ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL ASSOCIATION. 15 



observations in the field. The published results of previous inquiries 

 will show that I believe a given area of surface on the west coast of Ire- 

 land does nol contain so many species of plants as an equal area on the 

 east coast, although both be as nearly as possible under the same physical 

 conditions. The prevalence of plants diminishes as we proceed westward ; 

 and although individuals of the kinds may occasionally be found in suit- 

 able localities, they do not grow in equal quantities, as they are to be seen 

 on the eastern, northern, and southern sides of the island ; besides, some 

 species disappear altogether, and are replaced by others fewer in number 

 than those that are lost. Without entering more minutely into this 

 theory, which I do not assert has been proved, I may give the genera of 

 Rosa and Rubus as familiar instances, on a large scale, of their abun- 

 dance on one side of the island, and paucity on the other. I believe I 

 could collect more of those in one parish in either of the counties of 

 Down, Antrim, or Wicklow, than I could in the whole of the county of 

 Mayo. 



"Without entertaining you with observations made from the top of a 

 stage-coach, I shall commence mine after having reached Ballina, whence 

 I proceeded, partly on foot and partly by car, to Bangore, in Erris, where 

 I established my head-quarters, having been at Belmullet on a previous 

 occasion, and from this locality I made excursions in every direction. 

 To those who are only acquainted with the eastern and midland counties, 

 it would be nearly impossible to realize an adequate idea of the wild, 

 bleak, treeless, barren aspect of the extensive barony of Erris. As a 

 proof of this, I may state that from Crossmolina to Belmullet — a distance 

 of thirty miles — there is scarcely a tree or hedge to be seen the whole of 

 the way, the country being nearly one continuous, primitive, heath-clad 

 bog, broken by a few dry stone walls, and interspersed with small lakes. 

 That this is a good field for observation, where the hand of man has yet 

 done little to alter the surface from its original natural state, will be 

 readily admitted. On arriving at Bangore, I first visited the highest 

 mountain of the Nephin Beg range, which is called Curslieve, and rises 

 2367 feet, almost immediately from the sea level. Before reaching the 

 base of the mountain, I had to pass over some miles of spongy, wet bogs, 

 which produced only a few of the very common plants, such as generally 

 grow on the surface of these. The only rare plant I observed was Carex 

 limosa, which is rather remarkable from its being typical of the Flora of 

 the extreme north of Ireland. I never before saw it growing in any 



