1923. Notes, 63 



The Squirrel in Ireland. 



I am glad Mr. Armstrong has drawn attention in the May number to 

 the story of the tame Squirrel in connection with Queen Maev Although 

 I think we are scarcely justified in taking the contents of the " Tain Bo 

 Cuailnge " as historical evidence, our editor Mr. Moffat, as well as Mr. 

 Le Fany and myself, are satisfied that the Squirrel was formerly indige- 

 nous in Ireland. The only problem that remains to be solved is whether 

 all the Squirrels now living in Ireland are indigenous or no. Mr. Moffat 

 has brought forward evidence (in the April number) that, so far as eastern 

 Ireland is concerned, the Squirrel is derived from the stock introduced 

 into this country in the latter part of last century. It is probable that 

 the Squirrel was also entirely destroyed in the south-west a few centuries 

 ago, but I am not satisfied that the old stock was altogether exterminated 

 in the west of Ireland. I am, however, quite open to conviction, and 

 indicated a method, in my original article (vol. xxxi, pp. 51-54), which, 

 in my opinion, might throw further light on the question. As regards 

 the Irish word ' togmall " or " togan," which had been rendered as 

 meaning Squirrel, Mr. Forbes in his dictionary of the Scottish-Gaelic 

 names of beasts, birdb, cSrc, translated " taghan " or " taoghan," by 

 Marten, and Dr. Best has a similar reference. There is no reason therefore 

 to assume that the tame animal Queen Maev had for a pet was a Squirrel. 



Knockranny, Bray. R. F. Scharff. 



BOTANY. 



The Cranberry in Glenasmole. 



On the slopes east of the Upper Dodder, opposite the plantation behind 

 Glenasmole Lodge, is a conspicuous patch of wet boggy ground. When 

 crossing this in May, 1922, I suddenly found myself surrounded by a 

 luxuriant growth of Cranberry, Vaccinium Oxvcoccus, just coming into 

 flower. This appears to be only the second record for this plant in 

 Co Dublin, it being known to Mr. Colgan only from " a boggy hollow 

 on the northern face of Glendhu Mountain " at 1,900 feet.^ The elevation 

 of the Glenasmole station cannot be more than 800 to 900 feet. 



Rathgar, Dublin. A. W. Stelfox. 



Red Cowslips. 



For many years I have been acquainted with two small patches of these, 

 growing a few yards apart in an old pasture on limestone, about 70 feet 

 above the sea, at Greenwood, near Feltrim Hill, Co. Dubhn. Yellow 

 Cowslips are abundant on the same ground, as are Primroses, but at a 

 lower level, and I never saw any red ones amongst the latter. 



Baily, Co. Dublin. A. L. Massy. 



'•See ' Flora of the County Dublin, ' p. 129. 



