52 The Irish Naturalist. 



on either side of the Irish Sea, with a reference to St. Erth Valley, Corn- 

 wall." This paper contains a valuable comparison of the shells from the 

 Wexford gravels and other Irish deposits with those from beds of approx- 

 imately the same age in England. 



A paper by Rev. H. Friend, describing a new species of earthworm, 

 Allolohophora hibernica, was communicated. This worm will be noticed in 

 Mr. Friend's papers on the "Earthworms of Ireland" in the Irish 

 Naturalist. 



December 12th. — Prof. Haddon and Dr. C. R. Browne, gave a 

 paper on the " Ethnography of the Aran Islands," and Proe. Haddon a 

 paper entitled " Studies in Irish Craniology— the Aran Islands." He will 

 lay some of his results before the readers of the Irish Naturalist in an 

 article shortly. 



A paper by REV. H. Friend described another new worm [Luiiibricus papil- 

 losus) from Ireland. It was noticed in the Irish Naturalist for January. 



RoYAi, Dubinin Society. 



November i6th. — Prof. T. Johnson read a paper describing a new 

 Irish alga, Pogotrichum hihernicum (see Irish Naturalist, vol. i., pp., 5 and 6). 

 He considers it possible that this plant may however prove identical 

 with Litosiphon alliarice, 



Mr. G. H. Carpenter read a supplementary report on Pycnogonida 

 from Torres Straits, collected by Prof. Haddon. 



December 20th. — Prof. W. J. Soi.i,as read a paper " On Pitchstone 

 and Andesite from Tertiary Dykes in Donegal." He considers these dykes 

 of Tertiary age, as they are similar to those of Arran. The pitchstone 

 consists of a glass containing crystals of augite (which become smaller 

 towards the edge of the dyke) and crystallites of an unknown mineral. 

 The augite-andesite is crowded with glass. 



The same author also gave a paper on the " Variolite and Associated 

 Igneous Rocks of Roundwood, Co. Wicklow." This is a new locality for 

 the interesting rock variolite. It has undergone great Assuring, believed 

 to be due to the diminution of volume caused by the formation of epidote. 

 The alteration of augite into chlorite in volcanic rocks is discussed ; this 

 change leads to expansion and the liberation of quartz, and thus gives 

 rise to the association of chlorite with quartz so often observed in veins. 



Mr. H. H. Dixon read a paper "On the Germination of Seedlings in 

 the absence of Bacteria." Seeds whose outer coats had been sterilized 

 did not decay after growth had ceased, but remained apparently un- 

 changed for more than twenty months. 



Prof. Haddon and Miss ShackIvETOn contributed " Descriptions of 

 new species of Actiniae from Torres Straits." 



NOTKS. 



BOTANY. 



PHANEROGAMS. 



Ranunculus petiolaris in Ireland. — in t\\e Journal of Botany ior 

 December, Rev. E. S. Marshall writes that a specimen of buttercup in 

 the British Museum, collected on the shore of Lough Bofin, Drumod, 

 Co. Leitrim, on 30th May, 1871, by Mr. Dyer, appears to belong to this 

 new species, though it approaches li. flammula somewhat closely. Irish 

 botanists will do well to be on the look-out for this plant, which very 

 possibly occurs in Ireland. 



