1897.] Praeger. — Expeditio7i to RockalL 313 



of Killybegs, and we had a long afternoon to ourselves. 

 Landed for letters and purchases. Jameson^ waiting for us on 

 the quay. All met at 5 o'clock tea, and we lounged luxuriously 

 in the saloon, and our talk ran on strange islands and sea- 

 monsters. Green, junior, and I went ashore again. A smart 

 shower had fallen, and now the sky was all bright, the wind 

 gone, and the air wonderfully clear. We rambled to the top 

 of a hill south of the town, and had a lovely and extensive 

 view — the pretty little town and harbour at our feet ; east and 

 south the whole of Donegal Bay, with all its headlands and 

 inlets. Beyond, to the south, the range of the limestone 

 mountains of Sligo, shining in the strong sloping sunlight, 

 which brought out every bastion of the huge cliffs of Ben 

 Bulben and its neighbours. Further westward, Inismurray, 

 famous for its early christian antiquities, and far beyond, the 

 dim outline of the Ox Mountains. Westward, the great ridge 

 of Crownarad close at hand, with Slieve I^eague and Croagh- 

 muckros flanking it on the left. The knolls and meadows 

 were gay with Iris and Spotted Orchis, and a little lake below 

 quite yellow with Water-I^ilies. The only uncommon plant 

 I saw was Carex IcEvigata, Coming back we found a Green- 

 finch's nest out of which the young flew when disturbed, and 

 one of them alit on a furze-bush close by, and allowed us to 

 stroke and handle it. After dinner we all went ashore and 

 met Kane^ at 8.30. Barrington came on board an hour later, 

 and our party was complete. We sat late on the bridge in the 

 twilight and perfect stillness, watching the lights of the town 

 twinkling on the water, and discussing what the morrow may 

 bring forth. We leave for Rockall at midnight. 



Friday, June 5, 5.30 p.m. At sea. — A suspicious hiatus in 

 my diary, but really very little to note. Yesterday morning 

 was dark and very cold, with rain from N.E- and a nasty high 

 sea from the westward. We were all on deck between 7 and 

 8. As the morning went on the weather got thicker and the 

 sea worse, and all day we pounded and pitched along nor'- 

 westward. Too rough for any work, but a little getting ready 

 of trawls and dredges was done in the morning. Harvie- 

 Brown was the only man who appeared to feel perfectly happy 

 all day. Fulmar Petrels after the ship from early morning, 



^ H. L. Jameson, B.A. (zoology). 

 • W. F. de V. Kane, M.A., F.E-S. 



