294 ^^^ Irish Naturalist, 



From this point the party broke up into four divisions, one contingent 

 walking back to the cars, another going round the flank of Coramedagh 

 to " The Castles," which consist of the usual granite whose sub-columnar 

 structure in this part gives rise to vertical and horizontal jointing pro- 

 duced by shrinkage during the cooling of the mass. This jointing has 

 been so increased and brought out by the action of wind and rain, snow, 

 frost, and sun, that the masses now present the appearance of huge 

 bastions and fortifications of Cyclopean masonry. A third section of the 

 party walked up over Slieve Commedagh (2,512 feet), and a venturesome 

 few even ascended Donard atterwards, and observed the remains of the 

 rude stone cell where dwelt the anchorite St. Donard, after whom the 

 mountain is called. These members brought down the report that the 

 view was one almost unequalled, the horizon being so clear that no fewer 

 than nine counties and the Isle of Man were plainly visible, the hills of 

 Derry and Bray Head being both easily seen. This was the more 

 extraordinary as the sky appeared cloudy. The last portion of the 

 members remained at the Diamond Rocks, adding to their collections. 

 The other three divisions met below the Windy Ridge, in the Glen Valley, 

 noticing on the way the curious bared summit of the ridge, almost all 

 the vegetation being blown away, leaving small patches of bog and large 

 rounded stones and granite sand. The waterworn face of the cliff over 

 which the river trickles is also well marked. The mountaineering 

 members were interested in the sharp junction between the granite and 

 the Ordovician strata at the Shanslieve spur, where the granite sends 

 out veins into the slates. Basalt and eurite were also seen in contact 

 here. The junction between granite and slate is also well seen above 

 Trassey Bridge and in the Glen Valley. The botanists, though not 

 strictly on business, noticed most of the alpine plants known to occur 

 on these hills, and although several interesting ferns, «&c., were obtained; 

 no new find to the locality was recorded. Tea at the station was finished 

 just in time for the 6 40 train to Belfast. Altogether the Mournes have 

 seldom been seen to better advantage, and the English geologists 

 expressed themselves more than pleased with the day and the pleasure 

 they derived from a visit to the Mournes in conjunction with the 

 members of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club. 



DUBUN NaTURAI^ISTS' FlElvD ClyUB. 



August loth. — A party of fifteen members left Amiens-street station 

 by the 9 a.m. train for Castlebellingham, where they were met by J. R, 

 Garstin, Esq., on whose land the collecting-ground for the day was 

 situated. Under his kind guidance the naturalists made their way 

 along the railroad to Braganstowu Bog, which proved an excellent field 

 for research. The morning sped rapidly, and Mr. Garstin most hospit- 

 ably entertained the Club at luncheon at Braganstown House, after 

 which an inspection of the neighbouring woods was commenced. This 

 was unfortunately cut short by heavy rain, and the naturalists were 

 glad to again seek shelter in the house, where the kind attentions of 

 Mr. and Mrs. Garstin and their family made the time pass most plea- 

 santly. After tea the President briefly expressed the thanks of the 

 members to their host, and the party returned to Dublin by the evening 

 train. 



The bog proved the home of several interesting plants. Mr. Colgan 

 noted there two species of Utrictdaria {vulgaris and minor), Sparganium 

 viinimiwt, Typha latifolia^ Lycopus europceus^ Hydrocharis J\d or sus- ranee, Osmunda 

 regalis — to find the Royal Fern in profusion so near the east coast was a 

 new experience. Along the railway the immigrant Diplotaxis was observed, 

 and by the roadsides Chdidoniwn ?najus and Chenopodium Bonus-Henricus, 



