306 Correspondence—Mr. Alfred Bell. 
periods of intense metamorphic action ;—one before and the other 
after the accumulation of the Upper Silurian strata, as has been stated 
in the Memoirs of the Geological Survey, and in the “Geology of 
Ireland.” Mr. Symes was the first to suggest that these metamorphic 
rocks belonged to two distinct geological formations; which was 
subsequently satisfactorily proved, because at the junction of his 
and my work, his younger metamorphic rocks graduated into un- 
metamorphosed rocks in which occur numerous fossils principally 
of Wenlock types. G. Henry Kinanan. 
IRISH DRIFTS. 
Str,—In the April Number of the Grot. Mac., Mr. Swanston in 
reference to a former paper of mine on the Irish Drifts (Gzou. Mac. 
Vol. X. 1873, p. 447) says, that if Mr. Howorth had relied ‘more 
on the work of Portlock” “and less on” myself, certain inaccuracies 
would have been avoided. 
The mis-spelling of a name by the substitution of the letter r for 
the letter v (an error due to my caligraphy I presume), was hardly 
worth cavilling about, and the height of the glacial bed at Bovevagh 
was correctly given in my paper. 
Referring to Portlock, I find at p. 157, Turritella, Cyprina, and 
Nucula (Leda oblonga) all referred to in the same sentence, the first 
species being confined to the bed near Bovevagh Old Church, the 
next reference, p. 159, says the bed is full of Turritella and contains 
only fragments of any other shell, yet at p. 787 Astarte multicostata 
(A. compressa) is recorded. Will Mr. Swanston kindly say what 
species are represented by these fragments ? 
After carefully reading Portlock’s chapters, I cannot come to any 
other conclusion than that he found them all associated together. 
His special reference to Turritella being on account of its abundance 
at this place and not elsewhere. 
I acknowledge that I have not personally examined the beds con- 
cerning which I wrote ; but inasmuch as no two Irish geologists were 
in accord upon these beds, and having had the advantage of inspect- 
ing collections of species from most of the localities I have referred 
to, besides an intimate acquaintance with nearly, if not quite all 
the papers that have treated upon the subject, and the use of com- 
munications, lists of species, and parcels of unsorted stuff sent by 
various geological friends, I wrote with a view to bring together all 
that had been done up to that time. If Mr. Swanston will point 
out my inaccuracies, being on the spot, he can easily do so, and the 
cause of geology will be served. 
Should Mr. Swanston be desirous of publishing a list of Irish 
Post-Tertiary fossils, a work much needed, I shall be very happy to 
assist him. ALFRED BELL. 
With the deepest regret we have to announce the death of the 
President of the Royal Society—Mr. W. Spottiswoode, LL.D., F.R.5., 
on the 27th of June, 1883, aged 58 years. The death is also 
announced of the former President, General Sir Edward Sabine, 
aged 95 years. 
