426 /roc. B.N.F.C., 



In the mud at the bottom of rock pools at Murlough Bay a 

 number of Polychaetae were found, four of which, belonging to 

 the same genus and species, are probably t new to the British 

 fauna, which English authorities refer to as a species of Areni- 

 cola bucci of Rathke. 



Reference was made to the irregular segmentation of a 

 specimen of Cirraiulus cirratus. 



Miss Andrews recorded a few traditions gathered from 

 the peasantry in County iDown and other parts of Ireland. 

 The belief is general that the fairies were at one time very 

 numerous, but have now disappeared from many of their former 

 haunts. They are said to be about the size of children, and 

 according to some the colour of their hair is red. 



Several stories were related of the intercourse of fairies with 

 human beings, and it was mentioned that to cut down a fairy 

 thorn or to injure the house of a fairy is regarded as certain to 

 bring misfortune. The fairies are celebrated as good musicians. 

 They ride on small horses, and the sound of their spinning is 

 is often heard at night in the peasants' cottages. They are 

 said to live in the u coves of the forts" — coves or caves meaning 

 underground passages, in other words souterrains. 



Several souterrains in the neighbourhood of Castlewellan were 

 described, and it was mentioned that the building of the forts 

 and souterrains is ascribed by the country people to the Danes. 

 These Danes were not the mediaeval Norsemen, but may 

 probably be identified with the Tuatha de Danann, whose 

 necromantic power is celebrated in Irish tales. The traditions 

 in regard to Danes and fairies are very similar in different parts 

 of Ireland. The Rev. J. B. Leslie, in speaking ol the south, 

 describes the fairies as a species of beings neither men nor angels 

 nor ghosts. 



The peasants believe the fairies to be fallen angels, and no 

 doubt many of the tales relating to them have their origin in 

 the mythology of a primitive people, but it was suggested that 



