134 



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



form of traprock. The party entered on the domain of the 

 Giant's Causeway Company close by the famous Wishing Chair. 

 Mr. William Gray, M.R.I. A., treated the party to an able and 

 most interesting lecture on the formation of the basalt of the 

 Causeway. The members now scattered, botanising and geolog- 

 ising as their individual tastes dictated. The botanists were 

 particularly busy, and noted among the scarcer plants the Mossy 

 Saxifrage, Saxifraga hypnoides, and the Swines' Cress, Senebiera 

 didyma, also a rare Sandwort ; the early Purple Orchis, the Wood 

 Violet, and the Seapink, Armeria maritima were plentifully 

 distributed. The season was rather early for the shore-loving 

 plants, however; the Sea Milkwort, Glaux maritima was just 

 coming into flower. A number of sedges were observed, 

 including Carex pallescens and the late blooms of the Marsh 

 Marigold, Caltha palustris. In the absence of trees and 

 woodlands the avi-fauna of the place visited is rather scanty, and 

 only thirty-three species of birds were noted during the day. 



Owing to the dry conditions prevailing collectors in some of 

 the invertebrate groups were handicapped. The amphipod, 

 Orchestia littorea, was noted in profusion above and about high- 

 water mark. Among terrestrial isopods only one specimen each 

 of Ligia oceanica and Oniscus asellus (probably our commonest 

 species) was seen ; a few specimens of Philoscia muscorum were 

 noted, one of them being a beautiful bright canary colour ; but 

 Porcellio scaber was found in considerable numbers. A good 

 collection of spiders of divers species was obtained, and several 

 species of Coleoptera and a few Lepidoptera (none of them being 

 uncommon; were identified. After tea at the hotel, a brief 

 business meeting was held, the Vice-President in the chair. 

 There were no competitors for the President's prize. The Vice- 

 President's prize for the best collection of plants was won by Mr. 

 William Porter with sixty-eight species. The members then 

 made their way to the electric cars, which brought the party back 

 to Portrush in time for the 6.10 train. 



