County Dublin^ Past a7td Present. 95 



cut away after the gorge in the more resisting granite had 

 been formed. The future has probably many changes in store 

 for Co. Dublin; for the world is no dead planet yet. But even 

 if the British Isles again become mere rocks in the Atlantic, 

 other fatherlands will have risen as the home of man and his 

 successors. Ubi libertas, ibi patria, is in itself a defiance to 

 geological revolutions. 



THE SHAMROCK: AN ATTEMPT TO FIX ITS 



SPECIES. 



BY NATHANIE^I, COI.GAN. 



SoMK four years ago, on the eve of Saint Patrick's Day, I 

 chanced to become engaged in a lively discussion with some 

 brother botanists as to the true species of the Shamrock. The 

 general opinion of those present was clearly in favour of 

 identifying the national badge of Ireland with the White or 

 Dutch Clover, Trifolium repejis of lyinnaeus, and this opinion 

 was supported bj^ the weight of all the printed authorities 

 just then at hand. But for many reasons I had always felt 

 somewhat doubtful aboiit this identification, and the result 

 of that night's discussion was not to remove my doubts, but 

 rather to send me home impressed with the necessity of care- 

 fully studying the shamrock question in general, and of 

 examining closely into the claims of Trifolium repens in 

 particular. 



The first step in the inquiry was to make myself acquainted 

 with the literature of the subject. This step took me much 

 farther than I had anticipated, yet as I went on I found 

 strong encouragement to persevere ; for there was obviously 

 no crushing unanimity of authorities on the side of the White 

 Clover. Indeed, a study of some two and a-half centuries of 

 herbalists and botanists from Dodoens' and Gerrarde down to 

 Stewart and Corry,^ showed that no less than four distinct 

 shamrocks were in the field, Trifolium pratense, I^., Trifolium 

 repens, I<., Medicago lupulinay ly., and Oxalis acetosella, J^. ; and 

 to decide between the rival claims of these, seemed a matter 

 of national, no less than botanical interest. ^ 



' Peinptades sen Stirpiiim Historia, l6i6, 



" Flora of the North-cast of Ireland^ 1 888. 



3 A critical review of the shamrock literature from Spenser and Fynes 

 Moryson down to the present day would greatly add to the interest ot 

 this paper. Biit the space available here being too limited for even a 

 catalogue of winters on the subject, the discussion must be reserved for 

 another occasion. — N. C. 



