98 



IRISH (iAKDENING 



JULY 



which altoijether -i\L' lh«.' app«.ir,iiu >.• o\ :i c'tiic iM th>.' most iiotahle pieces of vej^elation 



conquest between land aiul waU-r. Away in the was the usually insii^nilicant spliajjnuni moss, 



skyline it is hard lo distinj^uish the black of the lor it was here -rowini; in the dale, taking" upon 



land tVom the dark clouds in the sky or the itselt such marvt-lious lines ol j^reen, where 



lake water from the lii^hl hori/on in the distance. moisture laxouuii it, aiulwhcie the slrujfj^'-le 



and it is a t|ueslion oi' not knowinj^ where was keener it blcnikd into hrown and red of 



land ceases and sky hej^ins. such bri-ht colours that in the distance it was 



An atmosphere o\ weird solemnity in that diHicult lo be persuaded that it was moss, 



sombre outlook rules supreme, .and then be-an Alter surveyin- the possibilities ol this valley 



one ot those sea mists wiiich |->iesent one ol lor some time we again ascended lo another 



the charms, or otherwise, of the beautiful open- point, ami here we fo\\ni.\ growing- .Saxifrag.i 



air life. Still we plodded on down deep slopes, 

 scaling- greater precipices, noting- nothing- o\' 

 more interest thai-i Erica vulgaris in abundance. 

 We had done four of the pins before anything 

 attracted our attention, when a few straggling 

 pieces oi' Saxifraga oppositifolia gave evidence 

 of Alpine flora. 



The scarlet Pimpernel was glorious in the 

 afternoon, and studded the grave rocks like 

 rubies in the glitter of the setting sun. 



A little farther away were huge patches of 

 London Pride, Saxifraga umbrosa, forming 

 dense carpets of green, and growing in many 

 cases with the aforementioned Menziesia. 



serratifolia. It was just throwing its tlower 

 buds, and there are patches of it which will 

 look very pretty when its floral splendours are 

 at their height. 



I think this is only found at considerable 

 elevations, and then only at a few places in 

 Ireland, such as on the bare summit of Curan- 

 tuhol, the highest mountain in Kerry, also on 

 Croagh Patrick, Co. .Mayo. 



Then wandering on over the \arious habitats 

 of plant life Eriocaulon septangulare made it.- 

 appearance. The plant was not in flower, but 

 w'hen it is it has compact scaly heads, which 

 present a w'oolly appearance, and are thrown 



