198 Stewart — Mosses of North-East of Ireland (Supplement). 



vation and enthusiastic love for the study. In the annals of Irish Botany, we 

 find Wade, Templeton, Turner, and others ably loading the van at the close 

 of last century. These were succeeded by such well-known naturalists as 

 Mackay, Taylor, and Hutchins, and these, again, by others who have survived 

 to our own times. So much for the past : indications are not wanting that, 

 in the coming time, there will be those who will carry our knowledge to a 

 still higher point. 



As stated in the preface to the list of 1875, the district to which it referred 

 embraced the counties of Down and Antrim, with a small part of Derry. It 

 is a matter of regret that, even yet, it is not possible to include the whole of 

 Derry. The fact is, that as far as bryology is concerned, the greater portion 

 of that county is up to the present a terra incognita. The Mourne Mountains, 

 and tho southern portion of County Down, have yielded some novelties to the 

 as yet incomplete, examination of the Rev. H. W. Lett, of Ardmore, and 

 Rev. G. Herbert Waddell, of Warrenpoint. These gentlemen have kindly 

 furnished the names of the most interesting species collected by them. A 

 number of their plants remain, which have not yet been diagnosed, but it will 

 be seen, on reference to the list which follows, that they have added materi- 

 ally to our Moss- flora, in a very brief period. It is to be hoped that the 

 quickness of observation, and scientific method Mr. Lett and Mr. Waddell 

 have already manifested will be employed to still further elucidate the 

 natural history of a very interesting region. The Museum of the Belfast 

 Natural History and Philosophical Society contains a collection of mosses by 

 Mr. T. Drummond, acquired by the Society in 1831. Some of these plants 

 have been collected in our locality, and a few of them, not previously pub- 

 lished, are now put on record. 



The number of Mosses included in the list of 1875 amounted to 238, and 

 the 35 now added bring the number up to 273. Such of the plants as seemed 

 at all doubtful have been submitted to G. A. Holt, Esq., of Manchester, who 

 kindly consented to revise them.* Such revision is of the utmost importance • 

 and the fact that a bryologist of such accuracy has seen the specimens adds 

 much to the value of the records. Rev. John Fergusson, of Forfarshire, 

 has also kindly assisted with advice on some critical plants. Several rare 

 plants have been contribued by J. H. Davies, Esq., of Glenmore ; one of these 

 being Orthotrichum Sprucei, a species not included in any previous list of 

 Irish Mosses. 



Objections will, no doubt, be made to the arrangement here followed, and 

 perhaps also to the nomenclature. It has, however, seemed desirable not to 

 depart from the classification of the original list, to which this is supplemen- 

 tary. As respects the nomenclature I am not convinced of the value of small 

 genera, based on trivial characters. 



* Eev. Mr Lett's specimens have been confirmed by Mr. West, of Bradford. 



