Natural History of the Island of Rathlin. 69 
the top, sufficiently large to allow the animals to crawl in, but prevent their leaving 
their prison when once within its walls. Each basket is furnished with a piece of fish, 
flesh, or other similar bait to attract the lobsters ; and left down for some hours. They 
are then drawn up, the lobsters taken out and again sunk, until they have thus taken 
the requisite number. When caught, their claws are tied together to prevent them 
injuring each other; and they are put into other baskets which are suspended in the 
water over the vessel’s side, that by this means they may be kept alive till enough have 
been caught for the market. 
One of these fishing smacks will be furnished with twenty or thirty baskets, or 
lobster-pots, as they are termed, and will take in a morning, not unfrequently, several 
lobsters from each. To prevent the pots sinking too far, or going astray, each is 
provided with a large piece of cork-wood, which floats on the surface, and points out 
the situation. When the vessel has remained here for two or three days, the pots are 
lifted, the anchor weighed, and the lobsters carried from the coast of Rathlin into 
Liverpool, Dublin, or some other port, where they bring a handsome price. 
BOTANY. 
The following are the names of a few plants which were observed on the island ; but 
as the writer’s attention was not directed to the Botany of Rathlin, they must be 
considered merely as a list of those accidentally noticed in his excursions through 
the Island. 
The species marked thus (*), were found on the island by the late J. Templeton, Esq. 
Ranunculus acris, Linn. Upright meadow crowfoot. Frequent. 
Ranunculus sceleratus, L. Celery-leaved crowfoot. In pools, &c. 
Ranunculus repens, L. Creeping crowfoot. Common. 
Caltha palustris, L. Common marsh-marigold. Marshes and ditches. 
Nymphea alba, L. Great white water-lily. Covering one of the marshes in the 
southern extremity of the island, 
Nuphar Jutea, L. Common yellow water-lily. Growing with the white water- 
lily. 
Fumaria officinalis, L. Common fumitory. Frequent. 
Cochlearia officinalis, L. Common scurvy-grass. Rocks on the shore. 
* Cochlearia coronopus, L. Common wart-cress. On the waste grounds, common. 
* Crambe maritima, L. Sea-kale. _ Gravelly shore of Church bay. 
Viola tricolor, L. Pansy or heart’s-ease. Fields, rather frequent. 
Polygala vulgaris, L. Common milk-wort. Hills, common. 
Malva sylvestris, L. Common mallow. On one of the hills on the northern shore 
of the island. 
VOL. XVIL 00 
