Proceedings. 61 



Canaries, Madagascar, &c., which have been separated from 

 the Continent from remote time ; (3) in islands such as St. 

 Helena, surrounded by seas of enormous depth, which, if ever 

 joined to any continent, have been separated from vastly 

 remote time. 



In Great Britain we find longitudinal and latitudinal dis- 

 tribution of plants. Some of the plants confined to our 

 eastern counties would grow on any soil, so we may regard 

 them as later introductions, which may be expected eventually 

 to spread westward. At the close of the glacial epoch there 

 can have been no flora in our island, except an Arctic flora. 



The plants peculiar to Ireland probably entered Ireland 

 from the south, before or after Ireland became separated from 

 England, and before the final separation of Ireland from the 

 Continent to the south ; or they may possibly have crossed 

 England and become exterminated in Great Britain, although 

 this is less likely. Ireland was doubtless separated from 

 England before England became separated from the Continent. 



Two North American species found in Ireland, Eriocaulon 

 septaiir/ulare (found also in the Hebrides) and Spiranthes 

 Romanzoviana, can scarcely have been introduced by man's 

 agency ; they must have been in Ireland long before the 

 discovery of America in the 15th century. 



Ths presence in Ireland of Arbutus Unedo, Saxifraga Qeum, 

 and S. hirsuta, found elsewhere only in the Pyrenean district, 

 seems to imply a former connection of Ireland with Spain. 



The Kev. H. Brass remarked on Prof. Forbes' division of 

 the British flora into the following five types : — Scandinavian, 

 Gallic, Germanic, Norman, and Lusitanian. 



Annual General Meeting, October 16th, 1885. 

 The Annual Eeport and Balance Sheet were read and 

 adopted, as follows : — 



HOLMESDALE NATURAL HiSTORY ClUB. 



Annual Report, October 16th, 1885. 

 The membership in the Club has suffered during the past 

 twelve months from removals ; whilst six new members have 



