408 Proceedings (yf'ihe British AssGaatum. 



only drooping sprays on the under side, an J that both sexes of 

 the flowers were detected. 



17. Mr Mackay read a list of plants peculiar to Ireland, ma- 

 king' occasional observations on them. 



18. Dr Graham, in allusion to the localities of plants, stated, 

 that some species that were in abundance around Edinburgh, were 

 lost on the west coast of Scotland, and those common again to 

 those districts, he had not seen in Ireland. Mr Curtis remark- 

 ed upon the Melampyrum arvense, that it would only grow 

 amongst corn, and had never been cultivated from seed. He 

 observed, that the plants about Clifton near Bristol, were the 

 same as those found at the back of the Isle of Wight, and that 

 the plants and insects in the south-west of Ireland appeared to 

 be identical, to a great extent, with those of Hampshire and the 

 south of England. He had found the three species of Pingui- 

 cula growing in a small space near the Gap of Dunlo, Bartsia 

 viscosa in abundance near Kenmare, and the Eriocaulon septan- 

 gulare was detected by Mr Haliday and himself in most of the 

 lakes from Oughterard to Roundstone Cunnemara ; and Mr 

 Mackay said he had found the Rhynchospora fusca at the for- 

 mer station. Mr Fox suggested, that a botanical map, pre- 

 senting by a variety of colours the localities of plants, would 

 be useful in giving at one view the vegetation of districts. 



19. Mr Saunderson called the attention of the meeting to a 

 curious extract he met with in an old Scotch history. It stated, 

 that the northern part of Ireland was so much infested by yew- 

 trees, that a great emigration of Irish took place in consequence, 

 who, with their families and cattle, went over to settle them- 

 selves in Scotland, these yew-trees every year destroying their 

 cattle in Ireland. Dr Litton said, he had tried the age of the 

 celebrated yewtree at Muckrass by Decandolle's test, and found 

 that it nearly agreed with the traditional one. He also exhibit- 

 ed a specimen of an oak-tree, bearing the impress of letters on 

 the inner concave surface, which corresponded with the obser- 

 vations made at a previous meeting by Dr West. 



20. The Rev. Charles Mayne exhibited specimens of Echini 

 and Asteriae, that were preserved by being steeped in a so- 

 lution of chloride of lime, which even prevented the spines of 

 the former from failing off. The preparation should not be so 



