86 



The Irish Nahiralist, 



April, 



Hill, Subsequent searches proved the existence of similar manu- 

 factories at Crow Glen and above Wolf hill. The President congratulated 

 Mr. Bell on his paper, and W. Gray, M.R.I. A. ; R. Welch, M.R.I.A.; C. 

 M. Cunningham, I^.D.S- ; and W. J. C. Tomlinson took part in the dis- 

 cussion which followed. 



J. Strachan followed with a paper on " The Origin and Growth of 

 Agate and Chalcedony." He dealt fully with the distribution, characters, 

 and history of these well-known miuerals. The paper was discussed by 

 W. Gray and R. Welch. Three new members were elected. 



Fkbruary 22. — R. BEIvI/ read a paper entitled " Sharks' Teeth from 

 local Cretaceous Formations," in which he said that the specific deter- 

 mination of the detached teeth of sharks presents great difficulties owing 

 to the great variation in form and proportions in different parts of the 

 mouth, and to the similarity of dentition in well defined species. The 

 paper was illustrated by means of a large series of local Cretaceous 

 fossils. 



March i.— G. B. REiI/I/Y read a paper entitled " The Carrickfergus 

 Salt Beds." He said that the existence of salt in this district was 

 unknown till the year 1845, when the Marquis of Downshire found the 

 deposits of salt at a depth of 550 feet. The workings of the salt mines 

 were described, and photographs of the workings and specimens of rock 

 salt and the marls in which it occurs were exhibited. 



March 8.— Professor Gregg W11.SON, D.Sc, M.R.I.A., delivered 

 an interesting and instructive lecture on ** Deep Sea Life." Dr. Wilson 

 said that a very large part of the sea is deep, the great ocean basins 

 varying from about two miles in depth to the extreme limit of five and 

 a half miles. Recent investigations, aided by improved apparatus, had 

 largely added to our knowledge. Animals living at such depths were 

 modified to withstand the great pressure, uniform cold, and total dark- 

 ness. 



March 15. — N. H. Foster, M.B.O.U., gave a demonstration on 

 "The Fggs of Irish Breeding Birds," stating that the Irish bird list con- 

 tained 290 species, of which 135 species breed or have bred in Ireland 

 within the past century. Attention was then directed to the increase and 

 decrease of some of our birds. Examples of the eggs of all the Irish 

 breeding species of birds were exhibited, and the variations in form and 

 colour of the eggs, and the peculiarities in the habits of nidification, 

 were described. 



TYBONE FIELD CLUB. 



As we go to press we hear with much pleasure that another Irish 

 Field Club has been started, at Dungannon. We wish the new Club 

 every success, and hope that the work of its members may occupy mucU 

 space in our pages during the near future. 



