302 Anniversary Address. 



Tate, secretary ; Drs. Charles Douglas, R. Clay, Messrs. Geo, 

 Bailes, Charles Rea, Wm. B. Boyd, Middleton Dand, Ed 

 mund Friar, Robert Douglas, Ed, Allen, Charles Anderson, 

 Henry R, Hardie, A. H. Borthwick, J. Collingwood Bruce, 

 L.L.D., F. J. W. Collingwood, Watson Askew, Purvis,'^Robt. 

 Middlemas, Revs. Thomas Leishman, H. M. Carr, J. W. 

 Dunn, Wm. Darnell, and as visitors Messrs. Ralph Tate, 

 F.G.S., of London ; Rev. Dr. Dakins, Messrs. H. Hunter, 

 Geo. Allen, and Wilson. 



Some years having elapsed since the club had met in the 

 Island, the numerous objects of interest were new to many 

 members and eagerly revisited by others. The ruins of the 

 priory, the restored church of St. Mary, the remains of ancient 

 Saxon crosses, all demanded their share of attention from the 

 archaeological members, whilst those more devoted to natural 

 history strolled along the bay to the castle, thence following 

 the line of railway to the lough and across the Bents to the 

 coves. Here a melancholy sight was presented to view ; the 

 utilitarian aggressor had ruthlessly destroyed the magnificent 

 caverns of mountain limestone which were an object of in- 

 terest and beauty to all visitors, and afforded shelter to Phocm 

 and innumerable marine plants and Crustacece. The rocks 

 having been conveyed piecemeal by rail are burnt in kilns 

 constructed close to the castle rock, and thence to a jetty 

 where they are shipped for agricultural and other purposes. 

 Here, however, the geologist lingered to extract from the 

 limestone strata and metamorphosed shales the fossils with 

 which they abounded. Two parties proceeded by the sea 

 shore and through the bents in the direction of the snook, 

 and both were rewar''ed by discovery of rare plants; one, 

 Carex incurva, new to the district, and it is believed to the 

 flora of England, although abundantly found on our northern 

 Scottish seacoast, and the other Mertensia maritima, grow- 

 ing on the northern shore above high tide mark in great 

 beauty and profusion. The latter plant, I understand, had 

 been previously found in the west bay by Mr. Embleton, but 

 had not been chronicled. Other rare plants such as Alisma 



