new coinages which have passed into general circulation, with a great many scientific terms." — Civil Service Gazette. "This dictionary is admirable." — Westminster Review. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. THE NATURALIST. Journal of The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and General Field-Club Record. Edited by C. P, HOBKIRK, F.L.S., and G. T. PORRITT, F.LS. Monthly, price 4d., or 4s. per annum in advance. Containing Original Articles on Natural History Subjects ; Papers read at Meetings of Natural History Societies and Field Clubs ; Reports of Meetings and Excursions ; Notes and Queries ; Exchanges ; Diary of Meetings, Sec. The volumes commence with the August number in each year. Vol. VI. commenced August 1880. Post free of B. BROWN, Publisher, Huddersfield. Price Sixpence. THE GARDENER: A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE. Edited by DAVID THOMSON, Gardener to His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch at Drumlanrig ; Author of ' Handy Book of the Flower-Garden.' Assisted by a Staff of Practical Gardeners throughout the Kingdom. The Number for October contains- Notes. Forcing Lily of the Valley. Fruit-Culture — The Pear. Haemanthus cinnabarinum and H. Kal- breyeri. Winter-Flowering Plants. Manure-Water. Notes on Decorative Greenhouse Plants. Feeding Vines and Setting Muscats, Hints for Amateurs. Kitchen-Garden Notes. Low Night-Temperature for Vines. The Best Potatoes. Subtropical Bedding in Private Gardens. Dracaenas. Is the Rose Red ? The Manchester International Horticul- tural Exhibition. The Caledonian Horticultural Society's Show. Calendar — Forcing Department. Kitchen-Garden. Notices to Correspondents. Free by Post, ys. per annum, payable in advance. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. On the 1st of 'every Month, price Sixpence, 24 pp. 8vo, THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. Conducted by C. G. BARRETT; J. IV. DOUGLAS; R. M'LACHLAX. F.R.S., F.L.S.; E. C. RYE; E. SAUXDERS, F.L.S., and H. T. STA/XTOX, F.R.S., &c. This Magazine was commenced in 1864, and its pages are principally devoted to infor- mation respecting British Entomology. London : JOHN VAN VOORST, 1 Paternoster Row, E.C. X.B. — The volumes commence with the June number in each year. Subscriptions (6s. per volume, post free) should be forwarded to the Editors at the above address. WANTED. Nos. i, 2, 4, and 5 of 'THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST.' t The Publishers will give One Shilling for clean copies of these Numbers. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF C0NCH0L0GY. This Journal circulates widely amongst Conchologists throughout the world, and contains every quarter Articles dealing with all departments of the Science. Price is. per number, or 4s. 4d. per annum, post free. Edited by JOHN W. TAYLOR, St Ann's Printing Works, Leeds. To w horn all Post-office Orders should be made payable, and all communications addressed. London : DAVID BOGUE, 3 St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, W.C. REVUE ET MAGASIN OE Z00L0GIE, PARAIT UNE LIVRAISON CHAQUE MOIS, Et forme chaque amide un fort volume in 8vo, de 500 pages et 30 planches environ. 23 francs par an (18s. 6d. post free). Ce recueil fonde en 1831 par M. Guerin Meneville est toujours sous la direction scientifique de ce celebre auteur. II contient un grand nombre de travaux in^dits sur toutes les branches de la zoologie, et des comptes-rendus des ouvrages nouveaux ayant trait a cette science. Les abonnements pour l'Angleterre doivent etre adresse a Mr Boucard, 55 Great Russell Street, W.C, London; pour les autres pays, chez Deyrolle Fils, 23 Rue de la Monnaie, Paris. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST: A Monthly Publication on Insects, issued by the Entomological Society of Canada. Subscription : Five Shillings sterling for volume of 12 numbers, free of postage. Address— Rev. C.J. S. BETH UNE, Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. No. XLV. JANUARY 1882. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A QUARTERLY |th§;miie of Batumi |jisior». g^ <2 Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. Page Geology— CONTENTS The Intercrossing of Erratics in Glacial Deposits, — Dr J. Geikie, F.R.S., 193 Zoology— On Collecting and Preserving Myriapoda, — T. D. Gibson -Car- michael, 201 On the Occurrence in Scotland of the Blue - throated Warbler, — J. A. Harvie Brown, F.R. S.E., F.Z.S., .... 