1903-1904.] 217 



amongst the peat in Mr. M'Groggan's peat farm Mr. Bell 

 discovered a peculiar black layer of the consistency of stiff 

 jelly. Further investigations showed that this material 

 occurred in situ at a depth of seven feet below the surface. 

 It was about three inches in thickness, thinning out irregu- 

 larly to the adjoining peat. The substance is like a velvety 

 black jelly, and breaks with the conchoidal fracture peculiar 

 to amorphous substances. As it was unknown to local geolo- 

 gists, samples were sent to Mr. Moss, F.I.C., of Dublin, who 

 made an analysis of it, and determined it to be Dopplerite, a 

 substance hitherto unrecorded in Great Britain, though found 

 in Switzerland and Germany. The discovery seemed of such 

 interest that it was the subject of a paper read before the 

 Royal Dublin Society. 



Mr. W. Gray spoke of Mr. Bell's attainments in geological 

 research, and complimented him on being the first to discover 

 Dopplerite in the British Islands, and also referred the mem- 

 bers to an article by Mr. Moss, which appeared in the Irish 

 Naturalist (August, 1903). Mr. R. Welch mentioned that 

 on his showing a specimen of this mineral to Mr. A. Stelfox, 

 that gentleman said he had observed the same in a bog some- 

 where in the West of Ireland, but was unable to recollect 

 the precise locality. Mr. May also spoke to the paper. 

 Messrs. William Keatley and H. M. Robb having been elected 

 members, the very successful meeting was brought to a 

 conclusion. 



" PLANT ASSOCIATIONS." 



The fourth meeting of the Winter Session was held on 

 16th February, in the Museum, College Square North, when 

 Mr. R. Lloyd Praeger, B.A., B.E., M.R.I.A., delivered a 

 most interesting lecture on " Plant Associations, with Special 

 Reference to the Vegetation of Ireland." In the unavoid- 

 able absence of the President, the chair was taken by Pro- 

 fessor Gregg Wilson, M.A., D.Sc, M.R.I.A., and there was a 

 large attendance of members and friends. 



