1924. Irish Societies, iii 



A New Irish Cephalopod. 



In the Annals and Magazine of Natural History for July, Miss A. L. 

 Massy describes a new species of Cephalopod — Cirroteuthis {Cirroteu- 

 thopsis) massyae, Grimpe — of which the type specimen was trawled in 

 Irish waters during investigations carried out by the Fisheries Branch of 

 the Department of Agriculture, and was referred " with some reservation " 

 on the advice of Dr. Hoyle, in IQ07, to Cirroteuthis umbellata P. Fischer. 

 Owing to the extreme scarcity of known examples of this family, great 

 difficulty was experienced in closer investigation ; but enough differences 

 have since been ascertained to prove that the Irish animal belongs to a 

 previously undescribed species, and it is evident from Miss Massy's paper 

 that much has still to be learned on the subject of its affinities. The 

 specimen is preserved in the National Museum. 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



• 



June 28. Excursion to Toome. — After leaving Belfast the first stop 

 was at Edenduffcarrick, the ancient stronghold of the O'Neills *on the 

 shores of Lough Neagh. The ancient church at Cranfield and the adjacent 

 Holy Well were visited. At Toomebridge the site of the ancient castle 

 at " the ford of Toome " was first visited. Mr. Ellis kindly gave per- 

 mission for a visit to the eel fishery, and Mr. M'Erlean, his manager, 

 brought up live eels for inspection, and explained the method of capture. 

 A visit followed to the building known as " The Temple of Liberty." A 

 hunt near the old ford for prehistoric implements was engaged in by 

 several members of the party, some characteristic examples rewarding the 

 searchers. The final visit was to the diatomaceous clay deposits. Mean- 

 while, the botanists had scattered widely, and afterwards reported a 

 profitable time. The journey home was made via Moneyglass demesne. 



July 12-14. Excursion to Ballycastle. — This summer the Club 

 reverted again to their pre-war programme of a long excursion in 

 midsummer, this year a three-day visit to their old headquarters 

 for well over half a century— the Antrim Arms Hotel, Ballycastle. 

 The area visited included Murlough Bay. Special attention was 

 called by the conductor, R. J. Welch, to the many deep marine 

 pot-holes in Carboniferous sandstone at the cottage. On the way 

 down, Drumnakill volcanic dyke was examined. Some new and 

 deep Helix crypts were found in some of the slipped Chalk masses. After 

 tea at Mrs. Clark s cottage the way up was through the glen, waist deep 

 in ferns, the wonderful luxuriance of which this season was noted every- 

 where. Sunday, as usual, had no official programme. After church and 

 lunch some visited "Punamargy Abbey or strolled along the coast road 

 past the mines to visit the North Star dyke. Another party motored to 

 Tor Head and Portaleen Glen. The band of crystallene limestone which 

 runs round the head about half way up, riddled with Helix crypts, was 



