36 The Irish Naturalist. February, 



andesite type and contains an interstitial volcanic glass practically 

 identical with the hullite found at Carnmoney. In fact it is the type of 

 lava that probably flowed from the old neck at Carnmoney. The 

 rock is an augite-plagioclasc mixture with the felspars occasionally 

 porphyritic. The residual glass contains inclusions of felspar, augite and 

 magnetite, and also forms layers round tlie onyx. The lecturer gave 

 reasons for believing tiiat, like other minerals similarly situated in lavas, 

 the ony.x had been deposited during the cooling and consolidation of 

 the lava. 



December 17. — Botanical Sectig.nt. — Several workers of the 

 Botanical Section met in the Museum, and exhibited rare and interesting 

 plants collected by them during the summer preceding. Rev. C. H. 

 Waddell, M.A., occupied the chair. N. Carrothcrs and Rev. Mr. Waddell 

 had many fine specimens, and Miss Blackwood's plants collected by her 

 in Brittany evoked much interest. 



December 20. — W. A. Green read a paper entitled " The People of 

 the Dawn," with special reference to B. N. F. C. investigations in the 

 North of Ireland. The President (R. J. Welch, M.R.I. A.) occupied the 

 chair. The paper dealt with Neolithic man and the remains which he has 

 left in Ireland. 



December 27. — Excursion to St. John's Point. — After a lapse of 

 several years the " bo.xing-day excursion " was this season resuscitated, 

 when twelve members travelled by train to Killough and spent the day 

 on the promontory of St. John's Point, Co. Down. The route taken 

 from Killough to St. John's Point lay along the coast, which, though low 

 is extremely rocky, consisting for the most part of hard grits and shale, 

 of the Llandovery Group (Silurian). 



Very few plants were seen in flower, but the botanists were rewarded 

 by observing the following rarer plants in their winter condition : — 

 Crithmiim maritimum, Artimisia maritima, Beta marititna, Atriplex 

 portidacoides, and Asplenium marinum. 



Thirty-tluree species of birds were noted during the day. The most 

 interesting ornithological observation was that of about flfteen Oyster- 

 catchers, H csmatopus ostralegus, following the plough, in company with 

 Lapwings and Gulls, in a field near the lighthouse, this trait in the habits 

 of the Oyster-catcher being novel to the members. 



A fair list of land -shells was made. The Hyaliniae, Helix hispida and 

 Vitrina pellucida were particularly common, active, and large ; while the 

 southern species, such as Helix nemoralis and H. aspersa, were all in a 

 state of hibernation. Near Downpatrick Anialia gagates and A. Sowerbyi 

 occurred in great abundance and fully grown. 



The five common species of Woodlice were seen, and one specimen 

 was taken of Trichoniscoides albidus, being the second occasion on which 

 this species has been obtained in Co. Down. 



South of the hght-house near the great dykes there are many fine 

 rock-pools full of marine life ; here some of the party spent some time 

 collecting. The members reassembled at five o'clock in the Killough 

 Hotel for tea, and the party returned to Belfast by the 6.47 train. 



January 4, 191 1. — ARCHi^OLOGiCAL Section. — Alex. Milligen read a 

 paper on " The Archaeology of Surnames," Dr. Cunningham in the chair. 



