414 [ Proc - B.N.F.C., 



that this could not be sustained. The gravels yielded a 

 somewhat extensive fauna of marine shells, which had been 

 investigated by a number of geologists, chiefly members of the 

 Field Club. This fauna was of a more rigidly Arctic character 

 than that of any other post-tertiary deposit in Ireland, and 

 yielded a larger number of species which are characteristic of 

 high northern seas than even the Boulder Clay itself, 35 per 

 cent, of the shells of the gravels being species which are not 

 now to be found in Britain, but inhabit the Arctic and sub- 

 Arctic Seas. By no stretch of imagination could a deposit 

 which contained such a fauna be called inter-glacial, which 

 term implied a cessation, temporary at least, of Glacial 

 conditions. After some remarks on the flint specimens which 

 Mr. Knowles had brought to illustrate his paper, Mr. Praeger 

 said the gravels were well worth further investigation, and he 

 heartily backed up Mr. Knowles's suggestion that the Club 

 should undertake researches in this direction. Even if no 

 result as regards the existence of man could be arrived at, 

 the extension of our knowledge of the fauna of this interesting 

 bed would alone be a sufficient plea for a systematic examination. 



On the motion of the President, the meeting sent forward 

 a recommendation to the Committee that a further search 

 should be organised, and that members should be afforded an 

 opportunity during the coming summer of examining that 

 important deposit. 



Mr. Knowles having replied to the points raised by the 

 various speakers, 



Mr. Francis Joseph Bigger, junior secretary, next exhibited 

 and described a curious and ancient jar. He said that the 

 curious vessel or amphora now exhibited was lately brought to 

 Belfast by his friend Mr. James Young, of the steamship Horn 

 Head, having been purchased by him for a few dollars from 

 sponge divers who were carrying on their operations in the Bay 

 of Ekanjik, about forty miles from the Island of Rhodes, in Asia 

 Minor. The sponge diving was being performed by the divers 

 at distance of about three miles from the shore, in the centre 



