273 



January 22nd, 1849. 



REV. HUMPHREY LLOYD, D. 1)., President, 

 in the Chair. 



It was resolved, — On the recommendation of Council, that 

 Mr. Eugene Curry be employed, at an expense not exceeding 

 fifty pounds, to make a translation of the Irish Brehon law 

 tract, which professes to give the laws of Cormac Mac Art, as 

 compiled by Cennfaelad. 



Mr. Donovan read the second part of his paper " On the 

 deflections of the magnetic needle, &c." 



In support of the eighteen laws read at the last meeting, 

 the author adduced a series of experiments, which led to infer- 

 ences very difi^erent from those on v/hich reliance has been 

 placed by the few who have investigated this subject. Of 

 the various arguments and experiments brought forward, it 

 would not be possible to give an abstract with any probability 

 of rendering the subject intelligible. 



Dr. Petrie gave an account of the stones presented by Mr. 

 Bergin to the Academy. 



Dr. Petrie observed, that he had remarked on his first visit 

 to Connemara, about thirty years ago, that stones of this kind 

 were very frequently preserved upon the altars, in the most 

 ancient churches in that district and its adjacent islands. 

 These stones were held in the highest veneration by the pea- 

 santry, as having belonged to the founders of the churches ; 

 and were used for a variety of superstitious purposes, as the 

 curing of diseases, taking oaths upon them, &c. &c. Similar 

 stones were preserved at lona, and many other of the Hebrides, 

 and had similar superstitions connected with them. He quoted 



