2SO The Irish Naturalist, 



in the well-appointed boats of the Royal Galway Boat Club (most 

 kindly placed at their disposal by the Committee) to enjoy the hospitality 

 of Sir Valentine and Lady Blake at Menlo Castle. Along the banks of 

 the river some good insects, including a rove-beetle, Stenus melanopus, new 

 to Ireland, and plants were collected, and at Menlo the rare sedge Carex 

 pseiido'cypertis was obtained. ,The quaint old house, said to be the oldest 

 inhabited house in Ireland, excited great interest, and the generous 

 hospitality of the host and hostess completed the pleasure of the visit. 

 At 6 o'clock dinner was served, and in view of the early start next 

 morning, most members wisely retired at an early hour. 



Monday, Jui^y i6'rH. 



Punctually at 5.30 a.m., the Secretary's shrill whistle called members 

 down for an early cup of tea. A prompt response ,was made, and at 6 

 o'clock sharp the ss. " Duras" cast off her moorings with the whole 

 party on board, excepting a few who did not care to face the thirty-five- 

 mile sail across the troubled waters of Galway Bay. Once again the 

 Field Clubs were favoured with a fine day, in a district well-known as 

 one of the wettest in Ireland. At 8 o'clock Miss Gardiner had breakfast 

 prepared with the despatch and neatness that characterized her some- 

 what arduous duties throughout the excursion, and when this important 

 function was completed, the Aran Islands were alread}' close at hand, 

 and the bare grey fields, the whitewashed cottages, and innumerable 

 stone walls furnished a quaint and characteristic scene. A heaving tide- 

 run off the shore of Aranmore proved disastrous to some of the 

 naturalists, but they speedily recovered as the steamer dropped anchor at 

 Portmurvy, and was immediately surrounded with a crowd of stalwart 

 islanders in their strange canvas curraghs. The disembarkation was 

 promptly effected in the ship's boats, while some preferred the novel 

 experience of the curragh. The vSecretary now announced alternative 

 routes, those who were prepared for a long walk to go west to Dun 

 Aengus and thence to Kilronan, while those who wished less exertion 

 would proceed to Kilronan by a more direct route. The members who 

 visited Dun Aengus — the larger portion of the party— were amply repaid 

 for their exertion. This splendid example of pre-historic architecture — 

 the finest structure of its kind in Europe — perched on the edge of an 

 ; overhanging cliff, 300 feet in height, was examined with the keenest 

 ' interest and wonder. Floating on the Atlantic swell far below, a keen- 

 eyed member descried a fine specimen of the Great Sun-fish, which con- 

 siderately remained in full view for a length of time. On the vegetation 

 here and elsewhere many observers noted the great abundance of the 

 handsome rose-beetle (Cf/^wm a«ra/a). The presence of this species — so 

 rare on the Irish mainland — was a great surprise to the entomologists. 

 A small flower-beetle {Meligethes rufipcs) new to Ireland, was found, as well 

 as a minute spider (^Micariosomia fesiivwn), also apparently new to the 

 Irish list. A striking feature was the great abundance of the springtail 

 Machilis polypoda, which occurred in multitudes under every stone. The 

 party made their way along the edge of the cliff, which was fringed with 



