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OF    THE 


NATORAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETT 


FOR    THK 


S  E  S  S  I  O  IT    lSQS-99. 


BELFAST : 

FEINTED  BY  ALEXR.  MAYNE  &  BOYD,  2  CORPORATION  STREET 

(printers  to  queen's  college.) 

1899. 


G12447 


CONTENTS. 


Annual  Eeport  . .  . .  . .  . . 

Balance  Sheet 

Donations  to  Museum 

Books  Received  . .  . .  . .  . . 

President's  Inaugural  Address — T.  Workman 
Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification — W.  Chambers 
The  Purification  of  Sewage  by  Bacteria — A.  J.  Martin 
The  Viagraph— J.  Brown  ..  .. 

Tlie  Boyne  VaUey_S.  F.  Milligan 
Pathogenic  Bacteria — J.  Lorrain  Smith,  M.A.,  M.D. 
Electric  Discharges  in  Rarified  Gases — J.  Finnegan,  B.Sc. 
liist  of  Ofiice-BearerB      , .  . .  . .  . . 

List  of  Shareholders  and  Subscribers  . . 


1 

6 

7 

8 

17 

22 

32 

41 

53 

64 

68 

72 

73 


Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society. 


:o:- 


EST.A.BL1  SI3:E33D    1821. 

' —  :o : 

SHAREHOLDERS. 

1  Share  in  the  Society  costs  £7. 

2  Shares  ,,  cost  £14. 

3  Shares  „  oost  £21. 

The  Proprietor  of  1  Share  pays  lOa.  per  annum  ;  the  proprietor  of  2  Shares 
pays  5s.  per  annum ;  the  proprietor  of  3  or  more  Shares  stands  exempt  from 
further  payment. 

Shareholders  are  only  eligible  for  election  on  the  Council  of  Management. 

MEMBERS. 

There  are  two  classes — Ordinary  Members,  who  are  expected  to  read  Papers, 
and  Visiting  Members  who,  by  joining  under  the  latter  title,  are  understood  to 
intimate  that  they  do  not  wish  to  read  Papers.  The  Session  for  Lectures  extends 
from  November  in  one  year  till  May  in  the  succeeding  one.  Members,  Ordinary 
or  Visiting,  pay  £1  Is.  per  annum,  due  1st  November  in  each  year. 

Each  Shareholder  and  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  all 
meetings  of  the  Society,  and  of  admitting  a  friend  thereto  ;  also  of  access  to  the 
Museum  and  Library  for  himself  and  family,  with  the  privilege  of  granting 
admission  orders  for  inspecting  the  collections  for  any  friend  not  residing  in 
Belfast. 

Any  further  informatiou  can  be  obtained  by  application  to  the  Secretary. 
It  is  requested  that  all  accounts  due  by  the  Society  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer. 


The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  from  10  till  4  o'clock. 
Admission  for  Strangers,  6d.  each.  The  Curator  is  in  constant  attendance,  and 
■will  take  charge  of  any  Donation  kindly  left  for  the  Museum  or  Library. 


Belfast  Batural  Ibistor^  aiiv)  pbilosopbical 


■:o:- 


ANNUAL  REPORT,  1898. 


:o:- 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Shareholders  of  this  Society  was 
held  on  i8th  July,  at  three  o'clock,  in  the  Belfast  Museum, 
College  Square  North.  Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.,  President, 
occupied  the  chair,  and  the  attendance  included  Drs.  MacCormac 
and  Leathern,  Messrs.  Geoge  Kidd,  J.P.;  Robert  Young,  J.P.; 
Edward  Allworthy,  W.  H.  Patterson,  J.  H.  Davies,  Joseph 
Wright,  John  M'Knight,  W.  M.  F.  Patterson,  Isaac  Ward, 
Seaton  F.  Milligan,  John  Brown,  W.  Faren,  G.  F.  Patterson, 
and  Robert  M.  Young,  B.A.,  M.R.I.A.,  Hon.  Secretary.  Letters 
of  apology  for  non-attendance  were  received  from  the  Lord 
Mayor  (Mr.  Otto  Jaffe,  J.P.)  and  Sir  James  Henderson. 
The  notice  convening  the  Meeting  having  been  read, 
Mr.  Robert  Young,  Hon.  Secretary,  submitted  the  annual 
report,  which  stated  : — "  The  Council  desire  to  submit  to  the 
shareholders  their  report  of  the  working  of  the  Society  during 
the  past  year.  The  winter  session  was  opened  on  8th  November, 
1 898,  when  the  President  of  the  Society,  Mr.  Thomas  Workman, 
J.P.,  delivered  an  inaugural  address  on  the  subject  "  Incentives 
to  the  Study  of  Natural  History,"  illustrated  by  limelight  views, 
&c.  The  second  meeting  was  held  on  6th  December,  1898, 
when  a  paper  was  read  by  Mr.  Walter  Chambers,  C.E.,  on 
"  Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification,"  illustrated  by 
diagrams,  &c.,  followed  by  an  interesting  discussion.  The  third 
meeting  was  held  on  13th  December,  1898,  when  a  paper  was 
read  by  Mr.  Arthur  J.  Martin,  A.M.LC.E.,  Exeter,  on  "  The 
Purification  of  Sewage  by  Bacteria,"  illustrated  by  limelight 


2  Annual  Meeting. 

views.  The  fourth  meeting  took  place  on  loth  January,  1899, 
when  Mr.  John  Brown  read  a  paper  on  "  The  Viagraph,  a  new 
Instrument  for  Testing  Road  Surfaces,"  illustrated  by  diagrams 
and  exhibition  of  the  viagraph.  A  discussion  followed  at  its 
close.  The  fifth  meeting,  on  7th  February,  1899,  was  devoted 
to  a  popular  lecture  in  the  Y.M.C.A.  Hall,  at  which  the  Lord 
Mayor  (Mr.  Otto  JafFe,  J.P.)  presided.  Mr.  Seaton  F.  Milligan 
delivered  an  interesting  lecture  upon  ''  The  Boyne  Valley,  its 
History,  Scenery,  and  Antiquities."  which  was  illustrated  by 
over  one  hundred  lantern  slides.  The  proceeds  were  in  aid  of 
the  Giant's  Causeway  Defence  Fund,  and  there  was  a  large 
attendance  of  members  and  the  general  public.  The  sixth 
meeting  was  arranged  for  the  14th  March,  when  Dr.  J.  Lorrain 
Smith,  M.A.,  kindly  lectured  on  "  Pathogenic  Bacteria,  with 
Special  Reference  to  the  Typhoid  Bacillus,"  illustrated  by 
actual  specimens  and  lantern  views.  The  closing  meeting  took 
place  on  nth  April,  1899,  when  Mr.  John  N.  Finnegan,  B.A., 
B.Sc,  gave  a  lecture  on  "  Luminous  Discharges  in  Rarefied 
Gases,"  illustrated  by  experiments  and  photograph  slides.  All 
these  meetings  were  well  attended,  both  by  the  members  and 
the  general  public,  the  two  on  sanitary  subjects  attracting 
special  audiences.  Largely  through  the  good  offices  of  Mr. 
John  Horner,  your  Council  have  secured  that  the  Gilchrist 
lectures  for  a  second  time  be  given  in  Belfast,  commencing  in 
September  next.  A  public  meeting  will  be  summoned  at  an 
early  date  to  make  detailed  arrangements  in  connection  with 
their  delivery.  It  will  be  observed  from  the  Hon.  Treasurer's 
statement  of  accounts  that  the  usual  satisfactory  balance  in 
favour  of  the  Society  is  fully  maintained.  The  number  of 
societies  meeting  in  the  Museum  shows  no  falling  off,  and  its 
accommodation  was  sometimes  taxed  to  provide  for  two 
meetings  on  the  same  evening.  Mr.  Stewart,  our  Curator, 
reports  that  during  the  year  further  additions  have  been  made 
to  the  herbarium  of  local  plants,  and  many  specimens  have 
been  mounted  and  placed  in  their  order  in  the  cabinet.  The 
local  collection  is  now  almost  complete,  but  the  type  set  of 


Annual  Meeting.  3 

British  plants  is  still  far  from  being  so.  At  the  Easter  holidays 
the  Museum  was  less  crowded  than  it  has  been  on  some  former 
occasions.  Nevertheless  the  attendance  was  very  large,  and  at 
times  the  building  was  taxed  to  its  utmost  capacity.  On 
ordinary  days  the  admissions  continue  much  as  in  recent  years. 
Since  the  last  annual  meeting  the  Society  has  to  deplore  the 
loss  of  one  of  its  most  valued  members — the  late  Mr.  Lavens  M. 
Ewart,  J. P.  He  was  a  most  useful  and  active  member  of  the 
Council  since  1894,  and  took  the  greatest  interest  in  the  well- 
fare  of  the  Society  in  every  way.  A  vote  of  condolence  with 
his  widow  and  family  was  passed  at  the  first  public  meeting 
after  his  lamented  decease.  Your  Council  have  co-opted  the 
Lord  Mayor  of  Belfast  (Mr.  Otto  JaflFe,  J.P.)  to  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  by  his  untimely  death.  They  have  received  with  much 
regret  Mr.  John  H.  Greenhill's  resignation  from  the  Council 
owing  to  change  of  residence.  A  list  of  donations  to  the 
Musem  and  of  publications  received  in  exchange  from  home  and 
foreign  scientific  societies  will  be  printed  with  the  present 
report.  The  Council  desire  to  tender  their  best  thanks  to  the 
local  Press  for  their  admirable  reports  of  the  Society's  meetings. 
This  meeting  will  be  asked  to  elect  five  members  of  Council  in 
place  of  the  following  gentlemen,  who  retire  by  rotation,  the 
first  three  of  whom  are  eligible  and  ofifer  themselves  for  re- 
election : — Messrs.  John  Brown,  William  Swanston,  W.  H.  F. 
Patterson,  Professor  FitzGerald,  and  John  H.  Greenhill." 

Mr.  Wm.  H.  F.  Patterson,  Assistant  Treasurer,  read  the 
Treasurer's  report,  which  showed  a  balance  in  hands  of 
^76  is.  2^d.  The  donations  had  increased  during  the  year, 
but  there  was  a  slight  decrease  in  subscriptions. 

Dr.  MacCormac,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the  report  and 
statement  of  accounts,  said  it  afforded  him  much  pleasure  to  do 
so  on  account  of  their  financial  condition,  and  also  because  of 
the  growing  interest  taken  by  the  general  public  of  Belfast  and 
the  surrounding  districts  in  the  working  of  that  Society.  It 
could  not  be  otherwise  when  they  remembered  the  valuable 
scientific  information  brought  before  the  meetings  held  there. 


4  Annual  Meeting. 

Those  scientific  investigations,  he  thought,  must  be  of  incalcul- 
able value  to  the  general  community. 

Mr.  EnwARD  Allworthy  seconded  the  motion.  He  was  of 
opinion  that  the  general  public  did  not  take  that  interest  in 
the  proceedings  of  that  Society  as  its  worth  demanded,  and  he 
urged  that  some  special  effort  should  be  made  to  create  a  fresh 
interest  from  the  citizens,  which,  he  felt  sure,  would  be  a  boon 
to  the  people  themselves  and  a  blessing  to  the  community 
where  they  lived.  It  was  remarkable  how  few  out  of  the  three 
hundred  thousand  in  Belfast  and  the  numerous  visitors  to  the 
city  who  came  into  the  Museum.  Speaking  of  the  late  Mr. 
Ewart,  he  referred  to  him  as  a  very  able,  excellent,  and  good 
friend  to  that  Society,  and  had  done  more  than  had  ever  been 
made  public.  He  was  always  doing  a  little  towards  gathering 
in  articles  and  information,  and,  now  he  was  gone,  they  felt  his 
loss.  In  conclusion,  he  expressed  the  hope  that  the  Council 
and  President  would  endeavour  to  make  next  year  still  more 
attractive  than  the  past. 

Mr.  John  Horner  supported  the  resolution,  and,  in  doing 
so,  said  on  account  of  the  immense  success  of  the  Gilchrist 
lectures  the  last  time  they  were  held  in  Belfast,  the  trustees 
had  decided  to  allow  a  series  to  be  given  in  the  five  towns,  as 
before,  on  the  understanding  that  a  certain  amount  of  money 
will  be  subscribed  to  the  trustees  for  the  purpose  of  helping  on 
educational  work  in  Ireland.  Another  condition  was  that  there 
should  be  some  educational  movement  or  scheme  brought  out 
from  the  lectures.  In  that  matter  it  was  suggested  that  repre- 
sentatives from  the  other  towns  should  meet  at  a  meeting  in 
Belfast,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Lord  Mayor,  to  discuss  some 
feasible  scheme  for  university  extension  or  some  other  form  of 
education.  At  that  meeting  resolutions  could  be  passed  on  the 
subject.  He  (Mr.  Horner)  had  spoken  to  the  Lord  Mayor,  and 
he  had  kindly  consented  to  co-operate  and  do  all  in  his  power 
on  behalf  of  the  scheme. 

The  Chairman  referred  to  the  great  loss  which  the  Society 
had  sustained  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Lavens  M.  Ewart.      He  had 


Annual  Meeting.  5 

for  a  long  time  taken  a  very  great  interest  in  that  Society,  as 
well  as  in  kindred  societies.  At  the  same  time,  he  (the  Chair- 
man) thought  they  had  good  reason  to  congratulate  themselves 
in  co-opting  the  Lord  Mayor  to  fill  the  vacancy  created  by  Mr. 
Ewart's  death.  Already  his  Lordship  had  shown  a  great  deal 
of  interest  since  his  appointment  on  the  Council. 

The  motion  was  passed  by  acclamation. 

Messrs.  John  Brown,  W.  Swanston,  -W.  H.  Patterson 
Andrew  Gibson,  and  Seaton  F.  Milligan  were  unanimously 
elected  members  of  the  Council  of  Management  for  1899- 1900, 
in  place  of  the  retiring  members. 

Mr.  John  Brown  moved,  Mr.  Robert  Young,  J. P.,  seconded, 
and  it  was  passed,  that  the  meeting  approves  of  the  Council's 
decision  to  appoint  delegates  to  confer]  with  other  kindred 
societies  to  invite  the  British  Association  to  Belfast.  In  mak- 
ing the  proposition,  Mr.  Brown  said  the  Association  had  not 
met  in  Belfast  since  1874,  and  the  meeting  prior  to  that  was 
1852.  On  both  occasions  the  initiative  was  taken  by  their 
Society,  and  consequently  he  felt  they  should  strengthen  the 
Council's  hands  in  every  possible  way. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  George  Kidd,  J. P.,  seconded  by  Dr. 
Leathem,  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to  the  Chairman 
and  Hon.  Secretary  for  the  amount  of  attention  they  bestowed 
upon  the  working  of  the  1  Society  during  the  year.  Each  of 
these  gentlemen  having  returned  thanks,  the  meeting 
terminated. 

The  members  of  the  Council  then  proceeded  to  elect  office- 
bearers for  the  ensuing  year  as  follows  : — President,  Mr. 
Thomas  Workman,  J. P.  ;  Vice-Presidents,  Messrs.  John 
Brown,  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S.  ;  and  Robert  Young,  J.P. ;  Hon. 
Librarian,  Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.  ;  Hon.  Treasurer,  Mr. 
William H.  F.  Patterson  ;  Hon.  Secretary, Mr.  R.  M.  Young,  J.P. 


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DONATIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM,  1898-99. 


From  Dr.  W.  S.  Young. 
Lignite  and  clay  concretions  from  a  well  sinking   in  County 
Donegal. 

From  Miss  Montgomery. 
A  birch  rod  used  at  school   in  the  North  of  Ireland  over  100 
years  ago. 

From  Mr.  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S. 
Five  wooden  food  dishes,  three  wooden  spoons,  eight  vessels  of 
pottery  used  as  cooking  utensils,  one  cane  basket-work 
dish,  from  South  Africa,  and  three  war  knives,  from 
India.  Also  a  collection  of  Eocene  fossil  plants  from 
County  Antrim. 

From  Mr.  Lavens  M.  Ewart,  J.P.,  M.R.I.A. 
A   pair   of  pampooties,    or   cowhide   shoes,   from   the   Arran 
Islands. 

From  Mr.  George  Donaldson. 
A   mounted  collection  of  North  American   Lepidoptera,  in- 
cluding Vanessa  Milbertii  and  Colias  ccesonia. 

From  Mr.  R.  J.  Welch. 
A  number  of  the  rarer  land  and  freshwater  shells. 

Fj'om  Mr.  Wm.  J.  King. 
Ancient  sword   and   scabbard,   found   eight    feet    below    the 
surface  in  White  Mountain  Quarry,  Co,  Antrim. 

From   Mr.    R.  Lloyd    Praeger,   M.R.I.A.,   and    Mr.    S.    A. 

Stewart,  F.B.S.Edin. 
A  large  number  of  native  plants  of  the  North  of  Ireland. 

From  Egypt  Exploration  Fund. 
A  collection  of  various  objects  excavated  at  Oxyrhynchus. 


ADDITIONS   TO   THE  LIBRARY,    ist   MAY,   1898  till 
1ST  MAY,  1899. 

Adelaide. — Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society  of  South  Aus- 
tralia.    Vol.  22,  parts  I  and  2,  1898. 

Albany. —  Forty-ninth  Annual  Report  of  the  Regents  of  the 
New  York  State  Museum,  1897. 

The  University  of  New  York. 

Belfast. — Proceedings  of  the  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club. 
Ser.  2,  vol.  4,  part  5,  1898.  The  Club. 

Bergen. — Bergens  Museums  Aarbog,  for  1898  ;  also  Account 
of  the  Crustacea  of  Norway.  Vol.  2,  Isopoda, 
parts  9-12,  1898.  Bergen  Museum. 

Berlin. — Verhandlungen  der  Gesellschaft  fiir  Erdkunde.  Vol. 
25,  nos.  4-10,  1898  ;  and  vol.  26,  nos.  1-4,  1899. 

The  Society. 

Boston. — Memoirs  of  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History.  Vol. 
5,  no.  3,  1898  ;  and  Proceedings,  Vol.  28, 
no.  6,  1897  ;  and  nos.  7,  9,  10,  11  and  12, 
1898.  The  Society. 

Bremen. — Abhandlungen  herausgegeben  vom  Naturwissen- 
schaftlichen  Vereine  zu  Bremen.  Vol.  14, 
part  3  ;  and  vol.  15,  part  2,  1897  >  *iso  vol.  16, 
part  I,  1898.  The  Society. 

Breslau. — Zeitschrift  fiir  Entomologie  herausgegeben  vom 
Verein  fiir  Schlessiche  Insektenkunde  zu 
Breslau.  2he  Society 

Brighton. — Annual  Report  of  Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural 
History  and  Philosophical  Society,  1898. 

2he  Society. 

Brussels. — Annales  de  la  Societe  Entomologique  de  Belgique. 
Vol.  42,  1898.  The  Society. 


Books   Received.  9 

Annales  de  la  Societe  Malacologique  de  Belgique. 

Vol.   28,    1893  ;    vol.  29,   1894  ;    vol.  30,  1895  ; 

and  vol.  31,  fasc.  i,  1896  ;  also  Proces- Verbal, 

June,  1895,  till  July,  1898.  The  Society. 

BuFNos    Ayres. — Comunicaciones    del    Museo    Nacional    de 

Buenos  Aires.     Vol.  i,  nos.  i  and  2,  1898. 

The  Director. 
Buffalo.' — Bulletin   of  Buffalo   Society   of  Natural    Science. 

Vol.   5,  nos.  2-5,  1896-1897  ;    and  vol.  6,  no.  i^ 

1898.  2 he  Society. 

Calcutta. — Memoirs    of    the    Geological    Survey    of    India 

(Palaeontologica  Indica).     Ser.   15,  vol.  i,  part 

3,  No.  I,  1898. 
Manual    of    the    Geology    of    India — Economic 

Geology.       Part    i,    Corundum,     1898  ;     and 

General  Report  of  the  Survey,  1898. 

The  Director  of  the  Survey. 
Cambridge. — Proceedings  of  Cambridge  Philosophical  Society. 

Vol.  9,  part  5,  1897  ;    and  parts  8  and  9,  1898  ; 

also  vol.  10,  part  i,  1899.  The  Society. 

Cambridge,   Mass. — Bulletin  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative 

Anatomy.     Vol.   28,  nos.  4  and  6,  1898  ;  vol. 

31,  no.  7,  1898  ;    and  vol.  32,  nos.  i-q,  1898-99. 

Also  Annual  Report.  1898.         The  Curator. 
Cardiff. — Transactions  of  Cardiff  Naturalists'  Society.     Vol. 

29,  1897.  The  Society. 

Cassel. — Abhandlungen  &  Bericht  des  Vereins  fiir  Naturkunde 

zu  Kassel  (43),  1898.  The  Society. 

Colorado  Springs. — Colorado  College  Studies.     Vol.  7,  1898. 

Colorado  Coll.  Scientific  Society. 
Christiania. — Forhandlinger  i  Videnskabs  Selskabet  i  Chris- 

tiania,  for  1897  ;  and  nos.  i-6,  1898  ;  Oversigt, 

1897  and  1898  ;  and  Royal  University  Program, 

2nd  semestre,  1895  ;  and  ist  and  2nd  semestre, 

1897.     '£he  Royal  Norske  Frederiks  University, 


10  Books  Received. 

Dantzic. — Schriften  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in 
Danzig,  Vol.  9,  parts  3  and  4,  1898. 

