182 The Irish Naluralisl. October, 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



July 29. — Excursion to Ellis's Cut, Lough Neagh. — Twenty- 

 seven members started from Belfast by the 1.50 train, and in little over 

 half an hour arrived in Lurgan. Here brakes were in readiness to convey 

 the party to Shan Port, and the members then walked along the shore to 

 Ellis's Cut, this section of the lough margin, about a mile in length, 

 including all that j^ortion of County Down which impinges on Lough 

 Neagh. The afternoon was bright and warm, and the time passed 

 pleasantly as the members strolled along the now dry lake-shores and 

 pursued their various avocations. The canal was crossed at the Ellis's 

 Cut lock, and a walk of five minutes sufficed to bring the members to 

 Leansmount, where the brakes were waiting, and the return journey to 

 Lurgan was commenced. Tea was served in the Brownlow Arms Hotel, 

 and afterwards the President (R. J. Welch) gave a rcsiimi'. of the work 

 which was being accomplished in the Natural History Survey of Clare 

 Island. The 7.30 train conveyed the party from Lurgan, and from its 

 windows the members had an opportunity of witnessing an unusually 

 magnificent display of lightning, the flashes, which followed closely one 

 after another, appearing to rise from the ground and disappear in the 

 dense l^lack cloud above. Belfast was reached shortly after eight o'clock. 

 The country between Lurgan and Lough Neagh is covered with drumlins, 

 and on the shores of the lake the geologists found numerous erratics of 

 Scotch granite. The members of Committee present were pleased to see a 

 much larger number of young lady botanists than usual present at this 

 excursion, and the members of this section were fortunate in finding a 

 number of our rarer plants. The following list includes some of the best 

 botanical finds of the afternoon : — Ranunculus Lingua, (Enanthe fistulosa, 

 Sagittaria sagiUifolia, Thalictrum flavum, Typha angustijolia, Lysimachia 

 vulgaris, and Spiranihcs Romanzoffiana, the latter (one of our rarest Irish 

 plants) being new to the flora of County Down. In little hollows by 

 the lake margin were quantities of a small spherical algae. Very few 

 birds were noted, this being about the worst time of the year for orni- 

 thological observation. Owing to the low state of the lough collecting 

 was easy, and shells abundant, though very few full grown ; and it was 

 noted that shells which normally live at the bottom of fairly deep water, 

 were now feeding on surface plants, a fact already observed on previous 

 excursions this year. Some fourteen species of fresh-water molluscs were 

 taken, including Sphceyium lacustre and Pisidium amnicum, the latter 

 scarce shell being much more abundant than usual. Good collections 

 of spiders, water-scorpions, plant-bugs, water-beetles, &c., were brought 

 away for further examination. Many polyzoa and cladocera were collected, 

 whilst among the Rotifera taken Stephanoceros Eichornii, Melicerta ringens, • 

 and Limnias ccratophylis were identified, and these proved very plentiful. 



August 12. — Excursion to Loughgall and Armagh. — Some thirty 

 members and friends travelled by the 9.30 train to .\rmagh. Upon arrival 

 in the Primatial city the party were conducted to the Roman Catholic 

 cathedral, and afterwards started for Loughgall. The drive proved of 



