i 7 8 



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



of their value as records of climatic oscillation. Referring first to 

 the widely-spread peat bogs of Ireland the lecturer outlined several 

 points, in which a definiteadvance had recentlybeen made, leading up 

 to a better understanding of the story preserved in these deposits. 

 He then proceeded to give an account of De Geer's famous 

 estimate of post-Glacial time, effected by counting the yearly 

 lamina in the late Glacial and post-Glacial sediments of Sweden. 

 An explanation of the modern theory of eskers was then given, and 

 their intimate connection with the laminated clays pointed out. 

 Some remarkable instances of minor periodicity in glacier retreat 

 in Co. Kerry were then described, and an attempt made to show 

 that this periodicity was comparable to that deduced by Bruckner 

 from the climate and harvest records of Europe. A comparison 

 was also made with the very remarkable periodicity exhibited by 

 the annual growth of the big trees in the semi-arid regions of 

 America and the Pacific coast. 



The lecture was illustrated by lantern slides and gave rise to 

 an interesting discussion in which the President, Dr. Charlesworth, 

 Messrs. W. A. Traill, A. W. Stelfox, S. A. Bennett, R. J. Welch 

 and W. J. C. Tomlinson took part. 



"mycetozoa." 



"notes on the sedums or stonecrops." 



" plants of the lough neagh basin." 



The President, Mr. R. LI. Praeger, presided at the fifth 

 Winter meeting in the Museum on 23rd March, when three short 

 papers were read. The first was by Miss M. W. Rea, who said 

 that this peculiar group of organisms was claimed by Zoologists 

 who called them Mycetozoa, and also by botanists who named 

 them Myxomycetes. The fact was that at one period of their 

 existence they showed animal and at another period vegetable 

 affinities. The paper was illustrated by numerous mounted 

 specimens, and under the microscope Miss Rea exhibited slides 



