218 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



the south-Tfestem counties, and is a scarce plant everywhere in Ire- 

 land. Here it occurred sparingly. 



On the following day (Monday, 8th July), I accomplished an 

 arduous journey round the coast from Cloghane under Brandon Point 

 and Erandon Head to Ballydavid and thence into Dingle. Xear Quay 

 Tillage I met with Arabis kirsuta, Aspenda cynancliica, and Bartsia 

 viscosa, where the coast was low and sandy ; and in other places, 

 JEupatorium cannahinum, Agrimonia eupatorium., Rosa firiipinellifolia, 

 Scdix repens, Asple7mim marinum, and the pink variety of Convolvulus 

 sepium. Carex extensa also occurs here on wet rocky ledges by the 

 sea. "Where the coast becomes steeper the vegetation is composed 

 chiefly of oak, osmunda, London pride, foxglove, Sedum rhodiola, 

 Sypericum androsmmmi, Silejie maritima, Beta maritima, Sedum anyli- 

 cmn, Scilla nutans, Lastrcea cemida, Empetrmn nigrum, and Eleocliaris 

 midticaiilis. This list of species gives a fair idea of the flora of a 

 south-western headland, a mixture of Atlantic and mountain plants 

 descending to within one hundi-ed feet of sea level, where precipitous 

 storm-beaten cliffs barred their further progress. It is important to 

 notice that two northern species, Sedum rhodiola and M)i2)etrum niyrum, 

 descend to sea level in Eerry. Having rounded Brandon Point, and 

 while scrambling on my hands and knees on very steep banks at the 

 verge of the cliffs, marked Deelick Point on the inch Ordnance Map, 

 I gathered the diminutive Ophioylossimi lusitanicum. There was here 

 but a small quantity of it. Subsequently I gathered it plentifully 

 on Sybil Head, a similar situation, about fifteen miles to the south- 

 west, and later in the same year, near Slieve League in Donegal. I 

 have thus found it on two Donegal headlands, Horn Head and Slieve 

 League, and two in Kerry, Brandon Point and Sybil Head. The 

 majority of botanists who have examined my specimens decide that it 

 is true 0. lusitanicum, and a somewhat hasty comparison with types in 

 the Kew Herbarium appeared to me to warrant this decision. Syme, 

 however, considers that the fructification season of my plant, which 

 takes place in latter summer and autumn, is against its being identical 

 with the Channel Island species, which is fertile in winter, and refers 

 it to 0. polyphnjllxmi. Climatic differences might, however, be sufficient 

 to effect this discrepancy. On these steep slopes I found Radiola mille- 

 grana. Both these plants were so minute, owing to their exposed con- 

 dition, that had I been progressing in an erect position I should have 

 probably passed them by, and the dwarf adder's tongue has to be care- 

 fully looked for. A little farther, and I again gathered Listera cordata, 

 a species which is much commoner than is supposed. I know of no 

 plant which eludes observation so successfully. If search be made on 

 the north side of a mountain at a moderate elevation where the heather 

 is old and lies recumbent on a steep, mossy, and somewhat rocky sloj)e, 

 this little orchid will be frequently found. But the heather has usu- 

 ally to be lifted before it is visible, and its known habitats are gener- 

 ally those in the nc ighbourhood of such localities, where it is abundant, 

 and may have spread to opener spaces. Just here I opened a bay of 



