1 28 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



dearth of alg was on the cast coast, in comparison with the west or south-west. 

 Zealous local investigators, like what had been shown this evening, would still add 

 much to the list. Mr. Andrews then enumerated many rare specimens that he had 

 obtained on the west coast, which were, at present, completely local there. He 

 had collected very large specimens of Taonia atomaria, which he had given, with 

 many others, to his friend, Dr. Harvey the Taonia unfortunately, too late for 

 insertion in his valuable work. Taonia is by no means uncommon as a southern 

 plant. Polysiphonia violacea is abundantly met at Ferriter's Cove, county Kerry, 

 and specimens of Dasya ocellata are found there. Conferva rectangularis was found 

 in quantities in Killarney Bay, in the Great Arran Island, and which plant was 

 previously discovered in great abundance on the coast of Connemara, by the inde- 

 fatigable investigator, the late William M'Calla. Mr. Andrews also mentioned 

 that some years since he had obtained Microcladia glandulosa, thrown ashore in 

 the neighbourhood of Dalkey. It was singular, yet true, that seasons much 

 affected the appearance and disappearance of aquatic plants among the algae and 

 confervse. In noticing such, in his correspondence with Mr. John Ralfs, of 

 Penzance, author of the u British Desmidiae," and whose communications were 

 always most pleasing, he observes u I have watched for the last three years many 

 stations of Mongeotia cserulescens, Zygnema curvatum, various species of 

 Desmidise and Vesiculiferse, and have never found the same species two years in 

 the same pool, nor, indeed, have I seen any of the above plants I found a few years 

 since in the same water. This should teach us to gather a good supply of specimens 

 when we have an opportunity, lest we should not meet with them again." 



JUNE 15, 1855. 

 GILBERT SANDERS, Esq., M.R.I.A., in the Chair. 



After the preliminary business, the Secretary said that the donations that had 

 been received would not be submitted until the next meeting of the members, as 

 the rooms were undergoing some improvements, and other arrangements com- 

 pleting. 



The Chairman then called for the paper, by the Right Hon. John Wynne, 



ON THE EFFECTS OF THE SEVERE FROST ON PLANTS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD 



OF SLIGO. 



Mr. Andrews said that he had received a communication from Mr. Wynne, who 

 was unable to attend. Mr. Wynne had forwarded a brief outline of his observa- 

 tions, and mentioned that his avocations left him but little time for natural history. 

 Mr. Andrews then read the following: 



" Having seen an interesting paper, read by Mr. Moore at a meeting of the 

 Dublin Society, on the effects of the late severe 'frost on the outdoor plants in the 

 Botanic Gardens, at Glasnevin, it struck me that it might interest the members of 

 the Natural History Society to have some information on the effect produced by 

 that frost in the west of Ireland, where the severity of frost is generally so much 

 tempered bv the vicinity of the Atlantic Ocean. I, unfortunately, did not possess 

 a self-registering thermometer, so as to give the exact amount of frost here, but I 

 may give some facts which indicated its severity. First The adjoining lake was 

 frozen across, so as to bear skating for about one-third of its length for about a 

 fortnight a circumstance which never occurred in my recollection, and I believe 

 only once during the lifetime of my father, who lived to be 85, and spoke of his 

 having once skated across the lake, which we did several times this last season. 

 Secondly The number of birds killed by it was very great, especially sea birds 

 curlews and seagulls. After the thaw, the sea-shore was covered with dead sea 

 fowl. However, we can arrive at a tolerable degree of accuracy, as the thermometer, 

 at Markree Observatory, only six miles from this, and equally near the sea, on 

 the 12th of February, stood at 18.2 Fahrenheit, and on the 13th, 17.6; on the 

 17th, 17.2 ; on the 18th, 15. There was no snow here during the continuance of 

 of the frost only about two inches fell on the first day of the thaw so that the 

 plants were exposed to its full severity. Some days after its commencement I had the 



