24S The Irish Naturalist, [October, 



BlCIvFAST NaTURAIvISTS' FiEI^D Ci.UB. 



July 30. — Barney's Point.— The first field meeting of tiie Belfast 

 Naturalists' Field Club was held here more than 35 years ago. Until 

 then Barney's Point was scarcely known ; since then it has been fre- 

 quently visited and always with interest. On July 30 the Field Club's 

 fifth excursion for the year was to Barney's Point. They went by 

 Magheramorne, and crossing the lough by the ferry reached Mill Bay, 

 f^roni which Barney's Point is but a short walk. As it was low water 

 when the party arrived, the well-known outcrop of the Lias was very 

 fully exposed. A short field lecture was given by Mr. W. Gra}-, M.R.I. A. 

 explaining the age and nature of rocks that crop out here, and dealing 

 with their relations to other formations. Standing at Barney's Point, 

 and looking over the lough to Magheramorne, an excellent section can 

 be seen of our northern rocks, forming the face of the limestone quarry 

 at Magheramorne. Below the cultivated soil of the surface there is a 

 considerable deposit of Boulder Clay. Below this we have the dark 

 basaltic rocks. Below this there is the white limestone or Chalk and 

 the Greensand. Going back in time, descending in the formations, a 

 great break in the geological record is reached. These absent beds 

 comprise a series of rocks several thousand feet thick. We are only left 

 the representative of the lower Liassic beds, and they rest upon the 

 New Red Sandstone series. The lower Lias iu this locality yields 

 abundant fossil remains, which are often easy to separate out from the 

 rock, in fine preservation. Good lists of these fossils have been pub- 

 lished in the B.N.F.C.'s Sysieinatic Lists. Many good type specimens were 

 found on this occasion, and recently one member collected two vertebrae 

 of some extinct saurian. 



August 20.— Excursion to Kii.i,ough. — The sixth field meeting was 

 held at Killough, and the district was explored iu search of such objects 

 of interest as usually engage the attention of the members. A party of 

 twenty turned out. A detachment plunged into the White Bog, while 

 the main body took the direct road for St. John's Point. A halt was 

 made at a wayside holy well, which is said to be dedicated to St. John. 

 Passing on to the old church of St. John, another holy well was visited, 

 once held in high esteem, but is now in a most disgraceful condition. 

 The well is dry, and neglected save only by some toughs who have 

 blocked the well with a large stone, once known as the Wishing Stone. 

 Standing around it the Field Club passed the following resolution : — 

 " We deeply regret to find the Wishing vStoue at St. John's Well removed 

 from its old position and thrown into the w^ell. Such mischievous 

 and improper conduct merits the strongest public condemnation. Every 

 effort should now be made to remove the stone and restore it to its 

 former position. This undertaking will have the warmest sympathy of 

 the Club." Leaving the Holy Well, the ruins of St. John's church were 

 next explored. This is one of the most interesting examples of ancient 

 church architecture in the North of Ireland. 



