DUBLIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 81 



grew had a southern aspect. I am bound to observe, that I do not myself attach 

 any great weight to the circumstance of its situation being so different from that 

 of its kindred species in this country, and for this reason, that 1 perceived, not 

 without surprise, plants growing in places where, from my previous observation 

 of their usual situation, 1 would never have expected to find them. For instance, 

 the Valeriana officinalis, and the Eupatorium cannabinum, which in Kerry 1 al- 

 ways met in low moist places, by the borders of streams mostly, grow plentifnilj 

 on the high mountain tops of Burren, and sometimes on the face of almost per- 

 pendicularcliffs, where one cannot help wondering how they obtain sufficient mois- 

 ture. Hence it must be structural peculiarities alone that will determine its dif- 

 ference from, oridentity with, any of our previously described species of Epipactis. 

 The next plant to which 1 would direct your attention is one about which, happily, 

 there can be no dispute. It is new to Ireland ; but any botanist will at once 

 recognise it as a species of Spiraea (S. filipendula). I am not certain whether it 

 has been discovered before now by any member of our Society; but 1 believe I am 

 quite correct in stating that the fact of its discovery in Ireland has not been re- 

 corded. Its time of flowering I cannot specify, it being out of flower when we 

 found it, which was about tne 3rd of August. Its situation is in low, damp 

 ground, among limestone rocks. Connected with the finding of this interesting 

 addition to our Flora, I may mention a circumstance which clearly shows the 

 importance of examining closely every plant of whose identity one has not the 

 most perfect certainty. My friend and I were searching beside one of those al- 

 most countless little lakes, which, with their smooth surface reflecting the bright 

 summer sun, look like so many burnished mirrors, and form so interesting a fea- 

 ture in the dreary landscape, surrounded as they in general are by rocks of the 

 most rugged description, with scarcely a trace of vegetation to relieve their mo- 

 notonous bleakness. Passing along one of these, near a place called Glen Co- 

 lumkille, I noticed some leaves which struck me as being ones I had not observed 

 before. There was no flower stalk there ; I searched about, and found a sample 

 with a scape and seeds, for, as I said before, the plant was out of flower at that 

 season. Convinced 1 had never seen such before, I brought some to my friend 

 to ask him what plant they belonged to. He sent me back for the roots. These 

 I procured after no small trouble, it being no easy matter to get them up from 

 among the firmly fixed stones where they grew, and, on bringing them to my 

 friend, had the satisfaction of hearing that the specimen was one actually new 

 to our Flora. I need not say that I was delighted on finding it to be so. Every 

 true naturalist will easily conceive the joy that thrills the heart at the discovery 

 of anything new. I do not think it possible for a man to enjoy a pleasure more 

 innocent, more unalloyed. The gratification felt in such a moment is more than 

 ample recompense for weeks of labour, and there is hardly any amount of toil 

 which I at least would not cheerfully undergo in the hope of being rewarded at 

 its termination by the pleasing prospect of adding not only to my own know- 

 ledge, but also to the general knowledge of the natural productions of our coun- 

 try. There remain a few other plants to which I wish to call attention, not as 

 being new to ourFlora— of that 1 cannot be sure — but as presenting at all events 

 some peculiarities which it may be worth while to examine. Among these are 

 two kinds of Arabis— Mr. Whitla thinks one of them to be Arabis stricta. 

 There is also a species of Trifoliura, which he considers to be Trifolium rcsupi- 

 natum ; and a species of Helianthemnm, which he regards as not the Helianthe- 

 mum vulgare; it is probably Helianthemnm cannm. Then there is an orchida- 

 ceous plant, which he is inclined to look upon as the Gynmadcnia albida of Ba- 

 bington; it is very frequent on the high grounds throughout Burren. There 

 are, moreover, two species of Saxifrage— one has not yet flowered ; both were 

 out'of flower when we took them up; one of these Mr. Whitla considers to be 

 the true Cajspitosa. With regard to all these latter specimens, I cannot venture 

 to give a positive opinion. 1 leave the question to be decided by botanists of 

 more experience than I can pretend to. If any of them should turn out to be 

 new of course I shall feel most happy in havmg contributed in some way to 



