SO PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



PAPERS READ. 



I. — On the Mammalia of Scotland. By Mr. Edward R. Alston, 

 F.Z.S., F.L.S., F.G.S., Corresponding Member. 



This paper, which forms a portion of the " Fauna of Scotland," 

 published by the Society, is printed separately. 



II. — On the Archaeology and Natural History of Tory Island. 

 By Mr. J. A. Mahony, Corresponding Member. With two 

 Plates [III. and IV.]. 



What Iona is to Scotland, Tory is to Ireland. The archaeological 

 remains of the Irish island are not in so good a state of preservation 

 as those of Iona, but do not yield to them in interest. It is there- 

 fore of importance to chronicle them, as well as to have a full record 

 of the Natural History of so remote an island; but this has not 

 hitherto been done. The readiest way to get to the island is from 

 Ballinass, near Falcarragh. This place is 42 miles from London- 

 derry by road. Arrived at Ballinass you make arrangements for a 

 small boat to take you to the island, the "regulation" cost of 

 which is 20s. From Ballinass to Tory the distance is 10 Irish 

 miles, and the journey is, of course, not unattended by danger; 

 but, with a breeze from the S.W. or S.E., is pleasantly performed 

 in two or three hours. The writer has visited the island six 

 times, and on two occasions only experienced any trouble in re- 

 turning. Southerly gales kept him a prisoner for a week at one 

 time, and for five days at another. 



Tory is two and a-half miles long, and about a-quarter of a mile 

 broad at its western extremity. There it is level, but on the east 

 it rises into towering headlands 200 feet high — these cliffs (or "tors," 

 as they are called by the natives, and which may account for the 

 name of the island) being of the boldest and most fantastic shapes. 



The usual place of landing is at the Camus, where the first thing 

 to attract notice is the Bound Tower. Nothing has been done to 

 preserve this interesting ruin from the ravages of time, and its 

 original height cannot now be accurately ascertained. It was exa- 

 mined, however, by Mr. Edwin Getty, in 1845, and at that time 

 the pileus or cap was partly standing. He gives the height at 51 

 feet, the outer circumference at 51 feet 6 inches, and the diameter 

 17 feet 2 inches.'" Every winter now brings down some of the 



* Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Vol. I., p. 146. 



