47 2 [P«*. B.N.F.C., 



resembled the colour of the rocks as to be almost indiscernible 

 except to the experienced eye. A short climb along the 

 southern slope of Slieve-na-Glough brought the party to the 

 Diamond Rocks, where the geologists, who were well represented, 

 were entirely in their element. The granite at this place is full 

 of cavities, often several inches in diameter, which by infiltra- 

 tion during the gradual cooling of the molten rock-mass, and by 

 slow crystallisation, have become lined with beautiful crystals of 

 smoky quartz, felspar, mica, and, more rarely, topaz, beryl, and 

 other precious stones. This remote place was now in possession 

 of several quarrymen, who had tramped across the mountains 

 with their tools from Annalong in the early morning to make 

 things ready for the visit of the Field Club, and had by this 

 time a number of holes bored in the hard rock. The secretary's 

 harmless-looking botanical case turned out to be full of blasting 

 powder and fuse, with which the holes were charged, and when 

 the party had retired to a safe distance they were fired off, pro- 

 ducing fine echoes among the surrounding mountains. Sledges 

 and smaller hammers were then brought to bear on the spoil, 

 and a number of excellent specimens of the various minerals 

 were obtained, the brown and black hexagonal pyramids of the 

 quartz crystals being especially admired. A return was then 

 made down the mountain to the Hare's Gap, and the ascent of 

 Slieve Bearnagh — the piece de resistance of the day — commenced. 

 The botanists now came to the front, and announced the dis- 

 covery of a rare and minute orchid, the lesser twayblade {Lister a 

 cordata). The juniper (Juniperus nana) was observed in some 

 quantity, and near the summit of the mountain abundance of 

 the alpine club-moss {Lycopodium alpinum) and its congener, 

 the fir club-moss (L. selago). After a stiff climb the summit of 

 the mountain (2,394 f eet ) was reached, and the whole party, 

 ladies included, scrambled up to the top of the huge masses of 

 weather-worn granite that crown the highest peak, to gaze on 

 the magnificent panorama of mountain, sea, and plain that 

 opened out on every hand. To the westward stretched a sea of 

 mountains, ridge on ridge, to where rose Slieve Gullion in 



