SHORT NOTES. 217 



tops and broad shoulders of the hills are, on the drier places, 



tracts are altogether devoid of vegetation, the bare peat having 

 nothing to coyer its nakedness. Mr. Donnan and I spent the first 

 day of our visit in working right along the range from Dart to 

 Oughtnager, examining the northern slope of the hills, keeping a 

 distance of a couple of hundred yards between us, and passing over 

 or close to every summit. On the following day we returned along 

 the ridge to Samel, carefully examining the southern face of the 

 summits. No trace of the Cloud-berry was seen, and the only 

 alpmes we obtained (Saxifraya stellaris, Vaccinium Vitis-iihea, Salix 

 terbaeea, Lycopodium Selayo) were gathered at the few spots where 

 the mica-schist breaks through the thick covering of peat, and 

 projects in rugged masses on the slopes. On Crockbrack, far to the 

 eastward, we gathered Listera cordate, and at the hotel at Drapers- 

 town saw specimens of Lycopodium clavatum which had been brought 

 from the same place ; the only other plants of the least interest 

 were gathered on the boggy margin of Lough Ouske, where we 

 obtained D rostra any/tea, Vaccinium Oxycoccos, and Carex limosa. 

 The Sperrin Mountains are poorer in alpine and mountain species 

 than any other range of equal height in the North of Ireland, and 

 adding to this the fact that the locality has been now repeatedly 

 searched without success, the evidence against the occurrence of 

 Bitbux Chanuetnorus here appears strong. At the same time, there 

 can be little doubt that Prof. Murphy and Admiral Jones were 

 acquainted with the plant in question; their description of the 

 locality is, as I have said, tolerably definite ; while the statement 

 that the plant was very abundant, and in flower when found, 

 negatives the suggestion that an abnormal or deformed specimen 

 of any other species can have been mistaken for it — indeed, we did 

 not see on the range a trace of Alchemilla vulgaris or Ilubtts saxati/is, 

 which, though very unlike R. Chamamorus, are the most likely 

 species which Mr. More can suggest. So apparently the matter 

 must still remain as it has remained for over half a century — in a 

 most unsatisfactory condition of uncertainty; and while I should 

 be sorry to assert that the plant may not yet be found, I should be 

 equally slow to recommend any fellow-botanist to devote his time 

 and money to the prosecution of a hitherto fruitless search in such 

 a desolate and uninteresting wilderness. — R. Lloyd Praeger. 



Damasonium Alism a in Epping Forest. — A paragraph in Natural 



Science for July comments on the supposed introduction of this 

 plant (there called " Damesonia M ) into a pond in Epping Forest. The 

 comment is based on a note in the Essex Naturalist for this year 

 (p. 7), in which Mr. J. T. Powell says : — " In 1890 I received a 

 specimen from a well-known pond in the northern part of the 

 Forest area. As I had dipped in this pond for years without seeing 

 any trace of so remarkable a plant, I suspect it to be a recent intro- 

 duction. " It is unfortunately only too certain (see p. 221) that this 

 pernicious practice of plant-introduction has been carried on lately, 



