i 743 



had it from Mr. William M'Alla, to whom alone the merit belongs. 

 He says, that being engaged some eight or nine years ago m procur- 

 ing litter for his father's cattle, he selected a spot where a heath less 

 robust than Erica cinerea, and consequently better adapted for that 

 purpose, grew abundantly. When thus engaged he perceived some 

 peculiarity in its structure which struck him as singular. He at once 

 compared it with E. tetralix, and the result of that examination con- 

 firmed him in his opinion. He immediately ceased pulling it, and 

 accurately marking the locality, waited with somewhat of impatience 

 the season of its blossoming. It so happened that Mr. Babington, 

 accompanied by Mr. J. Ball, of Dublin, visited Connemara the follow- 

 ing summer, and having spent some days in that delightful country, 

 were about leaving it (literally being on the car), vs^hen Mr. M'Alla 

 asked Mr. Babington would he wish to see a new heath. He thought 

 Mr. M'Alla was passing a jest on him, but in this he was quickly un- 

 deceived ; for Mr. M'Alla brought him to the spot where it presented 

 its beauteous blossoms in wild luxuriance. I need scarcely attempt 

 to describe the delight expressed by Mr. Babington, who, taking 

 away some specimens, exhibited them to Mr. Mackay on his arrival 

 in town, and subsequently named the heath after that gentleman. 

 Now whether Mr. Babington, in taking this step, acted with that 

 strict sense of justice to the discoverer, his own mind will best inform 

 him. But for my own part I do not hesitate to say, that I cannot but 

 look on it as an act of the greatest injustice ; and I think it would 

 have reflected greater brilliancy on Mr. Mackay's high reputation if 

 he had rejected the compliment and bestowed the honour on him 

 who had so richly deserved it. However, the Horticultural Society 

 of Ireland, in a proper spirit, awarded a silver medal to Mr. M'Alla 

 for this and several other additions made to the Flora of Ireland by 

 him, thus recognizing, at that early period, his undoubted right to 

 the honour of having discovered the plant. 



Having thus demonstrated the inaccuracy of the commencement, 

 Mr. Carter continues and finishes his sentence by saying, " and his 

 views are concurred in by his friend, the Professor of Botany in the 

 Royal Dublin Society, one of the first indigenous botanists in Ire- 

 land." This finishing part of the sentence contains no less than 

 three additional inaccuracies. I am most strongly inclined to think 

 that the gentleman designated (as his Mr. Ogilby's friend) the Pro- 

 fessor of Botany in the Royal Dublin Society, is Mr. David Moore, 

 Curator of the Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, and not Professor of 

 Botany to the Royal Dublin Society (and may the time be far distant 



