e5 [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



This concluded a very enjoyable evening, the different 

 speakers being followed with keen interest, and the slides being 

 much admired. 



Botanical Section. 



"local botanical field-work in 1907." 



At a meeting v of this Section on 14th December, Mr. W. J. C. 

 Tomlinson read a paper with the above title. He said : Our 

 district Flora has been so closely examined in bygone days that 

 few discoveries of consequence are likely to reward the exertions 

 of field-botanists to-day. It will, therefore, be well understood that 

 I can have comparatively little of a fresh nature to bring before 

 you. Still, a short summary of my season's notes regarding a 

 few of our rarer species may prove acceptable to local workers. 

 Most of the plants to be mentioned were found in new stations, 

 and the remainder were seen in old localities where no recent 

 botanist had confirmed their existence. 



I have elsewhere {Irish Naturalist, "Vol. XVI., pp. 31 1-3 14, 

 October, 1907), given some particulars regarding the occurrence 

 of the remarkable orchid, Spiranthes Romanzoffiana, Cham., in 

 Co. Antrim. The little bit of work involved in this investigation 

 was perhaps the most valuable result of the year's rambles. This 

 exceedingly rare species of Spiranthes is unknown in Europe 

 outside Ireland. It was originally recognised in Kamchatka, and 

 then in the Northern parts of the North American Continent. It was 

 first found in Ireland, in 1810, by J. Drummond, near Castletown- 

 Berehaven, Bantry Bay ; but it was not till some years afterwards 

 that the correct identity of the species was establised. From the 

 point of view, therefore, of distribution, this orchid, which has 

 been called " Irish Lady's Tresses," occupies an almost unique 

 place in the British Flora. 



