1873-1874.] 49 



been lost by falling into the hands of ignorant dealers, and 

 through them into the smelting pot. 



Perhaps the most curious antiquity found in the Ulster Cran- 

 nogs is the Ogham Stone, discovered in the long-submerged 

 island in the small lough of Ballydoolough, near Enniskillen. This 

 has been pronounced by Dr. Ferguson to be the most northern 

 example of the class noticed in Ireland. The fact of a monument 

 of this kind being discovered in a Crannog confirms the opinion 

 that these artificial structures are of extreme antiquity. 



An animated discussion took place at the close of the lecture. 

 The speakers referred to numerous examples of Crannogs in An- 

 trim and Down, from which stone, bronze, bone, and other objects 

 have been taken in as large quantities, and in as great variety, as 

 from any of those referred to by Mr. Wakeman. 



The specimens kindly brought by Mr. Wakeman to illustrate 

 his paper having been examined with evident interest, a vote of 

 thanks was accorded to that gentleman for his kindness in coming 

 from Enniskillen to bring the subject before the Club. 



On 15th April, Dr. T. H. Keown, R.N., read a paper, entitled 

 " Notes of the Aurora Borealis, taken at Belfast during the years 

 1870 and 187 1, with suggestions as to the source of the Aurora, 

 and also that of the Earth's Magnetism and Magnetic Currents," 

 of which the following is a summary : — 



Impressed with the frequent appearance of the aurora in disturbed 

 states of the atmosphere, especially after heavy rains and storms, he 

 noted the weather, on the days of its appearance, also the weather 

 of the two preceding and two succeeding days, and was thus led 

 to form an opinion of its connection with the weather in this island. 

 This subsequently led him to seek for the true source- of the 

 aurora, and to see its identity with the earth's magnetism, 

 and thence followed his theory of the connection of magnetic 

 polarity with the currents running south and north. The chief 



D 



