t902. Notes, 17 1 



The Poisonous Effects of the Irish Spurge. 



In the Proceedings of the Royal Society, No. 360, May, 1902, will be found 

 an interesting paper by Dr. H. M. Kyle, detailing the results of experi- 

 ments to determine the nature of the fish-poisoning qualities of 

 Euphorbia hiberna, Dr, Kyle's conclusion is that these effects are due to 

 the tannic acid contained in the plant, which produces inflammation of 

 the gills and consequent stasis of the circulation. 



A Botanical Coronation Fete. 



One of the methods by which the coronation of the late Queen was cele- 

 brated was affile chai)ip>Hre and flower show in the Belfast Botanic Gardens 

 on Thursday, June 28th, 1838. A most attractive feature cf this show 

 was an exhibition of the wild flowers of the country, and the award of 

 prizes for collections of native plants. An account of this fete appeared 

 in the Northern Whig of 30th June, 1838, and is of much interest to the 

 present race of Irish botanists. The writer says — " The novelty of the 

 ' Templetou Prizes' for native plants rendered this portion of the exhi- 

 bition perhaps the most interesting. We confess, it exceeded the utmost 

 of our expectations ; and we venture to say, that very few who were 

 present, had formed the least idea of the various and beautiful wild 



flowers with which our mountains and valleys are adorned 



The first Templeton Prize was awarded to Mr. Moore. Assistant in the 

 Geological Department of the Irish Ordnance Survey, for the following 

 plants, the names of which we took from the different labels: — Habenaria 

 albida, and chlorantha ; Listera nidus-avis^ and cordata ; Carex curta ; Orobanche 

 rubra; Pyrola secunda, media and minor; Drosera anglica, longifolia, and 

 rotundifolia ; Vaccinium oxycoccos^ and vitis-idcea ; Scutellaria galericulata ; 

 Arenaria verna ; Sedum dasyphyllum ; Hynienophylluin Wilsotii ; GraviDiitis 

 ceterach ; Cyathea fragilis ; Cryptogramma crispa ; Osmunda regalis ; Ophio- 

 glossum vulgatum ; Botrychitun lunaria ; Isoetes lacustris ; Splachnum ampul- 

 laceum, and sphoericum variety tenue ; Bryum nutans. Two additional medals 

 were awarded for single indigenous plants — one to Miss Richards, of 

 Bangor Castle, for Ophrys apifera ; the other to J. A. Whitla, Esq., of 

 Gobrana, for Epipactis grandijlora. Amongst the varied collection, we 

 observed a very singular variety of Primula vulgaris, discovered by Miss 

 Gonyngham, at Lisdhu, Co. Tyrone, the petals of the flowers being per- 

 fectly green." 



■-■■ '-^'^ S. A. Stewart. 



Belfast. 



