Ixvi INTRODUCTION 



now fairly well known, though the eastern portion is still almost 

 unexplored. 



Flora 572 species. One plant, j; Allium Schcenoprasum, is unknown 

 elsewhere in Ireland. The rarer species are chiefly West Coast plants 

 which extend into this division from West Mayo and Galway : — 



Viola stagnina, 4. - Gentiana verna, 5. 



Potentilla fruticosa, 4. Euphrasia Salisburgensis, 6. 



Saxifraga umbrosa, 11. Habenaria intacta, 5. 



Dabeocia polifolia, 3. f Allium Schsenoprasum, 1. 



27. Mayo West. 



Western. Area about 1336 square miles (Inishbofin excluded). 

 A large division of strikingly wild and bold character. Maritime, 

 facing the Atlantic on the north and west. Coast line very exten- 

 sive and irregular, magnificently precipitous in places. Islands 

 numerous and of all sizes, from Achill, the largest island on the 

 Irish coast, down to mere rocks. Several high mountains rise in a 

 somewhat isolated manner in this division. The Nephin Beg range 

 (2369 feet) situated near the centre, and the Mweelrea group (2688 

 feet) in the extreme south, alone include more than one summit of 

 any considerable elevation. Croagh Patrick (2510 feet) on Clew 

 Bay, Croaghaun (2192 feet) and Slieve More (2204 feet) on Achill 

 Island, and Nephin (2646 feet) in the east, are isolated masses of 

 noble aspect. Almost all the mountains, and the wild coast-line, 

 are formed of ancient metamorphic rocks, which prevail through- 

 out the western portion ; but in the east a considerable area of 

 Carboniferous limestone extends, and as usual a lower and more 

 fertile surface is found where it prevails. In the west many lakes 

 lie amid vast stretches of boggy moorland ; in the east are Lough 

 Conn, a large sheet of water of no mean order of beauty, and its 

 prolongation Lough Cullin, and in the SE. a portion of Lough Mask 

 belongs to this division. The only considerable river is the.Moy, 

 which in its lower course flows between Mayo W. and Mayo E. 

 Grass land and crops both much below the average, occupying only 

 30 and 8 per cent, respectively of the surface. Barren mountain land 

 and turf bog are increased proportionally, occupying respectively 25 

 and 28 per cent. Much work has been carried out in this division 



