312 [Proc. B.N.F.C. 



be guarded by two mighty fortresses — one on either hand. 

 These are the terminations of two ranges of mountains that 

 wind away back from them. They possess what all moun- 

 tains possess — a strange fascinating power, a strong attrac- 

 tion, that makes the eye wander constantly to them, rivetting 

 the attention with their mighty magnitude and captivating 

 one with the spell of their enchanted regions. 



We are now in the great Carboniferous limestone dis- 

 trict, and where one meets limestone one is sure to meet the ' 

 marvellous in nature. Limestone is formed in water, and 

 by water is transformed again. Its soluble nature renders 

 it an easy material for the action of water to destroy or 

 reconstruct. Geikie says that when a drop of rain falls it 

 immediately commences its ai^pointed geological task, and the 

 multitude of drops, in an inconceivably vast multitude of 

 ages, has worked gigantic transformations, and this action 

 is still in operation, and will go on, slowly it may be but 

 still surely, till the earth is divested of her verdure and her 

 beauty, and like her satellite becomes decrepid, cold, and 

 silent. However, she is now in the fullness of her life- 

 bearing pleasure-giving age, and between these two great 

 mountain ranges, these grand old works of God, she gives us 

 the silvery placid waters of Glencar. Driving into the valley 

 and skirting along the north shore of the lake, at the base of 

 an almost perpendicular line of lofty cliifs rising to an alti- 

 tude of over one thousand feet, .we reach our rendezvous for 

 the day in a small cove by the lake shore; we all dismount, 

 and leaving our heavier wraps, etc., make for the waterfall 

 of Glencar. The resulting action of the water on the lime- 

 stone here is very noticeable in the cirque which it has cut. 

 Falling water is always very attractive, and this was no ex- 

 ception, and immediately the cameras were in constant work 

 on it. Our party now divided, and set to work till lunch 

 time, many going out on the waters of the lough in a boat 

 for aquatic flora and fauna. 



Early in the day we were joined by the Rev. Joseph 

 Meehan, C.C., of Drumkeeran. This gentleman is a member 



