Some Interesting Bryophytes: Mosses (Continued)Author(s): A. L. K. KingSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 15, No. 10 (Apr., 1967), pp. 304-305Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25537108 .

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304

feathers raised to give it a "shaggy" appearance; large oval pale buff patch or nape; creamy superciliary extending far back, but originating above eye and not at base of bill; ear-coverts brown, darker at hind part and with a pale buff patch immediately in front of dark hind border; wings brown, with no differentiation

between secondaries, primaries and wing coverts; greater coverts tipped creamy and median coverts tipped white, forming two wing-bars, a large one that was

less distinct and a smaller, more prominent one; mantle and back rufous-brown,

"spotted" with buff (presumably buff tips to feathers); creamy crescent-shaped tips to scapulars, forming two distinct lines of "scallop-shaped" markings down back; upper tail coverts and rump chestnut, unstreaked; tail black or dark brown,

with white on outer tail feathers. Under-parts', chin and throat off-white, with

black moustachial streaks; breast with marked crescent-shaped breast band, formed by elongated orange-brown "blotches", fused together in centre; belly and under tail coverts pearl-grey; flanks with large elongated flame-orange spots.

Soft-parts: legs pale pink; bill fawn. Habits: as most buntings; gait a walk or run.

On the night of 8th/9th October, 1959, the cold front of a deep depression moving north-east over the north Atlantic entered western Ireland. The wind

had been south-east force eight at Cape Clear since 07.00 GMT on 8th and there was very heavy rain continuously from 13.00 GMT on 8th until 09.45 on 9th.

This "text-book" situation brought one of the largest and most varied arrivals recorded at Cape Clear Bird Observatory. At least 600 individuals of 21 species were involved, the main species being Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis, Chaffinch, Continental Robin, Erithacus r. rubecula, Song Thrush, Turdus philo

melosi, and Blackbird, T. merula. Apart from the Rustic Bunting, other rarities

included Firecrests, Regulus ignicapillus, "unstreaked" Acrocephali, Lesser

Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca, Spotted Crake, Porzana porzana, and Tawny Pipit,

Anthus campestris. The description of this bird was examined by Major R. F. Ruttledge and

the Rarity Records Committee of British Birds. 59 Curlew Crescent, Bedford, England.

SOME INTERESTING BRYOPHYTES: MOSSES By A. L. K. King

(continued from p. 236) Eurhynchium praelongum var. stokesii (Turn.) Hobk.

In woods at Oldbridge, Co. Meath, H22, May, 1965. In woods at Pakenham Hall, Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, H2<s,

September, 1953. This variety is widespread in occurrence but nowhere common.

Eurhynchium speciosum (Brid.) Milde On damp path in woods at Oldbridge, Co. Meath, H22, May, 1965. This species is very rare in Ireland and is quite absent from the central

inland counties.

Plagiothecium denticulatum var. denticulatum (Hedw.) B.S. & G.

On wall below graveyard at Glendalough, Co. Wicklow, H20, J. S. Thomson,

May, 1952.

Plagiothecium roeseanum B.S. & G.

On Brandon Mountain, Co. Kerry, HI, A. W. Stelfox, June, 1946. First

Irish record.

Plagiothecium succulentum (Wils.) Lindb. In heavy shade under scrub in upper valley of R. Licky, H6, May, 1964.

Under trees in Camolin Forest, Co. Wexford, H12, June, 1958. On roadside bank near Clone, Aughrim, Co. Wicklow, H20, April, 1950.

Plagiothecium sylvaticum (Brid.) B.S. & G. On shaded roadside bank near Graiguenamanagh, Cp. Kilkenny, Hll,

October, 1954.

In deep shade on wooded slope, Glen of the Downs, ?q. Wicklow, H20, Qctober, 1962,

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In the new Census Catalogue of British Mosses (1963) the denticulatum sylvaticum group of the Plagiothecium genus now consists of eight species and two varieties. P. succulentum has the largest distribution of these in Ireland.

Ctenidium molluscum var. condensatum (Schimp.) Britt.

On dripping schistose cliffs in Raven's Glen, Glencree, Co. Wicklow, H20, March, 1964.

This variety is of rare occurrence being known from only twelve of the [rish divisions.

Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin.

Corrigenda: For Sphagnum fuscus on p. 234 of October issue, 1966, read

Sphagnum fuscum. For J. F. Thompson on p. 235 read J. F. Thomson.

RECENT MIGRANTS AND INTRODUCTIONS IN THE IRISH FLORA From time to time the flora of natural and semi-natural habitats in

Ireland is supplemented by escapes from cultivation and by species that have been brought into the country accidentally. Occasionally these species are not only capable of maintaining themselves, but show a capacity to spread. The following notes refer to a few of these plants which have attracted recent attention. Other records will be published under the above heading as they accumulate and, as is the usual practice in Floras, the names of such plants

will be indicated by an asterisk. Ed.

'"MONTIA SIBIRICA (L.) HOWELL (CLAYTONIA SIBIRICA L.; C. ALSINOIDES SIMS)

A number of specimens of this species was found in the grounds of Stranmillis College in May, 1965, on a site which agrees with the type of location given in Clapham, Tutin and Warburg:?"damp woods, shaded streamsides, etc.,

especially on sandy soil." The same authorities give it as very rare and casual in Ireland, and it is not included in An Irish Flora by Webb.

It is, of course, an introduction, and its native area is East Siberia, Pacific North America from Alaska to South California. The Atlas of the British Flora shows that it occurs mostly in Northern England and Scotland. There is only one record shown for Ireland before 1930 on the eastern side of Lough Swilly.

Geoffrey Grigson in The Englishman's Flora says that its near relative M. perfoliata, also American, can foe boiled and eaten like spinach, but the leaves of this plant are much more succulent than those of sibirica.

C. MACMAHON. Stranmillis College, Belfast, 9.

*LEYCESTERIA FORMOSA WALL. IN CO. KILDARE

The genus Leycesteria belongs to the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family). The handsome and fairly hardy L. formosa (false nutmeg) was introduced from the temperate Himalayas in 1824.

Its berries are much sought after by pheasants, so it is commonly planted as a covert, and becomes well established. The species is regenerating from seed and apparently spreading along hedgerows and ditch-banks of the

Lyons Estate, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. P. L. CURRAN.

Faculty of Agriculture, University College, Dublin.

*ECHINOCHLOA CRUS-GALLI (L.) BEAUV. IN A WICKLOW GARDEN A single plant appeared in my garden here last spring in a row of carrots.

A specimen was sent to the Dublin Museum and kindly identified by Miss Scannell. This grass, formerly called Panicum crus-galli is reported as "naturalized

in cultivated ground and waste places, native of warmer regions of the earth"

according to the Flora of the British Isles. There is one ilrish specimen in the Dublin Herbarium labelled "Casual. Belfast 1894 collected by H. Hanna, ex herb. R.LI. Praeger".

N. CHUTER.

Ballygraine House, Arklow, Co. Wicklow.

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