I36 [Proc. B. N. F. C, 



members left the brilliantly-lighted tables, surfeited with the 

 wealth and variety of the wonderful lesser world that the 

 microscope reveals. 



A beautiful set of photographs of sea-birds and their nests 

 and haunts, the work of Mr. Green, of Berwick-on-Tweed, 

 hung on the walls of the room, was the subject of much 

 admiration ; they were exhibited by Mr. R. Welch. A photo- 

 graph of a number of Pallas' Sand-grouse was exhibited by 

 Mr. John Hamilton. The election of several new members 

 brought a pleasant and highly instructive evening to a close. 



The fifth meeting of the session was held on 26th March, 

 with Mr. Hugh Robinson, M.R.I.A. (President), in the chair, 

 when a lecture was delivered by Mr. William Gray, M.R.I.A., 

 entitled " Vestiges of Early Man in Antrim and Down." 

 After an apology from the lecturer for scanty preparation of 

 the subject, owing to the urgency of professional duties, he said 

 he should treat the subject broadly, without reference to dates 

 or figures, more particularly as much of it being previous to 

 written historical records, it would have to be dealt with by 

 means of comparison and analogy. It would not be necessary 

 to go into Darwinian theories as to whether or no early man 

 was a development from an ape-like progenitor. It would 

 be sufficient to say that there was now a very general agree- 

 ment between all scientific authorities, that man dated back 

 from a very much earlier period than was at one time held 

 to be the case, and that, whilst some held that he was, though 

 of great antiquity, yet still only post-glacial in origin, others 

 placed him further back, and ascribed to him an inter-glacial, 

 or even a pre-glacial existence. Before going further, the 

 lecturer then went on at some length into an astronomical 

 and geological explanation of the glacial epoch, and illustrated 

 his remarks by a series of beautiful limelight views of various 

 glacial phenomena, such as scenes from the Alps, of glaciers, 

 snow fields, moraines, polished rock surfaces, and boulders, as 



