528 Alexander Goodman More Scientific Papers. 



From this we may see how great a thinning out there is of species as we 

 advance westward. Of all the 432, only three are not found in York- 

 shire, and these three are eminently western species, viz. : Coronopus 

 didyma, Rubia peregrina, and Pinguicula Lusitanica. 



The occurrence of the Bee and Fly Orchis, characteristic of the 

 Infer-agrarian zone, among such alpine plants as Sesleria, Gentiana 

 verna, juniperus nana, and Arbutus Uva-ursi, strictly belonging to the 

 (infer-) arctic, is perhaps the most remarkable feature of the district, 

 and presents a combination of characters probably nowhere else to be 

 met with by the explorator of British botany. 



N.B. To render these remarks as far as possible complete, it may 

 be as well to mention three plants which were observed on the same 

 strata in the north of Clare. They are introduced to show that their 

 range extends as far as Castle Taylor. They are scarce plants in Ire- 

 land. 



Orobanche rubra, on Festuca rubra, and on Thymus Serpyllum. 

 Nepeta Cataria. 

 Marrubium vulgare. 



The first a northern, the two latter southern plants. 



Division Second. 



We now proceed to consider the negative characteristics. This 

 attempt is confessedly imperfect ; and, indeed, it would be extremely 

 difficult, and would require longer experience than I have enjoyed, to 

 arrive at a correct estimate on this point. Still, it is too interesting to 

 be passed over. 



The species here employed as a standard are those omitted in the 

 New Botanist's Guide as being of too common occurrence, deducting, 

 however, those whose range has since been ascertained not to exceed 

 14 of Watson's provinces. It will also be safer to neglect 38 of these 

 which, though not checked with certainty, were either doubtfully 

 noticed or reported, or, most probably, only overlooked. This will 

 leave 107 species to represent the deficit, and of course there are several 

 others of more restricted range belonging either to the English or 

 Atlantic (French) type that might also be reasonably expected to occur, 

 as well as some ascertained to be more common since the "Remarks" 

 were published. 



Out of these 107 absentees, some are to be ascribed to the physical 

 aspect of the country, combined, perhaps, with geographical causes ; 

 for instance, those that affect water, hedge banks, and especially wood 

 and copse, there being no vestige of aboriginal forest. 



A second class evince a sort of repugnance to the soil. I have 

 never seen them on limestone. This is a curious point, because it is 

 well known that very few plants are really confined to any one class of 

 soils. 



