19 ro. Irish Societies, 119 



and shape of certain fresli-water species living in varying volumes of 

 water, also the effects of life in running and still w^ater w^ere discussed. 



Examples were shown of Limnaa stagnaiis and Anodonta cygnea, including 

 the very large form, 9 inches long, found in a small pond near Preston. 

 The smaller sizes of shells on islands as compared with those on the 

 mainland were referred to, some very marked exceptions, such as the 

 very large Helix nemoralis from the Aran Islands and Inishmurry on the 

 west coast of Ireland being mentioned. The large proportion of white- 

 lipped forms of the last species that live in the N.W. Donegal coast, and 

 the heavy forms that occur on bare areas of the sandhills where the only 

 feast is Psamma arenaria with an occasional Senca's /acobaa, were exhibited. 



An exceptionally varied series of the common Dog Whelk, Purpura 

 lapilliis, was shown. These were sent by Mr. R. Standen to show how 

 much the conditions on exposed or sheltered rocks, and a varying good 

 supply affected the size, form and colour of the shell. 



In the discussion which followed A. W. Stelfox exhibited Helicella itala, 

 showing marked variation from four different environments — {a) Chalk 

 downs, (<5) Central Plain of Ireland, {/) Sheltered and {d) Windswept 

 sand-dunes. 



March 15.— F. Balfour-Browne, M.A., F.RS.K., F.Z.S., read his 

 Report as Delegate to the British Association, 1909. 



Afterwards Miss Margaret E. Dobbs gave a lecture on " The 

 Archaeological Evidence of the Truth of Irish Records.' Miss Dobbs 

 gave many instances in which archaeological evidence confirmed 

 ancient history and tradition. No other country in North Europe can 

 claim to have preserved a fact from the Bronze Age. Yet, if archaeology 

 is to be believed, this can be said of Ireland, and testifies to the accuracy 

 and marvellous memories of the literary class who preserved these 

 traditions. 



March 19.— Botanicat, Section.— Rev. C. H. Waddet.!,, M.A., B.D., 

 read a paper entitled, "Plant Life in a Bog." The object of the lecturer 

 was to describe the peculiarities of bog plants and point out how the}' 

 were fitted for life on a peat soil. Peat is poor in bacteria ; is not well 

 aerated and the humous acids which it contains prevent the absorption 

 of water by the plant roots. This environtnent has evolved plants in 

 which transpiration is restricted, the leaves of xerophytes being narrow, 

 and the leaf-pcres often situated in grooves so as to prevent too great 

 transpiration. The formation of peat was described and the growth of 

 bog-mosses or Sphagnum. 



The lecture was illustrated by a very fine set of specimens of bog- 

 plants. It was noted that many of our most interesting bog-plants, such 

 as Andromeda, are becoming scarce with the disappearance of bogs. 



March 23.— Geoi^ogicai, Section. — Lecture by James Strachan 

 on "The Chalcedon}' of Ballyboland, County Antrim." A deposit of 

 chalcedony found in the large quarry at Ballyboland, near Balhmoney, 

 was described in detail. The rock in which the chalcedony occurs is 

 typically basaltic, being composed of a plagioclase felspar, augite, olivine 

 and magnetite. As the veins of chalcedony are approached the rock 

 varies in composition, passing from blue basalt to purple basalt. In the 

 latter the olivine is replaced by chloritic and serpentinous minerals, and 



