SCIENCK-GOSSIP. 



87 



dagh, soaring in majestic circles, and filling the 

 valley with their hoarse cries. The invertebrate 

 fauna of the district still needs elucidation. Mr. C. 

 W. Watts has recently worked at the lepidoptera 

 (C. W. Watts: " Lepidoptera taken in tin- 

 Belfast District." Proc. Belfast Nat. Field Club, 

 1 893-4, Appendix), and finds on the Newcastle 

 sand-hills a tolerably abundant fauna, including 

 large and highly-coloured varieties of Lycana icarus 

 and Satyrus seniele in great abundance, while in 

 August the flower-heads of the ragweed swarm 

 with Agrotida; and Noctusc. Among the micros, 



From Belfast, Newcastle is distant some forty miles, 

 which the express trains of the co Down Railway 

 cover in less than an hour, whilst to Belfast there 

 are plenty of good passenger routes from EnglisM 

 and Scotch ports. A good inn will be found in the 

 beautiful little village of Bryansford, two miles 

 from Newcastle, and close to the woods and ;l 

 of Tollymore Park, classic ground of local natural- 

 ists. At Hilltown, Kilkeel, Rostrevor and Warren- 

 point, also, there is plenty of accommodation. I 

 regret that I cannot refer the reader to any guide- 

 book for information concerning this interesting 



R. Welch. Photo.'] 



[In the Castles of Kivvitar, Mourne Mountains. 



Ancrastin lotella, Crambus wamngtonelliis, C.geniadeus, 

 Dictyoptcryx bergmanniana, may be mentioned. The 

 fir-woods of Donard Lodge, on the slopes of Slieve 

 Donard, form a good hunting-ground. Here are 

 found Bupalus piniaria, Boarmia repandata and its 

 fine banded variety conversaria, Emmclcsia teniata, 

 and The ra firmata. 



For those wishing to explore the Mourne district, 

 Newcastle will be found the most convenient 

 centre. Here there are plenty of good hotels, and 

 the mountains rise right over the town, while 

 tourist coach-routes along the base of the range 

 enable approach to be made from various points. 



and picturesque mountain-group. Guide books 

 there are, where all necessary information will be 

 found concerning trains, hotels, car-routes and the 

 various "sights" on the lower grounds, but the 

 mountains, their topography, natural history and 

 geology still remain undescribed save in scattered 

 scientific papers in many instances not accessible 

 to the enquirer ; and the present sketch, brief 

 and incomplete though it be, may, perchance, be 

 useful as a slight indication of the natural features 

 of a yet too little-known holiday resort. 



National Library, Dublin : 

 May, 1895. 



E 2 



