154 



The Irish Naturalist, 



August, 



The members re -united at Selshan Cottage in the evening for an open 

 air tea, and subsequently returned to Lurgan, where they entrained for 

 town. 



July 3. — Scrabo Hill. — Although the weather conditions were very 

 unfavourable about twenty members entrained with the 1.35 p.m. for 

 Newtownards station, whence they walked to the hill. On the way a visit 

 was paid to the well-known nurseries of Messrs. Dickson, where by the 

 courtesy of the firm the members had an opportunity of inspecting many 

 interesting plants. Upon reaching the more immediate object of the 

 excursion the remainder of the afternoon was spent in examining the geo- 

 logical and botanical features of the district. The extensive quarries 

 in Triassic sandstone with their well-known volcanic sills and dykes, 

 afforded specially favourable opportunities for the geological section of 

 the Club, and although no new items of interest were recorded by the bo- 

 tanists the members of this section were also well repaid for their exertions. 

 Upon the return journey a short business meeting was held, Mr. Adam 

 Speers, b.sc, in the chair. Three new members were elected to the Club, 

 after being duly proposed and seconded. 



CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



February 24. — The Club met at University College, Prof. Swain, 

 President, who occupied the chair, gave a short address on " Seismograms, 

 and what they tell us." J. Noonan, who delivered an address on " Field 

 Club Work in Co. Cork," first sketched the attempts made to catalogue 

 the flora and fauna of the county. Botanists who have written on the 

 flora are Dr. Charles Smith in his "History of Cork" (1750), James 

 Drummond, Curator of the Cork Botanic Gardens (1818-20), Dr. Thomas 

 Power (1843) and Rev. T. Allin (1883). Dr. Power's list of plants, and 

 lists of the fauna of the county by Dr. J. R. Harvey and J. D. Humphreys, 

 were presented to the British Association on its visit to Cork in 1843. 

 The papers were published in one volume by the Cork Cuvierian Society in 

 1845. The number of species of flowering plants in the county, has been 

 given by Drummond, Power, and Allin, respectively, as 710, 885, and 694. 

 Mr. Allin regarded many of Dr. Power's records as not being properly 

 authenticated. Reference was made to the chapters on local flora, fauna, 

 and geology, by N. Colgan, R. A. Phillips, A. G. More, R. J. Ussher, 

 and G. H. Kinahan, in Smith's "History of Cork" (Guy's edition). 

 Details of work which might be undertaken by the Club, were given by 

 the lecturer, e.g.^ the compiling of a list of the galls of the county and their 

 inhabitants. It was pointed out that the north of the county offers a 

 field for the naturalist which has been only partially worked. The lecture 

 concluded with an exhibition of lantern slides showing places visited on 

 Club excursions. 



The members then visited the Crawford Observatory. Here Prof. 

 Swain showed and explained the seismograph, and members had an 

 opportunity of viewing the sky under the guidance of H, Lund, 



