19^2. Knowles. — Notes 011 West Galw ay Lichens. 31 



less disorganized. The apothecia too were imperfect, but 

 a few spores were found identical with those of Rhizocarpon 

 geographicum. In part II. of the " Monograph of British 

 Lichens," Miss Smith saj^s the medulla of R. geographicum 

 is stained blue by iodine. It may be, therefore, that the blue 

 colour of the Cleggan specimens was caused by decaying 

 seaweeds or perhaps by iodine in solution in the sea-water. 

 The blue patches were seen only on the shore. 



The Lichens on the shore were more abundant and notice- 

 able than on the hill -side owing to the prevalence of moister 

 conditions. In the upper part Ramalina scopulorum was 

 very common, covering almost every rock and cliff. Oc- 

 casional tufts of R. cuspidata and R. Curnowii were 

 associated with it. On a wall facing west, R. subfarinacea 

 grew plentifully. Physcia aquila, Lecanora protrusa and 

 L. atra, with L. ferniginea and other crust aceous forms, 

 made a kind of undergrowth to the Ramalinas, which seemed 

 to flourish best on the sides of the rocks and walls facing 

 the prevalent winds. Physcia parietina and Lecanora 

 lohulata, with L. murorum, were specially noticeable on 

 rocks with a southern aspect ; Buellia canescens on the 

 contrary seemed to prefer the shade. Many other species 

 were gathered on the shore above high tide-level, including 

 Buellia atroalba, B. colludens, Lecanora caesiorufa, and 

 L. prosechoides with Arthonia variants parasitic upon it. 



Several very rare species were got between the tides, the 

 two most interesting being Verrucaria striatula and Artho- 

 Pyrenia foveolata, both of them new to Ireland. Verrucaria 

 striatula occvirred on the perpendicular faces of the rocks, 

 generally in the more exposed situations, associated with 

 Lichina pygmaea and Verrucaria mucosa. It was not un- 

 common on the southern shore of the peninsula, and I also 

 collected it at Ballynakill on the northern side. This species 

 has a very limited distribution in the British Isles, the only 

 records being from the Channel Islands and south England, 

 where it was said to be rare. The thallus is very character- 

 istic and the lichen is easily recognisable in the field. 



Arthopyrenia foveolata, A.L.Sm., is a species that has 

 recently been described by Miss Smith from material 

 collected by Mr. E. M. Holmes at Robin Hood's Bay, 



A 2 