The  Society. 
Dublin. — Scientific  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society. 
Ser.  2,   vol.  6,  parts  14-16,   1898  ;    and  vol.  7, 
part  I,  1898  ;  Proceedings,  vol.  8,  part  6,  1898. 

The  Society. 

Edinburgh. — Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh, 
Vol.  21,  1897.  The  Society. 

Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Physical  Society.     Vol. 
13,  part  3,  1897.  The  Society. 

Emden. — Jahresbericht  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in 
Emden  fiir  1896-97.  The  Society. 

Genoa. — Giornale  della  Societa  di  Letture  et  Conversazione 
Scientifiche  di  Genova.  Anno  20,  fasc.  3  and  4, 
1898  ;  and  vol.  21,  fasc.  i,  1899.     The  Society. 

Glasgow^. — Proceedings  of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Glas- 
gow.    Vol.  29,  1898.  The  Society. 

GoRLiTZ. — Abhandlungen  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  zu 
Gorlitz.     Vol.  22,  1898.  The  Society. 

Gothenburg. — Goteborg's  Kungl.  Vetenskaps  och  Vitterhets 
Samhalles  Handlingar,  Fjarde  folgden.  Part 
1,  1898.  The  Society. 

Halle. — Leopoldina  Amptliches  Organ  der  Kaiserlichen 
Leopoldine-Carolinischen  Deutschen  Akademie 
der  Naturforscher.     Part  33,  1897. 

The  Academy. 

Hamburg.  —  Verhandlungen  des  Naturwissenschaftlichen 
Vereins.     Ser.  3,  parts  5,  1898,  and  6,  1899. 

The  Society. 

Iglo. — Jahrbuch  des  Ungarischen  Karpathen  Vereines.  25th 
year,  1898.  The  Society. 

Indianapolis. — Proceedings  of  the  Indiana  Academy  of  Science 
for  the  year  1897.  ^^^  Academy. 


Books   Received.  1 1 

Jalapa. — Boletin  Mensual  Meteorologica  del  Observatorio 
Central  del  Estado  de  Veracroz.  Nov.  and 
Dec,  1897,  and  January,  1898.  The  Director. 

KiEW. — Memoirs  of  the  Kiew  Naturalists'  Society.  Vol.  14, 
part  2,  1 897  ;  and  vol.  1 5,  part  i ,  189b;  and  part 
2,  1898.  The  Society. 

Lausanne. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Vandoise  des  Sciences, 
Naturelles.     Vol.  34,  nos.  127-130,  1898. 

The  Society. 

Lawrence,  Kansas. — The  Kansas  University  Quarterly.  Ser. 
A,  vol.  7,  nos.  1-4,  1898  ;  and  vol.  8,  no.  i, 
1899  ;  ser.  B.,  vol.  7,  nos.  1-3,  1898. 

The  University. 

Leipsic. — Mitteilungen  des  Vereins  fiir  Erdkunde  zu  Leipzig, 

1897.  The  Society. 

London. — Report  of  the  Meeting  of  the  British  Association  at 
Bristol,  1898.  The  Association. 

„  Quarterly    Journal   of    the   Geological    Society    of 

London.     Vol.  54,  part  4,   1898  ;  vol.  55,  part 
I,  1899  ;  and  List  of  Fellows,  (898. 

The  Society. 

,,  Journal  of  the  Royal  Microscopical  Society.     Parts 

3-6,  1898,  and  part  i,  1899.  7 he  Society. 

„  Transactions  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London. 

Vol.   14,  parts  6-8,   1898,  and  vol.   15,  part  i, 

1898.  Proceedings,  parts  1-4,  1898  ;  also,  List 
of  Fellows,  1898.  The  Society. 

Madison. — Transactions  of  the  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Sciences, 
Arts,  and  Letters.     Vol.  11,  1898. 

The  Academy. 
,,  Bulletin  of  the  Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural 

History  Society.    Nos.  i  and  2,  1898. 

The  Society. 


1 2  Books  Received. 

Madras. — Bulletin  of  Madras  Government  Museum.  Vol.  2, 
no.  2,  1898  ;  also,  Administration  Report  for 
1897-98.  'J'he  Superintendent. 

Manchester. — Journal  of  Manchester  Geographical  Society. 
Vol.  II,  nos.  10-12,  1895  ;  vol.  13,  nos.  7-12, 
1897  ;  and  vol.  14,  nos.  1-6,  1898.  The  Society. 

„  Transactions   of    the    Manchester    Geological 

Society.     Vol.  25,  parts  15.  16,  20,  21  ;  vol.  26, 
part  I,  1898  ;  and  parts  2  and  3,  1899. 

The  Society. 

Marseilles. — Annales  de  la  Faculte  des  Sciences  de  Marseille. 
Vol.  8,  fasc,  5-10,  1898.  The  Librarimi. 

Melbourne. — Proceedings  ot  the  Royal  Society  of  Victoria. 
New  series,  vol.  10,  part  2  ;  and  vol.  11,  part  i, 
1898.  The  Society. 

Meriden,  Conn. — Transactions  of  Meriden  Scientific  Associa- 
tion.    Vol.  8,  i8q8.  The  Association. 

Mexico. — Boletin  Mensual  del  Observatorio  Meteorologico 
Central  de  Mexico.  January  to  November, 
1898.  The  Director. 

,  Boletin  del  Observatorio  Astronomico  Nacional  de 

Tacubaya.  Nos.  3  and  4,  1898.    The  Director. 

„  Boletin  del  Instituto  Geologico  de  Mexico.     No.  10, 

1898.  The  Institute. 

Montevideo. — Anales  del  Museo  Nacional  de  Montevideo. 
Vol.  3.,  fasc.  9  and  10,  1898.       The  Director. 

Moscow. — Bulletin  of  the  Imperial  Society  of  Naturalists  of 
Moscow.  Nos.  3  and  4,  1897  ;  and  nos.  1-3 
1898.  The  Society. 

Nantes. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  des  Sciences  Naturelles  de 
I'Ouest  de  France.  Vol.  7,  part  4,  1897  ;  and 
vol.  8,  parts  1-4,  1898.  The  Society. 


Books   Received.  13 

New  York. — Transactions  of  the  New  York  Academy  of 
Sciences.  Vol.  i6,nos.  1-12,  1898  ;  and  Annals, 
vol.  10,  1898  ;  and  11,  parts  i  and  2,  1898. 

The  Academy. 

,,  Bulletin  of  the  American  Geographical  Society. 

Vol.  30,  no.  25,  i8q8  ;  and  vol.  31,  no.  i,  1899. 

The  Society. 
„  Bulletin  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 

History.     Vol.  10,  1898.  The  Museum. 

Odessa. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  New  Russia. 
Vol.  18,  part  2,  1897;  vol.  21,  part  2,  1897; 
and  vol.  22,  part  i,  1898.  The  Society. 

Oporto. — Annaes  de  ScienciasNaturaes.    Vol.  5,  nos.  1-3,  1898. 

The  Editor. 

OSNABRUCK. — Twelfth  Jahresbericht  des  Naturwissenschaft- 
lichen  Vereins  zu  Osnabruck,  1897. 

The  Society. 
Ottawa. — Annual  Report  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Canada. 
New  series,  vol  9,  1898. 

The  Director  of  the  Survey. 
Padua. — Atti  del  la  Societa  Veneto-Trentina  di  Scienze  Natu- 
rali.     Series    2,   vol.    3,    fasc.    3,    1899  ;     also 
BuUettino.  Vol.  6,  no.  3,  1898.       The  Society. 

Philadelphia.  —  Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences.     Part  3,  1897  J  ^"d  parts  1-3,  1898. 

The  Academy. 
Proceedings  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society. 
No.  156,  1897  ,  and  nos.  157  and  158,  1898. 

The  Society. 
Transactions    of    the    Wagner    Free    Institute    of 
Science.     Vol.    4,    part   4,    1898  ;    and  vol.   5, 
part  I,  1898.  The  Institute. 

PisA. — Atti  della  Societa  Toscana  di  Scienze  Natural!  Process! 
Verbali.     January- July,  1898.       Ihe  Society. 


14  Books   Received. 

Rio  de  Janeiro. — Revista  do  Museo  Nacional  do  Rio  de 
Janeiro.    Vol.  i,  1896.  The  Director. 

Rome. — Atti  della  Reale  Accademia  dei  Lincei.  Ser.  5,  vol.  7, 
semestre  i,  fasc.  8-12,  1898  ;  semestre  2,  nos. 
1-12,  1898;  vol.  8,  semestre  i,  fasc.  1-6,  1809  ; 
al?o  Rendiconto  del  Adunanza  Solenne,  1897. 

The  Academy. 

Bollettino  della  Societa  Romana  per  gli  Studi  Zoo- 
logici.  Vol.  6,  fasc.  5  and  6,  1897  ;  and  vol.  7, 
fasc.  1-6,  1898.  The  Society. 

Journal  of  the  British  and  American  Archaeological 
Society  of  Rome.  Vol  2, no. 8, 1898.  TheSociety. 

San  Francisco. — Proceedings  of  the  California  Academy  of 
Sciences.  Ser.  3,  vol.  i.,  nos.  4,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10, 
1898.  The  Academy. 

Stay  anger. — Stavanger  Museums  Aarsberetning  for  1897. 

The  Miiseicm  Trustees. 
Stirling. —  Transactions    of    Stirling    Natural    History    and 
Archaeological  Society,  1898.        The  Society. 

St.  Louis. — Ninth  Annual  Report  of  the  Missouri  Botanical 
Garden,  1898.  The  Director. 

Stockholm. — Kongliga  Svenska  Vetenskaps  Akademiens 
Handlingar.  New  series,  vol.  30,  1898  ; 
Bihang,  vol.  23,  parts  1-4,  1898  ;  and  Ofver- 
sigt  ;  no.  54,  1897.  ^^^  Academy. 

Sydney. — Science  of  Man.     Vol.  2,  no.  i,  1899.        The  Editor. 

Tokyo — Die  Sprichworter.     Two  parts,  1898.      The  Author. 

ToPEKA. — Transactions  of  Kansas  Academy  of  Science.  Vol. 
15,  1898.  The  Academy. 

Toronto. — Transactions  of  the  Canadian  Institute.  Vol.  5, 
parts,  1898  ;  Proceedings,  new  series,  vol.  i, 
parts  4-6,  1898.  The  Institute. 


Books   Receivea.  1 5 

Upsala. — Bulletin  of  the  Geological  Institution  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Upsala.     Vol.  3,  part  2,  1897. 

The  University. 

Vienna, — Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich  Koniglichen  Zoolo- 
gisch-Botanischen  Gesellschaft.     Vol.  48,  1898. 

The  Society. 

Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich  Koniglichen  Geolo- 
gischen  Reichsanstalt.  Nos.  4-18,  1898;  and 
nos.  1-4,  i8q9.  The  Society. 

Washington. — United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Bulletin.  Nos.  Q,  10,  11,  and  50,  1898  ;  also, 
Secretary's  Report  for  1898  ;  and  Year-book  of 
Agriculture  for  1897. 

The  Secretary  of  Agriculture. 

Bulletin  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey. 
No.  149,  1897  ;  and  nos.  88  and  89,  1898  ;  also, 
Monographs  ;  vol.  30,  1898.       The  Director. 

Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Asso- 
ciation for  the  year  1896.     Vols,  i  and  2,  1897. 

The  Association. 

Annual  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  Ethnology,  part 
2,  i8g6.  The  Director  of  the  Bureau. 

Annual  Report  of  the  United  States  National 
Museum  for  the  year  1895,  and  Report  for 
1896  ;  also  Proceedings  of  U.S.  Museum,  vol. 
19,  1897  ;  and  Annual  Report  of  Smithsonian 
Institution,  tc  July,  1896  ;  Smithsonian  Con- 
tributions to  Knowledge,  no.  1,126,  1898  ; 
Smithsonian  Miscellaneous  Collections,  nos. 
1,087,  ^09C,  1,093,  ^i^d  1,125,  ^^98  ;  also 
vol.  39,  no.  1,170,  1899. 

The  Smithsoniati  Institution. 
York. — Annual  Report  of  the  Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society 
for  1898,  The  Society, 


1 6  Books   Received. 

Zurich. — Vierteljahrschrift  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft 
in  Zurich.  43rcl  year,  parts  1-4,  1898.  Neu- 
jahrsblatt  ;  no.  loi,  1899.  The  Society. 

From  Egypt  Exploration  Fund. — The  Oxyrhynchus  Papyri. 
Part  I,  1898  ;  also  Archaeological  Report  for 
1896-97. 

From  MoNS.  Charles  Janet. — Etudes  sur  les  Fourmis,  les 
Guepes,  et  les  Abeilles.  5  nos.,  1897-98  ;  also, 
Notice  sur  les  Travaux  Scientifiques  of  M. 
Janet. 

From  Mr.  R.  Lloyd-Patterson,  J.P.,  F.L.S. —Journal  of  the 
Linnean  Society — Botany.  Vol.  33,  nos.  232 
234,  1898  ;  vol.  34,  no.  23s,  1898  ;  and  236,1899. 

From  Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P. — Exploration  Scientifique 
de  la  Tunisie.  Illustrations,  plates,  1-20, 
Champignons  and  Phanerogames  ;  also.  Cata- 
logue Raisonne  des  Plantes  Cellulaires  de  la 
Tunisie,  1897. 

From  Miss  Carruthers. — Belfast  Almanac,  1809  ;  and  Belfast 
News-Letter^  Dec.  8th  and  Dec.  15th,  18 18. 


BELFAST 

NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 

SESSION     1898-99. 


8//z  November^  1898. 


INAUGURAL    ADDRESS    BY    THE    PRESIDENT, 
Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P. 


{Abstract.) 


It  appears  to  me  that  of  late  years  this  Society  has  largely 
drifted  away  from  the  study  that  was  the  life-work  of  our 
illustrious  founders.  I  refer  to  Natural  History  ;  and  seeing 
that  your  Council  has  done  me  the  honour  of  electing  me 
President  for  this  Session,  I  think  I  cannot  better  occupy  your 
time  than  by  addressing  you  on  "  Incentives  to  the  Study  of 
Natural  History."  We  must  all  feel  that  there  is  much  going 
on  in  Nature  around  us  to  which  we  shut  our  eyes,  and  to  not 
a  few  Nature  has  no  more  interest  than  it  had  to  Wordsworth's 
Hero — 

"  .    .     .  Nature  ne'er  could  find  the  way 
Into  the  heart  of  Peter  Bell. 
In  vain  through  every  changeful  year, 
Did  Nature  lead  him  as  before ; 
A  pimrose  by  a  river's  brim 
A  yellow  primrose  was  to  him, 
And  it  was  nothing  more." 

I  had  intended  to  take  as  incentives  some  of  the  interesting 
facts  that  are  known   about  the  lives  of  plants  and  animals. 
I   found,    however,    that   this   would   be    too    extensive,   and 
2 


1 8  Inaugural  Address  hv  the  President. 

therefore    shall    confine    my    remarks   this    evening    to    the 
botanical  part  only. 

Ordinary  flowering  plants  may  be  divided  into  three  pretty 
well  marked  groups — 

The  single  flower, 
The  grouped  flower, 
and      The  compressed  flower. 

We  quite  understand  why  a  plant  has  a  root,  as  it  must 
have  a  hold  on  the  ground,  from  which  it  pumps  up  water  and 
mineral  salts.  Also  the  need  to  it  of  stalk  and  branches  ;  that 
it  may  be  raised  from  the  ground  and  have  its  leaves  spread 
out  to  the  sun  and  air  ;  and  the  use  of  the  leaves  are  quite 
apparent,  as  we  know  them  to  be  the  mouths  and  lungs  of 
plants.  But  have  we  grasped  the  need  to  it  of  the  wonderfully 
shaped  and  beadtifully  coloured  parts  we  call  the  flower. 

All  these  curious  shapes  and  bright  colouring  of  flowers  are 
simply  an  advertisement  to  the  wandering  hordes  orf"  flying 
insects  that  "  good  honey  is  kept  here."  The  floral  world  no 
more  believes  in  the  old  adage,  that  "  good  wine  requires  no 
bush,"  than  do  our  modern  houses  of  entertainment,  as  one 
can  see  by  our  city  hoardings. 

Our  modern  advertisers  do  not  off"er  to  give  away  their  goods 
for  nothing,  and,  though  flowers  seem  to  do  that,  it  is  only  in 
appearance,  for  their  little  deceits  are  very  wily.  Before  or 
after  they  entertain  their  insect  visitor  they  ask  for  no  fee  or 
payment.  They  simply  practically  say,  after  having  feasted 
him,  "Thanks,  old  fellow,  for  your  visit — come  soon  back,"  and 
then  pat  him  on  the  head  or  back,  or  rub  a  little  pollen  on 
his  whiskers,  so  that  he  goes  away  quite  satisfied,  feeling  that 
he  has  got  quite  a  lot  for  nothing,  little  thinking  that  he  is 
doing  a  good  hard  day's  work  for  the  flower  for  very  little  pay. 
Just  look  at  the  work  a  humble  bee  does  from  early  morning  to 
late  at  night,  visiting  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  flowers,  and 
carrying  the  pollen  from  the  stamen  of  one  flower  to  the  pistil 
of  another,  so  that  they  may  be  fertilised. 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  19 

It  is  to  this  insect  industry  that  we  owe  the  glorious  masses 
of  colour  in  heaths  and  whins  and  buttercups,  that  make  the 
fields  so  beautiful  in  spring  and  summer. 

Several  of  our  native  plants,  are  very  curious  and  of  great 
interest,  such  as  the  Cuckoo  Pint  (Arum  maculatum),  so 
conspicuous  in  the  early  spring  with  its  curious  heated  chamber 
or  fly  prison,  and  the  spotted  orchid  {Ophrys  macula ta)  that  has 
its  pollen  in  two  club-like  masses  called  pollinia  which  have  a 
viscid  disk  by  which  they  are  fastened  to  the  proboscis  of  the 
bumble  bee  when  it  comes  to  suck  the  honey  from  the  flower. 
The  pollinia  after  being  fastened  on  the  proboscis  in  a  vertical 
position  automatically  turn  to  a  horizontal  position  so  as  to 
project  forward  and  thus  to  strike  the  stigma  when  the  bee 
visits  a  fresh  flower.  Among  the  interesting  foreign  plants,  is 
the  Marcgravia  nepenthoides,  described  by  Belt  in  his  remarkable 
book  "  The  Naturalist  in  Nicaragua."  The  flowers  of  this  lofty 
climber  are  disposed  in  a  circle,  hanging  downwards,  like  an 
inverted  candelabrum.  From  the  centre  of  the  circle  of  flowers 
is  suspended  a  number  of  pitcher-like  vessels,  which  when  the 
flowers  expand,  in  February  and  March,  are  filled  with  a 
sweetish  liquid.  This  liquid  attracts  insects,  and  the  insects 
numerous  insectiverous  birds,  including  many  kinds  of  humming 
birds. 

The  flowers  are  so  disposed,  with  the  stamens  hanging 
downwards,  that  the  birds,  to  get  at  the  pitchers,  must  brush 
against  them,  and  thus  convey  the  pollen  from  one  plant  to 
another. 

This  writer  also  describes  the  curious  bull's  horn  thorn.  It 
is  a  species  of  acacia,  belonging  to  the  section  Gummiferce^ 
growing  to  the  height  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet.  The  branches 
and  trunk  are  covered  with  strong  curved  spines,  set  in  pairs, 
from  which  it  receives  the  name  of  the  bull's  horn  thorn,  they 
having  a  very  strong  resemblance  to  the  horns  of  that  quadruped. 

These  thorns  are  hollow,  and  are  tenanted  by  ants,  that  make 
a  small  hole  for  their  entrance  and  exit  near  one  end  of  the 
thorn,  and  also  burrow  through  the  partition  that  separates  the 
two  horns  ;  so  that  the  one  entrance  serves  for  both. 


20  Inaugural  Addi'ess  by  the  President. 

Here  they  rear  their  young,  and  in  the  wet  season  every  one 
of  the  thorns  is  tenanted  ;  and  hundreds  of  ants  are  to  be  seen 
running  about,  especially  over  the  young  leaves.  If  one  of  them 
be  touched  or  a  branch  shaken,  the  little  ants  {Pseudomyrma 
hicolor  Guer.)  swarm  out  from  the  hollow  thorns,  and  attack 
the  aggressor  with  jaws  and  sting.  These  ants  form  a  most 
efficient  standing  army  for  the  plant,  which  prevents  not  only 
the  mammalia  from  browsing  on  the  leaves,  but  delivers  it 
from  the  attacks  of  a  much  more  dangerous  enemy — the  leaf 
cutting  ants.  For  these  services  the  ants  are  not  only  securely 
housed  by  the  plant,  but  are  provided  with  a  bountiful  supply 
of  food  ;  and  to  secure  their  attendance  at  the  right  time  and 
place,  this  food  is  so  arranged  and  distributed  as  to  effect  that 
object  with  wonderful  pertection.     The  leaves  are  bi-pinnate. 

At  the  base  of  each  pair  of  leaflets,  on  the  mid-rib,  is  a 
crater-formed  gland,  which,  when  the  leaves  are  young,  secrets 
a  honey-like  liquid.  Of  this  the  ants  are  very  fond  ;  and  they 
are  constantly  running  about  from  one  gland  to  another  to  sip 
up  the  honey  as  it  is  secreted.  But  this  is  not  all  ;  there  is 
a  still  more  wonderful  provision  of  more  solid  food.  At  the 
end  of  each  of  the  small  divisions  of  the  compound  leaflet  there 
is,  when  the  leaf  first  unfolds,  a  little  yellow  fruit-like  body 
united  by  a  point  at  its  base  to  the  end  of  the  pinnule. 
Examined  through  a  microscope,  this  little  appendage  looks  a 
golden  pear.  When  the  leaf  first  unfolds,  the  little  pears  are 
not  quite  ripe,  and  the  ants  are  continually  employed  going 
from  one  to  another,  examining  them. 

