1902. The British Association in Belfast, 289 



asked regarding the permanence of calcicole characters in plants in 

 different countries, and whether Watson's types were still found suitable 

 in Great Britain. 



Professor T. Johnson, as a more or less local botanist, added his con- 

 gratulations. In connection with the new Department they hoped to 

 make a great change with regard to botanical study as practised in 

 Ireland. Mr. Praeger with the help of half a dozen other workers, had 

 been making careful examinations and researches into the distribution 

 of plants in Ireland. In the Museum in Dublin they had a very fine 

 collection of actual specimens, for which they had to thank Mr. Praeger. 



Rev. C. H. Waddeci. desired also to thank Mr. Praeger for his paper. 

 In his /m/^ Topographical Botany ^Ir. Praeger had given them a valuable 

 generalisation as to the distribution of plants in Ireland. As to grouping, 

 for his own part, he believed that a modification of Watson's system was 

 what was required. Mr. Watson was, as regards botany, a Home Ruler, 

 and separated Ireland from Great Britain. He (Mr. Waddell) was sorry 

 to see Mr. Praeger was also a separatist. 



The President (Professor Reynolds Green) regretted that so little 

 attention was at present paid in these countries to geographical botany, 

 as regards the causes of plant distribution. 



ON WEISIA ROSTEIvLATA IN IRELAND. 



BY J. H. DAVIES. 



The Species under notice, Weisia rostellata, Lindb., in England a rare 

 plant, and one not previously known to occur in Ireland, was met with 

 in December, 1901. It was detected, in some quantity, on a raised bank 

 by the side of a field-path, near Lisburn, in the County Antrim. The 

 usual situation in which it was found was the dried beds and muddy 

 margins of pools. It therefore, at first, seemed singular that it should 

 occur on the face of a grassy bank, but that was evidently composed 

 mainly of material containing much organic matter, taken from an 

 adjoining ditch, thus forming a matrix, not very dissimilar from that of 

 the habitat -which the plant generally affected. 



VISITS TO WORKS. 



The great manufacturing and commercial establishments 

 of Belfast provided ample scope for interesting visits. Per- 

 haps the shipyards claimed most attention, and large numbers 

 of visitors took advantage of their presence in Belfast to see the 

 famous Queen's Island works and those of Messrs. Workman. 

 Clark, and Co. At the 100-ton crane the giant Cedric was 



