286 [Proc. B.N.F.C. 



stem and Calvary, and also the shears. As to how the slabs 

 came here, the Rev. James O'Laverty states (Hist. Ac. Down 

 and Connor, Vol. II., p. 141, 1880) that the one at Mrs. 

 Kennedy's was brought here from Killarn some fifty years ago. 

 The slabs at Mr. Ferguson's (Nos. 2 and 3) came to light, the 

 reader was informed by Mr. Ferguson, jun., some six or eight 

 years ago, when some old farm buildings were taken down at a 

 short distance from the present house. In Mr. Munce's farm, 

 in the townland of Killarn, and in a field called the " chapel 

 field," close to where these slabs are now, there was an ancient 

 church, and it is probable that these slabs were taken from the 

 cemetery surrounding this church, to be used as hearth stones, 

 or for some other domestic purpose. About a mile distant from 

 this place stood the ancient church of Ballyoran, in a place now 

 called the " chapel field," in Rockfield demesne. This church, 

 under the name of Wauerantone, was valued in the Pope 

 Nicholas taxation at six marks. An inquisition in the year 

 1334 found that William de Burgo possessed these lands. This, 

 then, brings the Anglo-Normans into the district at the same 

 period when these grave slabs were formed, and it is very 

 probable that these monuments were those of members of De 

 Burgo's family, or of some of his warlike retainers, whom he 

 planted on these lands to maintain them for him. Therefore 

 probably No. 1 is the monument of a knight, No. 2 of a lady, 

 and No. 3 that of a little girl. 



It may be observed that when the slab at Mrs. Kennedy's was 

 examined by the Rev. J. O'Laverty some years prior to the 

 publication of his work, it was in a much more perfect condition 

 than it is at present ; he describes it as having a floriated cross, 

 and a rubbing, which is preserved, shows the cross and sword. 



Mr. Joseph Wright, F.G.S., drew attention to a series of 

 diagrams illustrating the shells of a most interesting section of 

 the microscopic order of the Foraminifera. In this section the 

 animals built up their tiny and exquisite shells of the spicules of 

 sponges. In most of the species these spicules are of irregular 

 size, and often fragmentary, but in one species, of which a 



