262 The Irish Naturalist. 



coast of Ireland. The species is now described from North Sea 

 specimens, as a complete series of Irish examples could not be obtained 

 at the time. Raia blanda is closely allied to Raia metadata, but is much 

 larger and differs from it in some other important respects. The eye is 

 smaller, the teeth are also smaller and more numerous, but the distance 

 between the snout and the coracoid is greater in R. blanda than in 

 R. maculate The latter never attains anything like the same develop- 

 ment of the asperities of the upper surface as is present in half-grown 

 R. blanda. 



Beaumaris Shark In Dublin Bay.— On ist November a shark 

 was caught just outside Dublin Bay in a trawler's net, and was exhibited 

 at Messrs. Powell's shop, Rathmines-road. It proved to be a large speci- 

 men of the Porbeagle or Beaumaris Shark, Lamna cornubica. It was about 

 seven and a half feet long, Unfortunately it was sent away to the manure 

 works before I had an opportunity of dissecting it, but I secured one of 

 its characteristic teeth, which are lanceolate, with a small basal cusp on 

 each side. The Porbeagle is occasionally taken on different parts of the 

 Irish coast. The only one I can find previously recorded from Dublin 

 Bay was one taken in 1838, forty-five inches long, and described by Mr. 

 William Thompson. The usual length is about four feet. They feed 

 chiefly on fishes.— J. E. Duerden, Dublin. 



REPTILES. 



Snake Cannibalism.— Apropos of the snake-swallowing incident 

 which recently took place, I once witnessed a similar event at the Zoo 

 in London. Whilst watching the serpents feed I noticed two attack the 

 same frog — they each got hold of a back leg and commenced swallowing 

 same slowly. By and bye, the noses of the serpents met, and one 

 gradually went into the mouth of the other. After a little while the 

 frog escaped, but the less fortunate serpent kept on its slow movement 

 down the throat of the other. At this point I called the keeper's 

 attention to it ; and he at once opened the cage and pulled them 

 asunder. Neither serpent seemed any the worse, but forthwith attacked 

 separate frogs which they duly devoured. — Jas. Brandreth, Dublin. 



BIRDS. 



Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus fullcarius Linn.) at Inch, 

 Lough Swilly. On 26th October Mr. M'Connell shot a Grey Phalarope 

 which he sent to me for identification. This is the only occurrence I 

 have noted in this district since October, 1891. — D. C. Campbeu<, 

 Londonderry. 



GEOLOGY. 



The Geology of Ki Harney. — In a paper by Mr. C. White {Brit. Nat., 

 August and September, 1S94), the scenery and geological features of the 

 Irish lake district are ably and lucidly discussed. The writer passes in 

 review the various rocks of the region, and shows how by upheaval, 

 denudation, and glaciation, he believes the present features of the 

 scene which so delight all visitors have been produced. 



The Jarrow Coalfield. — Mr. T. H. Bolton contributes to the 

 current volume of the Trans. Manchester Geological Society (vol. xxii., p. 613), 

 a valuable description of plant and fish remains from this coalpit in Co. 

 Kilkenny, figuring Myriolepis hibemica, a species described by Dr. Traquair. 

 He notices that the anthracite of the region does not rest on fire-clay, 

 but on a black shale, and concludes that it represents the overflow of a 

 peaty lagoon. 



