1891-92.] 349 



beautiful and extensive. The clouds of the morning had now 

 cleared away, and bright sunshine with a mild balmy wind had 

 succeeded, while a summer haze still hung on the more distant 

 points, and obscured the coasts of Scotland and the Isle of Man. 

 Strangford Lough with its myriad islands and broad lagoon-like 

 surface lay before the eye, the winding estuary of the Quoile 

 stretching to the left, and the long narrow entrance of the lough 

 to the right. Further south stretched the Irish Sea, while to 

 the west and north lay the beautiful and varied surface of County 

 Down, flanked on the one hand by the majestic domes of the 

 Mourne Mountains, and on the other by the distant hill of Scrabo. 

 Descending the hill, the party reunited at the stone circle of 

 Ballyalton. This interesting relic now consists of eight stones 

 on end, forming part of a circle of about forty-three feet diameter, 

 with an avenue of stones thirty-two feet long and four feet wide 

 leading up to it. It is situated on a slight eminence on the farm 

 of Mr. John Clelland, who, it is hoped, will carefully preserve 

 this interesting monument. The bushes of thorn which grow 

 among the upright stones are supposed to be under the special 

 protection of the fairies, whose favourite haunts appear still to 

 be these prehistoric monuments, for a resident informed the 

 party that when some years ago an individual dared to take 

 some cuttings of these fairy thorns, the plates that night danced 

 on the dresser in his kitchen ! 



The next halting-place was on the edge of Lough Money, and 

 a number of members, intent on botanical pursuits, made their 

 way along the picturesque shore of the lake, the waters of which 

 yielded a rich store of aquatic plants, including water-lilies and 

 water-crowfoots, and several species of the interesting crypto- 

 gamic group of the Characece. A short detour was made near 

 the northern end of the lough, for the purpose of visiting a per- 

 fect cromleac which stood in a field of corn close to a bye-road. 

 It consists of a large slab, over 9 feet by 5 feet, resting on two 

 upright and parallel stones of about the same size. This fine 

 monument, as well as the stone circle of Ballyalton, is described 

 and figured in the publications of the Club. 



