202 Whitehurst's Origin of Lava. 



lava ; so extremely replete with bladder holes, 

 and so void of extraneous matter, that it per^ 

 fectly resembles the scoria of iron, and there- 

 fore leaves not the least doubt of its being a 

 volcanic production. The bladder holes in the 

 lava are in part filled up with zeolite, a substance 

 rarely found in England/* The western shores 

 of Derry and Donnegal appear from Port Rush 

 to be bold and alpine. 



Our kind friend Dr. Richardson, to whom 

 the curious are indebted for his researches 

 amid the accumulation of wonders which per- 

 vade the Giant's Causeway, as well as the cele- 

 brity which the Fiorin grass has obtained among 

 agriculturists, received us with true Irish hos- 

 pitality. Zealous and warm-hearted in all his 

 pursuits, he enters with such ardency and ex- 

 altation of ideas into whatever he undertakes, 

 that the most cautious and phlegmatic can 

 scarcely withhold approbation, or avoid be- 

 coming his disciples. Here were a few acres 

 of fiorin ; and though they were much overrun 

 with other grasses, a favourable idea was enter- 

 tained of the crop which was cutting for soil- 

 ing. The horses appeared to be very fond of 

 it, and were in good condition. 



Mr. M'Naughton, of Beardiske, is one of Dr. 

 Richardson's firm fiorin pupils, and has a consider- 



