200 



The Irish Naturalist, 



November, 



served, the only other botanist to whom it was subse- 

 quently imparted was Harrington's Hfe-long friend, R. P. 

 VowelL There is, therefore, no one now living who knows 

 the exact spot. This, however, is certainly not Har- 

 rington's fault, for so lately as in the closing days of last 

 July he tried to persuade another naturalist to go with him 

 to Tyrone to be shown the plant in situ. In any case, 

 it is believed that means have been taken to render re- 

 discovery a comparatively light task. 



The expedition to distant Rockall in 1896, originally 

 planned by Mr. Harvie-Brown and himself, and in great 

 measure financed by them, is still a fresh memory to most 

 of those who took part in it. In the following year occurred 

 an event of great importance in Barrington's life- — his most 

 happy marriage with Lena Gyles, daughter of Capt. G. 

 Gyles, of Kilmurry, co. Waterford. As a small mark of 

 Mrs. Barrington's helpfulness to Her husband, it may be 

 said that the formation of the Fassaroe Museum was her 

 suggestion. The bringing out of the book on the " Migration 

 of Birds " was also largely accelerated by her aid. 



In the year following the publication of his book his time 

 was even less at his own disposal than it had been before, 

 as an important official appointment in the Land Commis- 

 sion made heavy demands on it ; but his ready aid could 

 still always be relied on in movements for the spread of 

 nature knowledge — as may be seen from the active part he 

 took in responding to the calls of various scientific and other 

 educational societies, including the Royal Dublin Society, 

 the Royal Irish Academy, the Royal Zoological Society 

 of Ireland, the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society, the 

 Dublin Friends' Institute — frequently addressed by him on 

 zoological topics — The Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, and 

 the Irish Society for the Protection of Birds. His help- 

 fulness behind the scenes was as important as the happy 

 address that made him a universal favourite on the plat- 

 form. To the Field Club he was ever a most generous 

 and ready friend, often coming to Dublin to attend its 

 evening meetings, and personally conducting its summer 

 excursions to places like Lough Bray and Glencullen — 

 excursions that were invariably arranged by him to wind up 



