19 1^. IrisJi Societies, 203 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



July 12-15. — Excursion to the Coast of Louth and the Boyne 

 Valley. — The members travelled to Drogheda on the 12th inst. Twenty- 

 seven members and friends participated in the proceedings. After lunch 

 the party drove along the southern side of the Boyne estuary. A visit 

 was paid to the church of Termonfeckin and its famous crosses. The 

 drive was resumed to the village of Clogher. The party were con- 

 ducted to the ancient ruined church and burying-ground, and then to St. 

 Dennis's Well, from which a somewhat rugged walk over the headland 

 brought them to the harbour, where they were entertained to tea by 

 W. J. D. Walker, c.b. Afterwards the botanists and zoologists enjoyed a 

 pleasant hour on Clogher Head before returning to Drogheda. Upon the 

 cliffs of Clogher Head several interesting plants were noted, including 

 the Sea Lavender {Stat ice occidentaUs), the Sea Purslane {Atriplcx portu- 

 lacoidcs), and the Sea Spleenwort {Asplenium marinurn). During the 

 return drive to Drogheda the hedgerows yielded several plants of interest 

 to northern botanists, among which may be mentioned Rosa arvensis, 

 Balhta nigra, Matricaria discoidea, and Ceterach officinarum. During the 

 day thirty-nine species of birds were observed. The four common species 

 of woodlice were seen as well as the Pill-woodlouse [Armadillidium vulgarc), 

 and the finding of Trichoniscus pygmaeus added a species to the recorded 

 fauna of County Louth. On the sand dunes to the south of Clogher the 

 landshell Helix pisana reaches its most northerly habitat. 



Leaving Drogheda on the morning of the 13th inst., the party drove 

 westward. A halt was called at the obelisk marking the site of the battle 

 in 1690, to enable the members to inspect this historic place, and some of 

 them visited Schomberg's grave on the southern side of the river. Thence 

 on to Slane, where the party was conducted to St. Patrick's Hill, where 

 about an hour was devoted to an examination of the ancient remains. 

 Afterwards some walked and others drove to Beauparc, Sir G. Francis 

 W. Lambart, Bart., having courteously granted permission for the ex- 

 ploration of his beautiful demesne. The contortions of the Carboniferous 

 limestone cliffs on both sides of the river here formed a topic for discussion. 

 After a tour of the gardens, the return to Drogheda along the south bank 

 was commenced. In the evening the usual business meeting was held, 

 the president (Rev. Canon Lett, M.A., M.R.I.A.) in the chair. 



The zoologists were rewarded by finding the Pigmy Woodlousc 

 {Trichoniscus pygmaeus) in the woods of Beauparc, this being the first 

 record for this species from County Meath, as is also Trichoniscus roseus, 

 found in the gardens, but it is possible that the latter may be an artificial 

 introduction. It was taken, however, in County Meath on the following 

 day by the river -side at Kells in an apparently natural habitat. 



There was no fixed programme for Sunday, the 14th inst., and several 

 of the members visited the many places of interest in Drogheda, others 

 the celebrated tumuli of Dowth and Newgrange. The conchologists made 

 pilgrimage to Temple demesne, at Collon, co. Louth, the first known 

 locality for the land-shell Vitrina hihcrnica. They were rewarded by 

 finding it alive in abundance under dead leaves and twigs in all stages of 



