670 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



XC. — Notes on the Floka. of Lambay Island, County op Dublin. 

 By H. C. Hakt, B.A. 



[Read, November 13, 1882.] 



The Island of Lambay is situated off the east coast of Dublin, at a 

 distance of two and a-half miles from the nearest land at Portrane. 

 It is somewhat hexagonal in shape, and contains an area of 595 acres, 

 of which only a small part is under cultivation. The western is the 

 cultivated portion of the island, which is devoted to dairy farming, and 

 the butter of Lambay is famed for its excellence. 



From Lambay Head, the eastern extremity, to the point north of 

 Talbot's Bay on the west, is a distance of a mile and two-thirds, while 

 the island is about a mile across from north to south in several places. 



With the exception of a small strip of land at the harbour on the 

 west, the coast is for the most part precipitous. From the western 

 side the island rises to a height of a little over four hundred feet, and 

 most of its eastern side is bound with cliffs from two to three hundred 

 feet high. These cliffs are favourite breeding places for several species 

 of sea-fowl, which resort here in great numbers from May to August. 

 Here, also, the raven and peregrine-falcon breed annually. The island 

 is well stocked with rabbits, which are preserved by the owner, Lord 

 Talbot de Malahide. There are three families on Lambay, and there is 

 an old castle, at one time the residence of Archbishop TJssher, in which, 

 through the kindness of Mr. Dillon, the agent for the property, I was 

 enabled to obtain accommodation during my visit. 



Lambay is principally composed of porphyritic felstone of Lower 

 Silurian age, and is of much geological interest. Graptolites and Bala 

 fossils have been obtained, and there is a remarkable exposure of con- 

 glomerate lying below a sheet of Old Bed Sandstone at sea level just 

 inside Scotch Point. The formation of Lambay is, probably, continuous 

 with that of the shore south of Portrane, near the Martello Tower. 



Besides many former visits of a day's duration, I spent four days 

 in the summer of 1881 on Lambay, and a similar time in the spring of 

 the present year. During my last visit I had the company of my 

 friend Mr. Richard Barrington, whose assistance rendered me better 

 satisfied that the work was thoroughly done. 



Owing to the absence of sandy shores or salt marshes, except in 

 the smallest quantity, several common maritime plants do not appear 

 in the flora. Again, with the exception of a couple of wells, and two 

 or three small rivulets, there is no abode for marsh or aquatic plants, 

 which are, accordingly, very poorly represented. On the other hand, 

 some local species grow here in great abundance, while visitors in the 

 early season are astonished by the extraordinary profusion of several 

 showy flowers which, in their turn, deck the island with carpets of 

 red and pink, mauve, white, and yellow. These are chiefly bluebells. 



