196 BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. [Szss. Lxx. 
MEETING OF THE SOCIETY, 
June 14, 1906. 
Professor BayLey Batrour, F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 
Dr. A. W. BorTHWIck exhibited pear leaves attacked by 
Hriophes pyri. 
Mr. R. L. Harrow showed a series of plants in flower from 
the Royal Botanic Garden. 
W. W. Smiru, M.A., showed a very pale, ash-coloured 
variety of Ajuga reptans, found near Bridge of Allan. 
The following communication was read :-— 
Notre ON ADIANTUM CAPILLUS-VENERIS (LINN. ). 
By D. S. FIsu. 
According to Mr. Chichester Hart, Adiantum Capillus- 
Veneris was first recorded for Ireland by Edward Lhwyd, 
the antiquarian, who, writing from Cornwall on 25th August 
1700, mentions the occurrence of this plant on the islands of 
Aran, Galway Bay. The flora of these islands is similar to 
that of the Burren district of Co. Clare. The land is very 
barren, and scattered stones everywhere abound, giving the 
country a peculiar appearance. 
Another remarkable feature in the landscape of this 
portion of Co. Clare are the flat beds of limestone, deeply 
fissured. At the bottom of these fissures Adiantum is found 
in profusion. These sheets of limestone are so level that 
they resemble enormous pavements, carefully laid down in 
concrete, the surface being interrupted at more or less 
regular intervals by deep seams. The seams or fissures 
running parallel add to the artificial appearance of this curious 
formation. Plants do not generally occur on the surface of 
these natural pavements, for there is nothing in which they 
could root. In the fissures, however, plants grow readily, 
Adiantum sending up fronds 18 or more inches in height, 
