i87o] Uneventful Years. 233 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



UNEVENTFUL YEARS. 



[1870-1.] 



BOTANY continued to hold a foremost place in his thoughts, 

 and a memorandum which he drafted about this time shows 

 that he entertained hopes of inducing the Royal Dublin 

 Society to supplement its zoological work by authorizing 

 a more complete botanical exploration of Ireland than 

 private enterprise could accomplish. 



Mr. A. G. More is at present attached to the Royal Dublin Society's 

 Museum in the capacity of assistant. He has for many years taken 

 great interest in the Flora of Ireland, and was the active partner in 

 bringing together, arranging, and publishing the materials of the 

 " Cybele Hibernica." 



The distribution of plants in Ireland being still very imperfectly 

 known, Mr. More is anxious to devote his time for the next few years to 

 a thorough exploration of the botany of Ireland, and he would refer to 

 the above-named book as showing how many interesting points remain 

 for investigation. 



Ireland possesses a peculiar interest, both as an insular flora and as 

 the western outlying portion of the European Continent, and, from the 

 curious and irregular manner in which many of the plants run out 

 westward, affords the most promising field of observation left within the 

 limits of the British Isles. 



At present nothing really definite is known of the range in height 

 attained by the different plants ; while a comparison drawn between 

 the several mountain groups would no doubt afford most interesting- 

 results. 



Another fruitful field of inquiry is to be sought in noting the varia- 

 tions which have been produced by peculiar climate and conditions. 

 These forms might with advantage be contrasted with the continental 

 varieties, especially those of the west of France ; and it would be Mr. 

 More's especial object to form for the Society a complete series of Irish 

 plants, which might eventually be deposited with the Admiral Jones's 

 Lichens, lately acquired by the Society, so as to form a National Col- 

 lection. 



Under these circumstances Mr. More asks that for this purpose he 



