284 The Irish Naturalist, November, 



cipitous scarp. This great cliff is inconvenient to examine, 

 because of the shattered and crumbling nature of the slates of 

 which it is composed ; but by dint of patience I explored it 

 from the summit to within reach of the waves, in spite of heavy 

 rain, and the accompanying difficulties of foot-hold. The cliff 

 proved unexpectedly interesting, on account of the alpine 

 nature of its vegetation. Foremost among its plants is Silene 

 acaulis, which is extremely abundant, forming large cushions 

 all over the cliff from summit almost to base. As previously 

 known, this plant was in Ireland confined to the Ben Bulben 

 range in Sligo and I^eitrim, with small outliers on Dunaff 

 Head in Donegal, and Benevenagh in Derry ; so that the 

 Clare Island station is a considerable southward extension of 

 range. It grows from 1,300 feet down to 400 feet, which is lower 

 than previously noticed even in Donegal (550 feet.) Oxyria 

 reniformis, which is also abundant, ranges here from 1,300 

 down to 600 feet. Saxifi'aga decipiens and Sedum RhodioJa 

 range from 1,300 down to 200 feet, where they overlap the 

 maritime flora. Saiissurea alpiiia occurs in some quantity, and 

 Saxifraga oppositifolia, Hieracium hypochcBroides, ^n6.Asple7iiu77i 

 z/m^^ sparingly, between 1,300 and 1,100 feet. This great cliff 

 is also the onlj' station on the island for A7ie7?i07ie 7ie77iorosa, 

 Rubus saxatilis, Geu77i rivale^ and Hy7iie7iophylliU7i 7i7iilaterale 

 (all about 1,200 feet), -SM^ior Poly gala vidgaris and Ca77ipa7iula 

 rotu7idifolia, which are abundant there. Sedu7n Rhodiola, it 

 should be added, is abundant along the cliffs on the north and 

 west of the island, from beyond the lyighthouse (with Hieraciiwi 

 a7iglicM77t), to the Signal Tower. The landward face of Croagh- 

 niore is in possession of the ordinary Calhma association ; 

 the only mountain plant which it 3d elded was Listera cordata. 

 The summit (1,520 feet) is covered with bog, which consists 

 of drier and wetter patches. In the drier parts Calhma, 3 to 9 

 inches high, dominates the association ; it is accompanied by — 



Polygala depressa, Juucus squarrosus. 



Potentilla Tormentilla. Luzula maxima. 



Galium saxatile. Scirpus caespitosus. 



Sohdago Virgaurea. Eriophorum angustifolium. 



Erica cinerea. Carex ])ilulifera, 



Tetralix. binervis. 



Vaccinium Myrtillus. Authoxanthum odoratum. 



Rumex Acetosa. Festuca ovina. 



Empetrum nigrum. Sphagnum spp. 



