384 Dublin Natural History Society. 
facing the almost inaccessible precipices that present themselves on 
that side where stands the village of Clehane. Unweariedly he pur- 
sued his way, and sundry were his risks, ere the summit was attained, 
where he did penance around the cell of the patron saint. Here all 
those rarities were found, whose first record is due to the unbounded 
zeal, acuteness, and perseverance of my friend Mr. Mackay, and 
well did he explore those wearisome wilds. The rare Saussurea 
alpina, the elegant little alpine Alchemilla, the several interesting 
species and varieties of Saxifrage—to these have been added new 
stations for the Aspidium lonchitis, Grimmia spiralis, and new to our 
flora the Hypnum rugulosum. In all the mountain range the Wil- 
sont was the only species of Hymenophyllum detected. At Mount 
Eagle, seven miles from Dingle, the most western highland in the 
county, the rare Trichomanes speciosum? was found in the chasm 
of a moist but exposed cliff, unprotected by brushwood, and at 
a much greater elevation than the sheltered and shaded locality 
of these beautiful ferns at Turk. The Jungermannia Woodsii 
was again there met with, and at the foot of the mountain 
the Bartsia viscosa. This mountain appears to consist of coarse 
gray conglomerate similar to that of Brandon. North-easterly and 
northerly of Mount Eagle are the beautiful bays of Smerwick 
and Ferriter’s Cove, rich in Alge. Here were seen magnificent 
specimens of Cystosetra ericoides and feniculacea, Gigartina aci- 
cularis, Griffithsie, and erecta: and abundantly at the Cove Poly- 
phonia violacea and Griffithsia corallina—the former only before 
noticed by Dr. Drummond at Cairnlough Bay, coast of Antrim. 
Our tarrying was brief—Killarney our next station; but so often 
has that fairy ground been trodden, that what in a botanical way 
could be said after Mackay, Taylor, and Wilson? I may venture 
to add that another station verging on Turk has been discovered of 
the much-sought Trichomanes ; its continued existence, therefore, is 
safely secured. At O’Sullivan’s Cascade the Hymenophyllum Tun- 
bridgense grows most luxuriantly; the Wilsoni exceedingly scarce, 
and the rare and beautiful Sticta macrophylla appears frequent at 
the Kenmare side of Killarney. Many are the doubts and varied the 
opinions of botanists touching the Arbutus, the pride of Killarney’s 
lakes. Although now growing spontaneously, particularly on lime- 
stone and on a reddish talcose slate, yet I am inclined to think it not 
strictly native, but introduced from Spain by the monks. In the 
fourth century monastic institutions were first formed in Ireland, 
and in the sixth this island had attained such fame for piety and 
learning, that numbers came from Spain and Italy for the object of 
leading a more strictly religious life, and acquiring the knowledge 
which had so distinguished it. Thus we find Saint Finnian, the 
leper, eminent for his extraordinary learning, knowledge of Holy 
Writ, and great sanctity, founded the abbeys of Innisfallen, Agha- 
doe, and Ardfinnian in Tipperary. Innisfallen became a place of 
great wealth ; numerous and valuable presents were contributed, and 
the stranger monks introduced from their own countries whatever 
would prove useful, either medicinally, culinary, or ornamentally. 
