208 Wild Connemara. By Dr Charles Stuart. 



big fair ! After luncli at the comfortable hotel, we got waggon- 

 ettes and drove to Croahpatriok, an isolated mountain 2,500 feet 

 high, which is considered a good botanical station. Entering 

 the gates close to the hotel, we drove through the grounds of 

 Lord Sligo's demesne, which are very picturesque, a fine lake 

 with a beautiful river flowing from it, full of large trout. The 

 banks bordered with many water-loving plants, such as (Enanthe 

 crocata and 0. Lachenali, Chrysosplenium, Senecios and Hyperica. 

 The bridge was lovely with Asplenium ruta muraria and Asplenium 

 trichomanes. The aspect of Croahpatrick as we drove along with 

 its steep conical ascent was very fine, and the day being clear, 

 the view of the coast along which the road was made, was also 

 charming, the sea sparkling in the sun, and many islands being 

 visible, with a fine bold rocky bulwark to keep back the 

 Atlantic rollers. On arriving at the foot of the hill where some 

 miserable Irish cabins border the stream, we left our convey- 

 ances and walked quietly up the banks. The heaths were in 

 fine flower, and numerous common wild flowers beautified the 

 track. Presently Dabcecia polifolia displayed its crimson bells, by 

 far the most attractive of the Irish heaths. All up the track 

 numerous plants of it were growing, but not in full flower. 

 However, many small plants were got to send home for planting. 

 The leaves are white on the under surface and rather downy, 

 giving a very distinct character to 8t. Dabeoc's Heath. The 

 banks of the stream were fringed by many common ferns, some 

 crested. At the rocks on entering the corry, Asp. Adiantum 

 nigrum, Asplenium trichomanes, Saxifraga umhrosa, Primula vulgaris, 

 and higher up Asplenium viride, Sassaurea alpina, and other 

 alpines were obtained. Several of our party ascended to the 

 summit, where there is a shelter for the pilgrims. The Roman 

 Catholics consider the top of Croahpatrick a shrine, where the 

 priests are in the habit of sending refractory sons and daughters. 

 By the time they have surmounted the difficulties of the ascent, 

 I should suppose their frame of mind will be slightly different 

 from its condition at commencement, for the last cone is very 

 steep. We returned slowly, as our friends were hardly in view, 

 leaving a message at the high road that we were on in front. On 

 the walls Cotyledon umbilicus, mostly in seed, was abundant — a 

 plant not very common in other parts of Connemara, but plenti- 

 ful enough in the neighbourhood of Westport. The Wall-rue 

 fern was in great luxuriance alongside the road, in company with 



