ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL ASSOCIATION. 21 



them in vast numbers in the act of incubation. We saw where a 

 powerful anchor and chain-cable lay at the foot of the rocks, marking 

 #ie place that a stout ship had struck on a few months before. The 

 0' Flaherty and many others saw her from the cliff above ; she drove 

 right on the rocks, and in a few moments nothing was to be seen but 

 fragments floating in the waves. "With the power of an hundred men, 

 they dragged the smaller anchor up the cliff; the larger is so fast 

 tangled with its cable in the rocks, that it must stay as a mark of the 

 wreck until it rusts away its solitary existence. The 0' Flaherty here 

 showed us a curious phenomenon : it came on to rain heavily, and he 

 told us to sit on the edge of the cliff, and we should not get wet. "We 

 did so, and found that the rain was thrown over our heads in an arch 

 of about five feet high ; we did not get a drop. 



" "We then went our way for the Seven Churches, ruins of a small 

 size, well built, and far surpassing the present erections in the island. 

 On our way we gathered sundry curious plants : the maiden-hair (Adi- 

 antum capillw- Veneris), of which capillaire is made, and which the 

 Arranites use as a medicinal tea." 



The O'Flaherty, with the proverbial hospitality and kindness of the 

 old Irish gentleman, had expected they would stay at his house, and 

 was much disappointed by their refusal. 



" "We got to the hotel about 10 o'clock p. m., and, having eaten 

 dinner, I forget of what, we went to bed, but not until I had put up 

 my plants, and commissioned fellows to work for me in procuring eggs, 

 birds for Garden, and specimens of the Echinus lividus. Not having 

 lain down for two nights, save a sort of loll on the hooker's little deck ? 

 which a fellow prepared for us by washing or rather softening the filth 

 on it with a wet swab, I had a glorious sleep for six hours. Getting 

 up, the amiable Dean, seeing it a fine, calm day, insisted on my taking 

 advantage of it by dredging for shells. The O'Flaherty joined us, and 

 having procured the boat of the "Waterguard, we set off towards Straw 

 Island, passing over, in the first instance, vast fields of Zbstera marina, 

 which you may see so often puffed in the papers as Alva marina, su- 

 perior to hair, &c, for beds. I endeavoured to teach the natives the 

 use of it, for it is really useful as a material for bedding ; but I doubt 

 my lesson was thrown away, the answer, ■ we never uses it,' being quite 

 conclusive. I saw a woman salting gurnard with the heads on, while 

 cod and other fish with edible hoads were decapitated, and the head* 



