1*20 On the Botany of Erris. 



materially from R. crispus, and which I referred, upon the spot, to 

 R. pratensis. It was unfortunately in too young a state for me to 

 obtain any ripe fruit, and my friend, Mr Borrer, was therefore un- 

 able to determine it with certainty from my specimens. It is much 

 to be wished that some botanist, who may visit that county in the 

 autumn, would pay attention to it. I shall point out several other 

 stations for it before concluding this paper. 



At a distance of forty-three Irish miles from Westport, and at 

 the upper end of Black Sod Bay, is situated the little town of Bell- 

 mullet. This place is the capital and only town in the barony of 

 Erris. For the greater part of that distance, the road to Bellmullet 

 passes over uncultivated and almost uninhabited bogs and mountains. 



At Lough Clunon, a few miles from Westport, I gathered Car- 

 duus pratensis, which is common throughout the counties of Mayo 

 and Galway, and also the following plants : Eriophorum angustifo- 

 lium, Erica tetralix, E- cinerea, Potentilla comarum, Myrica gale. 

 Lobelia dortmanna, Habenaria chlorantha, Hieracium paludosum, 

 Hypericum pulchrum, Polypodium vulgare, Blechnum boreale. 



A few miles farther on by the side of Lough Beltra, a beautiful 

 lake surrounded by. mountains, I noticed Polygonum persicaria. 

 Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, Raphanus raphanistrum, Pedicu- 

 laris palustris, and upon the ledges of some fine rocks near to the 

 police station, I found the reflexed form of Aspidium dilatatum, 

 which is mentioned in Sir W. Hooker's Brit. Flora, p. 451, (note;) 

 and also a very curious variety of Asp. filix-foemina, having its pin- 

 nules very broad and deeply inciso-serrate, the teeth sharp, and 

 sometimes again serrated. A very few specimens occurred, but they 

 were full of fruit. 



We stopped for the night at a farmer's cabin, close to the foot of 

 the lofty mountain called Nephin, and having a few hours of day- 

 light remaining, I ascended to nearly its highest point. It consists 

 of a lofty ridge, sloping down gradually at both ends, but very steep 

 upon its sides. The summit is bare, and I only noticed the follow- 

 ing plants : Solidago virgaurea /3. cambrica, Saxifraga umbrosa, 

 Vaccinium vitis-ideea, Empetrum nigrum, Melampyrum sylvaticum. 



In the bogs at its foot were the following : Rhynchospora alba, |j 

 Drosera anglica, D. rotundi folia, Schcenus nigricans, Gnaphalium 1 

 sylvaticum, jS. rectum, Peplis portula. {( 



A small quantity of natural wood occurs upon the lower slope of i,| 

 the mountain, and by the side of a neighbouring river. It consists 

 of Ilex aquifolium, Pyrus aucuparia, Quercus robur, Alnus glutino- 

 sa, Betula alba, and Corylus avellana. They must be considered as | 



