82 The Irish Naturalist. [March, 



work. The various algce described were then exhibited under micro- 

 scopes b}' Dr. Donnan and inspected by the members. After the election 

 of three new members, the meeting closed. 



Botanical Section— January 30TH. — The section met when Rev. 

 C. H. Waddell gave an account of the native Geraniums, St. John's 

 Worts, Mallows, &c., illustrated by plants from his own and the Club's 

 lately acquired Herbarium. Miss M. C. Knowles presented a large 

 parcel of beautifully mounted plants, including the rare Spiranthes 

 Roiuanzoffiaua, to be added to the Club's Herbarium. It is hoped others 

 will follow this example, and that the set may be made complete at least 

 in common plants, and available to illustrate the monthly lectures. 



NOTES 



Ignorance and Introduction. 



In the Entomologist for December Mr. Purefoy informed the scientific 

 world that he believed neither the Brimstone Butterfly {Gonepteryx 

 rharnni) nor either species of Rhammis to be native in Ireland, and he had 

 filled these supposed gaps in out flora and fauna by introducing both 

 plants and a colony of the insects into Co. Tipperary. In the succeeding 

 number of our contemporar}^ Mr. W. F. de V. Kane pointed out that a 

 glance at his list of Irish lepidoptera (in that very magazine) and at the 

 pages of " Cybele Hibernica" would have saved Mr. Purefoy from his 

 inaccurate statements. We are not surprised that such ignorance of the 

 Irish flora and fauna should have been accompanied by the desire to 

 introduce something ; the risk of falsifying future distributional records 

 would be of no account to one for whom " Cybele Hibernica" was 

 compiled in vain. 



It is sometimes thought that, provided such introductions are notified, 

 no harm is done. We do not agree with this opinion. In the present 

 case, Mr. Kane points out that Mr. Hart's record of G. rhamni from 

 Queen's County (/. Nat.^ vol. v., p. 87) may rest on a specimen from Mr. 

 Purefoy's colony. These introductions throw doubt on the genuineness 

 of any occurrence of the species within a large radius. The wild life or 

 a country is something to be studied and treated with reverence ; the 

 introducer is almost as great an enemy to science as the exterminator. 



BOTANY. 



PHANEROGAMS. 

 A Christmas Primrose. 



On Christmas Eve last Mrs. Johnson found a primrose plant in full 



bloom just outside Poyntzpass on the road-side between the village and 



Acton Glebe. Two blossoms were fully expanded and there were several 



lauds ready to bloom. 



W. V Johnson. 



