( e ) 



much, is owing to Mr. Mackintosh, Mr. Aix-her, Dr. Mac Xab, Mr, 

 Baker, Mr. Leeper, Mr. Bailey, Dr. CoUins, and to the labours and 

 example of the learned Professor of Comparative Anatomy in the Uni- 

 versity of Duljlin, Mr. Macalister. Of these papers it would not be 

 possible to give in an address like the present any clear and concise 

 review ; the only means of acquiidug a true conception of them is to 

 read the papers themselves ; they are not direct and complete proofs 

 of any theorem or hypothesis which can be shortly stated, but are not 

 on that account of the less use or importance, as they are principally 

 careful records of phenomena not before acciu'ately recorded, and as 

 such will form materials for observation and may thus lead to im- 

 port-ant results in future. But one remark I think it right to make 

 before I proceed to another subject, and that is, that it is most encou- 

 raging to fiud two of these papers of considerable importance contri- 

 buted by men who are as yet in siatu impiUari. I allude to the essays 

 by Messrs. Leej)er and Baker, both students of medicine, the former on 

 Eetro-peritoneal Cavities, and the latter upon the Ligamentum muco- 

 sum. These papers reflect great credit on the Medical School of the 

 Dublin University, and give high hopes for the future scientific emi- 

 nence of the authors. 



"We have in the ' ' Proceedings ' ' a most interesting Report n.pon Fossils 

 in the upper old red sandstone in. Kilkenny, by Mr. Bailey. These 

 specimens have a great interest, fi'om the perfect preservation in which 

 they occur, the great size of the fronds, and from the assistance they 

 give by their associated fossil fauna in deteiToining how far fi'esh or 

 sea water was concerned in these countries, or on the continent of 

 Europe, in the production of the old red sandstone. Though this reporf 

 relates piincipally to the fossil plants of the district, there are remains 

 discovered of mollusca, ciaistaceans and fish. Mr. BaUey speaks of 

 three species of fossil ferns from Kiltorcan, Palaeopteris Hibernicus, 

 Sagenaria Bailyana, and Cyclostigma minuta, described by Professor 

 Haughton. There is one mollusc closely resembling the large fresh 

 water mussel. 



In the April ]Srumber of the "Proceedings," Mr. Hardman, of the 

 Geological Suiwey of Ireland, gives an account of deposits of human 

 and other bones long known to have existed in the cave of Dunmore, 

 Countv Uilkennv. 



