334 Extra^sfrom the Minute Book 



Ruscus laxus. 



Foliis ellipticis vitrinque acutls mucronato pungentibus- 

 fupra floriferis nudis, ramis laxis. 



The fpecific charafter of the common Rufcus aculeatus 

 mufl; be altered to 



Foliis ovatis mucronato-pungentibus fnpra floriferis nu- 

 dis, ramis flriftis. 



Jan. 3, The following extraft of a letter from the Earl of Alta- 

 1797. mont to A. B. Lambert, Efq. V.P.L.S. was read to the Society. 



" There were formerly in Ireland two kinds of wolf-dogs, 

 " the greyhound and the mafliff. Till within thefe two 

 " years I was poiTened of both kinds, perfe£liy di{l'in£l and 

 " eafily known from each other. The head:^ j^'ere not fo 

 " fharp in the latter as in the former, but there feemcd a 

 " great fimilarity of temper and difpofition,. both being 

 " harnilefs and indolent. The pain;. ing in your pofleflion 

 " is of the maftifF wolf-dog. ' [See tab. 3, of the prefent 

 " volume.] 



" I have at prefent five wolf-dogs remaining, three males 

 " and two females; in thefe the two forts appear to be 

 " mixed. The dam was of the maftiff, the fire, if I am not 

 ♦' miflaken, was of the gj'eyhound kind. The fire and dam 

 " had n'Ot -dwitutled in fize from any "that I remember iJcre. 

 " Thofe which now remain are too young to judge of. 

 " We have an old man here, named Bryan Scahil, now in 

 " his 119th year, whofe memory feems accurate, and all 

 " his faculties complete. He perfectly remembers the hunt- 

 " jng of wolves in Ireland, as a common matter of fport, 



"and 



