12 THE BOTANY OF THE BARROW. 



Some of the foregoing have no doubt been recorded elsewhere, 

 since the publication of the ' Cybele Hibernica,' from these districts. 

 A list of gaps like the above shows how much remains to be done 

 in ascertaining the distribution of our Irish plants. I will now 

 give a running account of my exploration, so as to point out the 

 habitats of the rarer plants. 



On June 20th I made an excursion towards the Barrow from 

 Graigavern, where I was experiencing the hospitality of some friends 

 and relatives. Graigavern lies about three miles south-west from 

 Monasterevan, in the Queen's County, and abont two miles west of 

 the river, which has here turned to its southern destination. In 

 its immediate neighbourhood Viola odorata, Listera ovata, Arum 

 maculatioit, liijpericiim AmlroscRmum, and Viburnum Opidus were 

 prominent species. A couple of miles south of Graigavern, between 

 Ballybrittas and the Barrow, is an extensive bog, which is inter- 

 sected also by the Grand Canal, Here I spent some hours. The 

 species noted were Carduus jiratensis, Carex pulicaris, C. paniculata, 

 C. acuta, C. fulva, Osmunda regalis, Drosera rotxindifolia, Potamogeton 

 jnisilhis, Utricularia vulgaris, Sparganium yninimum, Catabrosa aqua- 

 tica, Banunculus sclcratus, L'emna trisulca, Kiipatorium cannabinum, 

 Bidens cernna, and commoner sorts. This bog is a breeding resort 

 for redshanks and teals, and many other aquatic birds. Towards 

 Ballybrittas, by the "Waterfall" river, I saw Juncus glaucus, 

 (Enanthe Fhellandrium, ALisma ranunculoides, Silene infiata, and 

 Ophioglossum imlgatum ; and near "Allan Yorks" Bridge Chlora 

 perfoliata, Daucus Carota, Chelidoniiim majns, and Saponaria 

 ojjicinalis. About Ballybrittas Vibunnmi Opulus, Tragopogon pra- 

 tense, and Exionymus eurojmus are frequent. Near Graigavern 

 Potamogeton crispus, Helosciadium inundatum, and Orchis incarnata 

 occurred. These remarks apply to District III., and several of 

 the above are additions to its flora. 



On June 21st I started from Monasterevan up the Kiver Barrow. 

 A little above the town were (Enanthe PhclJandrium , Klodea canadensis, 

 Sium, nodiflorum, Nuphar lutea, Fianunculus pseudo-jiuitans, and the 

 commoner pond-weeds occur. A very conspicuous plant here is a 

 large, rather wrinkle-leaved, reddish pond-weed, which had no trace 

 of inflorescence, but is, I believe, P. rnfescens. The river here is 

 about twenty yards across, deep, and sluggish. The country round 

 is so flat that after continuous rain the floods are sometimes so 

 extensively spread as to drown large tracts. An Englishman with 

 utilitarian views, who visited this district recently under such cir- 

 cumstances, remarked with becoming superiority that, had they 

 such sheets of water in his neighbourhood, piers, boat-houses, 

 steamers, and considerable traffic would be the natural and imme- 

 diate consequence. The plants last mentioned, with Lijchnis 

 vespertina by the water's edge, in shady thickets of blackthorn, and 

 Carex vesicaria, L'oa aquatica, Viburiinm Opulus, and Apargia hispida 

 are frequent on both jjanks, north and sou.th, i. e., District VII. and 

 District V., for the river here divides them. 



At Baylough Bridge, a couple of miles west of Monasterevan, 

 I crossed to the north bank of the river into District VII. 



