September, 1912. The Irish Nahiralist. 157 



NOTES ON THE FLORA OF THE BLASKETS. 



BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER. 



The Blasket Islands, lying off the end of the Dingle 

 promontory, form the most westerly part of Ireland. They 

 represent the continuation of the mountainous ridge — an 

 old pre -Devonian fold — which includes Brandon Mountain, 

 Caherconree, and their associates. The Blaskets consist of 

 six islands, varying in size roughly from 30 to 1,000 acres, 

 and also a number of small rocks. They are mostly high 

 and steep. The Great Blasket, which is by far the largest 

 of the group, forms a ridge like the roof of a house. It is 

 nearly four miles long, and half a mile wide. Two points 

 almost touch the thousand-foot contour-line, and for nearly 

 its whole length its crest rises above 500 feet. The other 

 islands are similar as regards their steep and cliff-bound 

 character, excepting Beginish, which is low and fiat. 



The flora of this interesting group was explored in 1880 by 

 Mr. R. M. Barrington, under a grant from the Royal Irish 

 Academy. He spent five July days on the task, and with 

 characteristic energy he visited all the islands except 

 Beginish. He found 162 species on the Great Blasket, 

 the remaining islands adding 12 additional species ; making 

 a total of 174. Mr. Barrington's report^ shows that the 

 flora of the group is meagre, and not remarkable in any way. 



In the middle of last June, in company with my wife 

 and Mr. A. W. Stelfox (both of whom I have to thank for 

 much assistance), I spent a few days — three and a half, 

 to be exact — on the Great Blasket ; and I am able in some 

 degree to supplement the list of the flora. Our visit 

 occurred at the end of a two months' drought, which militated 

 against successful botanizing. x\ couple of hours one 

 evening were spent on Beginish. This is the only island 

 of the group which Mr. Barrington did not visit. He says it 

 is flat and small, and of little interest. The very fact that 

 it is flat and therefore widely different from the rest of the 

 group, made me think it worth visiting ; and I was well 



I Pyoc. R. I. Acad., {2) iii., pp. 368-391. 1881. 



A 



