December. 1909. The hish Naturalist. 245 



THE SURVEY OF CLARE ISLAND. 



RKPORT OF PROGRESS DURING 1909. 

 BY R. LI^OYD PRAEGER. 



(A report laid before the Ro3al Irish Aca leuiy, Sth November, and 

 before the Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, 23rd November, 1909.) 



The h'ish Naiiiralist for June, 1908, contains a report of a 

 meeting held in the National Museum on April 23 preceding, 

 at which it was decided to organize a natural history survey 

 of Clare Island, h'ing off the coast of County Mayo. On 

 account of the work consequent upon the visit to Dublin of 

 the British Association in September, 1908, operations were 

 not commenced till the present 3'ear ; during the season now 

 closed, work has gone on vigorousl^^ The number of persons 

 who have visited the island or neighbouring district in con- 

 nection with the survey during the 3'ear has been over 60, of 

 whom, however, about 10 must be reckoned as non-com- 

 batants, being friends or relations who accompanied the 

 workers,' and themselves often rendered excellent service. 

 While the majorit}- paid only one visit to the district during 

 the seasou; several of our workers went down twice, and the 

 majority of this year's visitors will take the field again next 

 year, as well as a large bod}^ of additional recruits. 



The season's work opened at Easter, when a party of seven, 

 namely Major Barrett-Hamilton (Mammals), J. Bayley Butler 

 (Protozoa), A. D. Cotton (Marine Algie), Arthur Skinner 

 (Photography, &c.), A. W. Stelfox (Mollusca), Isaac Swain 

 (Geology), and R. LI- Praeger (Phanerogams), spent five to 

 eight days upon the island. In the groups of Seaweeds and 

 Terrestial Mollusks especially good progress was made, not 

 only on the island, but subsequently on the mainland 

 adjoining. H. Bassett and W. L. Hicks, both of Liverpool 

 University, members of a cave-exploring party who had been 

 working at Cong, joined the party before the week was out, 

 and reinforced the photographic detachment. 

 I Our May party was small, consisting of Nevin H. Foster 

 (Birds), Rev. Canon Lett (Mosses and Liverworts), R. Southern 

 (Worms), and the writer. In all the groups mentioned, good 