203 Storm - Petrels found in Perthshire, — Colonel Drummond Hay, C.M.Z.S., 206 Phytology— The Cryptogamic Flora of Mull {continued), — F. Buchanan White, t • JL/. o. « • » • • • • • ■ • • * — I O Mycologia Scotica {continued), — Rev. J. Steyenson, . . . .213 The Gaelic Names of Plants {continued), — J. Cameron, . . .221 Preliminary List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Perthshire {continued), — Editor, ......... 230 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. John Smith & Son, Glasgow; Lewis Smith, Aberdeen- ; John Christie, Perth W. Kidd, Dundee; G. Walker, Montrose; J. Cook & Son' St Andrews; J. & J. H. RlTHERFURD, KELSO \ R. S. SHEARER, STIRLING J W. M. Dick. Ayr ; John Anderson & Son, Dumfries. PRICE ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE The Scottish Naturalist. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. Annual Subscription, strictly payable in advance, 4s. post free. Single numbers, is. 2d. Articles and communications for the Magazine should be sent to the Editor (Dr F. Buchanan White, Perth) before the 1st of December, March, June, or September, if intended for publication in the January, April, July, or October numbers respectively. Orders for copies, subscriptions, &c, should be sent to the Publishers, from whom also the back numbers may be had. Authors desiring copies of their communications can obtain them at the following rates, sent carriage paid : — Copies. 25 50 100 Pages. Price. 2 4s. 3d. 2 4s. 9d. 2 6s. 3d. Pages. Price. 4 SS. 3d- 4 6s. 3d. 4 8s. od. Pages. Price. 8 7s. 3d. 8 9s. 6d. 8 12s. od. and so on in proportion. H. W. MAESDBN, BEING in regular communication with the best Collectors in NORTH- ERN and EASTERN EUROPE, can always supply fine Specimens of EUROPEAN & BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS AND BIRD-SKINS, Including many very rare Species. Price Lists on application. SPECIAL !— Young Birds in the Down, from Lapland, &c„ are now on offer. Also PRESERVED LARV.E of LEPIDOPTERA : EUROPEAN and EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA, COLEOPTERA, ORTHOPTERA, &c, &c. ; and the best BOOKS on ENTOMOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY, and OOLOGY. REGENT STREET, GLOUCESTER. Price ios. 6d. INSECT VARIETY. Treating of the Odours, Dances, Colours, and Music of Insects ; and of the variation these insect characters are liable to. By A. H. SWINTON. CASSELL, PETTER, GALPIN, & CO., London, and all Booksellers. Sixth Edition, Revised and Improved. AN ETYMOLOGICAL AND PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, Including a very Copious Selection of Scientific, Technical, and other Terms and Phrases. Designed for Use in Schools and Colleges, and as a Handy Book for General Reference. By the Rev, JAMES STORMONTH. The Pronunciation carefully revised by Rev. P. H. PHELP, M.A. Cantab. Sixth Edition, carefully revised throughout. Crown 8vo, pp. 800, price 7s. 6d. " It is, as many of our readers know, the very model of the dictionary required by students— the dic- tionary that does not fail at a pinch, seeing that it gives pronunciation, derivation, all the inflections of words, postfixes, abbreviations, classic and foreign phrases, Scripture and other proper names, with the pronunciation, &c. It is, so far as words go, a little library of reference ; and the whole presents itself in handy size." — School Board Chronicle. " Should find a place on every library table."— Notes and Queries. "We have not space to describe all its excellences, or to point out in detail how it differs from other lexicons ; but we cannot with justice omit mentioning some of its more striking peculiarities. In the first place, it is comprehensive, including not only all the words recognised by the best authori- ties as sterling old Englishfcbut all the new coinages which have passed into general circulation, with a great many scientific terms." — Civil Service Gazette. "This dictionary is admirable." — Westminster Review. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. THE NATURALIST. Journal of The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and General Field-Club Record. Edited by C. P. HOBKIRK, F.L.S., and G. T. PORRITT, F.LS. Monthly, price 4d., or 4s. per annum in advance. Containing Original Articles on Natural History Subjects ; Papers read at Meetings cf Natural History Societies and Field Clubs ; Reports of Meetings and Excursions ; Notes and Queries ; Exchanges ; Diary of Meetings, &c. The volumes commence with the August number in each year. Vol. VII. commenced August 1 88 1. Post free of B. BROWN, Publisher, Huddersfield. This Day is Published. DOGS OF OTHER DAYS: Nelson and Puck. "Dogs, ye have had your day."