NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 11 



If it be a fair inference from the situation of this Ballintoy mound, 

 so resembling that of the numerous Donegal mounds in the similarity 

 of its shells and split bones, and in the character of the rough stones 

 which formed the hut of the dwellers, that it was synchronous with 

 them, then I think I am justified in claiming for them all a high 

 antiquity. The Donegal mounds have no flints or pottery — it may 

 be from the absence of the raw material — but whatever their age 

 may be, the pottery and flint of the Ballintoy example afford a clue 

 to their place in time. 



Much of the pottery found in Crannogs has been referred to the 

 9th and 10th centuries,* and it is much less archaic in taste and 

 ornament than that of Ballintoy. It is possible, however, that old 

 fashions and forms remained among the coast dwellers, when their 

 inland brethren were advancing in the arts. The flint implements 

 by themselves would popularly be ascribed to a prehistoric age, but it 

 is a question whether the Antrim men of even the middle ages did 

 not make copies of iron arrow heads and knives out of their abundant 

 and suitable flint, from motives of thrift and economy. Be that as 

 it may, I think I am safe in saying that this mound cannot be more 

 recent than the 10th or 11th century, and may be very much older. 



III. — Remarks on a few Hauls with the Dredge, in Portree Bay, 



Skye. 



By Mr. David Robertson, F.L.S., F.G.S. 



Although the marine fauna of the British seas is generally much 

 alike, yet some species appear to be mostly confined to particular 

 districts, but not always according to theory, as they are often 

 found to far overlap what is believed to be their natural boundaries, 

 not continuously, but in leaps over large intermediate tracts. 

 Many notable eases of this kind are found amongst the mollusca, 

 such as the isolated habitat of northern shells on the East coast of 

 England, Saxicara (Panqpoea) norvegica, Fusus norvegicus, Fusus 

 turtoni, fye. 



During the month of August, 1879, the writer took a number of 



* "Journal of Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland." 

 vol. i., Jan., 1871, p. 367. 



