80 [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



Tea awaited the party at Knockninny Hotel, charmingly 

 situated near the shores of the Lough. Entertainment of 

 another kind was also provided, for we found that a water 

 polo match had been arranged to take place at Knockninny 

 Pier just before the steamer cast off. 



A two hours' run through charming scenery, past old 

 castles and monasteries, allowed us to admire such finely- 

 wooded demesnes as Bellisle, or to talk ancient history 

 and literature, for it was at Bellisle that Cathal Maguire com- 

 piled in the fourteenth century one of our most valued his- 

 torical records, " The Annals of Ulster." Lisgoole, the home 

 of the " Children of the Abbey," was next passed. Lisgoole 

 was formerly a monastery of some note. It is mentioned by 

 the Four Masters as Lisgabhail (the fort of the fork). At 

 present a picturesque, semi-castellated residence occupies the 

 site of the old Abbey. 



Arriving at Enniskillen, the party proceeded to their 

 headquarters, the Royal Hotel. Owing to the numbers on 

 the excursion a section had to be accommodated at the Im- 

 perial Hotel. 



Owing to the inclement weather on the morning of the 

 second day, it was decided to postpone the hour of starting 

 announced in the programme. The interval, however, 

 allowed the members to visit the public park, and those who 

 braved the elements were well rewarded. The park is cer- 

 tainly one of the show places of Enniskillen district, and 

 reflects the greatest credit on the landscape gardener who had 

 charge of the laying out of the grounds and selecting the 

 various plants which are here found in luxuriance. Wild 

 flowers as well as garden flowers and shrubs are well repre- 

 sented. The fernery seems to be modelled after nature, the 

 blocks of limestone carefully selected and put together, so that 

 the place looks entirely natural. Growing among the rocks we 

 found many varieties of ferns, common Polypodtum side by 

 side with Pteris aquilina, Lastrea and Athyrium. In the 

 shelter of the old bastions we found varieties of Gunnera in 



