1903-1904.] 179 



ruins have been carefully preservea by Mr. Bruce, and their 

 ivy-mantled walls were inspected with much interest. It was 

 certainly a position of immense natural strength. 



Lunch was partaken of within the castle, and then various 

 collections were made in all departments of botany and 

 zoology. But the geologists of the party were particularly 

 happy, as the limestone quarries of Benburb are celebrated for 

 the wealth of fossils they contain, and hammer and chisel 

 were soon at work. Among the fossils collected were 

 Productus giganteus, Productus seniireticidata, Fenestrella 

 antiqua, Lithostrotion hasaltiformis, Lithostrotion junceum, 

 Cyathojihyllum fungites, with stems of Encrinites, whicn 

 are most abundant in the carboniferous limestone of this dis- 

 trict. Good collections of fresh-water shells and isopods, cave 

 spiders, &c., were made, and the prizes brought home for 

 examination. The ornithologists noted twenty-two species of 

 birds during the day. The President having photographed 

 the party at the old castle, and also at the sundial, the brakes 

 were again mounted, and the return journey was begun, with 

 much regret that time would not permit a closer acquaintance 

 with the many beauties and attractions of Benburb. The road 

 taken was a different one from the morning route, and led us 

 through the decaying village of Blackwatertown, on the north 

 bank of the river, and by prosperous farms, wich well-stocked 

 orchards. Armagh was reached about four o'clock. Here 

 most of the party visited the Roman Catholic Cathedral, 

 where, by the kindness of the Rev. Michael Quinn, Adm., 

 everything of interest was shown to us. The interior of the 

 building is now in the hands of Italian decorators, who are 

 engaged in covering the whole of the inside walls witn 

 beautiful and costly mosaic, and erecting carved screens of 

 the purest white marble. About £34,000 is being spent upon 

 the inside decorations, so that when completed this Cathedral 

 v.-ill be one of the most beautiful in Ireland. 



We were also shown the magnificent robes worn by the 

 Archbishop and Bishops at the different services, the beauti- 

 ful hand-worked embroiderv being examined with interest 



