216 Wild Connemara. By Dr Charles Stuart. 



After such a successful day's plant hunting, we were only too 

 glad to rest. 



On the I4th August we engaged "a hooker," an open sailing 

 boat, and two seamen, and crossed the entrance of Galway Bay 

 to New Quay in County Clare. After being several miles at sea, 

 the wind chopped suddenly round to the North, and raised a 

 very heavy swell, which deluged the boat, and wet every one. 

 The great green Atlantic rollers were something to remember ; 

 but I hope to be absent on the next occasion when we botanise 

 in "a hooker! " After three hours conflict with the waves, we 

 landed safely, and after a good lunch set out for Ballyvaughan, 

 where we were to get the steamer for Galway at six p.m. A 

 short cut was obtained to the main road by crossing an arm of 

 the sea at a ferry, where a daughter of Erin acted as oar's- woman. 

 In passing to this ferry, the Ferns were a sight to see hanging 

 from the walls. Our pioneers kept the pace so fast that it was 

 not very easy to keep them in sight. However, on our route. 

 Orchis pyramidalu was plentiful and CeteracJi^ Wall-rue, Hart's- 

 tongue, and black 8pleenwort Ferns were in luxuriance every- 

 where. On crossing the Ferry, Gentiana verna was again 

 gathered, but the plants were small. Pursuing a path which led 

 us past an old castle covered with ferns, and a farm -yard, we got 

 on the Bally vauchan road, which was bounded by dry stone walls, 

 from which the ferns hung in graceful luxuriance. The black 

 Spleenwort, in many instances beautifully crested, attained a size 

 we never see in Scotland. The Hart's tongue in many forms also 

 grew alongside the road, as plentiful as our commonest weeds. 

 Ceterach also assumed many elegant forms ; while fronds a foot 

 in length were quite common. I never saw Ferns in such pro- 

 fusion and luxuriance. It was not easy to pass the grand tufts 

 without wishing to take them away. However bags, pockets, 

 etc., were filled with specimens to grow on the rock garden. 



We were in the truly limestone country, great slabs covered 

 the ground. In their interstices the lime loving plants grew 

 everywhere. At a little ruined chapel there was an opening 

 where one could penetrate among the limestone pavement to the 

 hillside. Here Mr Potts gathered a quantity of most luxuriant 

 specimens of the true Maidenhair fern, Asplenium Capillus Veneris. 

 No doubt this fern grew all about here, but owing to heavy rain, 

 the search made was not of that careful character necessary to 

 reveal its presence. Mr Potts, who had been left behind, did 



