30 The Irish Naturalist. February, 



Prof. G. H. Carpenter showed preparations of tlie jaws of the nymph 

 of a mayfly (F.cdyurus) demonstrating the details of structure in the 

 maxillae and lal>ium. 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



November 20. — Rev. A. Adams, B.A., gave a lecture entitled 

 " Prehistoric Settlements on the Shores of Lough Xeagh," with reference 

 to the northern shore. The lecturer exhibited a series of stone implements 

 found from time to time during the past twenty years along the northern 

 shore of Lough Ncagh, from Glenavy to Toome Bar. The Neolithic 

 settlers occupied sites especially near the mouths of the Crumlin, Sixmile- 

 water, and Maine rivers. The relics found at the Maine River comprised 

 flint flakes dressed as scrapers, knives, picks, and chisels ; also some 

 waterworn specimens which had been rechipped in later time. The 

 most extensive and important site was Toome Bar, for here at this ford 

 proofs were obtained of Neolithic, Bronze, and Early Iron Age workers. 

 The most unique implement from Toome was a socketed and looped iron 

 axe. A letter was read from Dr. Robert Munro, the author of " The 

 Lake Dwellings of Europe," drawing special attention to the importance 

 of this axe and the similar one from Loughmourne crannog, as showing 

 how the first iron axes w-ere evolved from the socketed and looped Bronze 

 Age type. The lecturer also exhibited for comparison the Loughmourne 

 axe, these being the only two of their kind known in Ireland. In the 

 discussion which ensued Mr. May, Mr. Dickson, Dr. Charlesworth, and 

 Mr. Cleland took part, the meeting terminating with the election of four 

 new members. 



December 18. — Professor Gregg Wilson, of Queen's Universitv, 

 gave a lecture on " Crabs," illustrated by fine lantern slides. The 

 Vice-President (Mr. Cleland) occupied the chair. The lecturer said some 

 of our commonest crabs illustrated excellently adaptation to environment. 

 For example, one of our swimming crabs harmonises in colour with the 

 sandy bottom in which it is found ; .spider crabs on rocky bottoms secure 

 inconspicuousness by decorating themselves with fragments of sponges, 

 zoophytes, &c. ; the masked crab seeks safety by burrowing below the 

 sand of the sea bottom, and has its antennae modified to form a long 

 breathing tube ; and the pea crabs live in apparent comfort inside the 

 fortress provided by the shell of a cockle or a mussel. Among the man}' 

 devices for dealing with enemies the habit of self-mutilation by discarding 

 a leg was perhaps the most striking. Many species of crab had a breaking- 

 point near the base of the legs, and could cast off a mutilated member 

 or one that had been seized by an enemy. There was an effective 

 arrangement which secured the stopping of bleeding at the point of fracture, 

 and in course of time a new limb was regenerated. At the conclusion 

 vf the lecture the Chairman and Dr. Charlesworth made a few remarks. 