When  the  ant  finds  one  sufficiently  advanced,  it  bites  the 
small  point  of  attachment ;  then,  bending  down  the  fruit-like 
body,  it  breaks  it  off  and  bears  it  away  in  triumph  to  the  nest. 

All  the  fruit-hke  bodies  do  not  ripen  at  once,  but  successively, 
so  that  the  ants  are  kept  about  the  young  leaf  for  sometime 
after  it  unfolds. 

Thus  the  young  leaf  is  always  guarded  by  the  ants  ;  and  no 
caterpillar  or  larger  animal  could  attempt  to  injure  them 
without   being  attacked  by  the  little  warriors.     These  facts 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  21 

seem  to  show  that  the  ants  are  really  kept  by  the  acacia  as  a 
standing  army,  to  protect  its  leaves  from  the  attacks  of 
herbiverous  mammals  and  insects. 

.     hark  !  how  blythe  the  throstle  sings ! 
He,  too,  is  no  mean  preacher ; 
Come  forth  into  the  light  of  things  ; 
Let  Nature  be  your  teacher. 

She  has  a  world  of  ready  wealth, 

Our  minds  and  hearts  to  bless — 
Spontaneous  wisdom  breathed  by  health, 

Truth  breathed  by  cheerfulness. 

One  impulse  from  a  vernal  wood 

May  teach  you  more  of  man, 
Of  moral  evil  and  of  good. 

Than  all  the  sages  can. 

Sweet  is  the  lore  which  Nature  brings  j 

Our  meddling  intellect 
Misshapes  the  beauteous  forms  of  things  j — 

We  murder  to  dissect. 

Enough  of  Science  and  of  Art ; 

Close  up  those  barren  leaves  ; 
Come  forth,  and  bring  with  you  a  heart, 

That  watches  and  receives.  — JVordsivortk,  1798. 


22 


iith  December^   1898. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.,  President   in   the  Chair. 


REFUSE  DISPOSAL  AND  SEWAGE   PURIFICATION, 
By  W.  Chambers. 


{Abstract^) 


From  an  economic  standpoint,  much  of  the  rubbish  of  to-day 
is  quite  unessential  and  due  to  habits  of  wastefulness,  which 
will  doubtless  be  corrected  as  education  advances  and  science 
works  out  her  destiny.  It  may  be  considered  under  four 
divisions  : — 

1.  Road  scrapings,  which  are  comparatively  harmless 

2.  Stable  manure,  abattoir  and  fish  offal,  all  containing  good 
manurial  properties. 

3.  Refuse  from  household  operations,  constituting  legitimate 
sewer  matters. 

4.  Dustbin  and  market  refuse,  of  which  our  urban  population 
contributes,  it  is  estimated,  about  six  million  tons  per  annum  ; 
that  can  only  be  disposed  of  in  one  way  to  satisfy  the  require- 
ments of  public  health,  viz. :  destruction  by  burning.  A 
destructor  furnace  reduces  all  organic  matter  to  its  component 
gases,  and  by  a  system  (illustrated  on  the  diagram)  they  are 
rendered  odourless  and  innoxious.  The  resultant  heat  is 
utilised  in  boilers  of  large  size,  having  supplementary  fire  grates 
to  augment  the  power,  and  so  make  it  available  for  generating 
current  for  tramway  traction,  at  a  cost  of  less  than  one  penny 


Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification.  23 

per  B.T.U.  The  Corporations  of  St.  Helens  and  Llandudno 
are  arranging  to  use  current  from  their  destructor  stations  for 
working  the  tramways,  and  at  Bradford  electric  current  is 
supplied  to  the  tramways  at  one  penny  per  B.T.U. ,  and  at  that 
price  yields  a  profit  of  25  per  cent.  This  question  has  an 
important  bearing  on  the  economic  and  efficient  administration 
of  municipal  matters.  At  St.  Helens  the  Corporation  are 
laying  and  equiping  a  network  of  tramways,  leasing  them  to 
a  private  company,  and  supplying  current  at  a  nominal  price, 
to  enable  a  large  scattered  industrial  population  to  have  rapid 
communication  at  cheap  fares.  Professor  Forbes  estimates 
ashbin  refuse  to  contain  50  per  cent,  breeze  and  cinders,  25  per 
cent,  incombustible  matter,  and  25  per  cent  moisture.  The 
non-combustible  elements,  chiefly  mineral,  leave  the  furnace  in 
the  form  of  hard  clinker,  which  is  perfectly  innocuous  and 
serviceable  for  concrete,  mortar,  and — when  mixed  with  a 
proportion  of  fine  dust  from  the  flues  together  with  cement — 
can  be  formed  into  paving  slabs,  both  they  and  the  mortar 
being  produced  at  a  cheap  rate,  and  adding  to  the  profit 
bearing  revenue  derived  from  destructor  stations.  From  an 
economic  standpoint  water-carriage  for  sewage  is  a  wasteful 
system,  as  Sir  William  Crookes  estimates  this  national  loss  to 
the  soil  of  nitrogen,  phosphates,  and  potash  at  ^16,000,000  per 
annum. 

Sewage  purification  involves  biological  problems,  and  in  a 
great  measure  it  is  due  to  the  researches  of  Mr.  S.  R.  Lowcock, 
Mr.  W.  E.  Adeney,  and  Mr.  Donald  Cameron  that  general 
acceptance  is  given  to  the  idea  that  bacteria  are  the  scavengers 
of  nature.  Dead  organic  matter  is  perpetually  undergoing 
decomposition  into  the  gaseous  and  saline  compounds  that,  in 
the  economy  of  nature,  go  to  sustain  vegetable  life,  this 
decomposition  being  brought  about  by  the  agency  of  micro- 
organisms of  various  kinds,  which  may  be  either  putrefactive 
or  by  oxidation,  the  latter  being  the  work  of  those  healthy 
micro-organismal  scavengers  that  cover  the  whole  surface  of 
the  earth,  and  without  whose  beneficient  work  all  terrestrial 
life,  vegetable  and  animal  alike,  would  cease  to  be. 


24  Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification. 

In  the  system  originated  by  Mr.  Adeney  the  polluted  liquid 
sewage,  after  separation  of  solid  matter,  is  reduced  to  simple 
substances  by  micro-organisms,  the  process  being  facilitated  by 
the  introduction  of  materials  into  a  series  of  tanks  for  main- 
taining a  healthy  condition  of  the  microbes,  the  operations 
being  continued  until  the  fluid  is  sufficiently  purified  to  enable 
it  to  be  safely  discharged  into  any  ordinary  outfall. 

The  septic  system  is  of  a  different  character,  and  is  difi"erenti- 
ated  from  the  previous  process  by  encouraging  putrefaction  of 
the  solid  elements  in  sewage.  It  is  an  accepted  dictum  that 
"the  tendency  of  nature  is  to  return  to  the  status  quo,''  and  the 
modern  science  of  bacteriology  teaches  that  if  seriously  pol- 
luted water  is  given  sufficient  time  and  oxygen,  it  will  be 
changed  back  to  a  wholesome  fluid.  Mr.  H.  E.  P.  Cottrell 
states  that  water  bacteria  consume  all  substances  that  are 
eatable,  including  putrefying  matter,  the  germs  and  spores  of 
other  bacteria,  and  even  each  other.  A  lack  of  food  produces  a 
curious  phenomenon  :  the  dead  bodies  of  myriads  of  deceased 
generations  which  preceded  them  exert  a  toxic  effect,  by 
which  the  living  are  quickly  exterminated,  and  the  water 
becomes  sterilized. 

Mr.  Cameron  proves  that  the  disappearance  of  solids  in 
sewage  is  due  to  micro-organisms  feeding  on  the  organic  matter 
which  they  exude  in  a  simpler  and  liquid  form  ;  this  action 
taking  place  in  a  closed  tank.  The  fluid  is  then  subjected  to 
filtration  and  a  clear  effluent  obtained. 

Sewage  farming  offers  three  great  advantages  : — i.  The 
effluent  is  thoroughly  purified,  2.  A  profitable  agricultural 
return  is  ensured.  3.  Under  proper  management  the  public 
health  is  not  endangered.  These  essentials  are  not  easily 
realised  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  suitable  land  near 
large  cities,  but  farming  may  be  used  as  an  adjunct  to  any 
sewage  scheme  for  utilizing  the  resultant  sludge.  Chemical 
precipitation  has  now  been  in  constant  operation  for  over  thirty 
years,  and  is  a  ready  process  for  effecting  a  clear  affluent.  It 
involves  the  use  of  collecting  tanks,  which,  however,  can  be 


Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification.  25 

emptied  at  any  time,  so  that  the  process  is  a  continuous  one. 
In  dealing  with  a  large  quanity  of  sewage  there  is  necessarily  a 
considerable  deposit  of  solid  matter,  commonly  called  sludge, 
and  its  ultimate  disposal  involves  careful  consideration.  Practical 
science  is  at  fault  in  not  determining  its  utilization  as  manure. 
It  can  be  applied  to  raise  the  level  of  low-lying  lands  which  can 
be  afterwards  cultivated  with  advantage,  or  carried  away  and 
dumped  into  the  sea,  or  pressed,  to  remove  the  surplus  water) 
and  then  burnt  in  destructor  furnaces.  The  mal-odorous 
condition  of  the  fore  shore  of  Belfast  Lough  demands  that  the 
sewage  should  be  treated  so  as  to  produce  a  clear  effluent.  So 
far  back  as  1866  Mr.  Montgomery,  the  then  Borough  Surveyor, 
considered  it  to  be  essential  to  his  able  and  comprehensive 
Main  Drainage  Scheme  to  prevent  any  pollution  to  the  shores 
of  the  Lough.  Had  that  proposal  been  carried  out  as  intended 
22  years  ago,  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  the  surface 
soil  of  our  city  would  have  been  free  from  the  disease  germs 
that  now  render  some  portions  of  the  city  unhealthy. 

The  adoption  of  a  clarification  process  requires  that  the 
collecting  tanks  be  fitted  with  a  stirring  apparatus  to  thoroughly 
mix  the  chemicals  used  for  precipitation  of  the  solid  matter. 
The  direct  result  of  such  mixture  is  that  the  solid  particles  are 
thrown  into  a  flocculent  state,  permeating  the  entire  contents 
of  the  tank,  which  gradually  settle  down,  leaving  the  liquid 
clear  and  innoxious.  The  chemical  combinations  necessary  to 
produce  this  hygienic  effect  are  prepared  chiefly  from  iron 
oxide,  alumina,  and  lime.  All  these  exist  in  immense  quanti- 
ties in  our  own  immediate  neighbourhood,  and  under  these 
favourable  local  conditions  it  follows  that  the  cost  of  precipitat- 
ing materials  should  be  cheaper  here  than  in  any  other  part  of 
the  United  Kingdom. 

Refuse  disposal  and  sewage  purification  are  pregnant  with 
possibiUties  for  our  material  welfare.  The  destructor,  while 
absolutely  destroying  those  germs  of  evil  that  are  the  accom- 
paniments of  disease,  will  furnish  the  power  for  locomotion, 
lighting,    or   other  useful  purposes.     A   precipitation   process 


l6  /Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification. 

furnishes  plant  nourishment  from  its  residuals,  and  at  the  same 
time  confers  the  beneficent  result  of  a  comparatively  pure 
effluent  from  the  sewer  outfall,  and  so  contribues  to  the  public 
weal  by  establishing  a  thorough  sanitary  system. 


Mr.  R.  M.  Young,  B.A.,  M.R.I. A.  (Hon.  Secretary),  an- 
nounced that  letters  of  apology  for  non-attendance  had  been 
received  from  Professor  Letts,  Messrs.  H.  H.  M-Neilt,  D.L., 
Parkmount  ;  Thomas  Andrews,  J.P. ;  and  John  Lanyon,  C.E. 

Mr.  Young  read  the  following  letter  from  Prof.  Letts  : — 

"Dear  Mr.  Young, — I  very  much  regret  that  owing  to 
another  engagement  I  shall  not  be  able  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  attending  the  meeting  on  Tuesday  evening  and  of  listening 
to  what  will,  I  am  sure,  prove  a  most  interesting  paper.  It 
comes  at  a  very  opportune  time,  for,  as  you  are  aware,  we  who 
live  on  the  shores  of  the  lough  suffer  from  a  nuisance  which  at 
times  is  well  nigh  intolerable,  and  which  we  are  convinced  is 
caused  almost  entirely  by  the  discharge  of  the  untreated 
sewage  of  the  city  of  Belfast  into  the  lough.  I  say  almost 
entirely,  because  we  do  not  deny  that  small  quantities  of 
sewage  are  discharged  from  the  villages  on  the  lough  shores, 
but  it  must  be  recollected  that  a  large  proportion  of  this 
sewage  is  from  cesspools,  and  is  theretore  free  from  solids — a 
very  important  distinction  between  it  and  the  Belfast  sewage, 
which  runs  bodily  into  the  lough,  solids  and  all. 

"  The  deputation  which  waited  upon  the  City  Council  last 
Friday  was  gratified  to  learn  from  the  Lord  Mayor  that  some- 
thing would  have  to  be  done  in  a  comprehensive  way  as 
regards  the  whole  subject  of  the  disposal  of  the  Belfast  sewage, 
but  it  was  by  no  means  so  satisfactory  to  hear  that  nothing 
could  attempted  until  the  Royal  Commission  on  Sewage 
Disposal,  which  is  now  sitting,  had  furnished  its  report.  This 
may  take  a  long  time,  and  the  questions  arise — (i)  Can  we 
afford  to  wait  so  long?  and  (2)  Is  there  any  necessity  for  the 
delay  ? 


Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification,  27 

"There  are  three,  and  only  three,  alternative  methods  for 
the  disposal  of  the  Belfast  sewage  I  believe,  viz. :  (i)  irrigation  ; 
(2)  the  construction  of  a  main  sewer  to  Blackhead,  or  at  all 
events  to  some  spot  on  the  coast  where  the  sewage  would  be 
swept  out  to  sea  by  the  turn  ocean  tide  ;  and  (3)  chemical 
treatment. 

"  Of  these  three  the  conditions  for  the  first  are  so  unsuitable 
that  there  is  no  chance  of  its  being  adopted,  while  the  cost  of 
the  second  would,  I  understand,  place  it  out  of  the  question. 
This  leaves  the  third  as  alone  within  the  range  of  practical 
politics.  If  that  is  the  case  can  anything  be  gained  by  a  delay 
in  executing  the  necessary  works  and  in  immediately  starting 
some  precipitation  process  ? 

"I  do  not  think  that  the  local  conditions  require  any  very 
elaborate  treatment  of  the  sewage,  because  it  is  not  a  question 
of  running  the  effluent  into  a  river  or  watercourse,  but  into  a 
shallow-sea  lough,  where  a  large  aerating  surface  exists  quite 
sufficient,  I  believe,  to  cope  with  the  dissolved  organic  matter 
which  would  remain  after  the  employment  of  any  of  the 
present  precipitation  processes. 

"  One  of  the  chief  advantages  of  the  immediate  adoption  of  a 
precipitation  process  would  be  that  the  effluent  could  be  run  off 
at  any  time  of  the  tide,  and  not  as  at  present  (under  the  Main 
Drainage  Act)  during  a  restricted  interval  which  I  am  told 
is  impossible  frequently. — Yours,  &c.,  E.  A.  Letts." 

The  Chairman  then  called  for  discussion,  and  said  he  would 
ask  Mr.  John  Macllwaine  to  open  the  discussion  on  Mr. 
Chambers's  able  paper. 

Mr.  MacIlv^^aink  said  they  were  much  obliged  to  Mr.  Chambers 
for  the  most  interesting  paper  he  had  read.  He  (Mr. 
Macllwaine)  could  offer  nothing  but  friendly  criticism  on  the 
paper.  He  knew  something  about  combustion,  and,  judging 
the  paper  from  that  part  of  the  subject  with  which  he  (Mr. 
Macllwaine)  was  famihar,  he  would  say  that  the  other  part  wag 
all  right.  They  owed  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  their  American 
cousins   for  having,    after  twenty  years'    experience,    brought 


28  Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification. 

electric  lighting  and  electric  traction  to  perfection,  and  he 
thought  the  time  had  come  when  they  in  this  country  might 
profit  by  that  experience,  and  go  in  at  once  for  electric  tram- 
ways and  electric  lighting. 

Mr.  Otto  Jaffe,  J.P.,  T.C.,  said  that,  speaking  as  a  Town 
Councillor,  he  was  in  the  unfortunate  position  of  not  being  a 
member  of  either  the  Improvement  Committee  or  the  Public 
Health  Committee,  but  perhaps  he  had  the  advantage  of  being 
able  to  speak  more  freely  about  the  subject.  He  might  say 
that  the  Town  Council  had  decided  to  adopt  refuse  destructors, 
and  the  only  question  at  issue  was  what  was  the  best  kind  of 
destructor  to  get  ?  The  deputation  that  had  visited  various 
centres  in  England  in  connection  with  the  subject  had  not  yet 
made  up  their  minds  on  that  point,  but  he  believed  they  were 
gradually  coming  to  a  decision.  He  might  say  that  the 
destructors  at  first  would  not  be  put  up  at  the  electric  station, 
but  would  be  erected  at  the  outfall  pumping  station,  where  the 
power  could  be  used  in  the  pumping.  Mr.  (Chambers  had 
estimated  the  amount  of  the  refuse  at  30,000  tons  per  year,  but 
he  (Mr.  Jaffe)  understood  that,  with  road  scrapings,  the  refuse 
amounted  to  loo.coo  tons  a  year,  and  the  plant  which  the 
Corporation  would  put  down  would  deal  with  the  destruction 
of  one-fourth  of  that  quantity.  Some  people  condemned  the 
main  drainage  system,  but,  as  the  Lord  Alayor  had  told  the 
deputation  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Corporation,  there  was  no 
doubt  that  when  the  present  system  was  put  down  it  was  done 
under  the  best  technical  advice  of  the  time.  If  the  citizens 
agitated  he  was  quite  sure  that  the  Corporation  would  see  its 
way  very  soon  to  chemically  precipitate  the  sewage  at  the  out- 
fall station.  There  was  no  doubt  that  when  the  main  drainage 
scheme  was  designed  it  was  assumed  that  the  sewage  would 
run  further  into  the  tidal  part  of  the  lough  than  it  did  now. 
In  other  words,  the  tide  brought  it  back  sooner  and  nearer 
than  was  anticipated.  He  feared  that  Mr.  Chambers's  estimate 
of  ^'4,500  a  year  as  the  cost  of  precipitating  the  sewage  was 
one-half  lower  than  the  actual  cost  would  be  ;  for  he  (Mr.  Jaffe) 


Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification.  29 

believed  that  if  an  expenditure  of  ;^4,5oo  a  year  would  purify 
the  sewage  of  Belfast  it  would  not  be  necessary  to  call  on  the 
liberaHty  of  the  Council  at  all — they  would  vote  that  sum  with 
the  greatest  of  pleasure  in  two  minutes.  And  when  the  proper 
time  came  he  believed  the  Council  would  not  hesitate  about 
voting  four  or  five  or  six  times  the  amount  mentioned  for  the 
purpose  referred  to. 

Professor  Fitzgerald  said  he  had  listened  to  the  paper  with 
great  satisfaction,  and  admired  the  practical  way  in  which  Mr. 
Chambers  had  attacked  his  subject,  and  treated  it  in  general. 
He  (the  Professor)  took  it  they  did  not  want  particularly  any 
wonderful  plan,  with  elaborate  chemicals,  much  machinery,  and 
so-forth,  which  was  to  produce  an  affluent  that  could  be  put 
into  a  small  stream,  the  size,  for  instance,  of  the  Dodder,  near 
Dublin.  What  they  wanted  was  a  simple  precipitation  plan, 
which  would  render  the  sewage  matter  sufficiently  innocuous  to 
be  put  safely  into  the  lough,  and  unlikely  to  lead  to  the 
accummulation  of  sludge  banks,  which  seemed  to  be  certainly 
going  on  now  in  a  way  very  much  analogous  to  what  began  to 
be  noticeable  in  the  Thames  about  the  year  1872,  and  the 
result  of  which  was  that  the  London  sewage  had  to  be  precipi- 
tated, and  the  sludge  taken  out  to  sea  as  it  was  now.  With 
regard  to  the  use  of  the  destructor,  and  the  advantage  of 
utilising  the  heat,  he  thought  the  destructor  which  Mr. 
Chambers  had  shown  them  was  an  extremely  well-designed 
one,  but  in  spite  of  Edinburgh,  he  had  not  been  converted  to 
the  belief  that  there  was  really  anything  to  be  got  out  of  the 
utilisation  of  the  heat  in  the  way  of  raising  steam. 

Dr.  St.  George  (Lisburn)  favourably  criticised  the  paper. 
He  said  that  in  Lisburn  they  laboured  under  difficulties  some- 
what similar  to  those  in  Belfast  with  reference  to  the  disposal 
of  sewage.  They  discharged  the  sewage  into  the  River  Lagan 
— but  they  did  not  want  to  make  it  a  gigantic  cesspool  arty 
longer,  and  they  had  now  a  Bill  before  Parliament  to  get  their 
sewerage  system  into  a  better  state. 

