270 The h'ish Naturalist. November, 



these is PIa7itago sward, which occurs especially along the 

 tops of low sea-cliffs, ascending to 300 or 400 feet, where it 

 gives way to Calluna ground. The description of this associa- 

 tion given in my paper^ on Clare Island last year applies 

 equally to Achill — a very dense close green sward o{ Plantago 

 mariihua and P. Cofoitopus^ with admixture of such plants as 

 Anagallis tciiclla, Radiola Ihioidcs, &c., &c., the whole growing 

 in a black springy peaty soil. At the extreme point of Achill 

 Head this avssociation consists of a dense mat of dwarf P. 

 maritinia and P. Coronoptcs dotted with Arinena waritima^ 

 Spergulai'ia rupesti'is, Sagina marithna, S. prociimbe7is^ Cerastium 

 tctraiidi'uvi, Radiola linoidcs, Festuca ovina, Aira praccox, and 

 Agrostis vulgaris. Close by, among stones, the northern 

 Cochlearia groejilandica has its home. 



The second coast association referred to occupies a great 

 stretch cf low flat sandy ground between Keel L,ough and the 

 sea. As in the last case, wind and sheep combine to shear 

 the plants to the thinnest possible skin of vegetation. No one 

 species is clearly dominant here. Agrostis vulgaris is perhaps 

 generally the most abundant ; and a considerable variety of 

 plants occurs : — 



Cerastium tetrandrum. AnagalHs tenella. 



C. triviale. Erythraea Centaureum. 



Sagina procumbens. Euphrasia officinalis. 



S. nodosa. Prunella vulgaris. 



Linuni catharticum. Thymus Serpyllum. 



Radiola linoides. Plantago lanceolata. 



Lotus corniculatus. P. Coronopus. 



Anthyllis Vulneraria. P. maritima. 



Trifolium repens. Carex arenaria. 



T. minus. C. glauca. 



Sedum anglicum. Agrostis vulgaris. 



Parnassia palustris. Aira praecox. 



Hydrocotyle vulgaris. Koeleria cristata. 



Galium verum. Triodia decumbens. 



Bellis perennis. Selaginella selagiuoides. 

 Taraxacum officinale. 



The only other maritime association which need be 

 mentioned occurs on boggy flats above high tide in the 

 sheltered waters of Achill Sound and its bays, and is fully 

 halophile, dominated by a continuous growth of Jjmcus 7?iari- 



^ Irish Nat., xii., 28 1. 



