SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



log 



strawberry-like berries, luscious to the taste, it 

 covers the tops of many of the rocky grey isles of 

 the lakes, and finds a habitat also round Muckross 

 Abbey. As for ferns, the whole district in places 

 is simply a mass of them. The royal fern (Osmundu 

 . some higher than a person five feet five 

 inches tall, lines the margin of the lake at "The 

 Meeting of the Waters," as the perversity of 

 Irishmen call that lovely spot where really the 

 waters separate, and elsewhere. Hart's-tongue 

 [Si lopendrium oulgare) is very common ; it maybe 

 seen on all the walls of Muckross Abbey and on 

 Ross Castle, on all old bridges, and near the 

 various cascades. At Muckross Abbey this fern 

 forms, as it were, the floor inside and a basal 

 fringe outside. There, in Killarney, also I saw 

 maidenhair spleenwort (Aspltnium trichomanes), 

 hard fern (Blechnum spicant), brake (Pteris aquilina), 

 polypody (Polyp odium vulgare), scale fern (Ccterach 

 officinarum), adder's tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum), 

 one or two varieties of Lastrea, and parsley fern, 

 (Alhsorus c. 



White water-lilies (Xymphaea alba) float over 

 " The Meeting of the Waters," and several varieties 

 of crane's bill (Geranium), besides plants of herb 

 robert (Geranium robtrtianum), may be seen every- 

 where one's eye; rest, — on old bridges, abbeys, or 

 walls, — their bright-red leaves peeping out from 

 among the moss and many creepers. Yellow-rattle 

 (Rhinanthus crista -g-'.'.i), enchanter's night-shade 

 (Cireaea tutctiana), and quite a herbarium of Compo- 

 sitae are there, more especially of the division of 

 Tubuliflorae, decking the fields and glades. The 

 honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) and ivy (Hedcra 

 helix) twist about each other over the tops of other 

 trees. The rowan tree (Primus aucuparia) is to be 

 seen overhanging the pelucid water-edge, the red 

 berries being there reflected. Innisfallen Island 

 boasts well of its glorious trees. I saw on this 

 isle hollies measuring nearly three feet round, and 

 others perhaps more. They are there supposed to 

 be the largest in Europe. Ivy stems with a girth 

 of two feet or more, and many are the mazes 

 formed as by the uniting of several trees into one. 

 This is not really so, though appearing as if ash, 

 holly, hawthorn and ivy were growing from one 

 stock, Getting underneath them one can hardly 

 distinguish whence the roots of each spring, or 

 whither their branches trend. 



Foxgl di; fufutca), known as "fairy 



bells," cuckoopint (Arum maculatuiu), and many 

 Hypcricineae and Euphorbiaccac arc easily found 

 daring this month. In spring the blue bells must 

 e quite a carpet of their leaves 

 bestrew sonr • | Mdonlum 



maju:) I ia* only once, but in moist, shady s]x>l» 

 axMragc (Chrywipitnium 

 altirni/ulium and S oppoMi/olium) were at did 

 times noticed The silver birch tllctuta alba), oak 



(Quercus pedunadata), spruce (Abies cxcclsa), larch 

 (Larix eitropoca), pine (Finns sylvestris), sycamore 

 (Acer pseudo-plat anus) clothe the mountains, whose 

 conical peaks stand out so prominently, in many 

 cases even to the very tops, as at the Eagle's Nest, 

 etc. The yews (Taxus buccata) may be seen at 

 Muckross Abbey and elsewhere, their red fruit 

 somewhat brightening the dull, heavy, green 

 foliage. Erica and Calluna, of course, are evident on 

 the mountains ; while Sphagnum, Riccia, Marchantia, 

 Lunularia, and in one place Fegatella, I believe, are 

 to be found in the bogland, or in sides of bridges 

 and elsewhere. I met with no orchids, nor had I 

 time to hunt for them. With the orders Jun- 

 caceae, Graminaceae and Cyperaceae I had nothing 

 to do, though by glancing casually at them now and 

 again, I should imagine some interesting results 

 might have been gained through their study. The 

 willows, the laurels, the snowberry and the hazel 

 are common everywhere. 



At Killarney there is a splendid hunting-ground 

 for the ardent botanist, but it requires time to be 

 spared for research. Into the bargain he will have 

 a holiday which will well repay a journey of any 

 distance. There is much yet to be done in this 

 country, well-worked up as it has been of late, 

 without amateurs rushing off to continental resorts. 



I am convinced that wherever the botanist tourists 

 go, they will be no more rewarded than if they 

 visited Ireland, and gave Kerry and that most 

 interesting district a chance. Not only will they 

 find material for eye and mind, but also a most 

 genial people to deal with. I would advise July, 

 August or September as the best months of the 

 year for going there. 



One other matter I would like to draw attention 

 to, and that is to throw out the suggestion, through 

 the medium of Science-Gossip, that those who 

 have the compiling of guide-books for the Lakes 

 of Killarney should in future insert in them a 

 list of plants whose habitat is more especially 

 characteristic of Killarney. This is done in the 

 case of some guide-books written about the English 

 lakes ; I have not yet seen such a list in any 

 guide to Killarney. To the general public I 

 believe it would be a boon, especially if some 

 figures could be given. We want, for the general 

 public, something a little more definite than mere 

 names, something to stimulate their interest in the 

 plants of the more well-known tourist districts. 

 In conclusion, I have to apologise for so meagre a 



II I I plants. My short stay, and being bicycling 



IOSI of the time, gave me less advantage for 

 observing than if I had walked, as I could only 

 Itop at I 'i lain plai efl to wander about for a while. 

 I hope, however, this, my firsl vi lit, will QOl be my 

 I. i.i, and thai ere long I shall have an opportunity 



11 seeing " Killarney''- lal I and dells." 

 Hown, 



