I885-I886.] 425 



microscopically, will form the work of many winter evenings. 

 It is thus that the highly interesting microscopic group — the 

 Foraminifera — to our knowledge of which Mr. Joseph Wright 

 has added so much, is worked out. The evening wearing on, 

 the steamer is headed for Bangor, and on the way another 

 attempt is made with an oyster dredge. It came up, however, 

 with scarce anything in it but a starfish, which proved to be an 

 exceptionally fine specimen of Asterias aurantiaca^ the first 

 example ever seen living by any on board. This species does 

 not seem to have ever been found on our shores by any of that 

 ardent band of naturalists the last of whom have but lately 

 passed away from us, and conspicuous in which might be named 

 Templeton, Drummond, Thompson, Patterson, and Hyndman, 

 all, with many others, enthusiastic dredgers and students of 

 nature. In " Thompson's Natural History of Ireland," one 

 specimen of Asterias is recorded from Newcastle, County Down, 

 and another from Bundoran. It is evidently very scarce on our 

 northern coasts, and the specimen deserves a place in the mu- 

 seum of the Natural History and Philosophical Society. Having 

 landed several of the party at Bangor, the next point of call is 

 Carrickfergus, but, anxious to do as much work as possible in 

 the time, another haul is made off Carnalea. The result being 

 a bag of what might be termed ooze, but of such a consistency 

 and flavour that, there being no one on board enthusiastic 

 enough to examine it critically, it was again committed to the 

 deep. Our Carrickfergus friends and dredges having been 

 landed, the straight course is taken for home, and thus ended 

 the first Field Club day at sea — a day, full of interest and 

 novelty to those taking part for the first time in such work, and 

 of health-giving enjoyment to the few friends who have not yet 

 dipped into Nature's storehouses of wonders. To the naturalists, 

 the results will be looked upon from their various special stand- 

 points. Of large forms of life there was not the abundance 

 some might have expected, while in the smaller and micro- 

 scopic world there is every expectation of good results from the 

 material brought home. Already one of the dredgings, taken 

 five miles S.S.E. of the Maiden Lighthouses, has been partially 



