DUBLIN KATUIUL HISTOBT SOCIEIT. 105 



nevm* been Batisfactorily proved that the temperature of this coast is doe 

 to any current, nor are we justified in attributing to it the occurrence of 

 the interesting plants and animals which have £rom. time to time occurred 

 here. 



A comparison of the geographical position of these coasts with the 

 shores of Cornwall leads us to expect similar species of plants and ani- 

 mals, while the mild and moist atmosphere caused by the prevalence of 

 the westerly winds maintains a temperature which permits the growth 

 throughout our western hills of plants peculiar to the sub-alpine districts 

 of Spain and Portugal. The beautiful sea-pea (Z. maritimum) is of far 

 more luxuriant habits and robust growth at its only Irish habitat, Kos- 

 begh, at the south-eastern extremity of Dingle Bay, than in the pebbly 

 beaches of Lincolnshire and Suffolk, and in Shetland; and, according to 

 the late Dr. Graham, of Edinburgh, is identical with the plant of the 

 south of Europe. Many of the Lichens and Algoe of these shores are 

 identical with those of the south-west of England and of the Mediter- 

 ranean. 



"With regard to the fishes, many species found in Cornwall and the 

 Mediterranean have been also met with on our south-western coasts, the 

 announcers of their occurrence in too many cases recording them as 

 " visitors." In all branches of the fisheries which I have b^n able to 

 investigate, I have ever found facts condemnatory of the erroneous idea 

 of the migration of fishes ; and wherever the captures already alluded 

 to have been made, there was the established region of the fishes* exis- 

 tence. In the distribution of marine animals locality may often affect 

 a species as regards its abundance, greater development in size, or per- 

 fection in type ; but wherever we have met with individual instances of 

 the occurrence of rare species, we may rest assured that the locality is, 

 to a certain extent, either greater or less favourable to their existence. 

 Our observations must be, indeed, limited, such slender opportunities are 

 and have been afforded to us of examining and exploring the haunts of 

 the deep-water marine fishes ; and we can venture to put forward but 

 imperfect views at present with regard, to the investigation into the 

 nature, habits, and extent of existence of such animals. 



In the collections made from time to time in trawling and other in- 

 vestigations of the coasts, I have often proved how essentially important 

 it is to note accurately the localities and habits of the various fish and 

 other marine animals, — peculiar soundings affecting the habits, charac- 

 ter, and quality of many species of fish. In colour and character of 

 species many of the Triglae, or Gurnard family, obtained in Dingle and 

 Ballinskellig Bays, are identical with, or approach more nearly to the 

 same species from the Mediterranean than to specimens from the northern 

 seas. It is many years since I called attention to the occurrence here 

 of the supposed species Tiigla Blochiiy and of a species in character 

 identical with Triglapini {Block). 



Although we have some representatives on this coast of fish of the 

 northern regions, such as Cottua OroenlandicuSt Sebiute* Norv4gicu9^ 

 Morrhtia minutay andJiamc&ps tri/urcatuty all supposed at present to be of 



