102 Wright — Recent Fokaminifera of Down and Antrim. 



operations which have been the means of adding considerably to our knowledge 

 of the Foraminifera around our coast. Gatherings have been taken at 29 sta- 

 tions ; 7 of these were from Strangford Lough, and the remainder from Belfast 

 Lough and Channel outside ; 6 were from between tides, the others were from 

 depths varying from 4 to 72 fms., the greatest depths attained being in the 

 vicinity of the Maiden Lighthouses. Strangford Lough was dredged in com- 

 pany with Mr. S. A. Stewart, F.B.S.E.; the others with Mr. Wm. Swanston, 

 F.G.S., to whose hearty co-operation much of the success attending these ex- 

 cursions is due. Already 1 10 species have been found, or about 65 per cent, 

 of our British forms. All of these, with the exception of Lagena striato-punctata, 

 occur in Belfast Lough and waters outside, and 95 in Strangford Lough. 



I have also examined 9 shore gatherings from various places round our 

 N.E. coast; these have been contributed by Mr. Wm. Gray, M.R.I.A. They 

 have been collected with great care from rich foraminiferal sand (see note on 

 table appended). The results of the examination of these gatherings is given 

 in the first nine columns of Table lettered A to I. 



Strangford Lough is a fine landlocked bay, 21 miles long by about 5 to 7 

 miles wide, and connected with the sea by a narrow channel 8 miles long, 

 through which the tides rush in and out furiously. The lough is studded over 

 with innumerable islands and sunken rocks, the depths being very variable, in 

 parts attaining 30 to 35 fms. Its waters abound in marine life, especially star- 

 fishes, the dredges frequently coming up quite choked with them. The Fora- 

 minifera, though not so numerous in species as in Belfast Lough, are usually of 

 finer proportions, more especially the Miliolida, which are unusually large and 

 numerous. At the upper end of the lough the water becomes more or less 

 brackish, as may be inferred from the occurrence of the brackish water forms, 

 Trochammina iiiflata, and macrescens, Quinqiieloculina fusca, and Polystomella 

 striato-punctata, in shore gatherings taken at Greyabbey and Newtownards. 



Belfast Lough being more convenient for operations than Strangford Lough 

 has been better examined ; the water is shallow throughout, but gets gradually 

 deeper as we near its mouth. From White Head on its northern entrance to 

 Orlock Point on its southern side, the greatest depth is 9 to 10 fms., the deepest 

 parts being near the northern shore ; and this continues also to be the case out- 

 side the lough. Three miles off the Gobbins, a bold headland situated three 

 miles N.E. of White Head, the water attains a depth of 60 to 70 fms., and in 

 the vicinity of the Maiden Lighthouses 70 to 100 fms. Here, however, the 

 bottom is rocky, and yields little or no fine material. The tides all round the 

 coast run with great violence. Too much stress cannot be laid on the necessity 



