i897-] Proceedings of Irish Societies. 277 



Mr. J. N. HAiyBERT exhibited a small clavicorn beetle Claviger 

 testaceus, Preyss., usually found in the nests of the Yellow Ant {Lasius 

 flavus). Like certain other animals of similar habitat Claviger is destitute 

 of eyes, and it has been observed to rely on the ants for sustenance. 

 These in return obtain a fluid by caressing the tufts of hair on the abdo- 

 men of Claviger. Sir John Lubbock remarks (" Ants, Bees, and Wasps ") 

 that this is one of the very few cases of an animal having lost the 

 power of feeding itself. The beetle seems to be very rare in Ireland, 

 but it was taken near Waterford by the late Dr. Power. 



Mr. Henry J. Seymour exhibited specimens of amygdaloidal basalt 

 from the Black Quarry of Squire's Hill, near Belfast. The specimens 

 shown form the lining of some long cylindrical " pipes," which traverse 

 the basalt at several points. These " pipes" are generally about 7 inches 

 in diameter (one is 14 inches by 9 inches), run practically east and west, 

 and dip at various angles from 15° to 80"^, sending off numerous small 

 branches which penetrate into the rock in all directions. They are 

 hollow except for a lining of zeolitic material about |-inch thick, the 

 rock for a distance of some 3 inches around being altered to an earthy 

 red colour, and crowded with amygdales. Beyond this zone the rock is 

 unaltered, and of the normal type of black compact basalt of the Antrim 

 plateau. The two varieties shade more or less graduallj- into one 

 another. These pipes appear to have served as channels for the circula- 

 tion of probably heated waters containing zeolites in solution; and the 

 presence of branches would seem to point to this water being under a 

 certain amount of pressure. The exhibitor intends to examine and 

 describe their occurrence in detail later on, and mentioned that his 

 attention had first been drawn to them by Mr. M'Lean, of the Belfast 

 Field Club, last June. 



Mr. H. LystER Jameson exhibited sections oi Phagocata gracilis, Leidy, 

 a North American planarian, specimens of which had been sent to him 

 by Dr. W. M. Wood worth, who has described its anatomy in detail {Bull. 

 Mus. Comp. ZooL, Cambridge, Mass., xxi.) The most striking feature of 

 this species is that there are numerous pharynges arranged along the 

 entire length of the posterior gut diverticula. 



Bei<fast Naturai^ists' Fiei<d Ci,ub. 



August 14. — The Club made a visit to Newry, Warrenpoint, and 

 Rostrevor, journeying by the 8.40 train. On arrival at Newry a short 

 halt was made in order to visit the nursery at Daisy Hill. Here the 

 members were met by Mr. Smith, who in the hurried time at his 

 disposal showed the members some of his rarities in plant life. Another 

 section of the members visited the brickfields, where the Boulder-clay 

 affords numerous specimens of erratics. After an hour spent in Newr>' 

 the train was resumed for Warrenpoint, where the party was taken in 

 charge by Mr. Mann Harbison, who throughout the rest of the day 

 acted as local guide and host. Warrenpoint was all astir with visitors, 

 but little time was spent here. Mr. Barcroft's new steamer, the Pioneer, 



