Hart — On the Flora of Southern Donegal. 569 



the utmost assistance, and rendered my labours pleasurable, I am fain 

 to acknowledge my sense of indebtedness. The many records from 

 Cliff and Brown Hall will show that my sojourn there was of much 

 benefit to the object in view. 



Another advantage I had in the season, which was unusually pro- 

 pitious for out-door pursuits, was the long period of dry weather, ren- 

 dering the banks of lake and river easier of exploration than they have 

 been for many years. In the Erne (though this was partially due to 

 the drainage works) the life of the banks and edges of the river was ex- 

 posed in a most interesting way. Multitudes of river cray-flsh (Asiactis 

 fluviatilis) were crawling about in the slime, and thoughts of bisque soup, 

 and yet another new Irish industry presented themselves to my mind. 

 Another result of the heat, I presume, was the multitude of wasps ; and 

 my friend, Mr. A. Wallace, of Ardnamona, noted an interesting fact 

 in connexion with these insects. He found their nests in several in- 

 stances had been visited and pilfered by badgers. There was no 

 doubt on the subject, their tracks and hairs affording plentiful evi- 

 dence. I find this observation given doubtfully in Bell. It is another 

 argument in favour of a harmless, nay, useful animal, needlessly perse- 

 cuted. It is curious to find the old belief in two sorts of badgers, the 

 "pig" and the "dog," still alive in Donegal; and still stranger to 

 learn tbat in some parts the country folks still believe in his having 

 the legs on one side shorter than the other, to enable him to travel 

 comfortably on a hill-side. Is it true or not, as often stated by the 

 country people, that the badger is very destructive to eggs of all 

 sorts ? 



I have the pleasure of thanking Mr. Arthur Bennett and Mr. James 

 Backhouse for examining series of plants in their special lines ; and my 

 friend, Mr. A. Gr. More, has as usual gone over my specimens and given 

 his valuable opinions thereon. 



In conclusion, l may mention my Donegal total is now well over 

 seven hundred species, and exceisds that of Mr. Allin's, of Cork, which 

 is the only county in Ireland as yet made the subject of a special 

 Flora. This is a very suggestive and interesting result. 



LIST OF SPECIES, 



Thalictrum minus, Linn., \Qx.flexuostmi. Broken limestone ground 

 near Brown Hall, Donegal, where it was shown to me by Major 

 Hamilton. On examination I found it occurred in considerable 

 quantity and in several detached localities. An addition to the 

 Flora of Donegal. 



Thalictrum alpinum, Linn. At 1400 feet, looking north on Alt 

 Mountain, about four miles south of Ardara, 



