1858.] GLEANINGS IN WEST GALWAY. 515 



just coming into flower. On the hills around Clifden there were 

 several species of Salix ; among which were S. cinereUj Sm., S. 

 oleifolia, Sm., S. aurita, L., S. argentea, Eng. Bot., and another 

 belonging to the same group as the last named. 



Next day I set off for an excursion towards Urrisbeg mountain, 

 in the direction of Roundstone. After passing Ardbear^ where 

 I observed a white-flowered variety of Aster Tripolium, L., 1 left 

 the highway, and struck .across a heathy moor, which was inter- 

 sected with a chain of small lakes. Had my purpose been to 

 reach the mountain in the shortest possible time, I should have 

 been sadly disappointed, as I soon found that I was in the 

 midst of a watery labyrinth. However, the shallow lakes 

 proved famous hunting-ground, furnishing Myriophyllum alter- 

 niflorum, DC, Lobelia Dortmanna, L., Eriocaulon septangulare, 

 With., Cladium Mariscus, '"^Br.," and Scirpus fluitam, L. In 

 tKe small streams were Stellaria uliginosa, Murr., Utricularia 

 intermedia, Hayne, and U. minor, L. (neither of them in flower), 

 and Anagallis tenella, L., Menziesia, Erica Tetralix, L., and E. 

 cinerea were in great plenty over the greater part of the moor ; 

 and, very likely, E. mediterranea, L., also ; but not being in flower 

 I did not detect it. A variety of Euphrasia appeared on the dry 

 moor, having a very erect, branchless habit, with small flowers 

 and leaves, the latter of a purplish-brown colour, and their serra- 

 tures very blunt, almost crenate. On moist ground, near the 

 foot of Urrisbeg, was Narthecium ossifragum, Huds., and the 

 rare Rhyncliospora fusca, Sm. Brosera rotundifolia, L., and D. 

 anglica, Huds., were very abundant almost everywhere. Gna- 

 phalium dioicum, L., grows plentifully on Urrisbeg. So far, my 

 day's search had not been without its reward, and had circum- 

 stances permitted, I believe I should not have returned to my 

 inn without further spoils. But Connemara is proverbially a 

 moist region ; and I had soon practical proof of the fact. I had 

 hoped to have a good view of the Bunabola or Twelve Pins from 

 the summit of Urrisbeg, but long before reaching this latter, the 

 Pins were enveloped in a thick mist which foreboded no good to 

 me. Very soon a heavy drizzle forced me to turn my face home- 

 wards, as there was no gainsaying the fact that the evening was 

 fully determined to be rainy. Having nothing else for it, I pa- 

 tiently trudged across the moist heath, following, as well as I 

 could, an indistinct path, which, though occasionally a deceitful, 

 yet on the whole proved a friendly guide to me. 



