1903- Prae^gKR. — Botanizins^ in the Ards, 259 



the finding of a fine colony a few miles to the southward. The 

 occurrence of Potamogeton plantagijieus in a second Ulster 

 locality is likewise welcome. Ligusticum scoticu7n has such a 

 restricted and definite range in Ireland — Tory Island to the 

 Copelands — that an extension southward of 12 miles is of 

 some interest. Similarly, a northward extension of the Irish 

 range of Atriplex portulacoides ', last year I traced it from 

 Dundrum round the coast to Gun's Island ; now its limit is 

 extended to Green Island, near Portavogie. Hydrocharis 

 Morsus-rancB^ as regards its Down record, rested, like 

 Cheyiopodmm rubrum^ on Templeton's unconfirmed authority ; 

 and, as in the case of the Red Goosefoot, the observation of our 

 first northern botanist is shown to be correct. 



A brief comparison of the Ards flora with that of the adjoin- 

 ing Lecale district, which I explored last year, may be of 

 interest. The two areas are in most respects very similar. 

 Both are of no great elevation, undulating, highly tilled, 

 formed of slates and grits. Both have an extensive shore 

 line, with sands, shingle, and jagged rocks. Of the maritime 

 species, several of the interesting I^ecale plants are shown to 

 have their northern Down limit in the Ards — Thalict7um 

 du7iense, "^Glaucium flavu7n, Rapha7tus 77iariti77ms, Merte7tsia 

 mariii77ta, "'^ A t7ip lex portulacoides ; while some others have not 

 yet been found north of Lecale — "^Artemisia 77ia7'iti77ta, CarliTia 

 vulgaris^ Statice occide7italis. An asterisk is appended above to 

 such species as have their Irish northern limit in the district 

 mentioned. On the other hand, Ligustiawt scoticu77i finds its 

 southern limit in the Ards ; and Cra77ibe mariti77ia and 

 Che7iopodiu77i rubru77i also are absent from the I^ecale coast. 

 As regards the Trefoils {T, striattwi, T. filifor77ie, Trig07iella 

 or7iithopodioides) which formed such a marked feature in the 

 lyecale flora, no trace was seen in the Ards. But this negative 

 evidence is of little value, for they were looked for under 

 most unfavourable conditions. The drought of May and 

 June had shrivelled the early summer vegetation on the rocky 

 knolls, and July rains had covered them with a rich crop of 

 later summer plants. Under the same circumstances, I doubt 

 if I should have found any of these Trefoils in I,ecale ; and I 

 think it probable that some of them — T. striatiwi at least — 

 will yet turn up in the Ards. There is plenty of exactly 

 suitable ground. 



