The Rock-pools of Btcndoran. f 



fed alga, Corallina officmalis. Along the side of the pool 

 are agglutinated masses of sand and fragments of shells 

 presenting the appearance of a honeycomb, each aperture being 

 that of a tube, in which dwells the worm Sabellaria alveolata, 

 I,inn. The limestone ledges above the pool (to the right) 

 are quite light in colour owing to the great abundance of 

 the common acorn-shell, Balaiius. Numerous conical shaped 

 limpets. Patella viclgata, lyinn. are here present resting in the 

 shallow scars excavated by themselves. It has lately been 

 showni that the limpets quit their homes in search of food 

 chiefly as the tide leaves them and when it is returning, the 

 extent of their peregrinations being evidently limited to a dis- 

 tance of between one and two feet. Many of the limpets have 

 the exterior of their shells coated with Lithothamnion 'poly- 

 inorphuin. Scattered about are also numerous specimens of 

 the spindle-shaped Purpura lapillus, I^inn. 



THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE CHARACB^ 



IN IRKIvAND. 



BY H. AND J. GROVKS, FX.S. 



Thk large stretches of comparatively shallow water and the 

 many peat-bogs render Ireland a particularly favourable 

 country for the growth of Characece, and, although a considerable 

 extent remains almost unexplored and but little has been 

 thoroughly searched, the Chara Flora as at present known is 

 a rich one. During the past year another species, C. canescens, 

 has been discovered, and there is little doubt that when the 

 Southern and Western districts have been more completely 

 worked several others will be added to the list. 



Every piece of water should be searched, as CharacecB occur 

 in rivers and streams as well as in the lakes, pools, pits, and 

 ditches, which are their more usual habitats. We would 

 especially recommend examining small loughs and pools near 

 the sea, as likely to yield new species to Ireland. It is never 

 safe to assume that there is no Chara in any piece of water 

 until it has been dragged all over, as oftentimes they occur in 

 only one part and are not visible from the shore. 



'^Nature, vol. xxxi., p. 200, and vol. li., p. 127, 



