1892-93.] 4 8 S 



mountain, and exhibited dried specimens of the very rare group 

 of plants that have long been known to grow on the basaltic 

 cliffs of Benevenagh. He pointed out that these plants are all 

 northern species, and that the Benevenagh flora is a lingering 

 vestige of an arctic vegetation that long ago flourished in the 

 country — probably during the glacial epoch. 



The pine woods were soon left behind, and heathy hillocks 

 bright with purple heather succeeded, and beyond them the 

 dark cliffs towered up for several hundred feet. An easy ascent 

 was made at the western end of the range, and a walk over the 

 short turf brought the party to the summit, whence they viewed 

 the broad fertile plain of Magilligan, chequered like patchwork 

 with fields of all shades of green, and fringed with sand dunes 

 and the long yellow sweep of beach. 



Yonder lay Lough Foylc, 



Which a storm was whipping, 

 Covering with mist 



Lake and shores and shipping. 



So wrote Thackeray some forty years ago, but on the present 

 occasion the description did not apply, for, though a light 

 mountain shower had just passed, the lough lay blue and calm, 

 with the blue hills of Donegal stretching in picturesque undula- 

 tions from the white lighthouse of Innishowen on the east to 

 Londonderry on the west ; while further westward the winding 

 River Roe lay close by, and far beyond it the cloud-tipped 

 domes of the Sperrin Mountains. However, a short time 

 sufficed for viewing the varied prospect, for competition for the 

 two prizes was keen and eager, and the dangerous edges of the 

 cliffs were closely examined for the botanical rarities that here 

 find a congenial home. The cushion pink {Silene acaidis) was 

 found in abundance along the cliffs ; the pretty mountain 

 avens {Dryas octopetald) occurred more sparingly. The minute 

 dwarf willow [Salix herbacea) was also gathered, and two 

 members obtained specimens of the rare Draba incana, and of 

 the extremely rare large-flowered milkwort {Polygala vulgaris 

 var. grandiflora). Other interesting plants noted were the 



