From James Mackay to Ellen Hutchins   10 Sep 1805

Miss Hutchins

Madam

I enclose for you a small specimen of Hymenophyllum alutum [Trichomanes speciosum, Killarney Fern] in fruit, as I promised to you I would, I only found one in fructification the first time I found it which had not been seen before by any Botanist, but this time I have found about a dozen in that state.

The day I left Ballylickey I found the new Irish saxifrage by the side of the road before you pass the Priests Leap and in a bog at the foot of it on the Kenmare side when gathering specimens of Sium verticillatum which I had only once before seen in Ireland a species of Ophrys which I had never before found, it is at any rate new to Ireland & may perhaps be Ophrys Loeselii but I have no book with me at present where it is described. After spending a few days near Kenmare I went to Killarney, spent about a fortnight in exploring the mountains, islands in the lakes and other places about it in which time I have made several additions to our Irish Flora and one new to Britain.

I arrived here yesterday from Dingle near to which I found several plants I had not before met with in this country; but for the last fortnight I have been very much annoyed by wet weather.

Tomorrow morning I intend setting out by Ardport to Ballylongford and cross the Shannon to the county of Clare and from thence proceed to the co. of Galway. - I hope that the weather will favour me for a month longer – I found the Carex we got on Sugar Loaf when crossing the Priests Leap and took plants of it which I sent with some others from Killarney to Dublin; so that you need not ascend Sugar Loaf a second time in order to fetch it.

I measured several Arbutus trees in the Lough Island Lower Lake of Killarnery of large dimensions, one of which a foot a over the ground where it divides into four limbs measures 9 ½ feet in circumference & each of the branches above 3 ½ feet round. Height from the root to the extremity of the branches 36 feet – by this you will readily perceive that Killarney produces much larger Arbutus than Glengarrife.

I hope that you will still continue to gather femeneach [Irish feamnach, seaweed] and that the Boat is nearly finished for your accommodation.

I remain

Madam

Your most [text missing]

servant

J T Mackay

N.B. I hope that you will have an opportunity of sending my specimens to Dublin before the middle of October.