— The Odyssey. By EVE BLANTYRE SIMPSON. Fcap. 8vo, with Illustrations, 4s. 6d. -i Her handsome little volume is pleasant reading from first to last. ... It will be a delightful and instructive little present." — Scotsman. "Miss Simpson, in these charming sketches of the favourites of her father's fireside, shows such keen and kindly insight into the varying moods and characters of dogs that her book will prove a never-failing source of enjoyment to thousands." — North British Daily Mail. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. Price Sixpence. THE GARDENER : A Monthly Magazine of Horticulture and Floriculture. Edited by DAVID THOMSON, Gardener to His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch at Drumlanrig ; Author of ' Handy Book of the Flower-Garden.' Assisted by a Staff of Practical Gardeners throughout the Kingdom. The Number for January contains — Orchid- Culture : No. I., Angraecums. — Notes. — About Cut Flowers. — Fruit-Culture. — Hints for Amateurs. — Vegetables Old and New. — Greenhouse Plants: No. X., Eupatorium odoratum. — Christmas Roses. — The Vegetable Garden. — The Bomarea Carderi. — The Spring Propagation of the Hollyhock. — Work in Plant-Houses. — Making Ends Meet. — Botany for Gardeners. — Low Night-Temperature for Grapes. — Cool Treatment of the Grape- Vine. — Notice of Book. — Calendar : Forcing Department ; Kitchen-Garden. — Notices to Correspondents. Free by Post, ys. per annum, payable in advance. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS. Edinburgh and London. On the 1st 0/ every Mouth, price Sixpence, 24 pp. 8vo, THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. Conducted by C. G. BARRETT; J. IF". DOUGLAS; R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S., F.L.S.; B.C. RYE; E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S., and H. T. STA/NTON, F.R.S., &c. This Magazine was commenced in 1864, and its pages are principally devoted to infor- mation respecting British Entomology. London : JOHN VAN VOORST, 1 Paternoster Row, E.C. N.B. — The volumes commence with the June number in each year. Subscriptions {6s. per volume, post free) shouid be forwarded to the Editors at the above address. W _A_ 1ST T IE ID. Nos. i, 2, 4., and 5 of 'THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST.' The Publishers will give One Shilling for clean copies of these Numbers. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF C0NCH0L0CY. This Journal circulates widely amongst Conchologists throughout the world, and contains every quarter Articles dealing with all departments of the Science. Price is. per number, or 43. 4d. per annum, post free. Edited by JOHN W. TAYLOR, St Ann's Printing Works, Leeds. To whom all Post-office Orders should be made payable, and all communications addressed. London : DAVID BOGUE, 3 St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, W.C. . REVUE ET MAGASIN DE Z00L0CIE, PARAIT UNE LIVRAISON CHAQUE MOIS, Et forme chaque anncc unfort volume in 8vo, de 500 pages et 30 planches environ. 23 francs par an (18s. 6d. post free). Ce recueil fonde en 1831 par M. Guerin Meneville est toujours sous la direction scientifique de ce celebre auteur. II contient un grand nombre de travaux inedits sur toutes les branches de la zoologie, et des comptes-rendus des ouvrages nouveaux ayant trait a cette science. Les abonnements pour l'Angleterre doivent etre adresse" a Mr Boucard, 55 Great Russell Street, W.C, London; pour les autres pays, chez Deyrolle Fils, 23 Rue de la Monnaie, Paris. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST: A Monthly Publication on Insects, issued- by the Entomological Society ok Canada. Subscription : Five Shillings sterling for volume of 12 numbers, free of postage. Address— Rev. C. J. S. BETHUNE, Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. No. XLVI. APRIL 1882. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A QUARTERLY Ulitg^ine of ikfural Jisforjj. Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. 1 ^. CONTENTS. Page Geology— The Intercrossing of Erratics in Glacial Deposits {concluded), — Dr J. Geikie, F.R.S., 241 Phytology— A New British Fungus, — F. Buchanan White, M.D., F.L.S., . 