1902. The British Association in Belfast- 273 



mouse. The clay became yellow, tenacious, and barren in the deeptr 

 excavations. 



After reading the report on the Keish Caves, Mr. Ussher stated that the 

 work of the Committee had been carried on during the summer of 1902 

 at Edenvale, Co. Clare, where he had been occupied for eleven weeks in 

 excavating two separate systems of caves. These had proved to be very 

 prolific in relics of man and of extinct animals. The former included, 

 besides human bones, scrapers of flint, bone awls or pins, amulets, 

 bracelets of metal, an amber bead, and iron knives, and a bronze strap 

 and buckle, with interlaced design in silver. Bones of various domestic 

 animals were abundant, and there were some marine shells. Bones and 

 teeth of Reindeer and Bear were abundant, and some of the latter had 

 belonged to gigantic individuals, while Irish Klk was represented in a 

 few instances. The group of caves last explored forms a complex group, 

 now called the " Catacombs," and has been only partially excavated. 



In the discussion that followed, Dr. Scharff mentioned that the 

 most remarkable of the remains discovered at Keish were those of the 

 Arctic Lemming, which still inhabits Greenland and the Arctic Regioris 

 generall}'. The Stoat remains consisted or a fragment of a jaw, which 

 was of interest in being smaller than that of the living Irish Stoat. The 

 Horse remains were all very small, belonging to a race resembling the 

 Shetland Pony in size, while the Ox-bones found were mostly about tiie 

 size of bones of Kerry cattle. Altogether the animal remains were of 

 much zoological interest, and added to our knowledge of the domestic 

 animals kept by the early Irish races of men. 



Dr. Henry Woodward thought the Committee had taken in hand a 

 most useful work, and wished the members all success in the future. 

 To judge by the discovery of the Ivcmmiug, many other surprises might, 

 be in store. He hoped that the Association's grant to the Committee 

 would be renewed. 



ON THE MINERALS KNOWN TO OCCUR IN IRELAND. 



BY HENRY J. SEYMOUR, F.G.S. 



The paper dealt with the previous literature of the subject, and com- 

 mented on the fact that the last published complete list of Irish minerals 

 was brought out in 1868, and was merely an appendix to a list from 

 other localities in Great Britain. The want of an up-to-date and 

 authenticated record of what is at present known about Irish minerals 

 had been, the author believed, accountable for the neglected state of this 

 interesting study in Ireland, and was certainly accountable for the fact 

 that several times " new finds" had been put on record of minerals dis- 

 covered twenty years before. By means of a personal examination of 

 collections of minerals in Museums and in private collections in this 

 country the author has verified at present the occurrence of some 115 

 distinct species. This number is to be regarded as of a preliminary 

 nature only, and the author is satisfied that his further researches into 

 the matter will result in a considerable addition to the above total. 



