1906. 
Notes 
219 
Names and Uses of Molinia coerulea. 
Wlien at Sneem, Co. Kerry, I was struck by the frequent reference of 
the tenants on the Warden Estate to " Finnaun," and on Friday, July 
20th, I found some of them engaged dr3'ing "Finnaun" to make ropes 
for thatch. 
The plant is Molinia cantlea. They told us no other grass would 
make as strong and as lasting ropes for binding down the newly 
thatched roof I also found that Euphorbia hibenia is used as a black dye 
for wool, in addition to its well-known use as a poison for fish when 
pounded up and placed in a salmon pool b}' poachers. 
My friend. Mr. N. Colgan, writes : — " I find the name ' Finnawn' entered 
in my notes for Sneem, in 1901. For Southern Mayo (in 1S99) I have 
entered the name •' Finntonac' for the dried yl/c'/mm, gathered in autumn, 
and I believe the grass is there used for thatching. The name in Mayo 
for the younger growing stage of the gra.ss is ' Fay-ur Shliev ' (phoneti- 
cally rendered), which means the Mountain Moorgrass. 
I am inclined to believe that 'Finnawn,' as well as ' Finntonac,' may 
both be names for the dried grass, the hay, in fact, of Molinia coindca^ 
rather than for the growing green state." 
It is, however, applied to both states of the grass in Sneem. 
RiCHD. M. Harrington. 
Fassaroe, Bray. 
[Mr. Barrington kindly sends us with this note a specimen of the 
grass. — F)ds.] 
Orobanche minor in Co. Dublin. 
This parasite of clover fields, first detected in Co. Dublin in 1893, is 
spreading rapidl3\ In July last I had an opportunity of studying its 
present distribution in the north-eastern part of the county, District 2 
of the Flora of Co. Dublin, where I found it growing in no less than 14 
stations additional to those alread}^ recorded for that district. It 
appeared in 7 distinct stations near Skerries, in i between Skerries and 
Balbriggan, in 2 near Lough Shinny, and in 4 near Rush, while in its 
original station of Shennick's Island, off Skerries, it remained as 
abundant as it had been thirteen years earlier, when discovered there in 
its first Dublin station. In almost all cases the plant was found where 
mixed clover and Italian Rye-grass had been sown, the parasite 
shooting up with the clover after the cutting of the grass. In one of 
the Rush stations it appeared in a sandy fallow. Whether this species 
is spread by repeated fresh sowings of alien clover-seed, or is naturally 
disseminated by its light and minute seeds which may be so easily 
carried by the wind, it is hardly possible to decide. Further observation 
in other parts of Ireland will, no doubt, show that the species is 
becoming quite common. 
N. C01.GAN. 
Sandycove. 
