i 2 6 The Irish Naturalist, [Juue, 



and below contain specimens of granitic, volcanic, and meta- 

 morphic rocks. The horizontal cases have minerals and ores, 

 classified according to the base constituents. Thus one half 

 case contains the ores of iron, the opposite side has ores of 

 copper. The lime salts have a half case to themselves, and so 

 have the feldspars and zeolites. 



Illustrative specimens of ice-worn and scored rocks and per- 

 forated limestones, from the neighbourhood of Galway, are 

 placed, for inspection, on wall-brackets. A large lump of 

 rock from a " Bone Bed," agglomerated shells and other 

 interesting fossil remains are placed in convenient spaces. A 

 giant Crinoid, a large skeleton of a Plesiosaur, one of a small 

 Ichthyosaur and the model of the head of a Mosasaur are on 

 the walls. The restorations of many years ago of Labyrintho- 

 don and other prehistoric types are still illustrated by small 

 alabaster models. 



Dr. King placed a useful case at one end of the larger room. 

 This case has a series of fossils arranged chronologically on 

 boards that can be easily lifted out, examined, and replaced. 



A long horizontal case, reaching from end to end of the 

 Museum, contains Galway minerals and fossils alone. Here 

 are to be seen fine specimens of calcite and ores of lead, copper, 

 and zinc. There are, of course, jasper and Connemara 

 marble in variety, and black polished marble from Menlo. 

 Various rocks of economic value, though of no special minera- 

 logical importance, are found in Galway, especially the red 

 Galway granite. This granite bids fair to be a formidable 

 rival of the Aberdeen rock. Such rocks are quite suggestive 

 of new industries that may sometime creep into the West of 

 Ireland. 



The Galway fossils are Silurian and Carboniferous, and are 

 easy to collect. Weathering of the inland fossiliferous lime- 

 stone often causes the fossils to stand out in bold relief ; if 

 organic matter be present the action seems to be more perfect. 

 But the process by which the sea accomplishes the solution of 

 certain lime salts amongst the septa of certain corals is of 

 especial interest. A Lithostrotion brought to the sea in 

 former times has been so bleached and washed out that 

 it resembles in colour a modern coral, as if a visit to 



