226 Proceedings of the Royal Iri'ih Academy. 



Of this latter group, a few more, such as Carum verticillattim., and 

 Scirpus savii, probably occur also. 



I will now give a table of the altitudes at which the mountain 

 species reach their upper and lower limits. I have already given an 

 account of the altitudinal range of plants inthe McGrillicuddy's Eeeks, 

 which has been published [Proceedings, vol. iii. p. 573). Brandon, al- 

 though lower and much less extensive, and apparently less: adapted as 

 a home for alpine plants, has a larger variety than the Reeks, and its 

 proximity to the sea modifies the range of a few. This is probably 

 due to its undoubtedly wetter climate, the outer prominence catching 

 and condensing much moisture which would otherwise reach the 

 Reeks, and the moister saline atmosphere at its base, which to a slight 

 degree assimilates the conditions for plant-life of ocean and alpine 

 cliffs, lloreover, the whole peninsula is much more exposed to winds, 

 currents, drift, and other northern influences than the rest of Xerry, 

 to which it acts as a sort of screen or shelter, a position which has 

 rendered it originally more likely to be peopled by invaders fi'om the 

 north, and now better fitted to enable their descendants to maintain 

 their lingering and precarious tenure. It should be noted also that 

 the alpine plants of Brandon only exist where entirely free from west 

 and south-west winds. 



In the following table, the commoner lowland plants which ascend the 

 mountains are not included, except when they occur at a greater elevation 

 than they do on MacGillicuddy' s Reelcs {\i(\.e Proceedings, vol. iii. p. 577, 

 1882). A few notes of heights are extracted from a short Paper of 

 mine on " Hountain Plants in Kerry," Journal of Botany, June, 1882, 

 where I have given an account of the flora of the Caherconree or Slieve 

 Mish range. 



Brandon summit, 3127 feet. 



Cerastium triviale. Link. Luzida campestris, D.C. 



Campamda rotundifolia, Linn. Poa annua, Linn. 



Jasione montana, Linn. 



Brandon Cliffs (looking north-east), 3000 feet. 



Alchemilla vidgaris, Linn. 



Saxifraga umirosa, Linn. To sea level in many parts of the penin- 

 sula. 



S. decipiens, Sm. To 2450 feet between Brandon and Brandon Peak. 



Sedum rhodiola, D.C. To sea level between Brandon Head and 

 Ballydavid Head; occurs also on ITount Eagle, Benooskey, Cahir- 

 conree, &c., and at intermediate heights on western slopes. 



Oxyria reniformis, Hook. To 2000 feet above Lake iSTalacken, and at 

 1150 feet on Brandon Head. 



Ca/rex rigida, Grood. At 2500 feet at Caherconree, 2200 on SHeve- 

 anea, 2400 on Benooskey ; lower limit at 2020 on Slieveanea. 



Cystopteris fragilis, Bernh. Also at 2650 feet on Caherconrey ; lower 

 limit at 2000 feet above Lake j!<'alacken. 



