1904. Praeger. — The Flora of A chill Island. 275 



this respect, and in the complete absence of Pond- weeds 

 and CharacecB, presents a curious contrast of flora to the 

 adjoining lake, in which Lobelia and Etiocanlon are absent. 

 These low-level lakes have generally bottoms partly of beauti- 

 fully clean sand, partly of peat. Sraheens Lough, lying 

 among the bogs at an elevation of about 100 feet, with a stony 

 margin, likewise yields Lobelia and Eriocaidon in abundance. 

 To come to the western lakes. They vary in elevation from 

 about 50 to 1,000 feet, and have all a mountain environment, 

 and shores generally composed of angular blocks of rock 

 descending steeply into deep water. Their surface is free of 

 tall reedy vegetation. Here we miss the Eriocauloii^ Pond- 

 weeds, and CharacccB, which characterize the eastern lakes. 

 The water-flora is meagre in the extreme. Lillorclla and 

 Juncus supiniis are universal, and Spargajiizim ajffine, one of 

 the most wide-spread of Achill hydrophytes, usually occurs in 

 large colonies. Potaviogeto7i polygonifo litis occasionally 

 grows in deep water, and the margins are fringed with Ranu7i- 

 cnlus scolicus. But hardly another plant is to be seen ; Lobelia^ 

 which was twice observed, 2ii\diIsoeles lacustris^ seen in Annagh 

 lyough, complete the list. But I should add that continued 

 storm and high water interfered with exploration of the moun- 

 tain lakes, and under favourable conditions a larger flora 

 might be discovered. The scenery surrounding some of these 

 western lakes may vie in savage grandeur with anything to be 

 found in the British Isles. Bunnafreva Lough West, at the 

 northern end of Croaghaun,lies on thevery edge of a thousand- 

 foot cliff, which drops sheer into the Atlantic, and is itself 

 encircled on two sides by clifls which rise the better part of 

 another thousand feet. In old days its waters clearly lapped 

 over the edge of the cliff", about 50 feet above its present level, 

 for the old margin can be plainly traced all round the lake ; 

 but the present outlet is subterranean, and the waters gush 

 out of the cliff-face several hundred feet btlow the summit. 

 The passage is evidently small, as a considerable fluctuation 

 of the level of the lake is apparent on its precipitous rocky 

 shores. Annagh Lake, again (Lough Nakeeroge [East] of the 

 Ordnance map), lies on a long low shelf close to the sea, and 

 about fifty feet above it. with a grand precipitous scarp on 

 the one hand and a lovely little sandy bay on the other — 

 a spot of exquisite beauty. 



