BOTANICAL NOTES ALONG THE KIVEKS NOKE, BLACKWATER, ETC. 229 



interesting species. Bullfinches and goldfinches were not uncom- 

 mon, and some timber by the river- banks rendered the scenery 

 more pleasing, h'uonipmts europunis and Origannin ruhjarr. occurred, 

 while wild roses, especially 11. arvensis, were abundantly in blossom. 

 JiDictis (jlaucus has been our constant companion ; so also are 

 Poh/i/onum ampldbinm and Sclrpus lacustris. Near Abbeyleix, I first 

 noticed here a rather large sedge, Carex vesicaria; and in the 

 Abbeyleix Woods Campanula Trachelium was obtained at the river's 

 brink. Below Abbeyleix Equisetuin hycmale, Gyiimadenia conojisea, 

 Quercits sessi/ijiora, and Carex paludusa occurred. Nearer to Durrow 

 Thalictruvi fiavum, characteristic of the larger rivers in the inland 

 counties of south-eastern Ireland, first ajjpeared. At Durrow we 

 passed a night. The accommodation in these little towns cannot 

 be expected much of, but the people usually take pleasure in doing 

 their best, which makes up for many shortcomings. 



From Durrow we rejoined the Nore by the banks of a tributary, 

 the Erkina. In it were seen the (Knanthe already mentioned, 

 Ranunculus Lingua, Sium angustifolmvi, and Carex vesicaria. In 

 thickets alongside of it, on the right bank near the junction, 

 ULercurialis peremiin''- was found in the greatest abmidance for some 

 distance. This is a very rare plant in Ireland, only occurring in 

 about half a dozen localities, chiefly in the north, of which 

 Parsonstown is the nearest. Along here occurred also Campanula 

 Trachelium (sparingly), Orchis rnoriu, Euonymus eurupcBus, Scutellaria 

 galericulata, Lgsimachia vulgaris, Gymnadenia conopsea, Nasturtixmi 

 (Armoracia) amphibium, and Carex paludosa. These were noticed 

 in the order given along the right bank of the river to Ballyragget, 

 where we have entered the County Kilkenny. The river is pretty, 

 diversified with wooded banks. At Ballyragget Matricaria Chamo- 

 milla was found in a waste-heap by a mill-race ; it is an alien, and 

 appears very rarely. I have never gathered it in Ireland except 

 once at Howth and once in Wicklow, both times in waste ground. 

 Malvu moschata, one of our prettiest wild flowers, was gathered. 

 At Ballyragget we crossed to the left bank. About four miles down 

 Nasturtium sylvestre again occurred. Yellow water-lily Avas frequent, 

 the white hardly being met with. About two miles above Kilkenny, 

 on the left bank, is a large patch of a naturalised Aster, which 

 Mr. Baker believes is an American species, A. Icevis. Its occurrence, 

 with all the outward appearance of a native, for it is far from a 

 garden at present existing, or pleasure ground, is very interesting, 

 I found it again in still more unsuspicious circumstances, and 

 farther from a road below Woodstock on the other side ; and I 

 have seen the same Aster since, apparently established, by a 

 stream near Biuidoran, in Donegal, and in a garden at Glengarrifl', 

 in Cork, In none of these places had it any sympton of a flower, 

 up to the end of August at Bundoran. A little below the Aster, 

 and from that to the town of Kilkenny, in wet meadows close to 

 the river, Culchicum autumnale was met with abundantly, and now 



* I have recently received specimens of this phmt from Glassloui,'h, Co. 

 Monaghan, where Miss i'oung finds it iu abundance. 



