1906, 
Notes. 
171 
confirmed by Mr. Praeger), that I was aware of its importance and place 
in the flora of Ireland. The plant occurs about the centre of the wood 
which borders the lough shore, between the water's edge and the deer- 
park wall, and is very inaccessible. The ground is thickly covered with 
a stunted wood consisting mainly of Alder, Birch, and Sallows, with a 
dense undergrowth. Between it and the edge of the water it becomes 
more marshy, and is the haunt and breeding- ground of Ducks, Coots, 
and Moorhens. With this rare plant there grows an abundance of such 
common forms as Caltha pahistris^ Ranunculus Flanniiula, Scilla nutans^ 
and Orchis tnascnla, the two latter in great plenty. The only rare plant I 
have found in the vicinity was Sisymbrium Alliaria ; this occurs on 
drier ground at the edge of the wood towards the deer-park. I only 
observed a few plants, but they were deeply rooted and apparently long 
established. If native here, it is just such a plant as would suffer from 
the attentions of transplanters, who in all likelihood would be utterly 
unconscious of their vandalism. On the other hand, if we are to assume 
that it was originally of castaiuay origin, the question arises, how did it 
find its way to its present habitat? It could not have been by storm- 
floods as the lough now stands, for the sinuous line of cast-up refuse is 
twenty yards away at least towards the existing water, and the plant 
several feet above the highest reaches of storm periods. But about the 
middle of the last century, during some navigation works, the general 
level of the water in the lough was lowered, so that at its former level it 
may have reached the ground on which Leucojum cestivuvi is now established. 
Another possible source of origin may ha^•e been some garden (there is 
not one now within a mile or two) attached to a residence long since 
demolished to make way for the present very extensive deer-park. I 
offer these suggestions, but its occurrence is a matter for authoritative 
Irish botanists to ponder over with a view to solution. In this station it 
is decidedly sparse in quantity, but otherwise seems native enough in 
habit and environment. At all events, this first record of its existence 
in the North-east is noteworthy, and may prove of some assistance to 
botanists in tracing its history in Ireland. 
\V. J. C. T0MI.INSON. 
Belfast. 
Erinus alpinus and Galium cruciatum at Downpatrick. 
On Whitmonday (June 4th), when visiting Downpatrick, I had the 
good fortune to see the above two rare plants in full bloom and very fine 
condition, in their already reported stations. 
Erinus alpinus has spread in abundance all over the outside and inside 
of the gaol wall, and in a good many places on to the walls and roofs of 
the old houses adjoining. As this S. ECuropean plant has all the appear- 
ance of having come to stay, its future progress should be noted, as it 
may repeat the history of Linaria Cymbalaria, and find its way all over our 
country. 
