THE SUBDIVISION OF IRELAND Ixvii 



by various botanists, and the SW. and NE. portions are now well 

 known. A great tract in Erris and Tirawley, in the north-west, 

 requires exploration. 



Flora 601 species. The only plant peculiar to the division is the 

 critical Fumunculus scoticus ; the most characteristic feature is the 

 presence of several members of the Cantabrian and other western 

 .groups. Eare and characteristic plants : — 



Thalictrum alpinum, 5. Euphorbia hiberna, 11. 



Eanunculus scoticus, 1. Eriocaulon septangulare, 7. 



Poterium officinale, 4. Deschampsia alpina, 3. 



Saxifraga umbrosa, 11. Adiantum Capillus-Veneris, 6. 



Erica mediterranea, 2. Isoetes ecMnospora, 4. 



Dabeocia polifolia, 3. 



28. Sligo. 



Western. Area 721 square miles. Maritime, with a sinuous 

 coast-line chiefly of low rocks and sand. One considerable 

 island, Inishmurray, lies a few miles off shore. A beautiful 

 and diversified county of high botanical interest. In the north 

 rise the remarkable flat-topped and cliff-bound limestone moun- 

 tains commonly known as the Ben Bulben range (Truskmore, 

 2115 feet). In the west, on the opposite side of Sligo Bay, in 

 striking contrast to these, rise the dark heathery slopes of the Ox 

 Mountains (1778 feet) a long ridge of granitic rocks that is prolonged 

 eastward across the county as a series of picturesque rocky hills. 

 All the rest of the surface is Limestone Plain of the usual character, 

 interrupted by a few terraced limestone hills (Keishcorran 1183 feet, 

 Carrowkee 1062 feet), and in the extreme east the broad sandstone 

 ridge of Bralieve (1498 feet), covered with thick peat-bog. Fresh 

 water abounds. Lough Gill, lying between the limestone and 

 the metamorphic hills, is one of the loveliest lakes in the Three 

 Kingdoms. Lough Arrow, in the SE., is also beautiful. Lough 

 Gara, in the extreme south, is larger than either, but bare and deso- 

 late. There are numerous small lakes. None of the rivers are of 

 large size. Low-level bogs are rare ; esker-ridges are very few. 

 Condition of the surface nearly normal, 54 per cent, being under 

 grass, and 17 per cent, crops. Over 8 per cent, is peat bog, and 14 



