270 l±TOC. iS.JN.f.L., 



was won by Mr. Robert Welch, M.R.I. A., and the Vice-President's 

 prize for the best collection of plants was won by Miss Rea, who 

 handed in 114 species. 



BALLYMENA. 



The Geological Section visited the Ballymena district on 21st 

 August. The objects of the visit were to make an examination of 

 some of the glacial deposits of the Braid Valley and of the 

 exposures of rhyolite, which occur in the neighbourhood. The 

 members travelled to Ballymena by the 12-25 P- m - tram ar, d on 

 arrival there drove to Drumfane, two miles to the north-eastward. 

 Here some time was spent in the examination of the fine section 

 of esker-like sands and gravels exposed in Mr. Clyde's sand-pits. 

 Leaving these the drive was continued to Cloughwater, where what 

 is apparently an old volcanic neck of rhyolite emerges as a whitish 

 mass in the middle of a peat bog. From Cloughwater a return 

 was made by the Broughshane Road to Ballycloughan, where 

 another rhyolitic outcrop exists. Formerly the rhyolite was 

 extensively quarried here for building purposes, but lor many 

 years past no quarrying operations have taken place. The rock- 

 surfaces of the section are consequently quite obscured by vege- 

 tation, and after a momentary halt the drive was continued south- 

 ward to Broughshane, and the magnificent section of the esker 

 deposits on the north side of the Ballygarvey Road visited. These 

 deposits have for a considerable period been turned to economic 

 account, as they prove an excellent source of sand and gravel for 

 all the requirements of the neighbourhood. The stratification of 

 the material both here and at Drumfane, and the delightful examples 

 of current-bedding, are as clearly defined as in the most idealistic 

 text-book diagrams. Rounded and water-worn stones atid pebbles 

 are very conspicuous in these accumulations. At both places it 

 was clearly evident that the deposits were mainly derived from 

 rocks of the district. Out of one hundred pebbles selected almost 



