TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 81 



Wiodiola, Gentiana verna, of wliicli nothing but the leaves remaiued ; Suhinion 

 dulcamara, 3farrubitan vuh/arc, Allium Bahiiu/tonii, i'oiiud on all the islands, and 

 very -svidely scattered over the large islands; Adiantum capdlus-veneris, &c. 

 Several common plants, such as Sisymbrium officinale, Cucldearia officinalis, Torilis 

 nodosum, &c., were mentioned simply to supply the deficiency in this respect in the 

 ' Cybele.' On the exposed -western side of the island many ordinarily met with 

 plants were remarkable for theu' peculiar stunted growth. Thus the samphire, 

 which grew in the greatest abimdance, was found in full tlower, and yet hundreds 

 of the plants were not more than three inches in height; and plants oi Sedum 

 rhodiola were met with scarcely more than two inches in height. In all such 

 cases the plants were growing in the chinks between the stones. A dwarfed con- 

 dition of growth was not, however, by any manner of means the rule, for under 

 favourable conditions fronds of the Maiden-hair fern were found twenty inches in 

 length. Specimens of Verbascum thapsus were met with nearly five feet high ; 

 and in one instance a cluster of that tine thistle, SiU/liim marianum, was seen 

 three or four of the flowering-stallis of which were five ieet four inches in height. 

 Dr. Wright next proceeded to contrast the Flora of the Arran Islands with that of 

 the coast of Clare, referring to INIr. Foot's very interesting paper on the Burren 

 flora, in the Transactions of the Ivoyal Irish .Vcademy, for this purpose ; and sug- 

 gested that the general affinity of the flora was rather to the Clare than to the 

 Galway coast. This would at first sight be expected, seeing that Arran is, geolo- 

 gically speaking, but an extension of Clare. Almost every plant met with on the 

 islands is met with in the Burren district, and vice versa, whereas manj^ plants are 

 met with in the Connemara district which are not found either in Clare or Arran. 

 The inhabitants are indebted altogether to the mainland for their supply of fuel ; 

 and the turf which they chiefly use is brought from the immediate neighbourhood 

 of Eoundstone and Birterbuie Bay. To this circumstance Dr. Wright was inclined 

 to ascribe the appearance of some few plants which were found very plentifully 

 about the villages of Kilronan and Kilmeany, and yet not at all inland, such as 

 C'oronopue didtjma, Urtica nrens, &c. In conclusion, Dr. Wright trusted that 

 these notes, made under very disadvantageous circumstances, might not be without 

 some interest. Every one, he thought, was bound to contribute what he could 

 (no matter how smaU that contribution might be) to make our knowledge of the 

 Flora of Ireland complete. 



Physiology. 



Address hj Professor Humphry, F.R.S. 

 It is, I feel, no small honour to be called iipon to preside over this section, which 

 represents the very highest branch of physical science. I say the higliest branch 

 of physical science, because it has to deal with the highest and broadest of physical 

 .problems. The animal frame, which it is our worlc to investigate, stands at the 

 summit of the great physical cone, with man at the a^Jt-x, by whom it is, as it were, 

 slung from heaven, in whom the material is worked up to the point of contrast 

 with, and made subservient to, the purposes of the spiritual. Indeed so complex is 

 the animal organism, so intricate and varied are the questions in physiology, that 

 it is apt to pass out of the range of science, and become too much a matter of spe- 

 culation and an object of mystery ; so that there is some danger of its being de- 

 graded by the very difficulties and features which should really place it in the high- 

 est position among sciences. 



Infinitely varied in its fonns and structure, suited to every conceivable condition, 

 where air, moisture, and heat are present, yet developed from one simple type, 

 composed of various elements combined in the most intricate manner with endless 

 modifications of mechanical, chemical, and electrical processes, besides others which 

 it is scarcely possible to recount or observe, much less to comprehend, and which 

 we group under the term " vital," the animal machine presents interests for every 

 mind, puzzles for every genius, and challenges the whole annj' of science and phi- 

 losophy through all coming ages to concentrate theii' fire and attempt even their 

 1866. 6 



