i897-] Proceedings of Irish Societies. 279 



Dubinin Naturai^ists' F1E1.D Ci.ub. 



August 21. — Excursion to Ferns. — A dozen members only attended 

 this excursion which started from Harcourt-street by the 10 a.m. train. 

 Ferns was reached shortly before one o'clock, and the party received a 

 warm welcome from the Rev. Canon T. B. Gibson and Dr. G. B. T. 

 Greene, who acted as guides for the day. Unfortunately some very 

 heavy showers materially hindered field work, but in the bright intervals 

 collectors were not idle. Going first to the marshy meadows by the 

 banks of the Bann, the party afterwards crossed the high road and 

 explored the plantations and hedgerows on the hills west of the town. 

 Among the beetles collected were Meligethes erythroptis, Le/na septentrionis, 

 ChcEtocnetna horiensis, Fourc. , and Ceuthorrhynchus lituray while Pentatoma 

 baccarum, immature P, prasina, and Phytocoris varipes were noteworthy 

 bugs. The beautiful tubular snares of the large spider Agelena labyrinthica 

 were abundant on Furze bushes. Three species of planarian worms — 

 khynchodemus terrestris, Polycelis nigra and P, cornuia were collected and 

 identified by Mr. H. L,. Jameson. The botanists of the party gathered 

 the following noteworthy plants : — the Round-leaved Sun-dew, Drosera 

 rotundifolia, L., the Marsh St. John's wort, Hypericum elodes, L., the Three 

 cleft Bur-Marigold, Bidcns tripartita, L-, the Golden-rod, Solidago virgatirea^ 

 L., the Ivy-leaved Bellflower, Campanula hederacea, L. (in marshy 

 meadow between the Railway and River Bann, a new locality for the 

 plant), the Sea Bindweed, Convolvulus soldanella, L., and the Royal Fern, 

 Osmunda regalis, L. On trees the curled Bristle-moss, Uloia crispa, Bridel., 

 occurred ; while the curious Liverwort, Porella platyphylla, L., was gathered 

 in some quantity on the stones at the summit of the Castle, to which 

 the party mounted under Mr. Gibson's guidance. The other antiquities 

 of Ferns — the ruined monastery and cathedral, the tomb of S. Kdan in 

 the church, and that of King Dermot McMurrough in the graveyard — 

 were also visited. After being most hospitably entertained at the 

 Rectory, the naturalists returned to town by the evening train. 



Cork Naturawsts' Fiei.d Ci.ub. 



August 7. — A very successful excursion to Youghal was held, at which 

 the Committee decided to give a book prize to the member who collected 

 the largest number of plants during the trip. Nine collections were 

 sent in to Mr. R. A. Phillips. The winner, Mrs. Hughes, being suc- 

 cessful with 138 species. The plants of most interest sent in were the 

 Yellow Ivoosestrife, Lesser Broom-rape, and Common Bladderwort (in 

 flower) ; a far larger number would have been gathered except for the 

 rain — in consequence of which we had to leave the bog and sea-side 

 plants alone. 



September 11. — The last excursion of the season was made to 

 Ballinhassig Glen. After an interesting climb and ramble through 

 this romantic spot, where some rare liverworts and mosses were found, 

 tea was provided, and the party returned to Cork. 



