On the Botany of Erris. 121 



little more than bushes, few of them forming trees. In this wood 

 I noticed Carex extensa and Valeriana officinalis. 



The road from Nephin towards Erris now passes, for many miles, 

 over an extensive bog, bounded, both towards the north-east and 

 south-west, by lofty mountains. The latter range is of extraordi- 

 nary beauty ; it includes the lofty and rugged summits of Nephin- 

 beg and Curshleve. These mountains would, no doubt, well repay 

 the botanist, but they are nearly inaccessible from the total want of 

 accommodation, even of the poorest kind, within many miles of their 

 base. Their unfrequented recesses are still inhabited by a few red- 

 deer. 



A large portion of these bogs might be brought into cultivation 

 at a comparatively small expence. They are seldom perfectly flat, 

 and in many parts their slope is considerable. The subsoil is often 

 of a sandy nature, being apparently formed of the decomposed mica 

 slate and quartz rock from the neighbouring mountains. There is 

 frequently good natural pasture upon the banks of the rivers. This is 

 probably occasioned by the annual supply of sand brought down by 

 the winter torrents. 



After passing this dreary country, we enter Erris by crossing the 

 large river Owenmore. The. road follows its course for some miles, 

 descending a fine valley denominated Glan Co. This valley is sel- 

 dom more than a mile in width, usually much less, and, in almost 

 all parts, might easily be brought into cultivation. It is bounded 

 by hills, which are steep but of moderate elevation, and, but for its 

 total want of trees, would be one of the most beautiful spots in the 

 kingdom. I here noticed Habenaria chlorantha, Potentilla coma- 

 rum, Myosotis repens, M. caespitosa, Carex ovalis, Hypericum quad- 

 rangulum. 



At the further end of Glan Co is the small village of Bangor. 

 This is a poor place, consisting of a few cabins, and two or three 

 moderate houses. The remaining ten miles to Bellmullet is per- 

 haps the most interesting part of the whole road from Westport, be- 

 ing much varied with bog and mountain, passing near the large sheet 

 of water, Lough Garrowmore, through a narrow pass, denominated 

 Glan Castle, and commanding a succession of grand and extensive 

 views of the Erris mountains, the Isle of Achill and the broad ex- 

 panse of the Atlantic. The entrance to Glan Castle is so narrow 

 as only to admit the road which is cut out of the rock, and a small 

 river to pass between the steep declivities by which it is bounded. 

 Just at its entrance there is a fine basaltic dike, which stands out 

 from the hill side like a stone-wall. In this pass I noticed Hype- 

 ricum androsaemum, Scirpus Savii, Aspidium dilatatum, and its con- 