Alderman  James  Dempsey  spoke  of  the  absolute  necessity  of 


3©  Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  Purification. 

destroying  the  sewage  by  either  a  burning  process  or  taking 
out  to  sea  in  barges,  and  the  latter  method  was  said  to  be 
attended  with  danger,  considering  the  state  of  the  weather  at 
certain  periods.  The  question  of  precipitating  the  sewage 
matter  was  a  much  more  serious  one  than  that  of  erecting  a 
destructor.  The  erection  of  a  destructor  was  within  measurable 
distance,  and  the  precipitating  business  must  come  within 
measurable  distance  also. 

Mr.  F.  D  Ward,  J.P.,  said  he  had  visited  Paris  ten  or  twelve 
years  ago,  and  a  friend  had  brought  him  to  see  the  wonderfully 
complete  system  of  sewerage  that  existed  in  that  city.  All  the 
sewage  went  into  a  river,  and  this  river  ran  through  a  district 
where  there  was  a  wonderful  irrigation  farm,  and  here  the 
water  came  out  perfectly  pure,  as  he  (Mr.  Ward)  could  testify 
by  having  tasted  it.  He  would  like  to  hear  from  the  lecturer 
whether  the  system  of  Paris  had  been  improved  or  not  since 
the  time  he  referred  to. 

Mr.  Conway  Scott,  Executive  Sanitary  Officer,  disagreed 
with  Mr.  Chambers's  estimate  of  is.  6d.  per  ton  for  carting 
rubbish  to  burn  in  the  destructors.  He  did  not  believe  the 
work  could  be  done  for  that.  The  sludge  was  comparatively 
worthless — it  was  the  liquid  form  of  sewage  that  supplied  plant 
life — and  the  sludge  of  London  sewage  was  so  valueless  that 
they  towed  it  out  into  the  channel  and  dumped  it  into  the  sea. 
He  thought  the  real  question  was  how  to  get  rid  of  it  in  the 
cheapest  possible  way.  He  also  disagreed  with  Mr.  Chambers 
about  the  power  to  be  obtained  from  the  destructor.  While 
he  admitted  there  was  power  to  be  gained,  the  citizens  need 
not  imagine  that  the  rates  would  be  reduced  immediately  by 
the  introduction  of  electric  lights  and  electric  trams  through 
the  power  derived  from  destructors.  There  was  no  doubt  that 
sewage  could  be  purified,  but  it  was  all  a  question  of  expense. 
The  reason  the  Corporation  did  not  purify  the  sewage  was 
because  it  was  a  matter  of  ^  s  d,  and  that  appealed  to  the  rate- 
payers. 

Mr.  MuNCE,  Assistant  City  Surveyor,  said  that  Mr.  Chambers 


Refuse  Disposal  and  Sewage  FurificaHon.  3 1 

spoke  of  6,000,000  gallons  of  sewage  having  to  be  dealt  with 
every  day  in  Belfast,  but  the  usual  amount  was  about  12,000,000 
gallons  daily,  and  very  often  it  was  much  more,  so  that  Mn 
Chamber's  estimate  of  the  cost  fell  far  short  of  the  mark. 

Mr.  Chambers,  in  replying  to  the  various  speakers,  said  that 
in  estimating  ;^4,5oo  a  year  as  the  cost  of  precipitating  the 
sewage  he  only  meant  the  cost  of  the  materials  to  be  employed, 
without  reference  to  labour,  but  the  latter  was  a  small  item. 
The  cost  of  precipitation  depended  upon  the  quantity  of 
materials  used  and  the  degree  of  excellence  of  the  resulting 
effluent.  As  to  the  sludge,  it  could  be  used  for  reclaiming  land, 
or  it  could  be  used  on  sewage  farms,  or  dumped  into  the  sea. 
Paris  did  not  come  within  the  scope  of  his  paper,  but,  as  they 
all  knew,  it  was  a  model  sewage  farm  that  was  in  the  village 
outside  the  French  capital.  With  regard  to  the  destructor,  he 
believed  the  mere  work  of  burning  could  be  done  for  the 
amount  he  had  stated,  but  the  wages  bill  and  other  charges 
would  increase  it.  He  was  surprised  at  the  figures  given  by 
Mr.  Munce  as  to  the  quantity  of  sewage  matter  daily.  He  (Mr. 
Chambers)  took  the  population  of  Belfast  at  300,000,  including 
the  added  area,  and,  allowing  30  gallons  per  head,  which  was 
the  general  estimate,  that  would  give  9,000,000  gallons  per  day. 
But,  as  the  whole  of  the  area  was  not  included  in  the  main 
drainage  scheme,  he  deducted  one-third,  and  that  gave  his 
figures  6,000,000  gallons. 


32 


I2)th  December,  1898. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


THE    PURIFICATION    OF   SEWAGE   BY   BACTERIA. 
By  Arthur  J.  Martin,  Assoc.  M.Inst.  C.E. 


(Abstract.) 


I  CANNOT  pass  on  to  the  special  side  of  my  subject  without  first 
referring  briefly  to  the  nature  and  properties  of  sewage,  as  a 
proper  understanding  of  these  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
comprehension  of  a  process  of  purification.  There  is  often  a 
disposition  to  regard  sewage  as  consisting,  either  wholly  or  in 
great  part,  of  excremental  matter.  This  is  very  far  from  being 
the  case.  There  are,  for  instance,  many  towns  in  the  North  of 
England  where  the  excreta  are  dealt  with  on  the  dry-earth  or 
privy  system,  and  do  not  find  their  way  into  the  sewers  ;  but 
in  such  cases,  as  the  Rivers  Pollution  Commissioners  have 
shown,  the  sewage  differs  very  slightly  in  composition  and 
strength  from  that  of  water-closeted  towns,  in  which  the  whole 
of  the  excrement  is  admitted  to  the  sewers. 

Fresh  sewage  is  generally  comparatively  free  from  smell ;  but 
when  it  has  lain  about  for  any  length  of  time,  as  it  does  in  the 
depressions  of  badly-laid  sewers,  it  often  becomes  exceedingly 
offensive.  In  other  words,  it  begins  to  decompose.  This 
process  of  decomposition  serves  a  definite  purpose  of  supreme 
importance  in  the  economy  of  nature.  The  materials  which 
are  suitable  as  food  for  the  vegetable  and  animal  world  exist  in 
extremely  limited  quantities,  and  must  therefore  be  used  over 
and   over   again.     But    the   refuse   of  animal   life   has   to  be 


The  Piirificahon  of  Sewage  by  Bacteria.  33 

prepared  for  the  plants  before  they  can  feed  upon  it.  This  all- 
important  work  is  performed  by  myriads  of  unpaid  scavenorers, 
whose  existence  was  not  even  suspected  until  late  in  the 
seventeenth  century.  They  are  so  tiny  that  it  required  the 
powerful  microscopes  of  the  present  day  to  make  them,  visible 
at  all  ;  they  are  known  as  "  bacteria  "  or  more  familiarly  as 
"  microbes."  There  are  other  low  forms  of  life  which  bear  a 
part  with  them  ;  but  it  will  simplify  our  task  to-night  if  we 
confine  ourselves  to  bacteria  and  their  work.  It  is  they  who 
seize  on  the  foul  matter  given  off  by  the  animal  world,  and 
bring  it  into  such  a  condition  that  it  can  support  vegetable  life. 
This  work  is  accomplished  in  at  least  two  stages.  The  products 
of  animal  life  become  first  of  all  the  prey  of  the  decomposition 
moulds  and  bacteria,  whereby  they  are  converted  into  the 
various  products  of  decomposition,  such  as  ammonia  and  nitrites. 
These,  again,  are  seized  upon  by  the  other  workers,  which  it  is 
convenient  to  classify  as  nitrifying  bacteria,  and  converted  by 
them  into  nitrates,  which  I  need  hardly  remind  you,  are  among 
the  most  valuable  of  our  artificial  fertilisers. 

As  I  shall  point  out  later,  the  decomposition  moulds  and 
bacteria  are  made  use  of  in  the  septic  tank  to  break  down  the 
polluting  matter  of  sewage  ;  and  the  work  of  purification  is 
completed  by  the  nitrifying  bacteria  in  the  filters. 

When  the  sewage  problem  first  began  to  make  itself  felt,  the 
eyes  of  sanitary  authorities  turned  hopefully  towards  sewage 
farms.  They  expected  not  only  to  get  rid  of  their  sewage,  but 
also  to  derive  a  profit  from  its  utilisation  on  the  land.  'I  he 
creed  of  many  sanitarians  was  summed  up  in  the  phrase  *•  The 
rainfall  to  the  river,  the  sewage  to  the  land."  These  hopes 
were,  in  nearly  every  instance,  doomed  to  be  blasted.  In  all 
but  a  very  small  minority  of  instances,  where  local  circumstances 
were  exceptionally  favourable,  the  sewage  farm  has  turned  out 
a  source  of  1  ss  instead  of  profit  ;  and  in  too  many  cases  it  has 
completely  failed  to  purify  the  sewage.  Often  enough  it  has 
proved  to  be  an  unmitigated  nuisance.  The  reason  for  this  is 
not  far  to  seek.  Land  is  undoubtedly  the  natural  receptacle 
3 


34  The  Purification  of  Sewage  bv  Bacteria. 

for  the  refuse  of  the  animal  world  ;  and,  if  we  were  content  to 
live  the  life  of  the  primitive  man.  we  might  safely  throw  upon 
the  soil  the  duty  of  dealing  with  our  leavings.  But  it  does  not 
follow  that  this  is  the  natural  \v2.y  to  deal  with  town  sewage. 
It  is  not  a  natural  state  of  things  to  concentrate  the  excrement 
of  several  thousand  people  upon  a  few  acres  of  land.  It  is  still 
less  a  natural  proceeding  to  swamp  this  land  daily  with  several 
thousands  of  tons  of  dirty  water  in  addition.  It  is  because  we 
do  these  things  that  nature  rebels,  and  our  sewage  farms  turn 
out  failures.  The  successful  purification  of  sewage  by  means  of 
land,  day  in  and  day  out  throughout  the  year,  demands  far 
larger  areas  than  are  generally  available.  And,  what  is  not  less 
important,  the  task  requires  skilled  management  of  a  high 
order,  which  it  is  hard  to  find,  and  still  harder  to  induce  a 
sewage  committee  to  pay  for.  We  are  therefore  thrown  back 
on  what  are  called  "  artificial ''  processes  of  sewage  purification. 

For  many  years  attempts  have  been  made  to  solve  the 
diflBculty  by  means  of  strainers,  followed  by  chemical  precipita- 
tion. This  process,  when  properly  carried  out,  does  undoubtedly 
remove  from  sewage  the  larger  proportion  of  the  suspended 
impurities,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  solid  matter  visible  to  the  eye, 
as  well  as  part  of  the  dissolved  polluting  matter.  But  the 
suspended  matters  are  not  got  rid  of  by  precipitation  :  they  are 
merely  thrown  down  as  sludge.  Great  expectations  were  at 
one  time  entertained  of  the  manurial  value  of  sewage  sludge  ; 
but  here  again  the  hopes  formed  have  been  doomed  to 
disappointment  ;  and  in  most  cases  the  cost  of  disposing  of  this 
embarrassing  substance  adds  very  largely  to  the  expense  of 
dealing  with  the  sewage. 

The  capability  of  filters,  when  properly  handled,  to  deal  with 
the  liquid  portion  of  sewage  has  long  been  recognised.  It 
remained  to  find  an  effective  and  inexpensive  means  of  preparing 
sewage  for  filtration  by  freeing  it  from  its  suspended  solids,  and 
of  grappling  with  the  sludge  difficulty.  Among  others  whose 
duties  brought  them  face  to  face  with  this  problem  was  the 
City  Surveyor  of  Exeter,  Mr.  Donald  Cameron.     After  many 


The  Furificatioii  of  Seivage  by  Bacteria.  35 

years  of  study  and  research  Mr.  Cameron  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  polluting  matter  of  sewage  might  be  so  changed 
as  to  be  rendered  harmless  solely  by  the  operation  of  natural 
agencies,  provided  that  these  were  properly  directed  and  con- 
trolled. The  outcome  of  his  work  in  this  direction  is  the  septic 
tank,  which  is  probably  known  by  name,  at  least,  to  most  of 
those  present. 

The  septic  tank  and  filters  at  Belleisle  have  now  been  dealing 
for  more  than  two  years  with  the  sewage  of  St.  Leonards,  a 
suburb  of  the  city  of  Exeter,  having  a  population  of  about  1,500. 
The  sewage  is  turned  without  any  screening  or  preliminary 
treatment  into  the  septic  tank,  in  which  the  solid  matter  is 
retained,  the  clear  water  then  being  drawn  off  between  the 
scum  on  the  surface  and  the  heavy  deposit  which  lies  at  the 
bottom  of  the  tank. 

If  we  did  nothing  more  than  arrest  the  solid  matter  of  the 
sewage,  we  should  still  be  confronted  with  the  difficulty  of 
getting  rid  of  the  sludge.  But,  fortunately,  sewage  contains 
within  itself  the  seeds  of  its  own  destruction.  Dr.  Poore, 
among  others,  has  drawn  attention  to  the  fact  that  excrement 
simply  teems  with  bacteria.  Under  the  conditions  provided  in 
the  septic  tank,  these  tiny  scavengers  attack  the  impurities  of 
the  sewage,  and  gradually  resolve  them  into  simpler  and 
simpler  forms.  The  scum  which  covers  the  surface  is  full  of 
bacteria,  and  serves  as  the  "  barm  "  so  to  speak,  which  sets  up 
the  fermentation  or  decomposition  by  which  the  solid  matter 
is  eventually  broken  down. 

As  the  outcome  of  these  operations  we  get  an  effluent 
practically  free  from  solid  matter,  and  showing  a  marked 
purification  even  as  regards  the  impurities  in  s(jlution. 

Among  the  final  products  of  the  decomposition  which  takes 
place  in  the  septic  tank,  are  marsh  gas  and  free  hydrogen,  both 
of  which  are  highly  inflammable  gases.  The  flame  from  these 
gases,  though  a  very  hot  one,  is  not  luminous  ;  but  it  becomes 
so  by  the  aid  of  an  incandescent  mantle.  For  some  months 
past  the  works  at  Exeter  have  been  lighted  at  night  with  the 
gases  generated  in  the  tank. 


36  The  Pzirification  of  Setvage  by  Bacteria. 

During  the  preliminary  decomposition  in  the  septic  tank,  it 
was  important  to  exclude  oxygen  as  far  as  possible  ;  but  having 
brought  the  solids  into  solution,  it  becomes  necessary  to  oxidise 
them  ;  and  this  process  requires  the  free  access  of  air. 
Accordingly  the  effluent,  after  flowing  through  an  aerator, 
passes  into  the  filters,  in  which  the  work  of  oxidation  is  chiefly 
accomplished.  This  duty,  like  the  preliminary  liquefaction  of 
the  solids  in  the  tank,  is  the  work  of  bacteria  ;  but  the  workers 
in  the  filters,  unlike  those  in  the  tank,  which  only  thrive  in  the 
absence  of  air,  require  a  plentiful  supply  of  oxygen  to  enable 
them  to  perform  their  functions.  Each  filter  therefore  is 
first  filled,  then  allowed  to  rest  full  for  a  certain  time,  then 
emptied,  and  finally  left  to  drain  and  aerate.  In  this  way  the 
nitrifying  bacteria  obtain  the  necessary  supply  of  oxygen.  The 
need  for  constant  attention  is  done  away  with  by  means  of  an 
alternating  gear,  which  automatically  opens  and  closes  the 
valves  in  their  proper  order.  The  works  are  thus  rendered 
completely  automatic,  and  one  man,  visiting  ihem  for  a  few 
minutes  on  two  or  three  days  per  week,  is  able  to  give  all  the 
attention  which  the}'  ordinarily  require.  The  filtered  effluent 
from  these  works  has  been  examined  at  various  times  by  many 
of  ihe  foremost  chemists  in  the  kingdom,  and  found  to  be  of  a 
high  quality  and  perfectly  inoffensive  ;  and  it  remains  so  when 
kept  for  any  length  of  time. 

A  marked  characteristic  of  works  on  this  system  is  their  entire 
freedom  from  nuisance.  At  Exeter  there  is  a  good  house  with- 
in seventy  yards  of  the  works,  and  three  other  high-class 
residences  within  two  or  three  hundred  yards.  At  the  Local 
Government  Board  Inquiry  held  at  Exeter  with  reference  to 
the  scheme  for  laying  down  tanks  and  filters  for  the  whole 
city,  there  was  not  one  word  of  opposition  thereto,  although 
the  new  works  will  be  some  thirty  times  as  large  as  the  in- 
stallation already  laid  down,  and  right  under  the  windows  of 
these  houses. 

At  Yeovil  there  is  a  factory  within  three  paces  of  the  works, 
and  the  proprietors  state  that  they  have  never  experienced  any 


The  Fiirification  of  Sewage  by  Bacteria.  37 

nuisance  therefrom.  A  doubt  has  often  been  expressed  whether 
the  system  would  be  as  successful  in  dealing  with  sewage 
strongly  charged  with  manufacturing  refuse  as  it  is  with  an 
ordinary  domestic  sewage  ;  but  this  has  now  been  completely 
demonstrated  at  Yeovil  with  a  sewage  which  is  pronounced  by 
competent  judges  to  be  one  of  the  foulest  in  England. 

There  is  one  function  of  sewage  works  which  must  not  be 
overlooked.  The  bacteria  which  bring  about  the  decomposition 
of  sewage  matter  are  the  sworn  foes  of  disease  germs  ;  and  it  is 
by  their  means  that  the  ravages  of  disease  are  kept  within 
bounds.  In  the  septic  tank,  and  again  in  the  filters,  any  disease 
germs  which  the  sewage  contams  are  systematically  exposed  to 
the  attack  of  their  deadly  enemies,  first  of  one  kind,  then  of 
another.  The  works  thus  furnish  an  efficient  safeguard  against 
the  propagation  of  disease  by  the  sewage  with  which  they  are 
dealing. 

Professor  Redfkkn,  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
lecturer,  said  Mr.  Martin's  discourse  had  been  so  lucid  and  able 
on  the  new  method  of  sewage  treatment,  that  everyone  who 
had  thought  anything  on  the  matter  should  be  deeply  interested. 
The  world  seemed  to  have  come  to  a  general  conclusion  that 
bacteria  did  nothing  but  mischief,  but  Mr.  Martin  had  shown 
that  they  were  the  great  scavengers  of  eflfete  matter,  and  played 
an  important  part  in  the  economy  of  nature.  Belfast  had  been 
recently  visited  by  a  typhoid  epidemic,  but  so  had  other  towns 
and  cities,  and  that  ought  to  be  remembered  when  the  present 
outcry  was  raised.  The  lecturer  had  shown — and  he  (Professor 
Redtern)  was  prepared  to  believe  it — that  these  bacteria 
destroyed  the  solid  matter  in  sewage.  Exeter  had  already 
shown  in  this  matter  of  sewage  purification  what  could  be  done 
on  a  small  scale,  and  they  all  looked  forward  with  great  zest  to 
its  showing  them  the  way  in  what  could  be  done  on  a  large 
scale  in  this  very  important  matter. 

Mr.  J.  W.  GiLLiLAND,  C.E.,  seconded  the  vote  of  thanks.  He 
said  that  a  sewage  farm,  which  system  seemed  to  find  favour 
with  some,  was  quite  impracticable  for  a  large  city  like  Belfast, 


38  The  Purification  of  Sewage  by  Bacteria. 

as  the  area  required  would  be  about  3,000  acres  ,  and  chemical 
precipitation  he  did  not  favour. because  it  left  the  sludge  question 
undealt  with,  which  was  the  bete  noir  of  sanitary  engineers. 
The  question  of  the  disposal  of  the  sludge  had  practically 
sounded  the  death  knell  of  chemical  precipitation  as  a  means 
of  purifying  sewage.  '1  here  was.  then,  only  left  the  bacterial 
method,  which  the  septic  tank  treatment  carried  out.  They  in 
Belfast  therefore  should  not  be  any  longer  lax  in  this  matter, 
but  should  benefit  by  the  able  lecture  they  had  heard  from  Mr. 
Martin  and  see  that  the  sewage  of  the  city  should  not  be  any 
longer  discharged  in  a  crude  state  into  Belfast  Lough.  The 
question  of  the  purification  of  the  sewage  was,  as  has  been  said, 
one  of  _^  s  d  ;  but  the  septic  tank  treatment  was  merely  one  of 
first  cost,  with  practically  a  minimum  of  working  expense  after- 
wards, the  system  being  automatic. 

