13S The Irish Naturalist. • December, 



observed, but Avhat Ava.s lacking in variety was compensated by numbers. 

 The visit -was made too late in the season to lind the beautiful Scilla 

 verna in llower and only the leaves and seed-heads were seen. Another 

 plant of interest, the Hound's-tongue (Cynoglossiwi officinale) was found 

 in flower on the margin of the seashore. 'At live o'clock the party re- 

 embarked for the voyage back to Howth, during which an excellent 

 view of a Black Guillemot was obtained from the boats as it swam bv. 



July 15. — -Excursion to Delgany. — By kind invitation of Mr. Iroton 

 P. Jones, an excursion attended by over 30 members was made to Pennick's 

 Nurseries, Delgany. Mr. Jones, who acted as conductor, called attention 

 to many of the more remarkable trees, slirubs, and other plants in the 

 very picturescpie grounds in wliich his garden is situated, and also oftered 

 prizes for the best answers to a series of printed que t'ons on the cultivat/d 

 ]>lants, weeds, and insects that came under notice. The large party were 

 afterwards most hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Jon(;3, and 

 returned by a pleasant walk across fields to Greystones, reaching Dublin 

 about 7 p.m. 



August 5.— Excuksiox to the Scalp. — This excursion, originally 

 fixed for a July date, but unavoidably postponed, was held in a month 

 generally found unfavourable to any prospect of large attendance. About 

 13 members, however, took. part. The route followed from Carrickmincs 

 station was via Ballycorus, a longer but m<ne diversified walk than the 

 direct road through Kilteruiin. The party were struck with the extra- 

 ordinary abundance along nearly the whole distance of tliat aggressive 

 colonist Mairicavia discoidca, first noticed here by Mr. Colgan (at the 

 Carrickmincs extremity of the lane) in i8u^. After tea at the Scalp 

 Villa return was made by the same route, a few local plants, such as 

 Senecio sylvalicas, attracting attention in the course of the walk. ■ 



Sepiemdek 16. — ^ExcuRsiON to St. Doulough's. — The A-isit to the 

 celebrated limestone quarry in this district was made under the guidance 

 of ^Ir. lliiich, who explained the extraordinary difficulties surrou-i ling 

 the question of the exact geological age of the deposits. Some tini" was 

 spent in searching and collecting characteristic fossils, after wliicli the 

 party visited the ancient churcli, of whose early histoiy an account was 

 then read by Mrs. Long. After leaving the church the party rci)aiied, 

 by kind invitation of General and ]Miss A. G. Twigg, to tlie sexton's house, 

 where all were entertained to tea ; and after a \-otc of thanks to their 

 entertainers and the transaction of some formal business the Club returned 

 by riiil to Dubhn. 



October 28.— Excursion to Kilruddery. — -The concluding excursion 

 of the season (one not included in the original programme) took the form 

 of a fungus fora}', which the Club was kindl}' permitted t<i make in 

 Kilruddery demesne under the conductorship of Mr. M. J. Gorman. 

 Some 25 members and friends took part in the foray, and a considerable 

 number of interesting fungi were collected, and the distinguishing features 

 of the various groups to wliich they belonged clearly pointed out by the 

 conduetor. It was, however, found that from the mycological point of 



