396 [rroc. B.N.F.C, 



no feature of any interest from an architectural point of view. 

 When it was decided to abandon it as a place of worship it was 

 unroofed and dismantled, and the materials re-used in the 

 erection of the middle church, where a great portion of the old 

 oak rooftrees still remain. There is one grave in this yard that, 

 like many others, has no headstone, but is never without its 

 wreath and words of remembrance — and that is the grave of 

 William Harbison, one of the misguided men who' led the 

 Fenian rising. This locality proved a good ground for botan- 

 ists and conchologists, and while they were engaged sufficient 

 time was at the disposal of many who went to explore the site 

 of the old PoTtmore Castle, once the seat of Earl Conway, which 

 lies about one mile north of the church. 



The sandy shores of Lough Neagh and the adjacent 

 marshy lands, extending to Portmore Lough, are famed as the 

 homes of many of the rarer of our native plants. The district 

 is especially rich in the paludal or marsh forms. Drainage 

 and agriculture have caused the disappearance of some of these, 

 but many remain to reward the persevering searcher. Amongst 

 these may be mentioned the greater spearwort, which grows 

 luxuriously by Lough Beg. The water parsnip (Slum latifolium) 

 and the marsh vetchling (Lathyrus palustris) were found at 

 Portmore more than a century since by Dr. Templeton. It is now 

 over half a century since they have been seen there by Dr. 

 David Moore. The frogbit is still tO' be found, and when in 

 bloom is quite an ornament to the drains. The meadow thistle 

 (Carduus pratensis) and the slender-leaved reed mace (Typha 

 angustifolia) occur, and the very rare sedge (Carex stricta) is 

 also to be found. The marsh fern, one of the rarest of Irish 

 ferns, was found plentiful in Portmore Park and Wood by 

 Templeton in years ago. It has not been met with recently, 

 but was looked for carefully (S.A.S.). The margins of Port- 

 more Lough and marshes near at hand are good collecting 

 grounds for mollusca. The rare and local coil shell (Planorbis 

 glaber) is plentiful in the lough. The swan mussel is sometimes 

 abundant, while myriads of valvata and bythinia also occur. 

 A good lookout was kept for large amber shells (Succinea) on 



