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bourbood of Bealnalack Castle, I bave seen spreading over acres of rocky 

 eround. The habitats recorded for this species of Geranium are, 1 believe, 

 Howth and Killinev. The Rubus saxatilis grows in great profusion above Bal- 

 Ivvaughan, on the high ridge over which the road to Inchiquin passes. So does 

 tne Rubus csesius, but much more sparingly. In the same immediate neighbour- 

 hood may be found the Asperula cynanchica and the Rubia peregrina in toler- 

 able plenty. In the valley which opens towards those sand-banks that lie right 

 opposite the Isles of Ajrran we found several specimens of the Gentiana verna. 

 It was out of flower at the time ; but, even so, it was not easy either to overlook 

 or to mistake it. Near a place called Rock Forest, on the borders of Clare and 

 Galway, about seven miles from the town of Gort, we found vast quantities of 

 the Potentilla fruticosa. A valley which was then quite dry, but which we were 

 told is completely inundated in winter, was actually covered over with this 

 handsome cinquefoil in full flower. The peasantry believe it to be most dele- 

 terious to such cattle as browse upon it. They told us of cattle having often 

 died in consequence of having eaten thereof. Not far from this valley we dis- 

 covered specimens of what seems to be Rhamnus frangula. It is rather a rare 

 shrub, I believe. Dr. Mackay, in his work, gives but one habitat, which is a small 

 island in Lough Beg, county of Derry. Ue gives also its flowering time to be 

 May. We found it in the first week in August, when it was in flower; but this 

 maybeowingto the difl'erence of aspect in both situations, for I observed that in 

 the vicinity of Darrynane, on the southern slope of the Dunkerrin Mountains, all 

 plants flowered a month, and in some cases two months, earlier than the period 

 mentioned in the Irish Floras. There is another of our native plants which some 

 have been inclined to consider as not indigenous, or which, at all events, has been 

 suspected — namely, Aquilegia vulgaris. We did not meet with it in Clare, but 

 we found it in two other places, widely separated indeed, and so situated as to 

 leave very little room for doubting the fact of its being indigenous. We met it 

 first on a limestone hill in Tipperary, where, by the way, we observed some beau- 

 tiful specimens of Gymnadenia conopsea, perfectly white; and in the second in- 

 stance among limestone rocks, near the shore of Lough Corrib, at no great dis- 

 tance from Menlough Castle. I have confined my notice almost exclusively to 

 such plants as wo observed in the barony which it was the more immediate ob- 

 ject of our visit to examine ; but I may remark, that after entering Clare from 

 the Limerick border, near Bunratty Castle, on both sides of the road we saw the 

 Dipsacus sylvestris in great abundance and of unusual size. Beyond the above- 

 named castle, on the fences along the road, the Humulus lupulus trailed its 

 long twining branches, and on most of the small sheets of water by the way, 

 especially between Ennis and Ennistymon, the stately Nymphsea floated grace- 

 fully, opening wide its snowy bosom to the morning beams. In our progress 

 through the country we endeavoured always to obtain, if possible, the Irish names 

 of such plants as we met. In this respect, however, I am sorry to say, our 

 efforts were not very successful. That our peasantry at no remote period pos- 

 sessed a considerable knowledge of plants, and were acquainted with the medici- 

 nal properties of many of them, is what will hardly be questioned; but at the 

 present day, when medical science has introduced more efficacious remedies, and 

 the establishment of local dispensaries in almost all districts throughout Ireland 

 has brought discredit on the once favourite specific of the village leech, while the 

 decline of superstitious observances, and the departure of Banshee and Sluagh- 

 shee has shaken, if it has not completely destroyed, the invalid's faith in the vir- 

 tue of the fairy-woman's charmed herbs, the peasantry have become quite indif- 

 ferent about those plants they formerly studied with care, and have forgotten 

 not alone their virtues, once deemed so potent, but even their very names. I met 

 very few persons indeed who could give me the names of the most ordinary 

 plants, except those alone which grew in cultivated fields ; of such they still re- 

 tain the names, owing, I should think, to their being obliged to remove them as 

 weeds, and having thus occasion to speak of them continually. Whatever names 

 we could get, Mr. Whitla has now in his possession. I wish the subject bad been 



