I70 [Proc. B. N. F. C, 



The opening meeting of the twentieth Winter Session was 

 held in the Museum, College Square North, on the evening of 

 Tuesday, 21st November — William Gray, Esq., M.R.I. A., in 

 the chair. 



The first communication was a brief address prepared by the 

 vice-president (W. H. Patterson, Esq., M.R.I. A.), who was pre- 

 vented by indisposition from delivering it in person. It was 

 therefore read by the hon. secretary (Mr. F. W. Lockwood). 

 After briefly reviewing the excursions of the season, the vice- 

 president pointed out that, although the club was, first and 

 foremost, an outdoor society, yet that every member should 

 take advantage of the winter meetings to record his observa- 

 tions in the field ; that there was probably not a single member 

 who could not tell some one fact, however trifling, in natural 

 history or archaeology that had come under his own observa- 

 tion better than any other member ; and that if each would 

 do this, however briefly, we might, instead of eight or ten 

 lengthy communications, have ten times that number in the 

 session of short ones, and the example of each would thereby 

 encourage the others, besides placing on record many valuable 

 and interesting facts which would otherwise be lost. 



Mr. F. W. Lockwood then read a paper " On the recent 

 examination of the crannogs at Lough Mourne, near Carrick- 

 fergus." The committee of the club having voted a sum 

 of money for this purpose, the sanction of the Water Com- 

 missioners was sought and cordially given. The council of 

 the Natural History Society having liberated Mr. S. A. Stewart, 

 F.B.S.,Edin., the work was carried out under his direc- 

 tions with great assiduity and care, notwithstanding the very 

 inclement weather, most unusual for the season. Sections 

 were run through the crannogs in several directions, and a 

 trench was attempted round the outside, but the mud was too 

 fluid to permit much to be done. The mode of construction 

 of them was, however, fully revealed, and was explained on a 

 plan and sections of them made by Mr. Lockwood, which have 

 been presented to the museum. The larger group, which con- 



