516 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



the island and largely protected from the sun's rays, has 

 sufficient moisture for a thick growth of scurvy grass and sea 

 campion, and it is at the roots of these that a tree species 

 (Clausilia) has its habitat, and some other species were much 

 more abundant here than elsewhere. The most interesting 

 species on the island are three xerophile or sun-loving species — 

 Helix acuta, H. intersecta, and -ff. virgata. Hitherto two of 

 these only have been found on Rathlin and Great Arran 

 Island, and these are the only island records we have except 

 Achil. The third {Helix intersecta) has not been found on any 

 other Irish island that I am aware of. It has only recently 

 been added tO' the Antrim fauna by Mr. Arthur Stelfox from 

 Bush Bay, where it is very local and rare, though it is 

 abundant in County Derry, at Portstewart, and near Magilligan, 

 We have only one or two Donegal records, and none in 

 County Down, though there are many suitable habitats in the 

 coast sandhills. One of our most interesting finds was Helix 

 acuta, alive, in the wettest part of the marsh, at Raven's Well, 

 high up on the cliffs, an utterly unsuitable habitat in every way, 

 as this species, like all the xerophile group, detests peaty areas, 

 and cannot live on them for any length of time. The shell was 

 likely carried here attached to a bird's foot, or possibly one of 

 the deer may have been the means of transport. This is the 

 first time we have heard of this species living under such con- 

 ditions. It is strictly a maritime species in Great Britain, but 

 in Ireland lives inland on the dry sandy desert of the central 

 plain, though not in the same abundance with which it may be 

 met on the coast sandhills. (Applause.) 



In connection with the visits of the Naturalists tO' Lambay, 

 a large number of photographs of birds, landscapes, &c., were 

 taken by Mr. R. Welch, Mr. G. E. Low, and the Hon. Cecil 

 Baring, and these were on Tuesday evening thrown on the 

 screen by Mr. Hogg, and added considerably to- the interest of 

 the lecture throughout. 



At the close, on the motion of Mr. N. H. Foster, M.B.O.U., 

 seconded by Mr. Arthur Deane, a hearty vote of thanks was 

 passed to Messrs. R. L. Praeger, Robert Patterson, and Robert 

 Welch for their admirable papers. A similar compliment -".v^.s 



