Burial Customs of Ancient Ireland. 53 



examples were shown. These included some, shown for the 

 first time, which had been brought under the notice of archae- 

 ologists by Mr. Milligan. Our modern sepulchral monuments 

 are copies of the Pagan tombs on a small scale. The flat cover- 

 ing stone, supported by four uprights, is a cromlech. The 

 headstone is copied from the ancient Dalian, or pillar stone, the 

 Ogham inscription being replaced by one more intelligible to 

 the people of to-day. The enclosed cist is a copy of the more 

 ancient kistvaen. Even the cross is not a modern emblem, as it 

 was known in Pagan times, in both the Old World and the New. 

 Small incised crosses as monuments of the dead were shown, 

 as well as the beautifully-carved flags which covered the tombs 

 of the Mac Swyne of Banagh, and the Mac Swyne of Doe. 

 The Caione, or funeral chorus of the dead, was referred to, and 

 the ceremonies attending it, both in ancient and modern times, 

 were described. Several translations from the Irish of these 

 death-songs were read, showing deep pathos and a true poetic 

 spirit. Wakes and funerals are still largely attended in country 

 districts, but they differ considerably from those described by 

 Carleton. We hope the change is in the right direction, and 

 that it will tend to the welfare and social improvement of the 

 people. We may study the bent and genius of our race through 

 her ancient monuments, her works of art, and her code of laws. 

 We look back at the various phases of a past civilisation as em- 

 bodied in these memorials with some degree of pride, and to 

 the future with a hope that brighter days are in store for our 

 country than any experienced in the past. 



A fine collection of nests and eggs of marine birds, photo- 

 graphed by Mr. Green, of Berwick-on-Tweed, was shown. 



