26o The Irish Natnrahst, [November, 



at Thompson's original station in Newry Canal (1836), it was 

 suspected that, as an Irish plant, it had become extinct, until 

 in 1890 it was discovered in Loughbrickland, Co. Down, by 

 Rev. H. W. Lett {Snpp. Fl N. E. Irela^id). 



From Annaghdroghal, the locality now recorded is distant, 

 by the course of the canal, about seventeen miles, and from 

 Belfast about ten miles. In both those places the plant has 

 been diligently sought by several painstaking observers, at 

 various times, during the last half century, but in vain. At 

 Belfast, the water of the canal is now for the most part so foul 

 that a plant so delicate, flourishing as it does in clear water, 

 could hardly be expected to grow there. The former station 

 at the other extremity of the canal was visited by me only a 

 few weeks ago, and on that occasion the courteous manager 

 obligingly placed a man and a boat at my service. The water 

 there was so turbid, and so dense was the growth of water 

 plants, chiefly pond-weeds — {Potaviogcto7i natans, P. per- 

 foliatus, P. pKS-ilhcs, and P. pcctinahis, being the predominant 

 species) Ntiphar and Elodca, that the bottom was nowhere 

 visible. The thick, black, slimy ooze of the bed of the canal 

 — " glaur" in the local vernacular-- the accumulated result of 

 the perennial decomposition of the abounding vegetation was 

 such as to cause me to form the assured belief that the plant 

 no longer exists there. Nevertheless, some hours were spent 

 unsuccessfully in dredging and raking both from the boat 

 and the bank. There is more likelihood of the species being 

 in lyough Neagh, but along that part of the shore which was 

 examined, a distance of some two or three miles, it could not 

 be found. Probably, however, it will yet be rediscovered in 

 that place. 



Lisburn. 



