THE BOTANY OF THE BARROW. 9 



and spathulafoUus as figured in Reichenbach's ' Plantfe Criticae,' 

 fig. 240, one finds eveiy intermediate gradation in robustness of 

 habit, in the shape, texture and petiolation of tlie leaves, in the 

 number and size of the capitula, and in the vestiture of the leaves 

 and involucral bracts. In Britain the genuine campestris, so far as 

 I have had the opportunity of seeing it, grows on the dry turf of 

 the top of our chalk downs, associated with such jjlants as Canlaus 

 acaulis, Gentinna campestris, and Amarella and Chlora perfoliata. 

 Take a Composite from a station like this and place it for once on 

 a sea-cliff, and a great difference in size and luxuriance may 

 reasonably be expected. I have not yet seen the Micklefell speci- 

 mens, but shall be surprised if they agree with the Holyhead form. 



Another point to be considered is that here, as in many other 

 cases, making two species needlessly out of one lands us in a 

 suppositious geographical anomaly. According to Grenier and 

 Godron, there is no campestris at all in France, but all the French 

 plant is spatlinheJ'uUus. But cross the Channel, and immediately 

 on the chalk downs of Sussex and the Isle of Wight campestris 

 begins, and there is no spathidcBfuiius till the whole breadth of 

 England and Wales is crossed. Speaking from a geographical 

 point of view, one would not care to believe in such an anomaly as 

 this, unless there were very decided evidence in its favour. I find 

 that in ' Topographical Botany ' we made a mistake in registering 

 both campestris and spathuUrfolius from Anglesea. Campestris is 

 given on the authority of Mr. John Ball, and I find on referring to 

 his specimens in Mr. Watson's herbarium that it represents the 

 ordinary Holyhead maritima. In connection with the matter 

 reference may also be made to Prof. Babington's note in 'Loudon's 

 Magazine of Natural History,' vol. v., p. 88, where two extreme 

 forms of the Cambridgeshire plant are figured, and to a note at 

 page 43 of the ' Report of the Botanical Record Club for 1883.' 



Finally, Prof. Babiugton is mistaken in supposing that DeCau- 

 dolle nowhere quotes the name " Cineraria lanceolata, Lam. Fl. 

 Franc, ii. 125." He will find it duly cited in the 'Prodromus,' not 

 in connection with spathido'/oHns, but as a synonym of S. campestris 

 j3. vulyaris, and yet of course it refers to a plant native in France. 



THE BOTANY OF THE BARROW. 



By H. C. Hart, B.A. 



. The River BarroAv takes its rise on the north side of the Slieve 

 Bloom Mountains, in the north-west of the Queen's County. 

 From here it runs north for a short distance, and then east to 

 Monasterevan, on the borders of the same county. From Monas- 

 terevan the Barrow runs south, separating Kildare from Queen's 

 County till it reaches Carlow, and subsequently it divides the 

 latter county from Kilkenny, becoming tidal at St. Mullins. A little 

 loYv^er, having received the waters of the Nore, it becomes a wide 

 estuary at New Ross. Widening farther south it receives the Sun-, 



