10 1 6 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Salsola Kali* and Arenaria peploides* below, and of Potentilla Anserina, 

 Senecio Jacohaea, Arctium Nevjbouldii* Taraxacum officinale var. erythros- 

 permum* Planta go laneeolata, &c, above. 



(2) A close sward of Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium repens, with some 

 Viola arvensis* , Sagina nodosa* Geranium mode, Trifolium pratense, Potentilla 

 Anserina, Sedum acre* Duucus Garota, Senecio Jacobam, Taraxacum officinale 

 var. erythrospermum* Leontodon hirtus, L. autumnalis, Prunella vulgaris, 

 Plantago major, P. laneeolata, Carex arenaria,* Gynosurus cristatus, Poo, 

 pratensis, Festuca rottboellioides* Bromus mollis. In tbe above lists the 

 plants with an asterisk behind them find here their only station on the island. 

 At Kinnacorra, the extreme east corner of the island, there is a remarkable 

 V-shaped boulder beach, interesting to the botanist because it encloses the 

 only bit of salt-marsh on the island, which yields Scirpus maritimus, Juncus 

 Gerardi (neither found elsewhere), J. obtusiflorus, &c. A more extensive 

 boulder beach occupies the foreshore at Portlea in the north-east ; behind its 

 crest it is colonized by a low growth of willows (<S. aurita), and some 

 Saxifraga umbrosa. Between this and the lighthouse, steep high banks of 

 Boulder-clay front the sea. They support a heathy vegetation, and here 

 Erica mediterranca (Plate Y., fig. 1), GephalantJiera emifolia, and Listera ovata 

 have their only habitat. 



Evervwhere else the coast is rocky or cliff-bound. Some shelter obtains 

 on the cliffs, and sheep are often excluded by their steepness ; in consequence 

 the vegetation is often comparatively luxuriant. Spergularia rupestris, 

 Crithmum maritimum, and Beta maritima are widely spread; Eupatorium 

 canndbinum also was found only on sea-cliffs ; Angelica sylvestris affected the 

 same habitat in quantity. 



The fine range of rugged Silurian cliffs, 300 to 500 feet in height, that 

 stretches from Croaghmore to the lighthouse, facing north-west, has a con- 

 siderable flora, vertical precipices alternating with steep grassy slopes and 

 huge blocks of rock. In the portions examined (much of it is difficult of 

 exploration) Plantago maritima, P. Coroaopus, and Festuca ovina were the 

 leading species, with much Saxifraga umbrosa, Sedum anglicum, Primula 

 vulgaris, Euphrasia officinalis, Thymus Serpyllum, and Lastrea aemula; and 

 some Bellis perennis, Jasione montana, Trifolium repens, Empetrum nigrum, 

 Cnicus palustris, Viola Riviniana, Blechnum Spicant. Saxifraga decipiensis 

 frequent down to sea-level, and Asplenium marinum ascends to 300 feet; 

 among the rocks Athyrium FUvx-faeminu grows luxuriantly. 



The influence of the sea is seen far beyond the coast-line. Plantago 

 maritima and P. Goronopus grow on stony ground all over the island, ascending 

 to 1,200 feet on the Croaghrnree cliffs. Glaux maritima occupies in abundance 