254 Scottish Galls, — Professor Trail, M.D., F.L.S., .... 255 The Modes of Dispersion of the Seeds of Scottish Wild Plants. Id., . 257 The Gaelic Names of Plants {continued), — J.Cameron, . . .271 Preliminary List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Perthshire {continued), — Editor, ......... 278 Notices of New Books, .. t ..... . 287 / Zoology— "The Victor Overthrown*'?— Rev. Dr Gordon, .... 288 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. John Smith S: Son, Glasgow; Lewis Smith, Aberdeen; John Christie, Perth W. Kidd, Dundee; G. Walker, Montrose; J. Cook & Son, St Andrews; J. & J. H. Rutherfurd, Kelso; R. S. Shearer, Stirling; W. M. Dick, Ayr ; John Anderson & Son, Dumfries. PRICE ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE The Scottish Naturalist. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. Annual Subscription, strictly payable in advance, 4s. post free. Single numbers, is. 2d. Articles and communications for the Magazine should be sent to the Editor (Dr F. Buchanan White, Perth) before the 1st of December, March, June, or September, if intended for publication in the January, April, July, or October numbers respectively. Orders for copies, subscriptions, &c, should be sent to the Publishers, from whom also the back numbers may be had. Authors desiring copies of their communications can obtain them at the following rates, sent carriage paid : — Pages. 4 4 4 and so on in proportion. H. W. MAESDEN, BEING in regular communication with the best Collectors in NORTH- ERN and EASTERN EUROPE, can always supply fine Specimens of EUROPEAN & BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS AND BIRD-SKINS, Including many very rare Species. Price Lists on application. SPECIAL! — Young Birds in the Down, from Lapland, &c, are now on offer. Also PRESERVED LARV.E of LEPIDOPTERA : EUROPEAN and EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA, COLEOPTERA, ORTHOPTERA, &c, &c. ; and the best BOOKS on ENTOMOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY, and OOLOGY. Copies. Pages. Price. 25 2 4s. 3d 50 2 4s. 9d 100 2 6s. 3d Price. Pages. Price. 5S. 3d- 8 7s. 3d. 6s. 3d. 8 9s. 6d. 8s. od. 8 12s. od. REGENT STREET, GLOUCESTER. Price ios. 6d. TNSECT VARIETY. Treating of the Odours, Dances, Colours, JL and Music of Insects ; and of the variation these insect characters are liable to. By A. H. SWINTON. CASSELL, PETTER, GALPIN, & CO., London, and all Booksellers. Sixth Edition, Revised and Improved. AN ETYMOLOGICAL AND PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, Including a very Copious Selection of Scientific, Technical, and other Terms and Phrases. Designed for Use in Schools and Colleges, and as a Handy Book for General Reference. By the Rev. JAMES STORMONTH. The Pronunciation carefully revised by Rev. P. H. PHELP, M.A. Cantab. Sixth Edition, carefully revised throughout. Crown 8vo, pp. 800, price 7s. 6d. " It is, as many of our readers know, the very model of the dictionary required by students — the dic- tionary that does not fail at a pinch, seeing that it gives pronunciation, derivation, all the inflections of words, postfixes, abbreviations, classic and foreign phrases, Scripture and other proper names, with the pronunciation, &c. It is, so far as words go, a little library of reference ; and the whole presents itself in handy size." — School Board Chronicle. " Should find a place on every library table." — Notes and Queries. "We have not space to describe all its excellences, or to point out in detail how it differs from other lexicons ; but we cannot with justice omit mentioning some of its more striking peculiarities. In the first place, it is comprehensive, including not only all the words recognised by the best authori- ties as sterling old English, but all the new coinages which have passed into general circulation, with a great many scientific terms " — Civil Service Gazette. "This dictionary is admirable." — Westminster Review. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. THE NATURALIST. Journal of The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and General Field-Club Record. Edited by C. P. HOBKIRK, F.L.S., and G. T. PORRITT, F.L.S. Monthly, price 4d., or 4s. per annum in advance. Containing Original Articles on Natural History Subjects ; Papers read at Meetings cf Natural History Societies and Field Clubs ; Reports of Meetings and Excursions ; Notes and Queries ; Exchanges ; Diary of Meetings, &c. The volumes commence with the August number in each year. Vol. VII. commenced August 1 88 1. Post free of B. BROWN, Publisher, Huddersfield. Just Published. DOGS OF OTHER DAYS: Nelson and Puck. "Dogs, ye have had your day."