On the Botany of Erris. 123 



previous tour, and was still more impressed with the peculiar gran- 

 deur of its mountain scenery. I certainly do not know of any spot 

 in the British Islands which will so well repay a visit. 



In Cunnamara I made numerous inquiries concerning the bog 

 timber, and was informed that two very distinct kinds of deal are 

 found in great plenty. One of them has a twisted stem, burns with 

 a clear flame and fine scent ; it is used for torches, and is called 

 Corchep by the people. The other is not twisted, is far better 

 for the ordinary purposes of timber, and is said to have a much 

 larger root in proportion to its stem than the Pinus sylvestris. I 

 have reason to think that the true Scotch fir (P. sylvestris) has not 

 been found in a wild state in Ireland, nor have I seen any proof of 

 its occurring in the bogs. From its being the only fir known to be 

 a native of Great Britain, it has been taken for granted that it was 

 also the only one in Ireland. I am sorrv to see that my friend Mr 

 Mackay has adopted this idea in his valuable Flora Hibernica. He 

 says that the roots of the Scotch fir, obtained from the bogs, are 

 used as torches. This is worthy of experiment, and since the old 

 roots must be plentiful in the Scotch pine forests it may very easily 

 be ascertained.* I need hardly add that several different layers of 

 bog timber are found, and that therefore there is no reason to doubt 

 that the trees grew upon the bog itself. As no trees are now grow- 

 ing naturally upon the bogs, it is a point of great interest to ascer- 

 tain what species are best suited for so peculiar a situation. I had 

 great hopes of being able to determine at least one of these species, 

 by obtaining some of its cones, but although I was informed by se- 

 veral intelligent men that they were often found, and that they 

 would undertake to obtain them for me, I have recently learned 

 that they have been disappointed in their researches. 



Eriophorum polystachion is frequent in Cunnamara, and may al- 

 ways be distinguished from E. angustifolium, by its broad, flat, and 

 keeled leaves. At Roundstone I gathered Arabis ciliata, growing 

 in the chinks of granite rocks, and again visited the stations of Eri- 



* The roots of pine which are found in the Scotch bogs are dug up, split, and 

 used for torches instead of candles, and appear to possess all the qualities of 

 ready and bright combustion ascribed to the Irish bog timber by Mr Mackay. 

 (See Lightfoot, Hooker, &c., and the writings of other botanists of Scotland.) 

 The roots of the Scotch fir (Pinus sylvestris,) which form our modern planta- 

 tions, are in many parts dug out, split, and dried, and are used as lights for spear- 

 ing salmon. The splinters are placed in a narrow grating fixed in the boat, give 

 a clear and brilliant flame, which by keeping the fire supplied may be kept up 

 for hours. Trees that have been blown down are generally preferred for this 

 purpose — Eds. 



