80 REPORT— 1866. 



The autlior entered at some length into the anatomical structure of Limulus, 

 BeUnunis, Eari/ptcrus, Slylomirus, Pleri/f/otus, Hemiaspis, &c., in order to show that 

 by a series of intermediate forms which have of late years become known, he was 

 able to reconcile the apparently wide diversity existing between Pteri/gotus and 

 Limulus; and he submitted that they may appropriately form two subdivisions of 

 the order Mcrostomata of Dana. 



These views have since been published by Mr. Woodward at length in the Quart. 

 Journ. Geol. Soc. London, vol. xxiii. (No. 89, Feb. 1, 1867, p. 28) with illustrations. 

 See also monogi'aphs of the Palseontographical Soc. for 1865 (Dec. 1866), Pt. I. of 

 the Merostomata. 



Notes on Lithosia caniola. By Dr. E, Perceval "Weight, F.L.S. 



This species was discovered by Mr. Barrett on the Hill of Howth, near Dublin, 

 in 1860 — so very local was its habitat that it might be said to be found only on one 

 closely sheltered bank on the south side of the hill. Since 1860, many specimens 

 have been taken by Mr. Birchall, Mr. Dunlop, and the writer ; and the limits of 

 the species, so far as Howth is concerned, would seem to be on the increase. How 

 this South European insect obtained a settlement on one point of the Irish coast 

 and in no other part of the British Islands, was, Mr. Birchall confessed, a cm'ious 

 problem, which he ventm-es to solve, by supposing it may have been introduced in 

 the larva state among moss and lichens. In the spring of 1866 Dr. Wright was 

 botanizing on the coast of Waterford, when he was struck by the close similarity in 

 appearance between certain portions of the Tramose strand, and that where the L. 

 caniola was found at Howth : it had the same aspect, the same plants, and was just 

 the place where one would expect to find the species ; but it was too early in the 

 season for it. In the course of the summer Dr. Wright requested his brother to col- 

 lect all the Lithosia to be met with at the place ; and, as he had anticipated, L. caniola 

 was among them ; one of the specimens was slightly different from the ordinary 

 form of Caniola. In addition to adducing this new locality for this insect. Dr. 

 Wright mentioned his belief that L. caniola was little more than a climatal variety 

 of such a form as L. complamila. 



Botanical Notes of a Tour in the Islands of Arran, West of Ireland. 

 Bij Dr. E. P. Wkight, F.L.S. 



The islands consist of limestone, forming on their western sides high frowning 

 headlands, and on those facing Galway Bay a series of coarse shingly beaches, in- 

 terrupted here and there by several sandy bays. The surface ot the larger island 

 presents the appearance of a series of gigantic tombstones arranged in vast tiers, 

 the interspaces between the large slabs of stone and the faces of the terraces con- 

 taining almost all the plants to be found on the island. Dry stone walls abound 

 everywhere, sometimes enclosing plots of groimd onlj' a few feet square ; and by 

 the help of these enclosm-es some few crops are sown and garnered. In some cases 

 the potatos are planted on the bare rock, and covered over with a basketful of 

 earth and seaweed ; in others the rock gets covered over with a thin sod, which 

 supplies a precarious nourishment to a few sheep brought from the mainland. 

 Dr. Wright stayed eleven days on the island, visiting now and then the middle 

 and south islands. The weather was most unfortunate, and scarcely a day passed 

 over without rain, while a strong north-west wind, blowing with great force, made 

 the constant jumping over stone walls particularlj' trying. The season was too far 

 advanced for many of the characteristic Arran Island plants ; still a sufficient 

 number of interesting species were met with. Dr. Wright first enumerated the 

 list of species actually collected, for convenience of reference using the nomen- 

 clature of the ' Cybele Hibernica ' of Dr. Moore and A. G. More, the publication 

 of which, though too late this year to do much for Irish botany, would, he doubted 

 not, mark a new era in the investigation of this subject. He next proceeded to 

 mention those plants which might be considered remarlfable or rare, or which had 

 not as yet been recorded as found in the district marked VI., according to the 

 scheme adopted in the ' Cybele.' Among these he alluded to the Aquilcr/ia vulgaris, 

 foimd on the northern part of the large island; Helianthenmm camcm, Sedum 