— The Odyssey. By EVE BLANTYRE SIMPSON. Fcap. 8vo, with Illustrations, 4s. 6d. " Her handsome little volume is pleasant reading from first to last. ... It will be a delightful and instructive little present." — Scotsman. " Miss Simpson, in these charming sketches of the favourites of her father's fireside, shows such keen and kindly insight into the varying moods and characters of dogs that her book will prove a never-failing source of enjoyment to thousands." — North British Daily Mail. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. Price Sixpence. THE GARDENER: A Monthly Magazine of Horticulture and Floriculture. Edited by DAVID THOMSON, Gardener to His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch at Drumlanrig ; Author of ' Handy Book of the Flower-Garden. ' Assisted by a Staff of Practical Gardeners throughout the Kingdom. The Number for April contains — Soils suitable for Fruit- Production. — Orchid-Culture : No. IV., Dendrobiums. — Notes. — Autumn and Winter Blooming Roses, and Roses on their own Roots. — Anemone coronaria from Seed. — Herbs and their Culture. — Florist Flowers. — Hints for Amateurs. — Hints upon Kitchen-Garden Cropping. — Calanthes. — The Coming Summer. — Deutzia gracilis as a Forcing Plant. — Plant-Houses. — Propagat- ing, Planting, and Pruning the Vine. — Notes : Tynningham Woods ; Golden Queen Grape ; Sedum spectabile ; The Best Forcing Kidney Bean, of Dwarf Kidney Beans for Forcing. — Low Night-Temperatures. — Errata. — Calendar : Forcing Department; Kitchen- Garden. — Notices to Correspondents. Free by Post, ys. per annum, payable in advance. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. On the 1st of every Month, price Sixpence, 24 pp. Zvo, THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE. Conducted by C. G. BARRETT; J. IV. DOUGLAS; R. M'LACHLAN, F.R.S., F.L.S.; E. C. RYE; E. SAUNDERS, F.L.S., and H. T. STAINTON, F.R.S., &>c. This Magazine was commenced in 1864, and its pages are principally devoted to infor- mation respecting British Entomology. London : JOHN VAN VOORST, 1 Paternoster Row, E.C. N.B. — The volumes commence with the June number in each year. Subscriptions (6s. per volume, post free) should be forwarded to the Editors at the above address. "W .A. 1ST T IE ID. Nos. i, 2, 4, and 5 of 'THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST.' The Publishers will give One Shilling for clean copies of these Numbers. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF C0NCH0L0CY. This Journal circulates widely amongst Conchologists throughout the world, and contains every quarter Articles dealing with all departments of the Science. Price is. per number, or 4s. 4d. per annum, post free. Edited by JOHN W. TAYLOR, St Ann's Printing Works, Leeds. To whom all Post-office Orders should be made payable, and all communications addressed. London : DAVID BOGUE, 3 St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, W.C. REVUE ET MAGASIN DE Z00L0GIE, PA RAIT UNE LIVRAISON CHAQUE MOIS, Ei forme chaque anne"e un fort volume in Szv, de 500 pages ct 30 planches environ. 23 francs par an (ifis. 6d. p*-st free). Ce recueil fonde en 183 1 par M. Guerin Meneville est toujours sous la direction scientifique de ce celebre auteur. II contient un grand nombre de travaux inedits sur toutes les branches de la zoologie, et des comptes-rendus des ouvrages nouveaux ayant trait a cette science. Les abonnements pour l'Angleterre doivent etre adresse a Mr Boucard, 55 Great Russell Street, W.C, London; pour les autres pays, chez Deyrolle Fils, 23 Rue de la Monnaie, Paris. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST: A Monthly Publication on Insects, issued by the Entomological Society of Canada. Subscription : Five Shillings sterling for volume of 12 numbers, free of postage. Addrcss-RK\\ C. J. S. BETHUNE, Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. No. XLVII. JULY 1882. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A QUARTERLY >£ apjinc af Ijtafcrsl jHsiorg. Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D., F.L.S. V CONTENTS. Page Charles Robert Darwin, ........ 