I58 The Irish Naturalist. September, 



repaid, as the short time provided six more plants to my 

 list of additions to the Blasket flora, and several others only 

 added during the two preceding days. 



As to the general characteristics of the Great Blasket, 

 the steep slopes which prevail everywhere drain off all rain 

 at once, and also expose the ground to the full effect of 

 Atlantic gales. Shelter and wet ground are both wanting ; 

 the only spots offering either are the cavities between the 

 great loose blocks of rock on the northern face, and wet 

 streaks which descend from the few springs on the northern 

 cliffs. The southern slopes are composed mainly of ex- 

 tremely short dry grass, full of Plantago Coronopus and 

 P. maritima, with extensive colonies of Pteris Aquilina 

 where exposure is less. At the time of our visit the whole 

 southern side of the island, excepting the Bracken colonies, 

 was burnt quite brown by the drought. On the northern 

 slopes the grass and Plantago give way as one ascends to 

 dry Calluna, which occupies much of the high ridge of the 

 island. All the houses and cultivation are situated on the 

 steep butt -end of the island which faces the mainland in 

 a north-easterly direction ; here also is a sandy bay backed 

 by low cliffs topped with blown sand. At the extreme 

 west end of the island, as the ridge narrows and falls 

 towards the ocean, a little plateau covered with J uncus 

 squarrosus heath intervenes. Beyond that, Plantago sward 

 is replaced by a practically pure Armeria maritima asso- 

 ciation, which gives way to spray -swept rocks with Armeria, 

 Spergularia rupestris, and Crithmum. 



The greater part of the Great Blasket, it will be conceived, 

 while full of interest of its own, is wretched ground for a 

 botanist looking for rarities, or for a big list. I believe 

 go per cent, of the area could be selected which would not 

 yield one -half of the total flora of the island. The plants 

 must be looked for in certain favoured nooks where exposure 

 or dryness reach a minimum, or where the numerous and 

 destructive sheep cannot penetrate. The spots which supply 

 to some extent one or other of these conditions may be 

 mentioned : — 



I. The northern cliffs from Slievedonagh to the two ring- 

 forts. Here the great blocks of fallen rock afford protection, 



