3° 



spicuous feature in the ornithology of Rathlin. It is called, by 

 the natives, the Jackdaw, and is plentiful over the island. 

 Eagles are said to frequent Rathlin, but they may be deemed 

 rare visitors now. 



The plants collected, or noted, during my three visits, number 

 320 species, being about one third of the members of the Irish 

 flora. The list may be taken as representing nearly everything 

 that grows spontaneously on the island : and includes a good 

 number of plants which are not commonly met with. Two of 

 these, viz. : Potamageton pseudaniteus, and Stachys ambigua, 

 though not raised by British botanists to the dignity of species, 

 are yet well marked and interesting varieties which had not 

 been recognized in Ireland. Miss Gage, an accomplished lady, 

 who resides in Rathlin, has an album filled with sketches, 

 executed by herself. These sketches, which are accurately drawn 

 and beantifully coloured, represent the greater part of the Rathlin 

 plants. Miss Gage has also figured, in a similar manner, the 

 birds and the butterflies found there, and to one interested in 

 such subjects it is really a treat to be permitted to look over 

 these albums. 



Rathlin, like every other place, has been credited with plants 

 that do not really grow there, and from the previously published 

 list a good many species must be deleted, the most important 

 of these being the pipe wort {Eriscaulon septangular 6). The 

 flora of Rathlin is, on the whole very good, considering that 

 owing to the want of woodlands, or even thickets, there is ne- 

 cessarily a nearly total absence of sylvan species. A few plants 

 that love the shade manage to exist in the shelter of the rocks, 

 but they are only a small number. Cold and boisterous 

 weather also excludes such as require warm sunny conditions. 

 Owing to the rocky surface, and uneven form of the country, 

 small lakes and ponds abound, and in. consequence, we get in 

 Rathlin, a lacustrine flora of more than average extent and 

 interest. The Horn wort {Cer atop hy Hum demersum), occurred 

 in the large lake at Ushet, and pondweeds are abundant and 

 varied. The limited time available for the investigation, did not 

 allow of full justice being done to cryptogamic plants, and 



