292 The Irish Naturalist. November, 



cent, of universal plants for that division ; or within the Irish 

 flora approximatel}^ 30 per cent. In Connacian type plants 

 Clare Island is remarkably poor — a feature which it shares 

 with Inishbofin, as will be seen later. Of 63 Connacian species 

 listed in my paper on Types of Distribution\ only three 

 {Saxifraga umbrosa, Oxyria, and Asplenitmt viride) occur on 

 the island. The absence (as on Inishbofin) of all the Conne- 

 mara Heaths is noticeable. As to the other types, the only 

 Ultonian plant is Saxifraga oppositifolia ; the only Mumonian, 

 Hieramun hypochceroides \ lyagenian type is not represented. 

 Of Marginal plants, 16 out of 46 are present; of Central plants, 

 only one {f uncus obtusiflortis) out of 38. 



One would expect the flora of Clare Island to be thoroughly 

 calcifuge, and such is found to be the case. Taking 

 the Cybele standard, we find that of 56 species classed as 

 calcicole, only 7, or 12 per cent, occur. These are 5 '* calcicole 

 B " plants (namely A^ithyllis Vtilneraria, Tussilago Farfara^ 

 '^.Cardtius ?iuta?is, Leoiitodon hirtus, Carex glauca) and two 

 " calcicole C " plants {Antennaria dioica and Pulicaria 

 dysenterica). On the other hand, of 75 species classed as 

 calcifuge, 58, or over 76 per cent, are found on the island. 



Comparison with Inishbofin. — An interesting comparison 

 may be made between the flora of Clare Island and that of 

 Inishbofin and its satellite Inishark, as worked out by More and 

 Barrington.^ Inishbofin lies 16 miles south-west ot Clare Island 

 and in respect of the mainland is very similarly situated. With 

 Inishark, it has an area of nearly 5 square miles, against 6J of 

 Clare Island. The geological formation is the same. The 

 surface differs in being devoid of any high ridge like 

 Croaghmore, no point rising over 300 feet. Otherwise the 

 physical features are very similar — a cliff"-bound coast with a 

 little sand, a great extent of undulating hilly moor, a few 

 small lakes, a good deal of moist and boggy ground, and no 

 trees. Mr. More's account makes one believe that Clare 

 Island oflers rather more shelter, as might be expected from 

 its greater range of elevation ; Inishbofin, on the other hand, 

 is much better supplied with lakes than Clare Island. 



■■ Proc. R. I. Academy, xxiv., B., part i, 1902. 

 2 Proc. R. I. Academy, (2), ii. (Science), 1876. 