Dr.  St.  Gkorge  (Lisburn),  after  complimenting  Mr.  Mai  tin 
on  the  clearness  of  his  lecture,  said  that  dirt  was  only  matter  in 
a  wrong  place,  and  that  sewage  only  was  a  nuisance  and 
required  to  be  grappled  with  on  acccount  of  the  aggregation  ot 
people  in  towns,  therefore  the  disposal  of  it  (sewage)  by  nature's 
methods  was  at  once  the  simplest,  the  cheapest,  and  the  best. 
The  sooner  the  public  could  be  made  to  understand  that 
Bacteria  were  not  all  raging  lions  ready  to  prey  on  the  human 
race  the  better,  but  that  even  bacteria  had  their  part  in  the 
cycle  of  nature,  acting  and  reacting,  each  in  its  proper  sphere. 
There  seemed  no  manner  of  doubt  that  the  septic  tank 
system  fulfilled  this,  and  from  personal  observation  during 
August,  1897,  ^s  ^^'^s  prepared  to  support  all  that  had  been 
said  by  the  lecturer.  The  other  systems  he  had  visited  first' 
screened  their  sewage,  none  admitting  raw  sewage  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  word.  The  chemical  precipitation  left  enormous 
quantities  of  sludge  to  be  disposed  of,  which  was  valueless  as 
manure,  being  deprived  of  nearly  all  its  nitrogen.  Then  the 
initial  cost  being  the  only  expense  was  a  very  considerable 
factor  for  the  system,  one  labourer  being  sufficient  to  look  after 
the  works.     The  effluent  having  no  chemicals,  solution  could 


The  Purification  of  Sewage  by  Bacteria.  39 

be  freely  discharged  into  any  stream  without  fear  of  damage, 
and  the  sample  to  be  shown  by  Dr.  Jefferson,  M.O.H  for 
Lisburn,  taken  August,  i''^97,  showed  no  signs  of  change  or 
decomposition  at  that  time. 

Dr.  Jkffflrson  (Lisburn)  said — Mr.  Chairman,  I  can  add  very 
little  to  what  Dr.  St.  George  has  said,  but  shall,  with  your 
permission,  read  a  few  notes  I  took  when  examining  the 
different  schemes.  Tn  the  universal  system  at  Ilkeston  there  is 
an  Ives  Settling  Tank,  the  sludge  is  pumped  out  night  and 
morning  with  a  gas  engine,  and  during  this  operation  gives  off 
a  most  offensive  smell.  The  effluent  is  very  cloudy,  and  gives 
off  a  strong  smell  of  sewage.  The  International  at  Hendon  has 
a  Candy's  Patent  Sludge  Removal  Apparatus.  There  is  an 
enormous  quantity  of  sludge,  viz. — 1,300  tons  for  a  population 
of  14,500.  The  treatment  and  disposal  of  the  sewage  cost 
_^979  17s.  7d.  for  years  iy96-i8g7.  In  the  above  systems 
chemicals  are  used.  The  solids  are  screened,  raked  out  every 
hour,  carted  away  and  buried.  The  Hendon  authorities  were 
threatened  with  an  action  by  the  River  Conservators  for 
pollution  of  the  river  Brent,  on  account  of  the  reaction  that 
occurred  when  chemicals  are  used.  The  following  are,  in  my 
opinion,  the  advantages  of  the  Exeter  system,  viz. —  i,  no 
screening  ;  2,  no  chemicals,  and  consequently  no  reaction  in 
rivers  ;  3,  no  expensive  machineiy,  it  is  automatic  ;  4,  working 
expenses  very  light,  a  man  about  an  hour  two  days  in  the  week 
would  be  quite  sufficient  ;  5.  very  little  sludge,  which  would 
not  require  removal  for  several  years  ;  6,  effluent  very  good,  no 
smell  whatever,  and  may  be  discharged  into  a  river  without 
further  treatment  of  any  sort. 

Mr.  Peddie  (Belfast)  was  in  favour  of  the  system,  and  showed 
that  there  would  be  a  great  saving  in  both  the  initial  expense 
and  also  in  the  upkeep  of  this  system,  as  compared  with  the  one, 
that  had  been  promoted  for  Armagh. 

Mr.  MuN'CE,  Assistant  City  Surveyor,  Belfast,  said  he  had 
from  the  first  formed  a  good  opinion  of  the  septic  tank  system, 
and  he  believed  the  precipitation  idea  was  dead,  because  the 


40  The  Purification  of  Sewage  by  Bacteria. 

cost  of  disposing  of  the  sludge  completely  barred  its  adoption 
in  any  large  town. 

Mr.  J.  Brown  said  he  had  listened  to  the  paper  with  great 
interest,  an  interest  enhanced  by  his  long  acquaintance  with 
the  inventor  of  the  Septic  Tank  System,  Mr.  Donald  Cameron, 
for  whom  he  had  the  highest  regard.  He  believed  that  any- 
thing recommended  by  Mr.  Cameron  would  merit  their  most 
careful  consideration. 

Mr.  Martin  then  acknowltdged  the  vote  of  thanks,  and 
replied  briefly  to  questions  which  had  been  asked  during  the 
discussion.  He  concluded  by  thanking  the  Chairman  for 
presiding. 


41 


wth  January^  1899. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J. P.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


THE    VJAGRAPH,   A    NEW    INSTRUMENT   FOR 
TESTING  KOAD  SURFACES. 

By  J.  Bkown. 

{Abstract.) 


It  is  almost  needless  to  refer  to  the  importance  to  all  classes 
of  the  public  highways,  or  to  the  necessity  of  good  roads  for  the 
purposes  of  that  commerce  which  is  the  mainstay  of  our  empire 
and  of  our  power  as  a  nation,  and  which  depends  for  its 
existence  on  the  interchange  of  commodities.  In  England  the 
need  of  good  roads  has  been  long  recognised.  In  Ireland  there 
is  still  much  room  for  improvement.  Those  who  have  become 
acquainted  with  the  highways  in  both  countries,  either  by 
cycling  or  driving  over  them,  tell  us  there  is  a  vast  difference, 
that  the  worst  road  in  England,  for  instance,  is  better  than  the 
best  in  Ireland,  and  so  on  ;  and  they  endeavour  to  convey 
some  idea  from  their  observations  of  the  comparative  qualities. 
Till  now,  however,  no  means  existed  of  making  an  accurate 
comparison,  of  telling  how  much  and  in  what  way  English  or 
foreign  roads  were  better  than  ours.  It  was  in  the  hope  of 
providing  such  means,  and  thereby  attempting  to  convince  our 
local  authorities  of  the  great  need  of  improvement,  that  the 

viagraph  has  been  designed. 

The  viagraph  consists  practically  of  a  straight  edge  applied 
continuously  to  to  the  road  surface  along  which  it  may  be 
drawn,  and  conveying  an  apparatus  for  (ist)  recording  on  paper 


42  Ihe  Viagraph. 

a  profile  of  the  road-surface,  and  (2nd)  indicating  a  numerical 
index  of  the  unevenness  of  the  surface.  These  taken  together 
give  a  quite  fair  estimate  of  the  qu:ility  of  the  road  at  the  pait 
tested. 

Fig.  I  gives  a  general  view  of  the  instrument,  the  frame  of 
which  is  in  form  like  a  sled,  with  straight  runners.  On  this 
are  mounted  the  working  parts  shown  in  Fig.  2.  The  lever 
T,  pivoted  to  the  main  frame  at  H,  carries  on  its  free  end  a 
serrated  wheel,  the  upper  part  of  which  is  seen  at  V.  While 
the  main  frame,  in  being  drawn  along  the  road,  preserves  a 
sufficiently  even  line,  the  road  wheel  V  rises  and  falls  over  all 
the  unevennesses  of  the  surface,  carrying  with  it  the  lever 
T,  and  thereby  transmitting  its  movements  by  means  of  the 
link  and  lever  S  to  the  pencil  P,  which  marks  the  full  ampli- 
tucle  of  these  motions  on  the  paper  passing  round  the  drum 
A.  (In  the  figure  this  pencil  is  raised  above  its  usual  position, 
from  the  necessity  of  raismg  the  road-wheel  V  so  as  to  bring 
it  into  view.)  While  the  motion  of  the  pencil  takts  place  in  a 
vertical  direction,  the  paper  on  which  it  marks  is  carried  under 
it  by  the  drum  A,  which  is  rotated  by  a  worm  and  wheel  below 
it  connected  by  a  shaft  and  bevel  gear  with  the  road  wheel  V. 
The  paper  is  thus  drawn  from  the  stock-roll  C,  passed  under 
the  pencil  and  wound  up  on  the  receiving-drum  B.  The 
result  is  a  profile  of  the  road  surface,  of  which  the  scale  xi  full 
size  vertically^  and  ^in.  to  \ft.  longitiidijially.  A  second  pencil 
seen  below  P  draws  a  datum  line  corresponding  to  that  which 
the  indicating  pencil  P  would  produce  from  a  perfectly  even 
road.  From  this  can  be  measured  the  depths  of  the  ''  ruts  '  or 
"  cups,"  or  other  unevennesses  indicated  on  the  diagram.  The 
sum  of  the  depths  of  all  these  unevennesses  constitutes  the 
numerical  index  of  unevenness,  and  is  indicated  on  the  decimal 
counter  W,  which  is  worked  as  follows  : — A  cord  attached  to 
the  free  end  of  the  lever  T  is  passed  once  round  the  double- 
grooved  pulley  X,  and  connected  to  the  stretched  rubber  band 
at  O.  When  the  lever  T  descends,  owing  to  the  fall  of  the 
road-wheel  V,  into  a  rut  or  cup  in  the  surface,  this  cord  rotates 


^i 
.^^P 


i 


^x 

s 


GUILDFORD    AND    LEATHERHEAD    ROAD,    SURREY 

-i\ — ^  \y    JVo^ 


LIVERPOOL    AND    PRESCOT     ROAD 


v/p^vv>i?^>d^f 


BELFAST    AND    LISBURN    ROAD 


The   Viagraph.  43 

tlie  pulley  X  by  the  amount  of  the  drop,  the  rubber  band  O 
stre'ching  to  allow  the  necessary  movement  of  the  cord. 
When  the  road-wheel  and  lever  rise  again  the  cord  slips  back 
on  the  pulley,  the  rubber  taking  up  the  slack  while  the  puUty 
is  held  fast  by  a  brake,  consisting  of  a  quite  similar  rubber- 
tightened  cord  attached  to  a  rigid  part  of  the  frame  instead  of 
the  lever  T,  and  passing  round  a  separate  groove  on  X.  The 
pulley  X  therefore  rotates  intermittently,  in  one  direction  only, 
to  an  amount  proportionate  to  the  sum  of  all  the  unevennesses 
passed  over,  which  amount  is  indicated  in  inches  on  the  decimal 
counter,  and  constitutes  the  index  of  unevenness. 

In  order  to  compare  the  index  of  one  road  with  another,  it  is 
obviously  necessary  that  the  same  length  of  each  be  taken  as  a 
unit.  For  this  purpose  a  length  of  88  yards,  being  one- 
twentieth  of  a  mile,  is  convenient,  and  this  is  measured  in 
inches  of  paper,  run  off  the  roll  C,  proportionate  to  the  scale 
arranged.  That  is  to  say,  when  88  yards  of  road  have  been 
traversed  33in.  of  paper  will  have  run  off  the  roll.  Each  33in. 
length  is  measured  off  by  the  pulley  at  M  in  contact  with  the 
stock  roll  of  paper,  and  at  the  end  of  the  length  it  rings  the  bell 
above  it,  thus  indicating  that  the  unit  length  of  road  has  been 
traversed. 

In  a  newer  form  of  the  instrument  this  alarm-bell  has  been 
transferred  to  the  interior  of  the  drum  A,  thus  making  it  more 
simple  and  compact,  and  the  working  parts  are  protected  from 
passing  showers  by  a  suitable  glass  case. 

A  number  of  diagrams  are  on  the  table,  showing  profiles  of 
roads  in  Antrim,  Down,  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Surrey,  and 
Lancashire  taken  by  myself,  also  of  roads  near  Exeter,  for 
which  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Donald  Cameron,  City  Surveyor  of 
that  town.  Three  examples  of  these  profiles  are  given.  Fig. 
2.  The  first  is  a  flint  road,  once  a  main  coaching  route 
from  London  to  Portsmouth,  and  still  carrying  considerable 
heavy  traffic.  It  was  selected  by  the  advice  of  Mr.  Shipton, 
Secretary  Cyclists'  Touring  Club,  as  an  example  of  a  good  bit 
of  a  good  English  country   road.     The  second  is   chosen  for 


44  "Ihe   Viagraph. 

the  special  reason  that  in  point  of  amount  and  weight  of  traffic 
it  may  compare  with  the  one  below  it,  our  own  awful  example 
of  a  main  road.  This  last  diagram  was  taken  in  December  near 
Lambeg,  a  part  of  the  road  which  b.ad  been  thoroughly  coated 
with  stone  and  steam-rolled  in  the  previous  August,  The 
Prescot  road  had  also  been  repaired  just  about  four  or  five 
montlis  before  this  test  was  taken  last  May,  so  that  the  com- 
parison as  regards  lapse  of  time  since  each  was  repaired  is  fair. 

The  diagram  of  the  Prescot  road  is  an  average  specimen,  and 
was  not  taken  from  the  best  part  of  this  road.  Further 
comment  on  the  comparison  between  these  roads  is  almost 
superfluous,  but  it  may  be  noted  that,  while  the  greatest  depth 
of  ruts  generally  found  on  these  English  roads  is  usually  a 
fraction  of  an  inch,  those  on  the  Lisburn  and  other  Irish  main 
roads  quite  commonly  exceed  i  inch  in  depth,  and  can  easily 
be  found  over  2  inches,  as  in  the  diagram  above. 

The  index  of  unevenness,  as  measured  in  the  manner  described 
above  for  each  of  the  three  roads,  of  which  diagrams  are  here  given , 
is  as  follows  : — For  the  Gilford  road  the  sum  of  the  depths  of 
ruts  is  12  to  14  feet  per  mile  ;  for  the  Prescott  road,  42  feet 
per  mile  (an  average  of  all  the  indications  taken)  ;  for  the 
Lisburn  road  in  the  part  here  taken,  134  feet  per  mile. 

Besides  the  discomfort  of  travelling  and  the  extra  wer.r  and 
tear  on  vehicles  entailed  by  such  roads  as  this  last,  there  is 
another  objection  distinctly  brought  out  by  the  viagraph.  In 
considering  the  passage  over  a  rough  road  of  a  carriage  whetl 
we  may  probably  assume  that  there  is  no  impetus  gained  in 
dropping  into  a  rut  which  is  available  as  a  help  to  rise  out  c  fit 
at  the  other  side.  We  may  therefore  conclude  that  the  po\.'er 
necessary  to  raise  the  wheel  out  of  each  and  every  rut  mu.t  be 
supplied  from  the  horse  or  other  tractive  force.  We  may 
accordingly  take  the  sum  of  unevenness  as  representing  in 
effect  an  artificial  hill  interposed  by  the  badness  of  the  road. 
On  our  Lisburn  road,  for  instance,  taking  the  average  sum  of 
unevenness  as  ico  feet  per  mile,  we  have  an  artificial  hill  of 
that  amount  in  each  mile  \  consequently  any  vehicle  making 


The   Viagraph.  45 

a  ^,0  mile  journey  on  such  a  road  has  in  effect  to  climb  a  hill 
(over  and  above  any  recognised  hills  on  the  road),  which  is 
greater  in  height  than  Slieve  Donard,  and  is  made  up  of  ruts 
alone.  A  simple  calculation  shows  that  if  we  consider  a  vehicle 
weighing  with  its  load  one  ton,  and  travelling  at  7  miles  per 
hour,  the  extra  power  required  to  take  it  over  these  ruts  is 
just  over  |  horse  power  ;  or,  if  we  take  as  an  example  of 
heavy  traffic  a  weight  of  35  cwt.,  at  3i  miles  per  hour,  the  extra 
power  required  is  just  under  |  horse- power.  The  same 
calculation,  applied  to  the  Liverpool  and  Prescot  road  gives 
about  \  horse-power  in  each  case.  A  comparison  therefore 
shows  that  the  ruts  on  the  Lisburn  road  entail  either  the  use 
of  about  half  as  many  more  horses  than  are  really  needed  on 
a  good  road,  or  a  loss  to  an  equivalent  amount  in  speed  or  in 
weight  carried. 

The  instrument  here  shown,  was  constructed  to  my  design, 
by  Mr.  Alexander  Gass.  of  College  Street  South,  and  is  a  very 
creditable  example  of  finely-executed  work.  The  name  of  the 
workman  chiefly  employed  on  it,  Alexander  Cook,  ought  also 
to  be  mentioned  as  having  taken  great  pains  in  carrying  out 
the  details. 

The  records  of  the  instrument  would  be  of  use  to  those 
criticising  the  state  of  the  roads  in  any  district,  also  to  surveyors 
wishing  to  test  various  methods  of  road  maintenance  or  to 
convince  their  county  authorities  of  the  need  of  improvement 
or  of  the  advantages  already  obtained  by  a  given  treatment. 
They  would  also  be  valuable  to  cyclists  and  others  desirous  of 
knowing  the  condition  of  the  roads  in  any  distant  district  in 
which  they  proposed  to  travel. 

Having  shown  that  our  Irish  roads  compare  so  unfavour- 
ably with  those  across  the  Channel,  it  may  be  asked 
why,  and  how  can  they  be  improved.  Not  being  an  expert  in 
road  management,  I  feel  diffident  about  saying  much  on  this 
question.  T  would  point  out,  however,  that  Macadam,  the 
father  of  the  modern  English  road,  insisted  chiefly  on  three 
points — first,  thorough  drying  of  the  road-bed  by  underground 


46  The   Viagrant. 

drains  or  other  means  ;  second,  no  stone  in  the  road  to  exceed 
60Z.  in  weight,  or,  as  he  sometimes  put  it,  ''  any  stone  you  can 
put  in  your  mouth  may  go  on  the  road  ;"  third,  cleanness  of 
the  metal.  Now,  none  of  these  points  appear  to  be  sufficiently 
recognised  here,  while  they  appear  to  be  still  accepted  in 
England,  except  of  course  that  Pelford's  system  of  paving  the 
bottom  with  large  stones  first  may  be  use4,  instead  of  the 
macadam  metalling  only.  In  our  neighbourhood  the  modern 
practice  seems  to  omit  all  subsoil  drainage  ;  consequently  all 
the  evils  of  wet  roads  are  multiplied,  though  in  our  climate 
drainage  would  seem  doubly  necessary.  The  grade  of  road 
metal  used  here  would  seem  to  be  excessively  large.  Samples 
of  stones  from  English  roads  are  on  the  table,  which  weigh 
between  loz.  and  2oz.,  and  measure  ifin  greatest  diameter. 
While  English  engmeers  with  whom  I  have  spoken  seem 
to  be  in  doubt  whether  2in.  or  2|in.  metal  was  best,  on 
the  Lisburn  road  the  stones  (specimens  of  which  are  shown) 
seem  to  average  3:|-in.,  and  weigh  looz.  to  150Z.,  even  4in.  to 
5in.  being  not  uncommon.  A  piece  of  road  met^l  from  the 
Malone  Road,  some  distance  within  the  city  boundary,  is  on 
the  table,  measuring  siin.  long  and  weighing  ilb.  6oz.  In 
County  Down,  however,  a  more  reasonable  grade  of  metal  is 
now  observable,  and  it  will  be  generally  admitted  that  the 
roads  in  that  county  are  at  least  somewhat  smoother  than  those 
in  County  Antrim  This  is  apparent  in  the  diagrams  from  the 
Belfast  and  Saintfield  Road  exhibited.  No  excuse  for  bad  roads 
in  the  North  of  Ireland  could  be  offered  on  account  of  the 
inferiority  of  the  material  available.  Basalt  and  eraniie  are 
both  excellent  if  selected  of  a  tough  and  wear-resisting  quality 
— a  matter  perhaps  not  always  attended  to.  Basalt  metalling 
can  be  delivered  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Belfast  for  little  more 
than  3s  per  ton,  whereas  in  Cambridge,  for  example,  the 
granite  metalling  is  said  to  cost  25s  per  ton,  and  in  Lancashire 
the  broken  syenite  used  on  the  Prescot  Road  costs  los  to  12s 
per  ton.  Referring  to  the  recognised  smoothness  of  the  flint 
roads  in   England,   such    as   that  shown    above,  I  hope  that 


The  Via  graph.  aj 

some  of  the  road  engineers,  if  present,  will  say  why  a  similar 
smooth  and  good  road  for  moderate  traffic  has  not  been  made 
here  from  the  abundance  of  flint  now  thrown  aside  as  a  waste 
product  in  our  limestone  quarries. 

As  to  cleanness  of  metal,  it  would  appear  from  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  practice  on  the  Prescot  Road,  given  by  its  Sur- 
veyor (Mr.  Gcldsworth),  and  also  from  a  very  well-considered 
opinion  kindly  given  ly  the  Surveyor  of  County  Down,  that  a 
little  road  scrapings  judiciously  applied  after  the  first  rolling 
may  be  requisite.  Too  much  mud,  Mr.  Cowan  remarks,  is  a 
real  fault.  If,  however,  the  local  authorities  do  not  consider  that 
the  above  are  the  causes  of  the  defects,  or  if  they  doubt  the 
applicability  of  the  English  methods  to  this  country,  might  I 
suggest  that  these  be  at  least  tried.  Let  an  experiment  on  the 
most  approved  lines  be  earnestly  and  faithfully  carried  out, 
say,  upon  loo  yards  of  the  Lisburn,  the  Malone,  or  any  other 
of  our  wretch-ii  leading  thoroughfares.  Once  it  was  understood 
what  a  road  might  be,  we  should  never  permit  the  present 
state  of  things  to  occur  again. 

The  Phksid^nt  said  he  was  sure  they  were  nil  pleased  highly 
with  Mr.  Brown's  exceedingly  interesting  lecture.  It  was 
remarkably  lucid  and  clear,  and  they  owed  a  great  deal  to  Mr. 
Brown  for  the  way  in  which  he  had  brought  the  subject  before 
us. 

