198 The Irish Naturalist. [August, 



in excellent spirits in the very heaviest downpour. We had 

 a six-mile drive in the rain, and a swim in the lake, and as we 

 sat at lunch in the little tea-house, the clouds lifted, and soon 

 the sun came out, and a brilliant and delightful afternoon 

 succeeded. In three boats we rowed northward, and again 

 visited Bedell's Tower, and explored the adjoining lake- 

 shores ; and then, leaving a contingent sketching on the 

 margin, we rowed back by a narrow and tortuous channel, 

 only navigable in flood-time, with splendid woods rising on 

 either hand. On one small islet we found, submerged below 

 about six inches of water, half a dozen terns' nests with eggs, 

 showing how great was the flood. We re-assembled at 

 Killykeen for tea, and on the way home had another hour 

 on the bog at Derrywinny, and got further specimens of its 

 interesting plants — including a large quantit}^ of delicious 

 wild Raspberries. Even the approach of darkness did not 

 put an end to scientific enquiry, for long after our late dinner 

 a bat-hunting party set oitt in the dusk, to scour the district 

 for these little-known mammals. 



Our last day (Monday) was finer than ever, and in brilliant 

 sunshine we left the " Farnham Arms" at 9.0 a.m. and drove 

 south-east to the base of Slieve Glah, and by 10.30 our ad- 

 vance guard had taken possession of the summit. Though 

 only 1,057 f^^t high, this hill looks imposing from any point 

 of view, on account of its isolated position ; and for the same 

 reason a remarkably extensive view is obtained from its sum- 

 mit. This day was not exceptionally clear, and yet we could 

 clearly identify no less than fourteen counties. To the east, 

 beyond the fertile fields of Cavan, stretched the plains of 

 Meath and I^outh, with the ridge on which Tara stands, and 

 the high ground about Collon clearly distinguishable. To 

 the north-east, a haze or shower hid the mountains of 

 Mourne ; but beyond the undulations of Monaghan, Slieve 

 Gullion in Armagh rose faint and blue. Tyrone was prob- 

 ably in view, but we could not identify any particular 

 point. To the north-west stretched the valley of the Erne, 

 and on its southern side the limestone mountains of Fer- 

 managh and Eeitrim rose clear and high, with Cuilcagh in 

 the centre. Westward stretched the plains of Roscommon 

 and Longford, with the moat and chapel spire of Granard to 

 the south-west. Southw^ard lay the valley of the Inny, with 



