October, 191 3. The Irish Natiiralisi. 181 
NOTES ON THE FLORA OF THE SALTEES. 
T. PHANEROGAMIA. 
BY R. LLOYD PRAEGER. 
The Saltees are a group of two islands lying off the south 
coast of Co. Wexford. The larger, the Great Saltee, is 
slightly over a mile in length, by about ^ mile in breadth, 
the longer axis running S.W. Its area is 216 acres. It 
is separated from Kilmore Quay, the nearest point of the 
mainland, by 3J miles of sea. The smaller island Hes about 
a mile nearer shore, and has an area of 93 acres. The 
islands lie on a submarine ridge which is clearly traceable 
from Kilmore for some io miles to the south-westward, 
and, without doubt, they formed part of the mainland in 
recent geological times. 
The Great Saltee presents on the landward (N.W.) side 
a long monotonous beach of angular boulders, backed by 
a low weed-grown scarp of boulder-clay. Thence the 
ground rises south-eastward to the opposite coast, distant 
about i mile, which is bold and precipitous. The two 
extremities of the island are high, and there the ground 
descends steeply on the S.E. side for nearly 200 feet into 
the sea. The middle part of the island is lower, and there 
the cHffs are about 100 feet in height. 
Our knowledge of, the flora of the Saltees rests on a one- 
day visit made by H. C. Hart, in 1882, when exploring 
the flora of the Wexford and Waterford coasts, i On that 
occasion, he visited both islands, and made a list of plants 
(153 species) which, considering the short time at his disposal, 
was singularly complete. 
In the middle of last June, in company with R. J. Ussher, 
R. M. Barrington, Canon Lett, and several others, I spent 
six days on the Great Saltee — our intention of visiting the 
^ Report on the Flora of the Wexford and Waterford coasts. Sci. 
Proc. R.D.S., iv., pp.i 17-146. 1883. 
A 