289 Zoology— The Lepidoptera of Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides, — Editor, ■ 289 Phytology— Notes on the Genus Usnea, with Descriptions of New Species. — J. Stirtox, M.D., F.L.S., • 292 The Gaelic Names of Plants {continued), — J. Cameron, . . . 297 On the Distribution of the Native Alpine Flora in Scotland, — Edward Moir, 306 A New List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Orkney, — W. Irvine Fortescue. 318 Preliminary List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Perthshire [continued), — Editor, ......... 326 The Flora of Arbroath and its Neighbourhood 336 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. John Smith & Son, Glasgow ; Lewis Smith, Aberdeen ; John Christie, Perth : W. Kidd, Dundee; G. Walker, Montrose; J. Cook & Son, St Andrews: J. & J. H. RlTHERFURD, KELSO J R. S. SHEARER, STIRLING ', W. M. Dick, Ayr ; John Anderson & Son, Dumfries. PRICE ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE The Scottish Naturalist. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. Annual Subscription, strictly payable in advance, 4s. post free. Single numbers, is. 2d. Articles and communications for the Magazine should be sent to the Editor (Dr F. Buchanan White, Perth) before the 1st of December, March, June, or September, if intended for publication in the January, April, July, or October numbers respectively. Orders for copies, subscriptions, &c, should be sent to the Publishers, from whom also the back numbers may be had. Authors desiring copies of their communications can obtain them at the following rates, sent carriage paid : — Pages. 4 4 4 and so on in proportion. H. W. MARSDEN, BEING in regular communication with the best Collectors in NORTH- ERN and EASTERN EUROPE, can always supply fine Specimens of EUROPEAN & BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS AND BIRD-SKINS, Including many very rare Species. Price Lists on application. SPECIAL !— Young Birds in the Down, from Lapland, &c, are now on offer. Also PRESERVED LARVAE of LEPIDOPTERA : EUROPEAN and EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA, COLEOPTERA, ORTHOPTERA, &c, &c. ; and the best BOOKS on ENTOMOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY, and OOLOGY. Copies. Pages. Price. 25 2 4s. 3d. 50 2 4s. 9d. 100 2 6s. 3d. Price. Pages. Price. 5S. 3d- 8 7s. 3d 6s. 3d. 8 9s. 6d 8s. od. 8 12s. od REGENT STREET, GLOUCESTER. Price ios. 6d. TNSECT VARIETY. Treating of the Odours, Dances, Colours, JL and Music of Insects ; and of the variation these insect characters are liable to. By A. H. SWINTON. CASSELL, PETTER, GALPIN, & CO., London, and all Booksellers. Sixth Edition, Revised and Improved. AN ETYMOLOGICAL AND PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, Including a very Copious Selection of Scientific, Technical, and other Terms and Phrases. Designed for Use in Schools and Colleges, and as a Handy Book for General Reference. By the Rev. JAMES STORMONTH. The Pronunciation carefully revised by Rev. P. H. PHELP, M.A. Cantab. Sixth Edition, carefully revised throughout. Crown 8vo, pp. 800, price 7s. 6d. " It is, as many of our readers know, the very model of the dictionary required by students— the dic- tionary that does not fail at a pinch, seeing that it gives pronunciation, derivation, all the inflections of words, postfixes, abbreviations, classic and foreign phrases, Scripture and other proper names, with the pronunciation, &c. It is. so far as words go, a little library of reference ; and the whole presents itself in handy size." — School Board Chronicle. " Should find a place on every library table."— ATotes and Queries. "We have not space to describe all its excellences, or to point out in detail how it differs from other lexicons; but we cannot with justice omit mentioning some of its more striking peculiarities. In the first place, it is comprehensive, including not only all the words recognised by the best authori- ties as sterling old English, but all the new coinages which have passed into general circulation, with a great many scientific terms " — Civil Service Gazette. "This dictionary is admirable." — Westminster Review, WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. THE NATURALIST. Journal of The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and General Field-Club Record. Edited by C. P. HOBKIRK, F.L.S., and G. T. PORRITT, F.LS. Monthly, price 4d., or 4s. per annum