Professor  Dougan  said  he  had  been  much  impressed  with 
•  the  ingenuity  and  usefulness  of  Mr.  Brown's  invention.  The 
viagraph  gave  a  very  convincing  test  for  any  road  which  anyone 
might  wish  to  examine,  and  it  came  at  a  very  opportune 
moment  and  should  be  forced  upon  the  attention  of  everyone 
responsible  for  the  care  of  our  roads.  Cyclists  took  a  great 
interest  in  the  condition  of  the  roads.  It  might  be  supposed 
by  non-cyclists,  who  were  still  a  considerable  body,  that  the 
cyclist  is  fastidious  ;  his  tendency  to  go  to  the  footpath  m'ight 
blind  non-cyclists  as  to  his  real  character.  When  the  history 
of  cycling  comes  to  be  written  it  will  be  seen  that  the  cyclist 
is  not  fastidious,  and  that  the  qualities  which  will  be  forced 


48  The   Viagraph. 

upon  the  historian  of  that  movement  would  be  the  patience 
and  moderation   of  the  cvcHst. 

The  condition  of  the  road,  however,  was  not  peculiarly  a 
matter  for  the  cyclist  only,  it  was  a  subject  which  engaged 
the  attention  of  every  section  of  the  community.  The 
roads  of  the  country  were  a  distinct  portion  of  the  national 
wealth,  and.  moreover,  they  were  not  an  unproductive  portion, 
and  it  was  obvious  that  the  more  efficient  the  roads  were,  the 
more  valuable  they  were.  They  might  be  sure  that  visitors  to 
these  parts,  whtther  British  or  foreign,  when  endeavouring  to 
form  an  opinion  as  to  the  stage  in  civilisation  to  which  the 
people  in  these  districts  had  attained,  would  take  the  quality 
of  the  roads  into  account.  It  would  be  an  element  in  forming 
their  opinion.  Good  roads  were  cheaper  to  the  taxpayer  than 
bad  roads  in  the  long  run,  and  not  in  the  very  long  run  either. 
The  surface  of  the  roads  around  Belfast  turned  to  dust  in  dry, 
and  mud  in  wet  weather,  at  a  far  too  rapid  rate.  He  believed 
this  was  due  to  want  of  drainage,  and  if  that  w-ere  so  it  would 
pay  the  taxpayer  to  have  the  roads  drained  as  a  fresh  start. 
The  work  done  by  the  steam  roller  did  not  seem  to  be  as 
effective  as  it  ought  to  be.  Many  of  the  roads  are  dotted  with 
pools  of  water.  The  road  from  Belfast  to  Holy  wood  is  a  county 
road,  and  it  is  in  this  state,  though  only  six  weeks  ago  the 
steam-roller  passed  over  it.  He  thought  the  new  County 
Councils  should  bonow  a  sufficient  sum  of  money,  to  put  the 
roads  into  perfect  order,  draining  them,  and  giving  them  a 
proper  convexity  of  surface.  That  amount  the  taxpayer  would 
not  have  to  pay  all  at  once,  it  would  be  spread  over  a  few 
years. 

Mr.  John  Horner  felt  that  Mr.  brown  had  entered  upon  a 
field  of  real  philanthropy  and  was  bringing  before  them  a  tiue 
Irish  grievance.  '1  heir  English  friends  did  not  suffer  in  the 
same  way  as  the  people  of  Ireland.  The  apparatus  which  Mr. 
Brown  had  produced  w?s  undoubtedly  one  of  very  gieat 
ingenuity  and  it  opened  up  a  field  for  investigation  as  to  their 
roads  in  a  way   which  was   probably  never   done  before.     He 


The   Viagraph.  49 

could  not  help  remarking  on  the  enormous  *'  ruts'*  or  indeed 
chasms  which  appeared  on  the  Lisburn  road,  but  if  Mr.  Brown 
were  to  take  his  apparatus  to  the  Antrim  road  it  might  be 
almost  swamped  in  ;ome  of  the  "  ruts  "  there.  They  should 
give  Mr.  Brown  their  heartiest  thanks  for  his  excellent  lecture. 

Mr.  William  Armstrong,  speaking  as  a  cyclist,  believed  the 
viagraph  would  be  most  valuable  in  the  future.  The  whole 
success  of  tramway  traction  was  entirely  owing  to  the  fact  that 
the  cars  had  a  beautiful  level  surface  to  go  upon.  Cyclists  were 
an  increasing  community  and  had  a  right  to  be  considered. 
In  Ireland  the  roads  were  tremendously  behind  what  they  were 
in  England  and  on  the  Continent,  and  it  would  take  a  con- 
siderable time  to  bring  the  Irish  roads  up  to  what  they  should 
be.  He  believed  that  expenditure  upon  the  proper  maintenance 
of  roads  was  bound  to  be  remunerative.  A  scientific  appliance 
like  the  viagraph  would  soon  speak  for  itself.  He  hoped  it 
would  be  extensively  adopted. 

Mr.  Stkwart  C.  Kklly  thought  the  County  Antrim  roads 
had  been  a  glaring  eye-sore  to  a  great  number  of  people  for  a 
length  of  time  past,  and  they  seemed  to  be  getting  worse 
instead  of  better.  It  used  to  be  said  they  were  better  than 
the  County  Down  roads,  but  now  it  was  the  reverse.  That  he 
believed  was  owing  to  the  amount  of  scientific  knowledge 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  roads  in  Down  by  Mr.  Cowan, 
County  Surveyor.  (The  speaker  here  produced  stones  of  large 
size  which  he  had  picked  up  on  some  of  the  County  Antrim 
roads — the  Crumlin,  Antrim,  and  Lisburn  Roads).  It  was 
largely  owing  to  the  size  of  the  metal  used  that  the  roa  Is  were 
getting  into  such  bad  form.  The  County  Down  roads  had 
immensely  improved  during  the  last  few  years,  and  that  was  to 
be  attributed  to  the  class  of  metal  Mr.  Cowan  had  been  using. 
In  Antrim  an  inferior  class  of  metal  was  used  in  the  city  as 
well  as  in  the  county. 

Mr.  P.  C.  Cowan,  M.  Inst.,  C.E.,  Chief  Engineering 
Inspector  to  the  Local  Government  Board,  Ireland  (lately 
County  Surveyor  of  Down),  said  the  viagraph  must  be  of  great 
4 


£0  The  Viagraph 

use  in  settling  the  constantly  occurring  disputes  with  contractors 
for   road   maintenance.     Mr.    Brown  showed  the   usual  Irish 
modesty  in  attributing  the  indifferent  quality  of  Irish  roads  to 
want  of  knowledge,  but  the  real  want  was  money.     Too  little 
was  allowed  for  supervision  in  Ireland,  for  example,  in  County 
Down,  about  _^6o,ooo  per  annum  was  spent  on  roads,  bridges, 
&c.,  and  only  about  ^1,500  on  the  surveyor's  staff,  including 
all  travelling  expenses.     The  deficiencies  in  the  County  Down 
roads  were  serious  on  account  of  very  imperfect  construction 
and  long  periods  of  insufficient  maintenance,  and  he  did  not 
see  how  the  roads  could  be  made  much  better  without  a  very 
large  expenditure  of  money.     He  had  lately  reported  to  the 
Grand  Jury  of  County  Down  that  to  put  the  2,500  miles  of 
roads  in  the  county  into  really  good  order,  to  a  not  unieason- 
able  standard,  would  require  an   immediate  outlay  of  about 
^3,000,000,  which,  even  if  the  money  were  borrowed  on  the 
most  favourable  terms,  would  raise   the  county    rate  to    four 
times  its  present  figure  for  a   generation.     However,  such  a 
sweeping  policy  was  not  necessary,  and  the  fact  was  that  most 
of  the  County  Down  farmers  did  not  seem  to  want  much  bettei 
roads,  and  considered  any  improvement,  especially  at  increased 
cost,  unnecessary,     'i'imes  had  not  been  prosperous  with  the 
farmers  for  many  years,  and  he  thought  unless  some  of  the 
millions  said  to  be  due  by  England  to  Ireland  could  be  obtained 
for  the  expenditure  on  Irish  roads,  only  a  very  slow  rate  of 
improvement  was  possible.     However,  a  liking  for  good  roads 
was  apparently  spreading  in  Ireland,  and  now  that  the  burden 
of  road  maintenance  was  partly  taken  off  the  landholders  by 
the  new  Local  Government  Act,  more  money  might  be  granted 
for   road   maintenance.     The  only    way  in  which    Irish  roads 
might  be  improved  without  a  greater  expenditure  would  be  by 
the  use  of  v»'ider  tyres  on  cart  wheels,  and  by  regular  cutting 
down  of  high  hedges.     At  present  the  narrow  farm  cart  wheels 
cut  the  weak  roads  like  knives,  and  it  is  most  difficult  to  induce 
the  farmers  to  keep  their  hedges  low. 

Dr.  Cecil  Shaw  spoke  of  the  importance  of  the  road  question 


The  Viagraph.  51 

in  connection  with  tourist  development.  He  believed  that  last 
summer  a  great  many  more  tourists  came  to  Ireland  than  ever 
came  before.  A  great  niany  of  them  were  cyclists  and  they 
were  somewh.-t  disgusted  with  the  condition  of  the  roads. 
Some  declared  they  would  never  come  back,  the  roads  were  in 
such  a  bad  state.  The  Irish  roads  should  be  improved  so  as  to 
induce  the  C3'clist  to  come  to  the  country. 

Professor  Fitzgerald  said  Mr.  Cowan  had  spoken  of  a  good 
many  of  the  things  to  which  he  had  intended  to  refer,  concern 
ing  the  condition  of  our  roads,  far  better  than  he  could  have 
done.  Mr.  Cowan  mentioned  the  very  heavy  expense  that 
would  be  required  to  bring  the  roads  into  anything  like  decent 
condition,  and  it  was  sufficient  to  look  at  Mr.  Brown's  diagrams 
to  see  how  much  would  have  to  be  done.  Those  diagrams 
were  far  more  eloquent  than  any  words  descriptive  of  the  state 
of  the  roads.  Mr.  Cowan  had  mentioned  ^^3. 000, 000  as  the  cost 
of  putting  the  County  Down  roads  in  good  condition  through- 
out. He  (Professor  FitzGerald)  believed  that  the  value  to  the 
county  of  good  roads  was  so  great  that  that  sum  of  money,  if  it 
were  obtainable,  would  be  well  spent  for  the  purpose.  The 
City  of  Belfast  was  certainly  much  to  blame  for  permitting 
stones  of  the  size  produced  to  be  used  ;  he  had  often  seen 
similar  stones  on  the  roads  and  wondered  how  they  had  got 
there.  He  thought  Mr.  Brown's  machine  most  ingenious  and 
suggested  that  Mr.  Brown  should  show,  after  the  lecture,  how 
thfe  machine  could  be  folded  up  into  a  reasonable  compass. 
Twelve  feet  was,  no  doubt,  an  inconvenient  length  for  carriage, 
but  Mr.  Brown  had  so  contrived  that  the  machine  would  fold  up 
into  half  that  length. 

The  Pkesident,  while  joining  in  the  expressions  of  thanks  to 
Mr.  Brown  for  this  most  interesting  paper  describing  his  very 
ingenious  appliance,  said  that  in  reference  to  the  question  'of 
road  surfaces  in  Belfast,  he  thought  they  should  not  use  square 
setts  so  extensively.  In  some  thoroughfares  the  noise  was  so 
great  that  at  times  nothing  else  could  be  heard. 

Mr.  Brown,  in  replying,  said  he  agreed  very  cordially  with 


$i  The  Viagraph. 

the  remarks  of  Professor  Dougan,  and  desired  to  thank  him,  as 
also  Mr.  Horner,  Mr.  Armstrong,  Mr.  Cowan,  and  Professor 
FitzGerald,  for  the  approval  they  had  expressed  of  the  subject 
of  the  paper.  He  was  pleased  to  hear  Mr.  Kelly  confirming  his 
views  regarding  road  metal,  and  he  felt  sure  they  were  all 
greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  Cowan  for  his  very  full  and  clear 
reference  to  the  road  question  generally.  Mr.  Cowan  was,  no 
doubt,  quite  right  in  advising  more  effective  supervision. 
Since,  in  the  paper,  a  rather  pointed  comparison  had  been  made 
between  the  Lisburn  Road  and  the  Prescot  Road  showing  that 
while  alike  in  size,  importance,  amount  of  traffic,  and  subsoil, 
they  were  very  different  in  quality  of  surface,  attention 
should  be  drawn  to  another  point  of  difference — viz.,  cost  of 
repairs.  It  was  stated  on  the  best  authority  that  the  Lisburn 
Road  (buying  its  metal  at,  say  4s  per  ton)  cost  ^220  per  mile 
per  annum,  while  the  Prescot  Road  (with  metal  at  los  to  12s 
per  ton)  costs  X'^°  <^rily-  Truly  a  bad  road  was  dearer  than 
a  good  one.  It  might  be  suggested  that  the  difference  in  these 
items,  if  capitalized,  would  put  the  Lisburn  Road  in  a  good 
condition  to  start  with.  In  reference  to  the  difference  in 
width  of  Irish  cart  wheel  tyres  as  compared  with  English,  it 
should  be  pointed  out  that  the  loads  commonly  carted  here  are 
much  less  than  in  England.  The  load  per  inch  width  of  tyre 
was  therefore  perhaps  not  very  different.  While  agreeing  with 
the  President  as  to  the  discomfort  of  the  noise  from  our  square 
setts,  Mr.  Brown  thought  one  must  admit  that  the  smallness 
of  the  tractive  force  required  on  square  setts  is  very  advan- 
tageous. He  observed  this  markedly  when  driving  a  motor 
car  over  them. 


53 


']th  February,  1899. 


Thk  Lord  Mayor  (Mr.  Otto  Jaffe,  J. P.)  in  the  Chair. 


THE    BOYNE    VALLEY:    LPS    HISTORY,    SCENERY 
AND  ANTIQUITIES. 

Bv  S.  F.  Mii.LiGAN,  M.R.I.A. 

{Abstract.) 


In  Ireland  the  Boyne  Valley  was  the  first  inhabited  terrii<  ly, 
as  well  as  the  seat  of  central  sovereignty  for  a  period  of  two 
thousand  years.  It  has  within  its  borders  the  richest  and  most 
fertile  soil  ;  its  lands  have  always  been  eagerly  sought  after  ai  d 
fought  for  by  every  race  that  landed  on  our  shores.  From  iis 
source  in  County  Kildare  to  Drogheda,  where  it  empties  niio 
the  Irish  Sea,  it  has  a  course  of  seventy  miles.  It  flows  through 
a  level  country,  beautifully  wooded.  Its  banks  are  adorned 
with  memorials  of  every  age — Pagan,  Early  Christian,  Anglo- 
Norman,  Elizabethan,  and  modern.  It  may  be  necessary  heie 
to  mention  that  the  kingdom  of  Meath  was  formed  in  the  first 
century  of  the  Christian  Era  by  the  King  of  Ireland,  Tuathai 
Teachtmar,  who  took  from  each  of  the  existing  four  provinces 
a  portijn  of  territory  which,  put  together,  formed  Meath.  The 
newly-formed  kingdom  henceforth  was  to  belong  to  the  Ard 
Righ,  or  Head  King,  as  his  special  patrimony.  Tuathai  Teacht- 
mar, after  a  long  and  prosperous  reign,  fell  in  a  battle  in  County 
Antrim,  and  his  grave  is  still  pointed  out  (a  Kistvaen),  the  King 
of  Ireland's  gr.ive  on  a  hill  side  lying  between  the  village  of 
Ballynure  and  Ballyeaston  in  this  county.  Meath  comprised 
the  greater  part  of  the  English  Pale ;  was  the  seat  of  Anglo- 


54  'ihc  Boync   Valley. 

Norman  power,  as  it  had  previously  been  of  Irish.  This  unique 
and  lovel}'  vale,  so  dear  to  students  of  Irish  history  and  archae- 
ology, is  now  most  accessible  from  evey  part  of  the  British 
Isles.  Travellers  from  Belfast  or  the  North  proceed  to 
Drogheda,  from  whence,  in  the  summer  months,  there  are 
public  conveyances  provided  by  the  Great  Northern  Railway 
Company.  The  distance  from  Drogheda  to  Navan  is  seventeen 
miles,  Slane  being  about  midwa}?-,  and  a  convenient  resting 
place  ;  Navan  to  Trim  is  twelve  miles,  and  from  thence  to 
Clonard  fourteen  miles,  which  covers  all  the  points  of  greatest 
interest.  The  River  Blackwater,  the  ancient  Sele,  joins  the 
Boyne  at  Navan,  and  in  its  course  of  twenty  miles  from  Lough 
Ramor,  in  County  Cavan,  passes  several  places  of  great  historic 
interest.  In  sylvan  beauty,  rare  monuments  of  past  ages,  and 
historic  interest,  the  valley's  of  the  Boyne  and  Blackwater  stand 
in  the  foremost  rank  of  Irish  river  valleys.  Scattered  along  the 
Valley  of  the  Boyne  are  relics  of  every  age,  from  the  Belgae 
or  Firbolgs,  I, coo  B.C.,  down  to  the  present  century — a  period 
of  about  3,000  years.  These  consist  of  cairns,  cromleachs, 
chambered  pyramids,  pillar  stones,  kistvsens,  souterraines,  raths, 
duns,  lisses,  and  all  classes  of  earthen  forts.  Of  the  early 
Christian  period,  Celtic  churches  and  hermitages,  dating  from 
almost  the  time  of  Saint  Patrick  ;  round  towers,  sculptured 
crosses,  and  moasteries;  Anglo-Norman  castles  in  great  numbers, 
dating  from  the  end  of  the  twelfth  century,  and  other  relics  of 
early  Norman  power.  The  Boyne  rises  at  Trinity  Well,  close 
by  the  village  of  Carbury,  in  County  Kildare,  four  miles  from  the 
town  of  Edenderry.  It  flows  through  King's  County  for  a  few 
miles,  next  becomes  the  boundary  between  Meath  and  Kildare, 
then  enters  Meath,  through  which  it  flows  until  it  empties  into 
the  sea  four  miles  east  of  Drogheda,  as  already  stated,  a  total 
distance  of  seventy  miles.  It  receives  several  rivers  in  its 
course,  the  principal  one  being  the  Blackwater,  already 
mentioned.  Many  remarkable  events  have  occurred  in  the 
Boyne  Valley,  not  the  least  of  which  was  the  arrival  of  St. 
Patrick   to  preach  the;  Gospel  to    the   King  and  nobles  and 


The  Boyne  Valley.  55 

others  at  the  Royal  residence  of  Tara,  for  he  rightly  judged  if 
he  converted  the  chiefs  the  people  would  certainly  follow.     He 
came  up  the  Boyne  in  a  coracle  similar,  I  have  no  doubt,  to 
those  still  peculiar  to  that  river.      When  he  reached   Slane, 
being  Easter  Eve,  he  ascended  the  hill  which  is  the  highest 
ground  in    Meath,  and  lighted  his  fire,  which  was  distinctly 
visible  from  Tara.     The  ruins  of  a  monastery  now  stand  on 
that  hill,  and  from  the  top  of  the  church  tower  a  view  may  be 
obtained  from  the  yellow  steeple  in  Trim  to  the  maiden  tower 
at  Drogheda,  a  view  of  fully  five-and- twenty  miles  as  the  crow 
flies.     Every    spot  in  this  extended  view    is   historic   ground, 
trodden  for  centuries  by  kings,  and  lords,  and  saintly  men,  as 
well  as  by  all  the  race  of  invaders  alread}'  mentioned.     In  the 
early  ages  of  our  era,  Con,  the  hundred  fighter,  and  his  grand- 
son, Cormac,  the  son  of  Art,  that  chivalrous  and  wise  king  and 
law-giver,  the  greatest  who  reigned  at  Tara  up  to  his  time,  and 
to  whom  we  shall  again  refer  ;  Nial,  also  of  the  hostages,  the 
conqueror  of  Alba  and  of  Britain,  trod  this  soil,  and  was  finally 
assassinated  in  Gaul,  whilst  invading  that  country.     In  review 
ing   this  remote   age,   there   arises  before  our   mental    vision 
Leary,  son  of  Niall,  Ard  Righ,  or  High  King,  when  Patrick 
came,  and,  though  his  chief  druid  and  principal  nobles  embraced 
the  new  faith,  Leary,  like  a  stout  Pagan  which  he  was,  died  as 
he  hid  lived,  and  was  buried  in  the  rampart  of  his  own  fort  on 
Tara  Hill,  in  a  standing  posture,  with  his  great  war  spear  irj 
his  hand  and  his  face  towards  Leinster,  the  territory   of  his 
hereditary  enemies.     A  few  centuries  later  bands  of  Northern 
foreigners   might  be   seen  pillaging   this   same   district.     The 
Annals  relate  that  the   caves  of  Knowth,  Dowth,  and  New 
Grange  were  pillaged  by  AmlafF,  Imar,  and  Ansilie,  three  of  the 
leaders  of  the  Danes  or  Dublin.     We  can  contemplate  another 
and  a  more  peaceful  scene,  one  hundred  years  after  King  Leary 
had  been  interred.     Up  the  Valley  of  the  Boyne,  at  Clonai*d, 
in  the  year  520,  St.  Finnan  established  a  school  for  the  youth 
of  Erin,  which  became  the  most  celebrated  seat  of  learning  in 
the  island.     He  had  for  pupils  men  such  as  St.  Columba,  St. 


