19 1 7- Irish Societies. 139 



Butterfly Orchis {Habenaria chloroleuca), the Frog Orchis {H. viridis), 

 the Fragrant Orchis [H. conopsed), the Marsh Helleborine [Epipactis 

 palustris) and the Green-winged Orchis {0. Morio). With these were the 

 Grass of Parnassus, the Butterwort and the Bog Pimpernel, and, sheeting 

 the hillside with gold, thousands of the Rough Hawkbit {Leontodon his- 

 pidus). The hedges yielded the Guelder Rose and three species of wild 

 rose, Rosa canina, R. arvensis and R. tomentosa, to which a fourth species, 

 the Burnet Rose {R. spinosissima), found on the way up-glen, may be 

 added. To the orchids, too, an addition was made on the way up, the 

 Pyramidal Orchis (0. pyramidalis), the day's total of orchid species being 

 thus raised to eight. These hill pastures of Saint Anne's yield the Moon- 

 wort and the Adder's Tongue, but the botanists failed to discover either, 

 vegetation being as far advanced as to hide these easily overlooked species. 



Time did not permit of the party pushing further up the glen to Castle 

 Kelly, where the limestone drift of the lower reaches gives place to the 

 granite and a new flora, the calcifuge flora, asserts predominance. So 

 the botanists left Saint Anne's with regret and turning downwards reached 

 Mrs. Healy's farmhouse at Bohernabreena by four o'clock. Here while 

 tea was enjoyed al fresco in brilliant sunshine, the rich botanical spoils 

 of the day were exhibited and discussed. That irrepressible American 

 alien, Matricaria discoidea, was found to have established itself in and 

 around Mrs. Healy's farmyard, while close by another American alien, 

 Mimulus guttatus, was observed growing in the moist river shingles having 

 travelled down-stream from its original station above Castle Kelly, where 

 it was introduced m.ore than half a century ago. 



The return journey was made in less than an hour, and at 6.30 the party 

 broke up at Terenure, the members taking with them pleasant memories 

 of a beautiful glen made more beautiful by the usually disfiguring hand 

 of man ; for the Rathmines water-works with their twin lakes and 

 wooded slopes have most happily combined the useful and the beautiful. 



NOTES. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Recovery of a Woodcock supposed to have been ringed 



in Ireland. 



On the 7th of July, a Woodcock, which is believed to have struck the 

 telegraph wires, was picked up in an injured condition, but still living, 

 at Skellister, Nesting, Shetland. On examination a metal ring was found 

 on its left foot bearing the following inscription : " T. H., Sligo, 4," and 

 was forwarded to me. I shall be glad if any readers of the Irish 

 Naturalist can furnish information which will enlighten us, through 

 its pages, on the history of this wanderer. 



Wm. Eagle Clarke. 



Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh. 



