20 The hish Naturalist. January, 



NOTES. 



BOTANY. 



Sphaerotheca mors-uvse in Co. Antrim. 



This, the "Gooseberry Fungus," appeared in the garden at Whitehall, 



Broughshaue, Co. Antrim, last spring. According to Mr. Ernest Salmon, 



F.L.S., it is the first appearance of this species in Europe. Mr. F. W. 



Moore, of Glasnevin, also received specimens. 



S. A. Brenan. 

 Knocknacarry, Co. Antrim. 



Truffles in Ireland. 



Seeing in the November Irish Naturalist a note of the discovery by 



Major Elmitt, after much trouble and research, of Truffles in the Co. 



Gahvay, may I be allowed to inform readers that this fungus has been 



known to exist at Castle Taylor for about forty years, and that I have 



partaken of this home-grown delicacy when staying there with my 



friends. Truffles have often been gathered there by myself and many 



others. 



Frances M. More. 

 Dublin. 



Elymus arenarius in Co. Dublin. 



In the November number of the Irish Naturalist Mr. N. Colgan writes 

 on this grass as found in a new station about a quarter of a mile north of 

 the Bra}' River, and states that all appearances are in favour of this 

 conspicuous species having been long established, and that it is 

 remarkable it should have so long escaped discovery there. I have 

 lived for years quite near to this spot, which, of course, I know well, it 

 being only separated from rny house by a couple of pasture fields. Being 

 absent from this district during the greater part of the years 1898 and 

 1S99, my attention was first attracted to this striking species last summer, 

 but as the slope and granite embankment in which it is growing was 

 constructed not more than three years ago, I felt no doubt that it had 

 been introduced in some manner; especially as some hundreds of tons 

 of stiff clay and other materials were brought from Glenageary, Wicklow, 

 and other places along the railway line, and deposited there by the 

 workmen, and used to face the sloping banks before placing the granite 

 stones in position. Also, higher up on the banks I found a gigantic 

 species of Briza, with spikelets quite half-an-inch in length, which is not 

 even a native of the British Isles. Both it and the Elymus are offered in 

 flower and seed catalogues under the heading of Ornamental Grasses. 

 Had I had any evidence of the Elyvius being native there, I would have let 

 the plant's station be known to Irish botanists. On the appearance of Mr. 

 Colgan's note, I determined to settle the question of its introduction be- 



