] 28 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
dearth of algas was on the east coast, in comparison with the west or south-west. 
Zealous local investigators, like what had been shown this evening, would still add 
much to the list. Mr. Andrews then enumerated many rare specimens that he had 
obtained on the west coast, which were, at present, completely local there. He 
had collected very large specimens of'Taonia atomaria, which he had given, with 
many others, to his friend, Dr. Harvey—the Taonia unfortunately, too late for 
insertion in his valuable work. Taonia is by no means uncommon as a southern 
plant. Polysiphonia violacea is abundantly met at Ferriter’s Cove, county Kerry, 
and specimens of Dasya ocellata are found there. Conferva rectangularis was found 
in quantities in Killarney Bay, in the Great Arran Island, and which plant was 
previously discovered in great abundance on the coast of Connemara, by the inde¬ 
fatigable investigator,, the late William M‘Calla. Mr. Andrews also mentioned 
that some years since he had obtained Microcladia glandulosa, thrown ashore in 
the neighbourhood of Dalkey. It was singular, yet true, that seasons much 
affected the appearance and disappearance of aquatic plants among the algae and 
confervae. In noticing such, in his correspondence with Mr. John Iialfs, of 
Penzance, author of the u British Desmidise,’’ and whose communications were 
always most pleasing, he observes— u I have watched for the last three years many 
stations of Mongeotia caerulescens, Zygnema curvatum, various species of 
Desmidise and Vesiculiferae, and have never found the same species two years in 
the same pool, nor, indeed, have I seen any of the above plants I found a few years 
since in the same water. This should teach us to gather a good supply of specimens 
when we have an opportunity, lest we should not meet with them again.” 
JUNE 15, 1855. 
Gilbert Sanders, Esq., M.R.I.A., in the Chair. 
After the preliminary business, the Secretary said that the donations that had 
been received would not be submitted until the next meeting of the members, as 
the rooms were undergoing some improvements, and other arrangements com¬ 
pleting. 
The Chairman then called for the paper, by the Right Hon. John Wynne, 
ON THE EFFECTS OF THE SEVERE FROST ON PLANTS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD 
OF SLIGO. 
Mr. Andrews said that he had received a communication from Mr. Wynne, who 
was unable to attend. Mr. Wynne had forwarded a brief outline of his observa¬ 
tions, and mentioned that his avocations left him but little time for natural history. 
Mr. Andrews then read the following:— 
“ Having seen an interesting paper, read by Mr, Moore at a meeting of the 
Dublin Society, on the effects of the late severe frost on the outdoor plants in the 
Botanic Gardens, at Glasnevin, it struck me that it might interest the members of 
the Natural History Society to have some information on the effect produced by 
that frost in the west of Ireland, where the severity of frost is generally so much 
tempered by the vicinity of the Atlantic Ocean. I, unfortunately, did not possess 
a self-registering thermometer, so as to give the exact amount of frost here, but I 
may give some facts which indicated its severity. First—The adjoining lake was 
frozen across, so as to bear skating for about one-third of its length for about a 
fortnight—a circumstance which never occurred in my recollection, and I believe 
only once during the lifetime of my father, who lived to be 85, and spoke of his 
having once skated across the lake, which we did several times this last season. 
Secondly—The number of birds killed by it was very great, especially sea birds— 
curlews and seagulls. After the thaw, the sea-shore was covered with dead sea 
fowl. However, we can arrive at a tolerable degree of accuracy, as the thermometer, 
at Markree Observatory, only six miles from this, and equally near the sea, on 
the 12th of February, stood at 18.2 Fahrenheit, and on the 13th, 17.6; on the 
17th, 17.2 ; on the 18th, 15. There was no snow here during the continuance of 
of the frost—only about two inches fell on the first day of the thaw—so that the 
plants were exposed to its full severity. Some days after its commencement I had the 