in advance. Containing Original Articles on Natural History Subjects ; Papers read at Meetings cf Natural History Societies and Field Clubs ; Reports of Meetings and Excursions ; Notes ind Queries ; Exchanges ; Diary of Meetings, &c. The volumes commence with the August number in each year. Vol. VII. commenced August 1881. Post free of B. BROWN, Publisher, Huddersfield. New and Greatly Enlarged Edition. This Day is Published. THE FORESTER: A Practical Treatise on the Plant- ing. Rearing, and General Management of Forest-Trees. By JAMES BROWN, LL.D., Inspector of, and Reporter on, Woods and Forests, Benmore House, Port Elgin, Ontario. Assisted by his Son, George E. Brown, Forester, Cumloden, Newton-Stewart. Fifth Edition, Enlarged and Improved. Royal 8vo, with nearly 200 Engravings on Wood, 36s. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. Price Sixpence. THE GARDENER: A Monthly Magazine of Horticulture and Floriculture. Edited by DAVID THOMSON, Gardener to His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch at Drumlanrig; Author of ' Handy Book of the Flower-Garden.' Assisted by a Staff of Practical Gardeners throughout the Kingdom. The Number for Jtdy contains — The Vine Border a Nitre Bed.— Composts. — Plants for Forcing in Winter and Spring. — Gardeners' Enemies: No. II. — In and About London. — Greenhouse Plants: No. XIII., Leschenaultias.- -Hints for Amateurs. — Notes on Ferns. — A Few Remarks on Current Topics. — Orchid - Culture : No. VII., Dendrobiums. — Climate : Its Relation to Fruit-Culture. — Mushrooms in the Open Air. — Autumn and Winter Turnips. — Some Desirable Improvements. — Varieties of Stephanotis floribunda. — Florist Flowers. — Plant-Houses. — Sleep of Plants. — Potato Disease.— Gilbert's Double Primulas. — Mealy-Bug. — Dundee Horticultural Association. — Calendar: Forcing Depart- ment ; Kitchen-Garden. — Notices to Correspondents. Free by Post, js. per annum, payable in advan ■ WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London. On the 1st of every Month, price Sixpence, 24 pp. 8z'c. This Magazine was commenced in 1864, and its pages are principally devoted to infor- mation respecting British Entomology. London : JOH£I VAN VOORST, 1 Paternoster Row, E.C. X.B. — The volumes commence with the June number in each year. Subscriptions (6s. per volume, post free) should be forwarded to the Editors at the above address. W .A. 1ST T IE ID. Nos. i, 2, 4, and 5 of 'THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST.5 The Publishers will give One Shilling for clean copies of these Numbers. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF C0NCH0L0GY. This Journal circulates widely amongst Conchologists throughout the world, and contains every quarter Articles dealing with all departments of the Science. Price is. per number, or 4s. 4d. per annum, post free. Edited by JOHN W. TAYLOR, St Ann's Printing Works, Leeds. To whom all Post-office Orders should be made payable, and all communications addressed. London : DAVID BOGUE, 3 St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square, W.C. REVUE ET MAGASIN DE Z00L0GIE, PARAIT une livraison chaque mois, Et forme chaque annie tin fort volume in 8vo, dc 500 pages et 30 planches environ. 23 francs par an (18s. 6d. post free). Ce recueil fonde eh 1831 par M. Guerin Meneville est toujours sous la direction scientifique de ce celebre auteur. II contient un grand nombre de travaux in^dits sur toutes les branches de la zoologie, et des comptes-rendus des ouvrages nouveaux ayant trait a cette science. Les abonnements pour l'Angleterre doivent etre adresse a Mr Boucard, 55 Great Russell Street, W.C, London; pour les autres pays, chez Deyrolle Fils, 23 Rue de la Monnaie, Paris. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST: A Monthly Publication on Insects, issued by the Entomological Society of Canada. Subscription : Five Shillings sterling for volume of 12 numbers, free of postage. Address— Rev. C. J. S. BETHUNE, Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. No. XLVIII. OCTOBER 1882. THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST A QUARTERLY paga^int of |tatural |3isfar|^/i0^#^0< Edited by F. BUCHANAN WHITE, M.D.,\f3lS. ^ CONTENTS. Zoology— The Lepidoptera of Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides, Editor, Endromis versicolor, — L. D. Dunbar, ..... Phytology— Rediscovery of Caltha radicans, — Walter Graham, . The Gaelic Names