Clare Island Survey — Phanerogamia. 10 13 



bare, with only an occasional plant of Armeria nestling in a crevice. The 

 eastern third, though not quite so high, has a certain amount of vegetation. 

 Over a few square yards, Festuca ovina has formed a sward. Armeria 

 maritima is abundant, and Atriplex sp. forms verdant colonies. The remain- 

 ing vegetation consists of a little Cochlearia officinalis (with leaves up to three 

 inches across), Spergularia rwpestris, and Glyceria maritima, plus lichens and 

 algae. Great Black-backed Gulls, Herring-gulls, Oyster-catchers, &c, breed on 

 the rock, and are in part responsible for the filthiness of the stagnant pools 

 which abound. 



Caher Island. 



Caher Island lies some five miles south of the west end of Clare Island, 

 and is partially sheltered from storms by Inishturk, which rises two miles to 

 the W.S.W. Its area is 128 acres. It is nearly a mile in length, and oval in 

 outline ; but while the eastern end is quite low, it rises steadily westward to 

 the highest points (188-201 feet), where it drops in a fine cliff into the 

 Atlantic. At the eastern end a pretty lakelet (Kinkeel L.) lies a little above 

 sea-level ; a pool lies on the south-east shore, and close to the highest point 

 another lakelet occupies a little transverse valley. A three-hours' visit to the 

 island in July, 1911, permitted an examination of its flora. Owing to limited 

 grazing, the greater part of the surface was, at the time of our visit, covered 

 with rank vegetation, a foot or more in height, heathery in the drier parts, 

 with much Salix repens, Calluna vidgaris, and Erica Tetralio; ; grassy in the 

 damper places, with abundance of Festuca ovina, Trioalia decumbens, Carex 

 vulgaris, and Erica Tetralix. To the westward these give way near the coast 

 to Plantago sward of characteristic type, which occupies a crescent-shaped 

 area around the western shores. In this formation, on a clayey slope facing 

 south-west, Juncus maritimus, Schaenus nigricans, and Phrag mites communis 

 grow together at a height of 100-150 feet above the sea. The forehead of 

 the promontory, from the highest point to the edge of the cliff (188-150 feet), 

 is occupied by Glyceria maritima. On the north-east shore stands a ruined 

 church with some other early remains, and around it are a few ruined fences 

 and the signs of "lazy-bed" cultivation; but the only plants pointing to 

 human influence were Cnicus arvensis and C. lanceolatus in the former tillage, 

 and Stellaria media, Sonchus asper and Urtica dioica, growing in the shelter of a 

 small square enclosure built of loose stones as a shelter for sheep. Asplenium 

 Rida-muraria, growing on the old church, owes its habitat to man. 



Excluding these six plants, the indigenous flora of the island numbered 129 

 species. It is hardly necessary to give a list of these. But while no plant 



