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



sentative of the Field Club at the forthcoming meeting of the 

 British Association at Swansea, a visit was paid to the ruins of 

 Newtownards old church. The carvings of the entrance door- 

 way under the ivy-clad tower, built by Sir Hugh Montgomery 

 in the reign of James I., with its quaint texts, taken from the 

 old translation (Henry VIII.'s) of the Bible, were examined. A 

 few brief notes on the church and monuments, were read by the 

 Rev. James O'Laverty, P.P., author of the "Ecclesiastical Re- 

 mains of the County Down," and the company then divided, 

 part going to visit some old gateways in the wall of the Castle 

 gardens, now occupied by George Walker, Esq., which are 

 supposed to form the original gateways of the gardens, formed 

 here by Sir R. Colville in the seventeenth century. The other 

 section of the party paid a visit to the garden of C. C. Russell, 

 Esq., where the most improved method of keeping bees was to 

 be seen in full operation. 



The evening came out bright and warm, and the drive back 

 to Belfast concluded an excursion of which the mingled enjoy- 

 ment and instruction, despite a few drawbacks, will long remain 

 in the memories of those who took part in it. 



On loth to 14th August, 



SOUTH DONEGAL. 



The fifth field meeting for the season was an extended ex- 

 cursion to County Donegal. Assembling at the Great Northern 

 terminus, a saloon carriage was found in readiness to convey 

 the party of twenty members and their friends to Stranorlar, 

 the furthest point accessible by rail, where, after a short halt for 

 refreshments, all were comfortably seated on cars, and a start 

 was made for Donegal. The road at first passed through a dis- 

 trict fairly cultivated, but as the party approached Barnesmore 

 Gap — a wild mountain pass — it assumed a bleak and desolate 

 character. The pass is at an elevation of above 300 feet, and is 



