306 [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



A series of dredgings, the result of several most successful ex- 

 peditions to the deep water near the Maiden Lighthouses, and at 

 the entrance to Belfast Lough, was shown by Mr. William 

 Swanston, F.G.S. It included about 60 specimens of Terebratula 

 caput-serpentus, ail brought up by a single haul of the dredge in 70 

 fathoms of water. The collection also contained a number of the 

 rarer Mollusca, Crustacea, Echinodermata, &c. In these dredgings 

 many fine sponges were obtained, which have been sent for 

 identification to Dr. Carter, F.R.S., the best authority on these 

 obscure creatures. It is interesting to learn that one of these 

 has been pronounced new to science, and another is excessively 

 rare, not having been hitherto recorded from our shores. The 

 Foraminifera obtained at the same time, were shown by Mr. Joseph 

 Wright, F.G.S. Many of the forms shown were of the most 

 exquisite beauty. 



Occupying a prominent position in the principal room was a table 

 devoted to the exhibition of a few of the objects presented, through 

 the Club, to the natural history department of the Museum, during 

 the past year. Conspicious amongst these was a cast of a gigantic 

 Ammonite in flint — new to Ireland — from the Antrim Chalk, pre- 

 sented by Mr. Walter Jamieson, of Glenarm. Also a fine series 

 of Graptolites including many which were not previously known as 

 Irish, one of them — a type specimen ( Dimorphograptus Swcmstoni) 

 obtained by the late William Bullock, Esq., and presented by his 

 son. On the same table was a remarkable group of fossil fishes 

 preserved on a slab of limestone from one of the rich fossiliferous 

 localities in the south of England, and presented by Captain 

 Wichelo, R.N., through David Cunningham, Esq. 



Mr. Robert Day, jun., F.S.A., of Cork, sent a fine collection, 

 filling three cases, containing nearly one hundred beads and orna- 

 ments (mostly from the County Antrim) of rock crystal, amber, 

 stone, glass, &c, (with enamel settings of various colours), many 

 of which are of extreme interest and beauty. He also sent an 



