1905-1906.1 379 



Various accounts were handed in by the authorities on the 

 different branches of natural history. Although the district is 

 interesting geologically, time did not permit much of an examina- 

 tion. Interesting finds have been made by Mr. Chambre in the 

 gravel in front of Northland House in the shape of quartz 

 pebbles with very thin veins of gold. Unfortunately the 

 original matrix of these pebbles is not known. The ornitholog- 

 ists report that thirty-eight species of birds were observed during 

 the day. The most interesting observation made by them was 

 that of the male widgeon (Mareca penelope) on the lake in 

 Dungannon Park. It would be interesting tO' discover if this 

 bird were breeding here, as the species usually migrates north- 

 wards at a much earlier date, and so' far no authenticated in- 

 stance of its breeding in Ireland has been recorded. 



Owing to the excessively dry, hot weather even the common- 

 est species of land and fresh-water mollusca were absent in 

 many typical habitats. Such ubiquitous species as Helix 

 rotundata and Arion hortensis were not noticed at all, and the 

 day's collecting on what would have been considered good 

 ground, under the conditions resulted in only sixteen species 

 being collected, where over thirty might be expected. Very 

 large specimens of the bubble shell were found in one marsh 

 with some of the coil shells (Planorbis albus and P. contortus). 

 and in the Ranfurly Park lake some nice specimens of the little 

 bivalve (Sphgerium corneum) were found along the margin, as 

 well as some pisidia too yoimg to identify with certainty. 



The entymologists reported the red admiral and orange-tip 

 butterflies, while one member obtained a small but perfect 

 wasp's nest. 



The botanists were also very busy, being stimulated by the 

 offer of a book prize by the President for the best collection of 

 wildflowers. This was won by Miss Ella Boyd, of the Dun- 

 gannon Club, whose vascukim contained eighty species of 

 plants. The best find of the day was Ranunculus trichophyllus, 

 which has only been recorded from County Tyrone on one 

 previous occasion. 



