184 The Irish NaUiralist. [Jul}', 



The district is full of botanical interest, especially as regards the 

 cryptogamic flora, but the find of the day was the rare Whitlow grass, 

 Draba muralis. This is rare as a British plant, and as regards Ireland 

 still more rare. It is stated that one plant was found long since 

 growing on the walls of Blarney Castle, in the south, and Dr. Dickie 

 said it was naturalised on old walls near Belfast, but it does not seem to 

 have been seen by any living botanist in either place. On the walls of 

 an old bridge near Armoy, however, it is plentiful and luxuriant. Draba 

 muralis has also been found on walls of Glasnevin, where it was supposed 

 to have escaped from the Botanic Garden. The occurrences in Ireland 

 of this plant have all been attributed to accidental escapes from gardens, 

 but, if not indigenous, it is more probable that they are still lingering 

 relics of a more extensive cultivation at a remote period.^ 



The ruin of the old church locally known as Goban saers was visited ; 

 perched on an overhanging ridge, its rude, strong masonry afford evi- 

 dence of its early building. The ruined fort of Dun Rainey, having been 

 passed and the Mairge crossed, a halt was made at the ruins of the Old 

 Franciscan Abbey of Bun-na-Mairge. In the old abbey the Rev. J. A. S. 

 Woodward, A.M., read a short paper descriptive of the ruins and their 

 history. At five o'clock all assembled in the Antrim Arms, Ballycastle, 

 where an excellent tea was provided by Mr. Hunter. 



June 6th. — The Club held their second summer excursion, and a fine 

 afternoon brought the large number of over 100 members together in 

 time to catch the 2.15 train to Carrickfergus, from which station the 

 whole party proceeded to the salt mines at Duncrue, some two rniles 

 distant. Here they were met by Mr. Pennall, the courteous representa- 

 tive of the owners, who placed his services at the Club's disposal during 

 the afternoon. The tedious business of lowering the large party into the 

 pit was then begun by the two shafts, down each of which the buckets 

 carried four persons at a time, one of the buckets being raised at the same 

 time that the other was lowered and by the same engine. The depth of 

 the shaft is about 750 feet, so that the mines are considerably below the 

 sea-level. On arriving at the bottom each member was supplied with a 

 candle, and when enough were collected a party was formed, under the 

 guidance of some one of the miners and of one of the geological members, 

 to explore the galleries. A number of Bengal and coloured lights were 

 brought down, which gave an extremely good effect among the vast 

 piers that have been left to support the roof — often forty or fifty feet 

 above the floors — while the crowd of little twinkling lights seen at the 

 far end of one of the numerous drives was most picturesque. So, 

 numerous was the party that the first section was up again before the 



1 We have seen specimens of this plant recently collected at Newry 

 by Rev. H. W • Lett, on a wall near Messrs. Roger and M'Clelland's 

 niirsery — no douljt imported. — Kds. 



