1906. 
Reviews, 
127 
The district chosen for the survey is a good one for examining zones 
of vegetation. Starting from sea level, it includes a plain of cultivation 
which changes in the south into the granitic mass of the Wicklow 
Mountains, and rises to 2,473 f^^^ Kippure. A short account of the 
geology and physiography, and a general floristic account forms an 
Introduction. The main part of the paper is concerned with the plant 
associations. These fall into four zones — Seaside, Agrarian, Hill 
Pasture, and Moorland. The sea coast of this particular area is not, 
however, a good example of this zone, but it is satisfactory to find that 
in the area north of Dublin, which will, we hope, be the subject of a 
further paper, the authors will be able to deal more fully with this interest- 
ing form of vegetation. From our own experience, we are not surprised 
that the authors have decided to leave out of this paper the peculiar 
problems of the Agrarian or Farmland. The chief interest, therefore, 
centres in the zones of Hill Pasture and Moorland, where the influence 
of man is less evident. This is just the kind of vegetation which has 
been most thoroughly examined elsewhere, and one turns to the results 
of the Dublin District with interest. The results may be considered 
from three aspects : — (a) the methods of survey, (b) the map, (t) the text 
and illustrations descriptive of the plant associations. 
The Methods of Survey. — The survey of this area of about 200 square 
miles was carried out during four years, and the authors point out the 
advantages and disadvantages of this system. The conclusions arrived 
at after several years are, we consider, more valuable than if they were 
the result of a short vacation study, such as some workers consider 
sufficient to grasp the vegetation of a district. If the work extends over 
a long period much depends on the method of taking notes. The 
system used in the Dublin District has been carefully thought out, and 
is a model for future workers. The authors used "six-inch" Ordnance 
Survey maps, and, by means of a system of initial letters, they record 
on the map the plants found ; we have seen some of their field maps, 
and can vouch for the very careful way in which the area has been 
traversed acre by acre, and we can picture the wading over wet bog and 
the scrambling on rocky hill-sides in all kinds of weather. In addition 
to map records, a system of lists was also kept, and from these the 
plants of each association were finally determined. An example of 
these comparative results is given, which shows at once how the final 
lists of a plant association are arrived at. The system is that generally 
used, but it is a distinct advantage to have it described in detail, and a 
similar precision is strongly to be recommended to all who carry on 
this work. 
The Vegetation iT/^?/.— The maps in papers of this kind always attract 
attention, and there, we believe, the interest of many a reader ceases. 
We have said before, and say again, that the map is only " the principal 
picture " illustrating the paper, and is 7iot the paper. The map of the 
Dublin District has the particular interest that it is the first vegetation 
map printed throughout at the Ordnance Survey Office The colours 
