1910-1911.] 4Q5 



Summer. Miss Blackwood had a fine exhibit of plants collected 

 by her in Brittany. 



EXCURSION TO ST. JOHN'S POINT. 



On 27th December thirteen working members enjoyed a 

 pleasant day at Ivillough and St. John's Point, Co. Down. The 

 Geologists examined the interesting rocky coast, whilst the 

 Botanists observed the following rarer plants in their winter 

 garb : — Crithmum maritimum, Artemisia maritima, Beta maritima, 

 Atriplex portulacoides, and Asplenium marinum, the latter in a 

 hitherto unrecorded habitat. The Ornithologists reported noting 

 $1 species of birds, the most interesting of their observations 

 being that of a flock of Turnstones, Hamatopus ostralegus, 

 following the plough in company with Lapwings and Gulls. A 

 specimen of one of the rarer Woodlice, Trichoniscoides albidus, 

 was taken, this being the second County Down record for this 

 species. A fair list of Land-shells was made. Many of the 

 HyalinicB, Hygromia hispida and Vitrina pellucida were common 

 and active, and Helix nemoralis and H. aspersa were abundant in 

 their Winter quarters. Time did not permit a visit to the marsh 

 near Killough Station where Planorbis carinatus, Sphaerium 

 lacustre and Paludestrina ventrosa may be collected. The last 

 mentioned species lives in the brackish waters of the lake and is 

 the most recent addition to the molluscan fauna of Down. One 

 member reported the abnormal abundance of two slugs — Mi/ax 

 soiverbyi and M. gagates at Downpatrick. 



THE PEOPLE OF THE DAWN. 

 On 20th December, at the second meeting of the Winter 

 Session held in the Museum, a paper was read by Mr. W. A. 

 Green, F.R.S.A. (Ireland), on "The People of the Dawn," with 

 special reference to B.N.F.C. investigations in the North of 

 Ireland. The President, Mr. R. J. Welch, M.R.I. A., occupied 

 the chair. 



