264 The Irish Nationalist . [Oct., 



BEI.FAST NaTURAI^ISTS' FlEI,D C1.UB. 



August 15. — The Club held an excursion to Slieve Gallion, in County 

 Derry. The party, numbering over twenty, left the Northern 

 Counties Station at eight o'clock, arriving at Moneymore at 

 ten. Cars were at once taken, and the long drive will be a pleasant 

 recollection to all the party, the hedgerows being bright with black- 

 berries and the brilliant scarlet of the honeysuckle-berries. Arriving 

 at Lough Fea, a boat was kindly provided on the lake by Mr. Russell 

 to explore the crannog showing so conspicuously in the centre. A 

 short notice of the geology of the district was read, written by Professor 

 Cole, who had been working out the local rocks, the main features being 

 the intrusion of granite in pre-Carboniferous times into the much older 

 pyroxenic and hornblendic rocks, formerl}' supposed to have been altered 

 shales and sandstones, but now recognised as being volcanic in origin, 

 ashes and tuffs having been found in considerable quantity, and vesicular 

 structure being often seen. The melting up of the older rock by the 

 intrusive gra,nite seems to have produced a curiously mixed rock on a 

 regional scale. This is described by the Geological Survey and elsewhere 

 as diorite, and was supposed to have been of separate origin. It is also of 

 considerable interest to see the small capping of our familiar basalt and 

 Chalk, showing what a gigantic amount of denudation has gone on 

 in geologically recent times in order to clear all the basalt and most of 

 the Chalk from the great valleys on either side of the mountain. The 

 members were then free to ascend the mountain or explore the lake ; 

 but the party decided to climb, so a start was at once made over the 

 fields and by cart lanes until the open heath was reached. Investigating 

 each crag and exposure of the rock, the party gradually reached the 

 summit (1,623 feet), from which the view proved somewhat disappointing 

 owing to the heavy clouds covering the sky- After a short rest the 

 descent was undertaken, passing exposures of the mingled rock above 

 referred to. Another long and lovely drive brought the members to the 

 top of Carndais}' Glen. The little stream has cut down through gravels 

 and sands until it now has got some way into the rock, the sides of the 

 gorge rise steeply, beautifully timbered on either hand, while the carriage 

 road runs down close by the stream. Leaving the vehicles, the 

 members scattered in pursuit of their various avocations, the fungi being 

 (though still early) especially noticeable. The Hedgehog Mushroom 

 Hydmim repandwii) was in considerable quantity, as were several species of 

 Kiissula, Boletus (including the locally rare B. satanas), Amaiiita and Peziza. 

 Halfway down the glen the surprising sight was seen of the stream 

 apparently rushing against the steep bank, and having cut through it, flow- 

 ing at right angles to its old course, now quite dry. This has been caused 

 by a second stream cutting its way from outside, till its bed was lower 

 than the main one, thus, when cut far enough back, tapping the larger 

 stream and producing the above effect. On arriving at the end of the 

 glen cars were again mounted, and the few miles separating Carndaisy 

 from Moneymore were soon covered, bringing the party quickly to the 



