1913-1914.) <5y 



which Benevenagh has long been famous among botanists. For 

 further notes on the plants obtained here Mr. Praeger's report 

 {p. 80) should be referred to. The party returned to Bellarena, 

 in time to catch the 4-15 p.m. express for Coleraine, which was 

 kindly stopped here by the courtesy of the Midland Railway Co. 



Several geologists who were with the party spent their day 

 collecting specimens of the various minerals which are particularly 

 ■common in certain flows in the basalt of Benevenagh. 



The second party left Belfast for Portstewart by 9-45 a.m. 

 train, under the leadership of Mr. Welch. After leaving the train 

 the members proceeded on foot to the sand-hills between 

 Portstewart and the River Bann. Here the archaeologists were 

 shown the Neolithic settlements, usually known as kitchen-middens, 

 which lie in the bottom of a large valley probably eroded by wind 

 action in the dunes. Three separate "black bands" or settlement 

 zones were noted in one section in which the usual food-shells, 

 bones, &c, were observed. The conchologists found large 

 numbers of "shell-pockets" of small Land-shells, mostly weathered 

 out of pre-Neolithic deposits, which are found at the base of some 

 of the older dunes resting directly on the storm ridges of the 

 raised-beach platforms. The geologists found the latter feature 

 well exposed in several places. 



After tea the party returned to Portstewart, joining the train 

 by which the Benevenagh party travelled from Coleraine. A 

 special tram awaited the combined party at Portrush and con- 

 veyed them to their headquarters at the Giant's Causeway Hotel. 

 After dinner the following short address, illustrated by lantern 

 slides, was delivered by Mr. R. LI. Praeger : — 



PROBLEMS OF THE IRISH FLORA. 



Mr. Praeger said — On the last occasion when he had the 

 pleasure of addressing a scientific audience outside of a lecture- 

 room, they were sitting in a little dell at Mallaranny among clumps 

 of the Mediterranean Heath. To-day, on the other hand, they had 



