52 The Irhh Naturalist. 



Bei^fast Naturai^ists' Fiei,d Ci^ub. 



December i8th.— The President (Mr. F. \V. Lockwood, C.E.) 

 in the chair. A paper entitled " Notes on Moel Tr3-faen," was contributed 

 by Miss Mary K. Andrews, in which it was stated that Joseph Wright, 

 F.G.S , had found a large number of foranis in a small quantity of sand 

 from the high level sands there. 



The next paper was entitled " A Bit of Foreshore," by Miss S. M. 

 Thompson, Hon. Secretary to the Geological Section. The paper dwelt 

 chiefly with changes on the shore opposite Macedon that have been 

 observed by the writer during the last thirt}' years, especially record- 

 ing that the well-known cross-dykes of basalt, opposite Macedon Point, 

 have lost eighteen or twenty inches in height during that period, the 

 result being the sweeping away of deposits of mud with their appropriate 

 plant and animal life. The former condition of the shore was then 

 described, with its predominantly sandy character, and contrasted with 

 its present appearance when the erosion of the numerous dykes leaves 

 free play to the waves, and bare tracts of Triassic marl have greatly taken 

 the place of the old sandy surface. Similar differences further down 

 shore were mentioned, and the influence of these geological changes 

 upon the distribution of plant and animal life referred to, and the 

 melancholy prediction made that another quarter of a century would 

 probably completely level the familiar cross-dykes. 



The papers were criticised by Messrs. Wm. Swanston, F.G.S. ;Wm. 

 Gray, M.R.I.A. ; John Hamieton, and Aeec. G. Wieson. 



Mr. Wm. Gray, M.R.I.A., then made a short report as the Club 

 delegate to the British Association at Oxford, when the Club was 

 accorded the thanks of the Association for their valuable contributions 

 of photographs, &c., illustrating the geology of our district. 



In pursuance of the recommendation of the British Association, Mr. 

 Gray proposed and Mr. Weech seconded the following resolution, which 

 was unanimously passed : — " That the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club 

 should place themselves in communication with the Belfast Corporation, 

 with a view to extending scientific knowledge by means of lectures and 

 demonstrations in our museums." 



Mr. Gray then proceeded with his lecture on the " Missing Beds of 

 Cave Hill," using the geological features of Portland as apt illustrations. 

 The lecture was well illustrated with lantern slides and diagrams shown 

 by Mr. W. NichoU. the different organic remains being represented by a 

 fine series of fossils on the table. 



The President, the Plonorary Secretary, and Mr. W. Swanston having 

 complimented the lecturer on his admirable paper, the following new 

 members were elected : — Miss Josephine Buchannan, M.A. ; Rev. Douglas 

 Walmsley, B.A. ; George Smith, and Miss B. Corley. y ^ 



— r/ y 



DUBEIN NaTURAEISTS' FiEED CeUB. 



December iith. — The President in the chair. Miss R. Hensman 

 read a paper on "Some Causes of the Disintegration of Shells." Mr. 

 Carpenter lectured on "Animals found in the Mitchelstown Cave." 

 Th€ latter of these papers appears in the present number. The former 

 will shortly be published. Mr. Greenwood Pim described a method of 

 preserving cut flowers in water, by splitting the cut end into four portions 

 for a short length. He exhibited specimens of Clematis that had been 

 treated in this manner, and pointed out how they were still quite fresh, 

 while others gathered at the same time, in which the stem had not been 

 split, were faded. Mr. R. Leoyd Praeger exhibited on behalf of a lady 

 member a fungus Poly poms) — stated to have been found below twelve 

 feet of peat in Switzerland. He also showed fine specimens of the 

 Fragrant Coltsfoot or Winter Heliotrope {^Petasites fragrans) ^2i\.h.^rQ.(!i that 

 day at Howth, the usual time of flowering being January to March. 



The following new members were elected ; — Michael J. Buckley, Mrs, 

 S. I^owes, B. T. Patterson, CE)., J. C. Rea, B.A., A. L. C. Stuart, I,Iy.D. 



