1 INTRODUCTION 



of the Galtees, the boundary passing over the summit of Galtymore 

 (3015 feet). The surface falls generally from south to north, and 

 along the Shannon shores is low, with much salt-marsh. Except- 

 ing the Shannon, which ceases to be tidal at Limerick City, there 

 are no large rivers, and lakes are small and extremely few. Low- 

 level bogs are almost absent. Nearly nine-tenths of the county is 

 under grass and crops — grass 66, crops 23 per cent. The botany 

 has been very little known till recently, and exploration has been 

 almost confined to the north, within 10 miles of the Shannon, 

 where the flora is rich and varied. There is no portion of the 

 county that wiU not repay further work. 



Flora, 623 species. Calcicole, paludal, and halophyte groups 

 largely represented. Probably many rare species occur ; those 

 which, according to the standard adopted for other divisions, 

 are listed below, were mostly discovered within the last year : — 



tLepidium latifolium, 5. Eumex maritimus, 3. 



Viola Mrta, 5. Euphorbia hiberna, 11. 



Asperula cynancMca, 8. Scii-pus tiiqueter, 2., 

 Euphrasia Salisburgensis, 6. 



9. Clare. 



Western. Areal348squaremiles, including the Aran Islands. A 

 large, varied, and most interesting county. Bounded on the west by 

 the Atlantic, the coast being extensive and very bold, with sandy bays 

 and magnificent cliff-ranges. The southern and eastern boundaries 

 are formed by the wide marine and estuarine Shannon mouth, by 

 the Shannon in its rapid fall from Killaloe to Limerick, and by 

 Lough Derg, one of the great river-lakes of the same noble stream. 

 Undulating Coal-measure country, rising to over 1200 feet, forms 

 the SW. part of the county. In the SE. the Old Eed Sandstone 

 and Silurians form mountains, rising in SHeve Bernagh to 1746 

 feet. Elsewhere the Carboniferous limestone chiefly holds sway. 

 In the NW., in the barony of Burren, the limestone rises into bare 

 grey terraced hills, 1000 to 1100 feet high, tenanted by a flora of re- 

 markable character. The Aran Islands, which politically belong to 

 Co. Galway, but geologically and botanically to Clare, are a seaward 

 prolongation of the Burren limestones, and their flora even sur- 



