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



Many of the ancient buildings in the neighbourhood have 

 derived part of their material from these beds, notably Holywood 

 old church and Carrickfergus Church and Castle. Passing along 

 the beach, the Carboniferous beds may again be seen in some- 

 what regular order, their outcrop parallel with the shore line. 

 Basaltic dykes are very numerous, and their effects on the 

 sandstones and marls through which they cut was pointed out. 

 Boring mollusca find a suitable habitat in the soft sandstones 

 and shales of this part of the shore. Three species of Pholas were 

 observed, including the rather rare one, P. crispata. Several 

 specimens were, after considerable labour in excavating them, 

 secured for examination. 



After a stretch of sand and shingle, we reach an entirely 

 different character of rock formation, which must, however, be 

 familiar to every visitor to the County Down coast ; they are 

 the slates and grits of Silurian age. It is noticeable where they 

 are sufficiently continuous in their character that they dip at 

 high angles, and in an entirely different direction to the carbon- 

 iferous beds which recline upon them. Near Craig Owen a 

 series of highly-contorted black shales are exposed. These are 

 known as graptolitic shales, from the profusion in which these 

 curious organisms occur in certain of their zones. They are 

 not, however, here fossiliferous. The black appearance which 

 they represent was stated by one of the members who had 

 analysed them to be due to the large percentage of iron which 

 they contain. While geology and zoology claimed the attention 

 of most of the members, archaeology was not neglected. The 

 vice-president of the Club, Canon Grainger, D.D., M.R.I.A., 

 ever on the alert in this department, was giving a good deal of 

 attention to the surface gravels exposed along the banks, and 

 was rewarded by many of the rude flints known as flakes and 

 cores, for which this place is noted. A short halt is made at 

 the sheltered little pier at Rockport, where the business meeting 

 of the day is held — the President, Mr. W.H. Patterson, M.R.I. A., 

 presiding — at which nine members were elected. After the 

 conclusion of the business, the Secretary announced that Mr. 