of Plants {concluded), — J. Cameron, A New List of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of Orkney {continued), — ■ W. Irvine Fortescue, ....... The Flora of the South-west of Scotland, ..... Sphagnum Austini, &c, in the South-west of Scotland,— James M 'Andrew, Notes on some Perthshire Plants, — Editor, .... Title-page and Index to Volume VI. Page 337 344 345 347 362 375 378 378 WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. John Smith & Son, Glasgow; Lewis Smith, Aberdeen; John Christie, Perth W. Kidd, Dundee; G. Walker, Montrose; J. Cook & Son, St Andrews; J. & J. H. Rutherflrd, Kelso; R. S. Shearer, Stirling; W. M. Dick, Ayr ; John Anderson & Son, Dumfries. PRICE ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE The Scottish Naturalist. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. Annual Subscription, strictly payable in advance, 4s. post free. Single numbers, is. 2d. Articles and communications for the Magazine should be sent to the Editor (Dr F. Buchanan White, Perth) before the 1st of December, March, June, or September, if intended for publication in the January, April, July, or October numbers respectively. Orders for copies, subscriptions, &c, should be sent to the Publishers, from whom also the back numbers may be had. Authors desiring copies of their communications can obtain them at the following rates, sent carriage paid : — Copies. 25 50 j 00 Pages. Price. 2 4s. 3d. 2 4s. od. 2 6s. 3d. Pages. Price. Pages. Price. 4 5s. 3d. 8 7s. 3d. 4 6s. 3d. 8 9s. 6d. 4 8s. od. 8 T2S. od. and so on in proportion. TO THE SECRETARIES OF SOCIETIES AND OTHERS. HPO facilitate communication amongst Naturalists, it is proposed to •*■ publish in 'The Scottish Naturalist' a "Guide to the Scientific Societies of Scotland.'1 The Editor will be therefore much obliged if any readers of this will send him the titles of Societies (especially those which have been founded during the past ten years) in or near their districts. The " Guide " will be commenced in January. ~ H. W. MAHSDEN, BEING in regular communication with the best Collectors in NORTH- ERN and EASTERN EUROPE, can always supply fine Specimens of EUROPEAN & BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS AND BIRD-SKINS, Including many very rare Species. Price Lists on application. SPECIAL ! — Young Birds in the Down, from Lapland, &c, are now on offer. Also PRESERVED LARV.E of LEPIDOPTERA : EUROPEAN and EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA, COLEOPTERA, ORTHOPTERA, &c, &c. ; and the best BOOKS on ENTOMOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY, and OOLOGY. REGENT STREET, GLOUCESTER,. TO AMATEURS.— Mr J. H. Gurney, jun., Northrepps, Norwich, A would be glad to exchange a number of rather common British Birds' Skins, killed on the east coast of England, not very well skinned, but correctly named, with date, locality, and sex, for Skins from Scotland, labelled with the locality where, and the month when, obtained. Sixth Edition, Revised and Improved. AN ETYMOLOGICAL AND PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, Including a very Copious Selection of Scientific, Technical, and other Terms and Phrases. Designed for Use in Schools and Colleges, and as a Handy Book for General Reference. By the Rev. JAMES STORMONTH. The Pronunciation carefully revised by Rev. P. H. PHELP, M.A. Cantab. Sixth Edition, carefully revised throughout. Crown 8vo, pp. 800, price 7s. 6d. " It is, as many of our readers know, the very model of the dictionary required by students — the dic- tionary that does not fail at a pinch, seeing that it gives pronunciation, derivation, all the inflections of words, postfixes, abbreviations, classic and foreign phrases, Scripture and other proper names, with the pronunciation, &c. It is, so far as words go, a little library of reference ; and the whole presents itself in handy size." — School Board Chronicle. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD 8c SONS, Edinburgh and London. THE NATURALIST. Journal of The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, and General Field-Club Record. Edited by C. P. HOBKIRK, F.L.S., and G. T. PORRITT, F.LS. Monthly, price 4d., or 4s. per annum in advance. Containing Original Articles on Natural History Subjects ; Papers read at Meetings cf Natural History Societies and Field Clubs ; Reports of Meetings and Excursions ; Notes ind Queries ; Exchanges ; Diary of Meetings,