ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL ASSOCIATION. 65 



Geranium pyrenaicum is not given by Lloyd as a plant of the west 

 of France, and De Candolle assigns it a distribution somewhat more 

 eastern than the longitude of Britain. I have not yet, even in England, 

 had the good fortune to meet with the plant in such situations as might 

 pass unchallenged. Way-sides and river-sides seem hardly sufficient 

 to establish the claim of a doubtful native. 



The mistake of the range of Pistia Stratiotes having been given by 

 De Candolle, instead of that of Stratiotes abides, is now sufficiently 

 well known : hence one obstacle is removed to the Stratiotee being held 

 native in Ireland ; but there still remain against this the facts of it 

 being a plant of Eastern distribution in England, on the Continent 

 hardly reaching so far west as France ; and that it easily shifts for itself 

 if merely thrown into water, and would soon (like the Anacharis) ex- 

 tend many miles if aided by a current ; though, while so little is known 

 of its history in Ireland, we must not be too suspicious. 



There can be no doubt that much remains to be done in the way of 

 removing from the list of Irish plants many species that have been un- 

 justly enrolled in it ; and it should be remembered that no less interest 

 attaches to clearing up an error than to adding a new species to the 

 Flora. If the former task be truly the more difficult, it is also of even 

 greater importance in a scientific point of view, and the negative cha- 

 racteristics of a Flora are often the more valuable. 



But, surely, it is to a more perfect acquaintance with the stations 

 and range of the plants themselves in Ireland that we must look, before 

 we venture upon any conclusions, however guarded. May the accom- 

 plishment of a " Cybele Hibernica" be the hope and the effort of every 

 Irish botanist ! Mr. Babington has already marked out the proposed 

 11 provinces" in a most judicious and painstaking manner (see p. 248 of 

 the first volume of these Proceedings). Let us see what can be done 

 towards filling in the numerals. Where so many blanks* lie ready, 

 there is the less fear that any labour will be in vain. 



The President read a paper, by J. T. Macxay, LL. D. — 



ADDITIONAL PLANTS FOR FLORA HIBERNICA. 



1. Alyssum calycimm. Found by me on a sandy bank at Pormar- 

 nockin 1837. 



2. Geranium prateme. Found at Glenarm in 1836 or 1837, soon 



ZOOL. A BOT. SOC PROC VOL. H. X 



