Sketches of Irish Natural History. 5 5 3 



or three Saxifrages of the " London Pride " group, S. umbrosa, S. geum, 

 and, if it can be reckoned as a third species, S. hirsuta. The first 

 reaches to the north of Donegal, and eastward to the Cummeragh and 

 Knockmeildown mountains of Waterford ; and thus is the most widely 

 distributed of the whole West-Irish group. S. geum and S. hirsuta 

 (the latter probably only a variety) are found in Cork and Kerry only, 

 and keep at a lower level than S. umbrosa, which in Ireland, as well as 

 in Spain, appears quite at home among the Alpine species. 



The West-Irish species may be conveniently arranged under the 

 three following groups : 



(II.) PLANTS GENERALLY DISTRIBUTED ALONG THE WEST COAST 

 FROM DONEGAL TO KERRY. 



Saxifraga umbrosa, Carum verticillatum, Euphorbia hyberna, 

 Asplenium acutum (the last also in North-east Ireland), Helianthe- 

 mum guttatum, found on Inishbofin and Inish Turk (ranges from these 

 islands to Three-Castle Head, Cork). 



(III.) PLANTS IN IRELAND PECULIAR TO CORK AND KERRY. 



Arbutus unedo (West Europe and Mediterranean), Pinguicula 

 grandiftora (Alps and Pyrenees). The next four all occur in England: 

 Carex punctata, Asplenium lanceolatum, Juncus tenuis (Kerry 

 only), Simethis bicolor (Kerry only), Saxifraga geum, and S. hirsuta. 

 Pinguicula grandiflora is another prominent member of our flora, 

 which is nowhere so abundant as in Kerry and Cork ; and my friend, 

 Mr. Colgan, has seen it growing, usually at an elevation of from 5000 

 to 6000 feet in the Pyrenees, where, however, it does not attain so 

 luxuriant a growth as in Kerry. Arbutus Unedo, so abundant at 

 Killarney, occurs also, but more sparingly, in county Cork, about 

 Glengariff, etc. 



(IV.) RESTRICTED TO CLARE, GALWAY, AND MAYO. 



Neotinea intacta (the locality on Lough Corrib just reaches Mayo). 

 Dabeocia polifolia, Erica mediterranea, E. Mackayi. All these occur 

 in the Spanish Peninsula, as well as near Nice, etc. 



With the West-Irish we place Euphorbia hyberna, which, like 

 Saxifraga umbrosa, reaches to the north of Donegal, and grows, with 

 it, on the Pyrenees. In Ireland, rinding its eastern limit along the river 

 Suir and in Colligan Glen, co. Waterford. This rare spurge is known 

 to the Kerry peasantry by the name of " Bonnikean," not "Makinboy," 

 as mentioned by some old writers, and it is still used for poisoning 

 fish ; its acrid milky juice, mingling freely with the water, stupefies all 

 the unfortunate trout which come within the range of its influence. 

 Its use, like that of quicklime by poachers, cannot be too strictly 

 forbidden. 



To these may be added the few of Watson's "Atlantic" species, 

 peculiar to Cornwall or the West of England, which reach Ireland. 