56  The  Boyne   Valley. 

Kieran,  of  Clonmacnois.and  St.  Brendan,  of  Clonfert.  Columba, 
af"ter  founding  innumerable  churches  and  monasteries,  became 
the  apostle  of  the  Northern  Picts  ;  St.  Brendan,  it  is  believed, 
preached  the  Gospel  as  far  as  Iceland,  and  St.  Kieran  founded 
the  famous  school  of  Clonmacnois  in  tlie  centre  of  the  island, 
near  Athlone.  From  this  period  and  several  centuries  latei 
Ireland  was  known  as  the  Island  of  Saint-.  So  famous  was 
the  great  school  of  Clonard,  and  so  celebrated  for  its  learning, 
that  pupils  flocked  to  it  from  Britain,  Alba,  Gaul,  and  Germany, 
until  their  numbers,  it  is  said,  reached  3,000.  The  village  of 
Clonard,  the  site  of  this  ancient  seat  of  learning,  is  the  first 
historic  place  of  importance  coming  down  the  river  from  its 
source.  A  Round  Tower  formerly  stood  here,  but  it  is  recorded 
in  the  Annals  that  in  the  year  lo^Q  the  steeple  of  Clonard  fell. 
A  great  loss,  not  alone  to  Clonard,  but  to  the  entire  country, 
was  the  destruction  by  fire  in  1 143  of  the  library  of  the 
monastery,  in  which  a  great  number  of  manuscripts  were  con- 
sumed. Clonard  passed  through  many  vicissitudes  of  fortune. 
Dermot  MacMorrough  and  his  English  allies  plundered  it  in 
the  year  1170.  When  the  Anglo-Normans  took  possession 
they  superseded  the  Irish  monks  by  countrymen  of  their  own. 
Simon  de  Rochford  assumed  the  title  of  Bishop  of  Meath,  and 
removed  the  Episcopal  chair  from  Clonard  to  Newton,  near 
Trim,  where  he  founded  the  great  Augustinian  abbey  dedicated 
to  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  the  ruins  ot  which  form  a  notable 
picture  there  to  the  present  day.  The  great  monasteries  of 
this  period  were  so  constructed  that  they  could  be  used  for 
purposes  of  defence,  and  were  loopholed  for  bowmen.  The 
Abbey  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  at  Newton,  is  remarkable 
in  this  respect.  Ath  Truim  (Ford  of  the  Alder  Trees),  now 
called  Trim,  is  the  next  great  historical  place  down  the  river 
from  Clonard.  It  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  towns 
in  Ireland  for  the  antiquarian,  containing  ruins  of  several 
monasteries  and  castles.  The  view  approaching  b}^  the  Dublin 
road,  seen  under  favourable  circumstances,  will  never  be  for- 
gotten.    This  view  includes   all  the  ruins  of  Newtown   and 


The  Bovne   Valley.  57 

Trim,  with  the  Boyne  flowing  beneath  them  ;  the  Priory  of 
Saint  John,  the  old  bridge  and  its  protecting  tower,  and  the 
great  Abbey  of  Peter  and  Paul  are  in  the  foreground.  In  the 
distance  rises  up  King  John's  Castle,  a  splendid  ruin  ;  next  the 
Yellow  Steeple,  rising  to  a  height  of  125  feet,  close  by  which  is 
one  of  the  ancient  gates  of  Trim,  known  as  the  Sheep  Gate, 
whilst  still  further  off"  stands  the  square  and  massive  tower  of 
the  Parish  Church,  built  by  Richard  Duke  of  York,  father  of 
Edward  the  Fourth,  in  the  year  1449.  In  Anglo-Norman  Trim 
there  was  the  Grey  Friary  of  Observantines  and  the  Black 
Friary  of  the  Dominicans,  the  latter  founded  by  Geoffry  de 
Joinville,  Lord  of  Meath,  in  a.d.  1263.  There  was  also  Saint 
Mary's  Abbey,  of  which  the  Yellow  Steeple  is  the  only  surviving 
relic.  It  is  stated  that  Oliver  Cromwell  battered  down  this 
abbey  in  consequence  of  a  number  of  men  holding  it  against 
him.  Henry  the  Second  granted  the  entire  Kingdom  of  Meath 
to  Hugh  de  Lacy  for  the  service  of  fifty  knights,  and  he  fixed 
on  Trim  as  his  residence,  and  built  King  John's  Castle.  It 
covers  an  area  of  two  acres  or  more  on  the  sloping  bank  of  the 
Boyne.  The  river  flows  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other  has  a 
broad  and  deep  fosse,  filled  with  water  from  the  river,  which 
isolated  it  completely,  and  rendered  it  almost  impregnable  before 
the  invention  of  artillery.  King  John  lodged  in  Trim  in  July, 
1210  ;  Parliaments  were  held  in  it,  and  there  was  a  mint  for 
coining  money  ;  in  fact  it  was  the  capital  in  the  early  Anglo- 
Norman  period.  Henry  the  Fith,  the  hero  of  Agincourt,  was 
left  here  when  a  youth,  confined  in  one  of  the  towers  of  the 
castle,  by  Richard  the  Second.  The  Duke  of  Wellington 
received  his  early  education  in  Trim  in  a  schoolhouse  still 
occupied,  and  he  represented  it  when  he  was  twenty-one  years 
of  age  in  the  Irish  Parliament.  A  monument  stands  in  the 
town,  erected  to  the  Iron  Duke,  as  the  hero  of  Waterloo. 
About  six  miles  further  down  the  river  from  Trim  are  the 
ruins  of  Bective  Abbey,  situated  on  the  northern  bank  of  the 
Boyne.  It  was  founded  in  1146  by  O'Melaghlin,  King  of 
Meath,   for   monks   of   the   Cistercian    Order.     It  was  richly 


58  The  Boyne   Valley. 

endowed,  the  demesne  consisting  of  245  acres,  with  a  mill  and 
fishing  weir  on  the  rivtr.  The  Abbott  of  Bective  sat  as  a 
Lord  of  Parliament,  and  it  was  the  only  house  of  the  Order  in 
Meath.  Bective  Abbey  being  built  before  the  arrival  of  the 
Anglo  Normans,  possesses  more  interest  for  Irish  archaeologists. 
The  cloisters  are  very  fine  and  fairly  well  preserved.  The 
great  tower  above  the  porch  is  quite  perfect,  and  was  evidently 
intended  for  defensive  warfare,  in  fact,  for  the  Church  militant, 
as  its  battlements  and  loopholes  testify.  We  now  reach  Navan, 
where  the  Blackwater  forms  a  junction  with  the  Boyne.  The 
ancient  moat  is  the  principal  object  of  interest  to  the  anti- 
quarian at  Navan.  Tara  can  be  readily  reached,  either  from 
Bective  or  Navan  ;  the  distance  from  the  former  is  about  five 
miles  and  the  latter  six  to  the  ancient  seat  of  the  kings  of 
Ireland.  The  drive  lies  through  a  beautiful  and  well-wooded 
country,  with  some  very  pretty  views  of  the  river.  The  Hill 
of  Tara  was  the  seat  of  Irish  sovereignty  for  ages  ;  it  was  there 
the  laws  were  promulgated  and  there  the  great  assemblies  of 
the  nobles  and  people  were  held.  The  hill,  which  is  about 
550  feet  high,  has  a  commanding  view,  extending  over  several 
counties.  It  has  always  been  kept  in  grass,  and  the  outlines  of 
the  ancient  raths  and  forts  have  been  well  preserved  ;  also  the 
earthworks  which  outlive  the  great  banqueting  hall  celebrated 
in  poems  and  story  called  Miodh-Chuarta,  or  the  middle  house 
of  the  Palace  of  Tara.  The  buildings  were  constructed  of 
timber  and  protected  by  earth  works  ;  the  former  have 
perished  years  ago,  whilst  the  latter  have  remained  to  the 
present  day.  Standing  on  a  mound  in  one  of  the  raths  is  the 
Lia  Fail,  or  stone  of  destiny,  on  which  it  is  recorded  the  kings 
of  Ireland  were  inaugurated.  The  glory  of  Tara  was  brought 
to  an  untimely  end.  The  annals  of  Clonmacnois  relate  that  in 
the  year  563  the  hill  was  deserted  in  consequence  of  a  curse 
pronounced  against  King  DermoJ  by  Saint  Ruadhan,  because 
of  the  king's  determination  to  punish  Hugh  Guarry,  his 
relative,  for  killing  one  of  the  king's  officers.  Having  examined 
the  raths  and  forts  of  Tara,  as  well  as  the  very  ancient  church 


The  Boyne   Valley.  59 

on  the  hill,  we  may  return  to  Navan  ;  and  before  proceeding 
to  Drogheda  a  visit  should  be  made  to  Kells  and  the  valley  of 
the  Blackwater,  where  there  are  some  most  interesting  places 
well  worthy  of  a  visit.  The  ruins  of  Saint  Kieran's  Church 
and  the  Holy  Well,  situated  under  a  wide-spreading  ash  tree, 
and  the  Termon  Crosses  should  all  be  seen  ;  they  are  situated 
three  miles  from  Kells.  One  of  the  most  celebrated  places  in 
the  ancient  eccle^iastical  history  of  Ireland  is  Kells.  Amongst 
the  antiquities  still  leraaining  is  a  round  tower  and  a  beautifully 
sculptured  cross  close  by  it,  a  handsome  shaft  of  another  cross 
in  the  churchyard,  and  the  great  Cross  of  Kells  standing  in  the 
Market  Square.  In  addition  to  these,  there  is  the  ancient 
house  or  church  of  Saint  Columba,  stone  roofed,  having  stood 
the  battle  and  I  he  breeze  for  more  than  one  thousand  years. 
The  Book  of  Kells  was  kept  '\l  the  monastery  here  for  ages, 
and,  as  everyone  knows,  is  the  most  valued  treasure  in  the 
great  library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  Kells  was  burned 
and  sacked  many  times  by  Danes  and  Normans,  as  well  as  by 
Edward  Bruce  in  the  year  13 15,  and  it  is  wonderful  that  so 
many  remains  of  such  extreme  antiquity  should  have  survived. 
Telltown,  the  ancient  Tailtean  which,  next  to  Tara,  was  one 
of  the  greatest  Royal  residences  in  ancient  times,  is  situated 
midway  between  Kells  and  Navan  on  the  banks  of  the  Black- 
water.  There  still  may  be  seen  the  remains  of  three  great 
raths  close  by  the  river.  Here  the  great  National  Assembly 
or  Aenach  was  held  once  a  year,  commencing  on  the  first  day 
of  August  and  lasting  for  a  week.  Games  and  athletic  contests 
somewhat  similar  to  the  Olympian  games  were  held  here.  It 
was  established  by  King  Lugh  Lamhfhada  about  600  years  B.C. 
in  memory  of  his  foster  mother,  and  continued  till  the  12th 
century  a.d.  ;  the  last  fair  being  held  in  the  reign  of  Roderic 
O'Connor  last  Ard  Righ  of  Ireland.  Proceeding  from  Navan 
towards  Drogheda,  the  Boyne  is  much  increased  in  volume  by 
the  junctions  of  the  Blackwater.  The  beauties  of  the  river  and 
the  most  lovely  scenery  is  situated  between  Navan  and  Slane. 
A  canal  has  been  made  from  Navan  to  Drogheda,  and  the  tow- 


6o  The  Bovne   Valley. 

path  of  the  canal  is  a  very  convenient  way  from  which  to  view 
the  beauties  of  the  river.  About  i^  miles  from  Navan  stands 
the  round  tower  and  ancient  church  of  Donaghmore  ;  a  little 
further  down  the  river  we  see  the  Castle  of  Dunmoe  on  our 
left  and  the  ancient  church  of  Ardmulchan  on  our  right. 
We  next  reach  Slane,  to  which  we  have  already  referred  in 
connection  with  the  coming  of  Saint  Patrick.  The  river  is 
very  beautiful  between  Beauparc  and  Slane,  and  the  hill  on 
which  it  stands  commands  the  most  extended  view  in  the 
county.  Close  by  the  monastery  on  the  top  of  the  hill  is  a 
great  tumulus  or  mound,  probably  the  burial-place  of  King 
Slanius,  after  whom  the  town  was  probably  named.  The 
burial-place  of  King  Cormac  iVlac  Art,  who  died  in  266,  and  was 
buried  at  Rossnaree,  is  about  two  miles  from  Slane,  further 
down  the  river.  The  burial  mound  is  within  a  stone's  throw 
of  the  Boyne.  On  the  opposite  side,  on  a  hill,  is  the  great 
tumultus  of  Knowth.  King  Cormac's  burial  has  been  made 
famous  by  Sir  Samuel  Ferguson  in  his  splendid  poem,  and  the 
exact  place  of  interment  has  been  handed  down  for  over  1,600 
years,  and  never  lost  sight  of  by  b.i ,  countrymen.  The  lecturer 
next  described  the  three  great  sepulchral  pyramids  of  Knowth, 
Dowth,  and  Newgrange,  the  most  ancient  and  most  remarkable 
monuments  in  Western  Europe.  The  lecturer  next  referred  to 
the  Abbey  of  iVIellifont,  founded  m  1142  by  O'Carroll,  Prince 
of  Oriel,  at  the  suggestion  of  St.  Malachy,  Primale  of  Ireland, 
for  monks  of  the  Cistercian  Order.  The  monks  were  brought 
from  Clairvaux,  and  were  principally  French.  It  was  here  the 
faithless  Dearvorgail,  wife  of  O'Rorke  of  Breffney,  who  had 
eloped  with  M'Murrough,  ended  her  days  in  penitence.  It  was 
here  also,  towards  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century,  that  Hugh 
O'Neill,  Earl  of  Tyrone,  submitted  to  Mountjoy,  in  the  House 
of  Garrett  Moore,  ancestor  to  to  the  Marquis  of  Drogheda. 
Monasterboice  Rciund  Tower  and  sculptured  crosses  were  next 
referred  to.  There  was  an  Irish  monastery  founded  here  in  the 
year  522.  The  only  ruins  of  this  ancient  foundation  now 
remaining   are   the  round   tower  and  sculptured  crosses,  the 


The  Boyne   Valley.  6 1 

monastic  buildings  and  ancient  church  having  disappeared. 
The  next  and  last  place  of  interest  on  the  river  is  the  very 
ancient  town  of  Drogheda,  which  would  be  an  ample  text  for 
an  entire  lecture.  The  great  tumulus  now  called  Millmount  is 
similar  in  type  to  those  already  referred  to,  and  is  probably 
chambered  in  the  interior.  From  the  time  of  Saint  Patrick  in 
432  to  it)49,  when  it  was  stormed  by  Cromwell,  and  in  1690, 
when  it  was  occupied  b}-  James  II.,  its  history  can  be  traced  all 
through  the  ages.  Turgesius,  the  Danish  king,  occupied  and 
fortified  it  early  in  the  9th  century,  and  King  John  visited  it  in 
year  1210  and  gave  it  a  charter.  Parliaments  were  held  in 
Drogheda,  and  the  law  known  as  Poynings  Law  was  passed 
there.  King  Richard  II.  received  the  Irish  chiefs  in  St.  Mary's 
Abbjy  when  they  came  to  make  their  submission.  The  learned 
primate,  James  Ussher,  lived  in  Drogheda  near  to  St.  Lawrence's 
gate.  He  it  was  who  secured  the  Book  of  Kells  for  the 
library  of  Trinity  College.  Phelim  Roe  O'Neill  in  1641 
besieged  Drogheda,  when  it  was  successfully  defended  by  Sir 
Henry  Tichbourn.  Few  towns  in  Ireland  can  boast  of  so 
many  famous  men  having  visited  it.  St.  Patrick  first,  next 
Tingesius,  the  Danish  King,  King  John,  Hugh  De  Lacy, 
Richard  II.  and  the  northern  princes  who  came  to  pay  their 
respects  to  him,  Red  Hugh  O'Donnell,  and  the  great  Earl  of 
Tyrone,  Phelm  Roe  O'Neill,  Oliver  Cromwell,  James  II.,  and 
William  HI.  St.  Lawrence's  gate  still  stands  in  a  good  state 
of  preservation,  as  well  as  some  portions  of  the  ancient  walls- 
The  Magdalene  steeple  is  the  only  remains  of  the  Dominican 
Monastery  of  Saint  Mary  Magdalene.  In  the  cemetery 
attached  to  the  Parish  Church  of  St.  Peter's  there  are  many 
curious  tombstones.  Of  modern  buildings  there  are  two 
extremely  fine  Roman  Catholic  Churches  just  completed  ;  also 
the  great  railway  viaduct,  the  finest  in  Ireland.  At  the  Inver 
or  mouth  of  the  river  stands  the  Maiden  Tower,  a  Pharos  or 
lighthouse,  erected  in  the  time  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  This 
brings  us  to  the  end  of  the  river  and  the  end  of  our  subject 
also.     We  have  now  surveyed  the  Boyne  from  its  source  to  the 


62  The  Boyne   Valley. 

sea  at  Drogheda,  attempted  to  picture  and  describe  some  of  its 
antiquities  and  scenery,  and  I  must  confess  that  I  do  nut  know 
any  portion  of  Jreland  that  offers  such  attractions  to  the 
student  of  Irish  history,  the  archaeologist,  the  lover  of  the 
beauties  of  nature,  as  well  as  the  huntsman  and  the  angler,  as 
this  lovely  Irish  valley  along  the  banks  of  the  Boyne. 

One  hundred  specially  prepared  lantern  slides  were  shown  of 
the  Boyne  Valley,  illustrating  the  scenery  and  antiquities. 

Mr.  Walter  H.  Wilson  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr. 
Milligan  for  his  instructive  lecture.  Personally,  he  thought  no 
prettier  bit  of  river  scenery  could  be  wished  for  than  that  from 
Navan  to  Slane.  There  was  no  doubt  that  Irish  scenery  was 
not  properly  known  ;  and  if  the  result  of  the  lecture,  which 
iMr.  Milligan  had  delivered  that  night,  was  to  encourage 
people  to  visit  that  historic  district,  it  would  be  a  God-send  to 
that  sadly-neglected  part  of  the  country. 

The  resolution  was  seconded  by  Mr.  William  Gray,  and  was 
passed  with  acclamation. 

The  Lord  Mayor,  in  conveying  the  vote,  said  that  not  only 
as  citizens,  but  as  Irishmen — in  which  he  took  the  liberty  of 
including  himself — they  felt  obliged  to  Mr.  Milligan  for  his 
instructive  and  interesting  lecture.  He  was  pleased  to  hear 
Mr.  Milligan  refer  to  technical  instruction  as  having  been  in 
force  in  Ireland  at  an  early  date.  In  the  Queen's  speech  that 
day  reference  was  made  to  the  Agriculture  and  Industries  Bill 
for  Ireland,  and  he  hoped  that  when  that  Bill  was  passed 
Ireland  would  prosper  more  and  more,  and  he  further  hoped 
that  Belfast  would  get  a  liberal  slice  of  whatever  grant  Parha- 
ment  would  give  to  Ireland. 

Mr.  Milligan  suitably  replied. 

Professor  Redfkrn  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Lord 
Mayor  for  presiding. 

Professor  Fitzghrald  seconded  the  motion,  which  was 
enthusiastically  passed. 


The  Boyne   Valley.  b3 

The  Lord  Mayor,  in  acknowledging  the  compHment,  said  it 
gave  him  great  pleasure  to  be  present  there  that  night,  and  he 
could  assure  them  that  he  would  not  spare  himself  in  attending 
as  far  as  he  could  to  the  many  duties  devolving  upon  him  as 
Lord  Mayor,  of  which  position  he  was  proud. 


64 


\^th  March,   1899. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


PATHOGENIC  BACTERIA  WITH  SPECIAL 
REFERENCE    TO    THE    TYPHOID    BACILLUS. 

By  J.  LoRRAiN  Smith,  M.A.,  M.D. 
{Abstract.) 


The  natural  processes  for  which  bacteria  are  responsible  are 
very  numerous,  but  a  rough  classification  of  these  may  be  made 
by  dividing  them  into  three  groups — viz.,  fermentation,  putre- 
faction, and  the  production  of  disease. 

In  regard  to  fermentation,  suggestive  conclusions  were 
established  in  the  first  instance,  showing  that  the  ferment 
producer  is  a  living  organism  which  has  in  suitable  conditions 
the  power  of  indefinite  self-multiplication,  and  that  in  unsuit- 
able conditions  it  dies  out  and  cannot  be  revived  except  by  the 
introduction  anew  of  living  organisms  of  the  same  kind. 
Subsequent  study  revealed  many  characters  whereby  the 
different  organisms  could  be  recognised,  and  also  the  condi- 
tions, which  were  most  favourable  to  their  activity.  The  same 
methods  of  study  applied  to  disease  have  shown  that  many  acute 
infectious  fevers  and  allied  conditions  are  due  to  microbes,  and 
it  is  to  this  branch  of  the  science  of  bacteriology  that  I  wish  now 
to  refer. 

A  short  introduction  in  regard  to  general  principles  will  be 
of  service. 

We  have,  in  the  first  place,  to  devise  means  for  giving  to  the 
microbes  we  wish  to  cultivate  the  most  suitable  conditions  for 
their  growth,  and  for  this  purpose  various  ingenious  methods 
have  been  adopted.     The  food  which  the  microbe  requires  is 


Pathogenic  Bacteria.  65 

obtained  by  preparing  a  fluid  or  solid  substance  in  which  are 
present  the  same  constituents  as  exist  in  the  fluids  in  which  the 
microbe  naturally  dwells.  We  have,  accordingly,  various  extracts 
of  meat  in  common  use  as  the  so-called  media.  The  extract  is, 
in  the  first  place,  in  the  form  of  a  clear  fluid  broth,  and  this  may 
be  solidified  without  losing  its  clearness  by  gelatine  and  other 
substances. 

