122 Observations made during a Visit 



width, and studded with numerous small islands, can never 

 be totally without interest. The shore of the lake, and its 

 islands, consist of carboniferous limestone, having a very bitu- 

 minous odour. The upper part of this stratum is full of 

 organic remains, such as Euoniphalus, O'strea, encrinites, and 

 corallines. Good specimens of most of them may be ob- 

 tained by the road side, near to a house belonging to Mr. 

 Martin of Ballinahinchj" and commonly denominated his 

 "gate-house," being the point where the road enters his 

 property. 



On the side of the town furthest from the lake rises a hill 

 consisting of quartz rock, and covered up to its top with 

 large boulders of granite. The range behind it, formed of 

 mica slate and quartz rock, has no granitic boulders ; nor did 

 we observe them in any other part of the district. The base 

 of all these hills appears to be mica slate underlying and 

 passing into quartz rock. The boulders are made more in- 

 teresting by the fact, that the granite does not rise to any 

 great elevation in this part of Ireland; its highest point, in 

 these districts, being near Roundstone, where it reaches, as we 

 were informed, the height of 200 ft. or 300 ft. The broad 

 valley, stretching inland from Oughterard, consists of bog, 

 having granite, and, in some spots, primary limestone, appear- 

 ing through it. My friend, Mr. Ball, mentions his having 

 noticed old red sandstone near to the lake, at the distance of 

 a few miles west of Oughterard. 



No traveller, who is interested in architectural remains, 

 should leave Oughterard without visiting the ruins of the 

 old church, in which are several windows of forms which I 

 have never before noticed. Not being skilled in architecture, 

 I am unable to describe them, but may add that they have 

 great similarity to several which occur in the old castle no- 

 ticed above. It may be as well to observe, that Connamara is 

 considered to begin at Oughterard, that town not forming 

 part of it. 



Our next station was Ma'am, a small but excellent inn, at 

 the head of Lough Corrib. The road from Oughterard to 

 this place is carried through a moderately level district, 

 bounded by two ranges of rather lofty mountains. It passes, 

 in many places, over the bogs, and along the banks of 

 several pretty lakes, which contain small wooded islands, 

 although their shores are totally devoid of trees. The bor- 

 ders of these lakes are made very interesting by the occur- 

 rence of Eriocaulon septangulare and Dortmann« palustris 

 (Lobelz'tf Dortmanna Linn), in the greatest plenty. Cla- 

 dium Afariscus, although less common, may also be found 



