294 



[Proc. B.N.F.C. 



implements such as " celts " was brought to a high pitch of 

 perfection. Mr. Deane urged that again early man did not go on 

 the lines of least resistance, but had the mind of an artist, and 

 followed art for art's sake. An animated discussion followed in 

 which Professor Yapp, Dr. Charlesworth, Mr. A. M'l. Cleland, and 

 Mr. A. Milligan took part and Mr. Deane replied to the various 

 questions raised. 



"the mourne mountains." 



The third meeting of the Winter session was held in the 

 Museum, College Square North, on 16th January, when Mr. Nevin 

 H. Foster, F.L.S., M.R.I. A., read a paper on "The Mourne 

 Mountains." The chair was occupied by the President, Major 

 A. R. Dwerryhouse, who received a warm welcome on the occasion 

 of his visit from the front. 



Mr. Foster said that the Mourne Mountains formed the most 

 elevated land in Ulster, and covered an elliptical area of about 14x7 

 miles. They were in the main composed of a tough grey granite, but 

 in several of the peaks the old Silurian rock had been lifted with 

 the outflow and now capped the underlying granite. It is believed 

 that this intrusion of granite occurred about the same period that 

 almost all of Co. Antrim, with the eastern portions of Tyrone and 

 Derry, were buried by a volcanic outburst or outbursts of lava, which 

 we see to-day as basalt and some other kindred rocks in these 

 localities. He pointed out that this granite intrusion did not 

 leave the Mourne Mountains as we see them today, for since that 

 time many physical forces, particularly those emanating from the 

 Glacial Period or Periods and the subsequent return of a milder 

 climate, had been at work to mould and carve the district into its 

 present condition. Many evidences of glacial phenomena were 

 observable in the district. In several places stria — grooves on the 

 rock surface — showed where the glaciers had flowed over the 

 bed-rock, whilst perched blocks, such as Cloughmore, above Ros- 

 trevor, attested the carrying power of ice. Moraines, the inevitable 





