28o The Irish Naturalist November, 



damper and more sheltered meadows yield hay of fair quality. 

 The weed flora is very poor. Among the cereals Brassica 

 canipestris is the most conspicuous and abundant colonist ; 

 B. alba is the next commonest Brassica ; B. Sinapis is a rather 

 bad third. Other prevailing crop weeds are Spergitla arve7isis, 

 Polyg07ium Persicaria. P. Hydropiper, and Euphorbia Helioscopia. 

 Poppies are absent ; Fumatories very rare. The human 

 activity of the island centres about the Quay, in the extreme 

 south-east, and the chapel, on the southern shore a couple of 

 miles away. Around these spots are grouped such species as 

 Sisymbritim officinale, Trifoliuni dubiiwt, Matricaria discoidea, 

 Calystegia sepiu??i, Veronica polita, V. agrestis, V. Touriiefortii, 

 Lamium hybridum, L. iyitermeditmi^ Stachys arvensis, Poly- 

 gomwi Co7ivolvuluSy Leinria viinor, all of which must on Clare 

 Island rank as colonists, or less. Trees have only very 

 sparingly been introduced to give shelter about the houses. 

 Elder is that most frequently employed, and a few stunted 

 Sycamore, Poplar, and Ash may be noted. Remnants of 

 attempted hedges of Cratcegus and Hippophae occur near the 

 Quay ; and bushes of Salix viminalis^ S. S7?iithia?ia, Fuchsia^ 

 and Ligustruin may be seen. There is not a tree or bush on 

 the island, native or cultivated, over twelve feet in height. 



The Maritime Fu)RA. — The maritime flora is poor, as is 

 usual in the West of Ireland. The only sandy bay on the 

 island is that adjoining the Quay, and here Are7iaria peploides, 

 Salsola Kali, Polyg07iU7?i Raii, and Agropy?V7i ju7iceum have 

 their only station. On the sea-cliffs Spergularia rupicola, 

 Crith7nu7n mariti7nuni^ and Beta maritima are widely spread ; 

 Eupatorium ca7mabinu77t also was found only on sea-clifis ; 

 Angelica sylvestris affected the same habitat in quantity. The 

 salt-marsh flora is likewise meagre : — Scirpus 7naritimus, Jtmcus 

 Ge7ardi, andy. obttisijlorus were seen only at the brackish pool 

 (the only one on the island) at Kinnacorra ; Triglochi7i 77iariti- 

 mu77i only near the Quay ; Spergularia sali7ia was found in the 

 Lighthouse yard, 350 feet above the sea. The wide distribution 

 of certain other maritime species is worthy of note: Pla7itago 

 7nariti77ia and P. Co7'07iopus grow on stony ground all over the 

 island, ascending to 1,200 feet on the Croaghmore cliffs. 

 Glaux mariti7na occupied in abundance wet gravelly ground 

 facing south, 300 feet elevation, and cut ofi" by higher ground 



