^2 The Irish Naturalist. April, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 



February 13. — D. McArdle showed specimens and microscopical 

 preparations of Fissidens decipiens De Not, var brevifolius, Lindberg, 

 whicii he gathered recently at Killakee on the slopes of the Dublin Moun- 

 tains, The only previous record we had of this moss being found in Ireland 

 was published by Professor Lindberg of Helsingfors ^ under the name of 

 F. cristatiis Wils, var brevifolius, Lindberg, collected by him at Muckross, 

 Pvillarney, in company with the late Dr. D, Moore, who in the interest of 

 science invited him to Ireland and brought him to the most interesting 

 haunts of these curious plants, Hepaticae and Musci. The preparations 

 showed the distinct pale narrow band of cells round the leaves, which are 

 shorter and indistinctly serrate. There was no fruit on the specimens 

 collected and as in the type, its absence may be owing to the dioecious 

 character. The reproduction by adventitious budding is very well 

 marked and shown in the preparation, young shoots proceeding from the 

 middle of a stem, each furnished with bright coloured root hairs, which 

 would in their turn form perfect plants to carry on the life cycle. 



ROUTE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



January 25. — The Hon. Helen Macnaghten (President) in the Chair. 

 R. J. Welch (delegate from the parent society) gave a lecture on the 

 prehistoric antiquities of Ireland, with special reference to those of Ulster. 

 A number of flint implements sent by Mr. Robert Bell, of the Belfast 

 Club, and some kitchen-midden finds from Antrim, Down, and Donegal, 

 of the lecturer's own collecting, were exhibited and explained. Having 

 passed in review the stone implements of various ages, such as the Larne, 

 Whitepark, Dundrum, and Portstewart types — showing slides of some 

 that had been found in recent excursions of the Club — the lecturer dealt 

 with the stone forts, such as the Grianan of Aileach, Dun Aengus, and 

 the Cash els of Mourne Mountains area and East Antrim. The dolmen 

 (cromlechs so-called) were next described, both the free-standing memorials 

 like Legananny, Castlewellan, and those which were certainly cairn 

 chambers, like Mountstewart or Mount Money, Downpatrick. Cists, 

 holed-stones, rock-scribings, and numerous crannoges were shown in 

 detail ; and the proceedings ended with a vote of thanks and some 

 announcements of future lectures. 



1 Hepaticae in Hibernia mense Julu 1873 Acta Societatis Scientiarum 

 Fennicae. 



