28 The Irish Naturalist. [Jan., 1897. 



This testimony of a writer about seventy years after the undoubted 

 introduction of a colony of this animal seems conclusive that at the 

 period at which he wrote it was numerous in the country; while 

 his assertion that at some date between 1662, when the Royal 

 Society was founded, and 1685, when Charles II. died, a former 

 attempt at colonisation was made (whether successfully or un- 

 successfully), shows that the frog was at that time not known to be 

 indigenous. Perhaps some one may be induced by this notice to search 

 for some record of the futile attempt made by these '• mighty sensible " 

 Fellows. The reference as to the animals being of " Belgic origin" would 

 seem to suggest that they were imported from Holland. Perhaps, 

 therefore, they might have been the edible species Rana esculenta ; and 

 the failure, referred to b}^ Dr. ScharfF, of Dr. Birney's introduction, may 

 have been paralleled by that of a similar importation to Ireland. 



W. F. DE V. Kane. 



BIRDS. 



Black-tailed Codvk^lt In Queen's Co. 



Through the kindness of Lord Castletown, I have received, and sent 

 to Messrs. Williams & Son for preservation, a specimen of the Black- 

 tailed Godwit, shot near Granston Manor, Abbeyleix, on the 13th 

 November inst. 



R. J. USSHER. 



GEOLOGY. 

 The Determination of Fossils. 



All who have have attempted to determine a miscellaneous collection 

 of fossils from any geological formation have soon discovered the 

 difficulty of affixing correct names to all the specimens, and if they have 

 been doing this work with the object of publishing some paper, either 

 dealing with the stratigraphy of a district, or attempting to correlate 

 geological horizons in different parts of the world, they have probably 

 given the task up in despair. A few, no doubt, have been fortunate in 

 possessing friends whose knowledge of particular groups of fossils could 

 be drawn upon. But it is not always that one knows the best person to 

 apply to, or that one can be certain of a favourable reception. Natural 

 Science, in its December number, has published a list of twenty-six 

 specialists, who are willing to determine various groups of fossils from 

 various strata, when requested to do so for purposes of publication, and 

 this enterprising action will doubtless be welcomed by man}^ local geolo- 

 gists. We hope that this list is only a first instalment, for there certainly 

 appear to be a large number of groups of fossils in which no one is 

 prepared to pose as an authority. We should have thought, for instance, 

 that some one might have been found for the Trilobites, for the Belem- 

 nites, or for Palaeozoic Brachiopods- Obviously, if anyone wishes to take 

 up the study of some special division of palaeontology, he need not be 

 deterred by the lack of an opening. 



C/^ 



