248 The Irish Naturalist. [November, 



The Club party congratulated Messrs. Graut upon the result of their 

 labours, and very heartily wished them all the ultimate success their 

 manifest skill and enterprise so clearly merit. 



A number of boats were now provided, and after an enjoyable row of 

 an hour on the Bann, all were safely landed on Church Island, when the 

 church, holy well, or bullaun, and the island's many other attractions 

 were explored, and the return journey was as pleasantly accomplished. 



The eel fishing is one of the most important of the local industries at 

 Toome, where eels are taken by the ton during the season, and are sent 

 by rail to the various markets, chiefly in England. 



The district is one of the very best for the naturalist in search of fresh- 

 water mollusca. On this occasion some fifteen species were collected, 

 including the scavenging Limncea stagnalis and Z. palustris. Some large 

 forms of the Bubble snail, Physa fontiualis, were captured. Of the Coil 

 shells Planorbis marginatus was very abundant. The mud-loving Pisidium 

 amnicum was plentiful about the roots of plants in muddy bottoms. On 

 the shores of the rivers and at Church Island the beautiful Amber shell, 

 Succinea elegans, was collected with several land shells. 



The district around Toome is botanically rich. The botanical 

 members secured fine examples of the rare Water-Starwort, Callitriche 

 autumnalis, also Potamogeion heterophyllus, a curious attenuated form, in good 

 condition. Fine fruiting specimens of Potamogcton lucens were abundant, 

 and quite a mass of Chara aspera at the northern end of Lough Beg. Of 

 land plants, the most important was Spcrgularia rubra, which in Ireland 

 may be accounted decidedly rare. The submerged water plants were 

 found to be almost entirely encrusted with Diatoms, such as niake up the 

 bulk of the Bann clay or kieselguhr. 



After the investigations of the day, Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Fahy welcomed 

 and hospitably entertained the party of some sixty members, who, 

 rested and refreshed, were further entertained by a short address 

 from Mr. Fahy, giving a most interesting account of the parish and its 

 immediate surroundings, including its archaeology and natural history. 

 Mr. Adam Speers, B.Sc, acted as chairman of this, the formal meeting of 

 the Club, which directed that a letter of condolence be sent to Mr. W. J. 

 Browne, M.A., on his recent sad bereavement, so very deeply regretted by 

 the Club ; and after the transaction of some other formal business, a most 

 hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. and Mrs. Fahy, and then the 

 party returned to Toome to catch the last train for Belfast. 



SEPTEMBER 2. — The last field meeting was held at Ballynahinch, 

 The first item of the programme was an open country walk to Glass- 

 drummond — the green ridge — which is crowned by a good example of a 

 cashel or stone fort. The party returned to Ballynahinch, noting 

 natural and artificial objects of interest along the way. The members 

 obtained ,'permission to enter the demesne of Montalto, which affords 

 excellent opportunities for the study of many branches of natural 

 history. 



