1896.] McWkknKy&PrAKGER. — Fatma and Flora, Clonbrock. 219 



The da}^ concluded with a demonstration of specimens after 

 dinner — and the usual moth-hunt, from which the enthu- 

 siastic lepidopterists were in nowise deterred by the heavy 

 rain. 



On Thursday the whole party went to the woods and 

 separated, each collector going whithersoever his instinct led 

 him to hope for booty. Lachnca heinisphccrica — a fungus new 

 to Ireland— was found on the damp soil in the pine-wood : 

 while Halbert secured the rare ground-beetle, Calathiis piceus, 

 in the oak-wood, and Orcdochilus villosits in Clonbrock River. 

 After lunch most of the party returned to the wood. The 

 evening was spent arranging specimens and looking at 

 microscopic preparations, M'Ardle's demonstration of the 

 rotatory movements of the protoplasm in an internodal cell of 

 Chara being much appreciated. 



^On Friday morning the party separated, Mr, Dillon proceed- 

 ing on foot with M'Ardle and Halbert to Doon Wood, whilst 

 Scharff and McWeeney cycled to near Mount Bellew, and did 

 some collecting along the road. Doon Wood proved a good 

 entomological locality, yielding a beetle, Phalacvus substri- 

 ahis, and two spiders, Corniadaria vigilax and Tetragnatha 

 obtusa, all new to Ireland. Returning to Clonbrock at i.o, 

 the}' picked up a well-stocked luncheon basket at the house, 

 and rejoined their colleagues at Doon Wood. Some good 

 work was done by M'Ardle in the domain of flowering plants. 

 He had taken the Bee Orchis {Ophrys, apifcra), and Marsh 

 Helleborine {Epipactis palustris) to preserve. A striking 

 feature of Doon Wood is the enormous abundance oi Listcra 

 ovata, and the luxuriant development of the plant. One 

 specimen, which measured 27 inches in height, was brought 

 home, but Praeger, on being shown the specimen later on in 

 the evening, recollected having found this plant four feet high, 

 which caused the Doon specimen to hide its diminished head. 

 Starting on the homeward journe}^ the party passed through 

 the deer-park. Here ]\Ir. Dillon pointed out Iris fcetidisshna. 

 In turning over a large trunk, McWeeney came across a fluffy 

 fungal mass which proved to be Botryospormvz diffjcsuvi, Ca., 

 one of the most exquisite of British moulds. At dinner the 

 party was joined by Praeger, who had come through from 

 lyondonderry, via Belfast and Dublin, since the previous 

 evening. 



A 2 