If  we  take  such  a  substance  and  inject  it  under  the  skin  of  an 
animal  in  a  moderate  dose,  it  has  no  harmful  effect.  If,  how- 
ever, we  allow  a  pathogenic  or  disease-causing  microbe  to 
grow  in  it  for  some  time  before  we  make  the  inoculation,  we 
find  that  the  harmless  broth  has  become  more  or  less  poisonous. 
The  poisonous  effect  varies  with  the  form  of  the  microbe,  and 
this  difference  corresponds  with  the  difference  in  the  diseases 
with  which  the  microbe  is  associated.  We  can  therefore  pro- 
duce disease  in  two  ways.  Either  we  can  inject  the  microbe 
which  multiplies  in  the  tissues  of  the  bodv,  and  so  causes  the 
disease,  or  we  can  obtain  the  poison  outside  the  body  by  grow- 
ing the  microbe  and  cause  the  disease,  or  a  condition  closely 
akin  to  it,  by  injecting  the  poison.  The  microbe  flourishing  in 
the  tissues  of  the  body  produces  disease,  because  it  manufactures 
poisons  as  it  grows,  and  from  the  action  of  these  poisons  the 
eflfects  arise.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  therefore,  for  the 
understanding  of  the  nature  of  disease  to  understand  the  nature 
of  the  poisons  which  are  produced  in  this  way,  and  to  ascertain 
their  effects  on  the  animal  body.  The  study  of  these  poisons 
or  toxines,  as  they  are  often  called,  has  given  great  definite- 
ness  to  the  study  of  infectious  disease. 

One  aspect  of  disease  in  particular,  to  the  explanation  of 
which  this  study  has  made  important  contributions,  is  that  form 
of  resistance  to  attack  which  is  known  as  immunity.  A  man  is 
said  to  be  immune  to  a  disease  when  he,  after  exposure  to  infec- 
tion, fails  to  contract  the  disease.  When  this  power  of  resistance 
is  an  original  attribute  of  the  man  it  is  called  natural  immunity. 
If,  however,  by  some  artificial  process,  this  power  has  been  con- 
tributed to  the  man,  he  is  then  said  to  have  acquired  immunity. 


66  Pathogenic  Bacteria. 

In  the  study  of  the  action  of  bacterial  poisons  it  was  found 
that,  when  a  dose  is  injected  insufficient  to  cause  death,  and  yet 
such  as  to  lead  to  more  or  less  disturbance  of  the  bodily 
functions,  there  results  finally  an  immunity  to  the  disease  on 
the  part  of  the  animal  so  inoculated.  In  such  investigations 
the  method  is  to  inject  a  small  dose  in  the  first  instance  and  to 
increase  the  dose  subsequently  until  a  dose  is  reached  which, 
without  the  preliminary  inoculations,  would  certainly  have  been 
fatal.  The  nature  of  the  change  which  this  series  of  inoculat  ions 
induces  so  as  to  establish  the  state  of  immunity  is  very  imper- 
fectly understood.  One  result,  however,  of  great  practical 
importance  is,  that  the  serum  of  the  blood  is  charged  with 
immunising  power,  and  that  this  power  can  be  conveyed  to  a 
second  animal  by  injecting  into  that  animal  some  of  the  serum 
of  the  first.  This  is  the  principle  on  which  the  modern  treat- 
ment of  diphtheria  is  based.  A  horse  is  made  imnmne  to  the 
poison  of  the  diphtheria  bacillus,  and  when  this  is  successfully 
carried  out  the  immunity  which  the  horse  acquires  enables  it 
to  resist  the  effects  of  enormous  doses  of  diphtheria  poison.  The 
serum  of  its  blood  is  then  obtained  and  prepared  for  injection 
into  the  tissues  of  children  who  have  been  attacked  by  the 
disease.  The  child  in  this  way  gets  at  once  the  advantage  of 
the  tedious  process  of  acquiring  the  immunity  to  which  the 
horse  has  been  submitted.  Such  a  serum  is  called  an  antitoxic 
serum. 

In  regard  to  the  bacteriology  of  Typhoid  Fever  one  or  two 
general  points  of  interest  may  be  noted.  The  avenue  of  infec- 
tion by  which  the  microbe  reaches  the  body  is  the  alimentary 
canal.  Here  also  occur  some  of  the  structural  changes  which 
characterise  the  disease.  The  bacillus  is  discovered  in  the  tissues 
of  various  abdominal  organs — viz.,  the  lymph  glands,  the  spleen, 
and  the  liver. 

The  bacillus  has  no  very  clear  character  by  which  it  can 
be  at  once  distinguished  from  all  other  bacilli.  It  is  very  closely 
allied  to  the  other  groups  of  bacilli,  and  from  these  it  is  a 
matter  of  no  small  difficulty  to  distinguish  it.      The  obscurity 


Pathogenic  Bacteria.  67 

which  naturally  results  from  this  circumstance  is  increased  by 
the  fact  that  it  has  been  found  impossible  to  produce  the  disease 
in  animals.  It  is  possible  to  inoculate  animals  and  to  find  that 
they  die,  but  such  cases  do  not  show  the  character'r-  of  the 
disease  as  it  occurs  in  the  human  subject. 

Such  difficulties,  however,  do  not  gainsay  the  evidence  which 
we  otherwise  possess  of  the  connection  of  the  typh-:id  bacillus 
with  the  disease.  Since  the  place  of  the  disease  is  in  the  intes- 
tine, the  rule  which  is  observed  in  public  health  is  to  regard 
any  contamination  of  food  or  water  used  for  drinking,  with 
intestinal  excreta  as  a  possible  source  of  typhoid  infection. 

The  lecture  was  illustrated  by  actual  specimens  and  by  lantern 
views.  Mr.  Mayne  manipulated  the  lantern,  and  the  slides, 
which  were  referred  to  by  the  Lecturer  as  in  every  way  suitable 
for  his  purpose  and  generally  approved  of,  were  specially  pre- 
pared by  Mr.  J.  J.  Andrew. 

Professor  Rkdfern  moved,  and  Dr.  Sheldon  seconded,  a 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Professor  Smith  for  his  very  instructive 
lecture. 

The  Chairman,  in  putting  the  motion  to  the  meeting,  said 
they  owed  a  great  deal  to  such  men  as  Dr.  Smith,  who  put 
forth  such  praiseworthy  efforts  in  order  to  alleviate  suflFering. 

The  motion  was  warmly  passed. 

Subsequently  an  interesting  exhibition  of  bacteria  under  the 
microscope  took  place  in  the  Library  of  the  Museum. 


68 


Aprd  1 1///,   1H99. 


iMr.  T.  Workman,  J. P.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


ELECTRIC     DISCHARGES     IN     RAREFIED     GASES, 
WIIH  EXPERIMENTS  AND  LANTERN  SLIDES. 

By  J.  FiNXEGAN,  B.A.,  B.Sc. 


The  experiments  on  this  subject  have  attracted  the  attention 
of  numerous  observers,  not  onlj'  because  of  their  beauty  and 
and  variety,  but  also  from  the  widespread  belief  that  this  is  the 
most  promising  field  in  which  to  discover  the  relationships 
between  electricity  and  matter. 

Consider  the  discharges  in  electrodeless  tubes.  Take  a  coil 
of  wire,  of  which  one  end  is  connected  to  the  inside  coating  and 
the  other  end  through  a  spark  gap  to  the  outside  coating  of  a 
Leyden  jar,  charged  by  an  induction  coil.  When  the  jar  is 
discharged  enormous  and  very  rapid  alternating  currents  flow 
through  the  coil,  sufficient  by  their  induction  to  produce 
bright  discharges  in  bulbs  placed  in  the  coil.  If  the  bulb 
is  connected  to  pump  and  exhausted,  when  the  piessure 
is  high  no  discharge  appears,  but  when  the  pressure  is 
about  imm.  of  mercury  a  thin  red  line  runs  round  the  bulb 
in  the  plane  of  the  coil  ;  continuing  the  exhaustion,  the  colour 
changes  to  white,  the  ring  gets  thicker,  and  the  brightness 
becomes  a  maximum  ;  it  then  diminishes,  and  when  we  have  a 
very  good  vacuum  the  discharge  no  longer  passes.  If  a  metallic 
diaphragm  crosses  the  bulb  there  are  produced  two  separate 
bright  rings,  just  as  with  a  non-conducting  diaphragm. 

There  is  always  considerable  difficulty  in  producing  the  first; 


Electric  Discharges  in  Rarefied  Gases.  69 

discharge  in  rarefied  gases.  The  gas  first  breaks  down  along 
the  line  of  maximum  E.M.F.  intensity,  and  a  small  discharge 
takes  place,  producing  a  supply  of  dissociated  molecules,  along 
which  the  succeeding  discharges  can  more  easily  pass. 

Observe  discharge  with  electrodes.  When  the  pressure  is 
about  \  millimetre  of  mercury,  we  see  that  the  cathode  is 
irregularly  covered  with  a  velvety  light,  its  distribution  depend- 
ing on  the  pressure  and  quantity  of  current  ;  then  comes 
Crookes'  dark  space,  after  this  a  luminous  column,  the  negative 
glow,  independent  of  the  position  of  the  electrode,  its  size 
depends  on  the  shape  of  the  vessel  near  the  cathode  ;  next,  the 
Farady  dark  space,  of  variable  length  ;  lastly,  the  luminous 
column  extending  to  the  anode,  very  regularly  striated,  and 
beautiful.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  explain  the  striae  on 
the  hypothesis  that  the  discharge  through  an  exhausted  tube  is 
not  continuous  but  intermittent. 

Pliicher  first  investigated  the  fluorescence  on  the  walls  of  the 
tube  near  the  cathode.  Hittorf  next  discovered  that  the  surface 
of  the  electrode  is  the  origin  of  a  motion  spreading  uniformly 
through  the  gas.  Goldstein  showed  that  a  pointed  cathode 
produces  a  well-defined  shadow  on  the  walls  of  the  tube  of  a 
body  in  front  of  it,  while  a  cathode  of  large  surface  produces  a 
clear  but  not  very  sharp  shadow,  thus  proving  that  the  cathode 
rays,  as  he  called  them,  came  off"  nearly  normally  from  the 
cathode,  and  not  like  light  in  all  directions. 

In  1879  Crookes  wrote  his  first  papers  on  this  subject,  and 
his  experiments  became  popular  in  this  country.  The  most 
striking  property  of  cathode  rays  is  their  power  of  producing 
fluorescence,  not  only  in  the  gas  through  which  they  pass,  but 
also  in  many  substances  on  which  they  fall.  To  show  these 
effects  most  strikingly  we  use  "  solid  solutions,"  which  are 
formed  when  two  salts  are  simultaneously  precipitated  from  a 
solution.  They  are  then  particularly  sensitive  to  the  rays 
coming  from  an  electric  discharge. 

Goldstein  discovered  that  if  there  are  two  adjacent  cathodes 
the  rays  from  one  are  deflected  by  the  other. 


70  Electric  Discharges  in  Rarefied  Gases. 

Again,  using  a  tube  with  the  cathode  in  the  centre,  the  anode 
at  one  end,  the  cathode  being  pierced  with  one  or  more  small 
holes,  Goldstein  found  that  the  front  side  of  the  cathode  shows 
the  usual  cathode  light.  From  the  back  of  the  cathode  rise 
high  columns  of  reddish-yellow  light,  the  blue  rays  being 
entirely  absent.  These  were  called  "  Canal  Rays."  It  seems 
to  me  proved  that  they  are  identical  with  the  luminous  glow 
on  the  front  of  the  cathode,  and  that  both  are  produced  by 
positive  ions  travelling  from  the  anode  to  the  cathode,  and,  if 
the  cathode  is  pierced,  some  pass  through  and  produce  the 
canal  rays.  Wien  showed  that  they  carried  with  them  a  posi- 
tive charge.  An  object,  placed  in  the  dark  space  in  front  of 
the  cathode,  throws  a  shadow  on  the  cathode,  as  if  it  protected 
the  cathode  frorn  the  impact  of  particles  striking  it  normally. 
If  holes  are  pierced  in  the  cathode  in  this  shadow  no  canal  rays 
appear  there.  Metals  placed  in  the  path  of  the  rays  become 
oxidised,  so  that  if  an  object  be  placed  in  the  dark  space  in 
front  of  a  cathode,  consisting  of  wire  gauze  and  a  polished  metal 
plate  placed  behind  it,  we  have  on  the  plate  an  image  produced 
of  the  object  placed  in  front  of  the  cathode.  If  now  a  luminous 
screen  be  placed  in  front  of  the  cathode,  Vi^e  have  a  shadow  of 
the  object  again  produced,  which  is  larger  than  the  object  if 
this  latter  is  inside  the  cathode  dark  space,  and  about  the  same 
size  if  outside,  so  that  cathode  rays  only  come  from  the  parts 
struck  by  these  anode  ions. 

In  the  simple  case  of  the  discharge  passing  as  a  thin  line  of 
reddibh  light,  we  may  describe  the  effect  of  a  magnet  by  saying 
that  the  displacement  of  the  discharge  is  like  that  of  a  perfectly 
flexible  wire  carrying  a  current.  "  If  a  magnet  be  applied  to  a 
striated  column,  each  striae  is  subjected  to  a  rotation  or  deform- 
ation, as  if  the  striae  marked  the  termination  of  flexible  currents 
radiating  fiom  the  bright  head  of  the  striae  behind  it,  and  ter- 
minating in  the  hazy  inner  surface  of  the  striae  in  question." 

The  negative  glow  behaves  in  a  magnetic  field,  like  a 
magnetic  substance  without  weight,  and  perfectly  free  to  move. 
The  magnetic  effect  on  the  cathode  rays  may  be  expressed  by 


Electric  Discharges  in  Rarefied  Gases.  71 

stating  that  the  negative  rays  mark  the  path  of  a  sheaf  of 
charged  particles,  and  therefore  in  general  it  is  a  spiral  in  a 
uniform  field.  A  sheaf  of  rays  normal  to  a  pole  of  a  magnet 
forms  loops  and  nodes,  as  shown  by  Poincare. 

Crookes'  theory  regards  the  cathode  rays  as  streams  of  nega- 
tively electrified  particles  driven  with  great  speed  away  from 
the  cathode.  The  heating  efftcts  are  explained  by  supposing 
that  the  kinetic  energy  of  the  particles  is  partly  transformed  by 
impact. 

A  rapidly  moving  particle  acts  like  an  electric  current,  and 
produces  round  it  a  magnetic  field  ;  when  the  particle  is  stopped 
the  field  is  destroyed.  This  rapid  change  in  the  field  produces 
rapidly  changing  electro-magnetic  forces,  analogous  on  the 
electro-magnetic  theory  to  the  conditions  which  accompany 
ultra-violet  light,  and  therefore  phosphoresence. 

The  phenomena  of  the  discharge  have  led  us  to  believe  that 
the  molecules  are  broken  up,  and  that  chemical  actions  essen- 
tially accompany  the  passage  of  electricity  through  gas. 

We  can  readily  admit  that  the  molecules  of  gases,  which  con- 
sist of  two  atoms,  can  be  broken  up  by  the  current  ;  but  there 
is  a  difficulty  in  the  case  of  mercury  vapour,  which  must  be 
regarded  as  mon -atomic. 

If,  then,  the  dissociation  theory  is  correct,  we  must,  as  War- 
burg pointed  out,  suppose  that  the  mon-atomic  mercury  vapour 
may  also  be  further  analysed,  and,  by  electric  discharges, 
carriers  of  electricity  are  produced,  which  are  small  in  com- 
parison with  the  ordinary  atom  or  molecule. 


iBatiiral  listorg  $c  i^ijilosopljical  Socittg. 


Officers  and  Council  of  Management  for  i8gg-igOO, 

THOMAS   WORKMAN,  j.p. 

'gJtcc-S'rcsibenfs. 

JOUN   BROWN.  I  WM.    SVVANSTON,  f.g.s. 

EGBERT   YOUNG,  c.e.,  j.p. 

^on-  '^reosurer: 
W.    H.    F.    PATTERSON. 

<iaon.  librarian : 
THOMAS   WORKMAN,  j.p. 

^Oii.  ^ccrefarp: 

ROBERT  M.  YOUNG,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a. 

Council : 

JOHN  BROWN. 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

PROFESSOR  J.  1).  EVERETT,  f.r.s.,  d.c.l. 

ANDREW  GIBSON,  f.r.s.a. 

JOHN  HORNER. 

OTTu  J  A  FEE,  J.p. 

SEATON  F.  MILLIGAN,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a. 

R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  j.p.,  f.l.s. 

WM.  H.  PATTERSON,  m.r.i.a. 

W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

TUOMAS  F.  SHILLINGTON,  j.p. 

WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 

THOMAS  WORKMAN,  j.p. 

ROBERT  YOUNG,  j.p.,  c.e. 

E.    M.    YOUNG,    B.A.,    J.P.,    M.R.I.A. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

[^Denotes  holders  of  three  or  more  Shares."] 

♦Alexander,  Francis,  b.e.,  Belfast. 

Alhvorthy,  Edward,  Ardgreenan,  Cavehill  Road,  do. 

Anderson,  John,  j.p.,  f.g.s.,  East  Hillbrook,  Holywood. 

Andrew,  John  J.,  l.d.s.,  r.c.s.  Eng.,  University  Square,  Belfast. 
Andrews,  Miss  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Andrews,  George,  j.p.,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Armstrong,  Thomas,  jun.,  7  Donegal!  Square  West,  do. 

Baird,  Wm.,  Royal  Avenue,  do. 

Barbour,  James,  j.p.,  Ardville,  Marino,  Holywood, 

Beattie,  Rev.  A.  Hamilton,  Portglenone. 

Bigger,  Francis  J.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ardrie,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast. 

Bland,  Robert  H.,  j.p.,  Lisburn. 

Bottomley,  Henry  H.,  Belfast. 

Boyd,  William,  Great ,  Victoria  Street,  do. 

Boyd,  William  Sinclair,  Ravenscroft,  Bloomfield,  do. 

Braddell,  Edward,  The  Limes,  Malone  Park,  do. 
Brett,  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,       do. 

Brett,  John  H.,  c.e.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Bristow,  James  R.,  Lismore,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Brown,  John,  Longhurst,  Dunmurry. 

Brown,  William  K.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Bulloch,  Alexander,  Eversleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Burnett,  John  R.,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Byers,  Prof.  John  W.,  m.a.,  m.d.,  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Calwell,  Alex.  M'D.,  do. 

Calwell,  William,  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Square  North  do. 

*Campbell,  Miss  Anna  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Carlisle,  A.  M.,  Elmwood  House,  do. 


74 


Shareholders. 


Carr,  A.  H.  R.,  Rathowen,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Carson,  John,  Walmer  'J'errace,  Holywood. 

*Charley,  Phineas  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor. 

Clark,  George  S.,  Dunlambert,  Belfast. 

Coates,  Victor,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry. 

Connor,  Charles  C,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  Belfast. 

Combe,  George,  Cranethorpe,  Strandtown. 

Cowan,  P.  C,  m.i.c.e.,  Dublin. 

Crawford,  William,  Mount  Randal,  Belfast. 

Crawford,  William,  Calendar  Street,  do. 

Craig,  Edwin  E.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown. 
Cuming,  Professor  James,  m.a.,  m.d.,  (Reps,  of  the  late) 

Wellington  Place,  Belfast. 
Cunningham,  Professor  Robert  O.,  m.d.,  f.l.s., 

F.G.S.,  Mountpellier,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Davies,  John  H.,  45  Castle  Street,  Lisburn. 

*Deramore,  Lord  d.l.  (Representative  of),  Newtownbreda. 

Dods,  Robert,  b.a.,  St.  Leonards,  Newcastle. 

*Donegal,  Marquis  of,  Belfast. 

*Downshire,  Marquis  of,  The  Castle,  Hillsborough. 

Drennan,  W.  H.,  Wellington  Place,  Belfast. 

Duffin,  Adam,  ll.d.,  University  Square,  do. 

Dunleath,  Lord,  Ballywalter  Park  (Reps,  of),  Ballywalter. 

Everett,  Professor  Joseph  D.,  m.a.,  d.c.l.,  f.r.s., 

22  Earlscourt  Square,  London. 

Ewart,  G.  Herbert,  m.a.,  Firmount,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast. 

Ewart,  Lavens  M.,  j.p.  (Reps,  of),  Glenbank  House,  do. 

Ewart,  Sir  Wm.  Quartus,  Bart.,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Glenmachan 

House,  do. 


Faren,  Wm.,  TJountcharles, 
*Fenton,  Francis  G., 
Ferguson,  Godfrey  W.,  Donegall  Park, 
Finlay,  Fred.  W.,  j.p.,  Wolfhill  House, 
Finlay,  Robert  H.  F.,  Cavehill  Road, 


do. 
London. 

Belfast. 
Ligoniel. 

Belfast. 


Shareholders,  75 

Finnegan,  John,  b.a.,  b.sc,  Kelvin  House,  Botanic  Avenue, 

Belfast. 
FitzGerald,  Professor  Maurice  F.,  b.a.,  m.i.m.e.,  Assoc. 

M.I.C.E.,  Eglantine  Avenne,  do. 

*Getty,  Edmund  (Representatives  of"),  do. 

Gibson,  Andrew,  f.r.s.a.l,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Girdwood,  Catherine,  Mountpleasant,  do. 

Gordon,  Robert  W.,  J. p.  (Reps,  of),  Bangor. 

Graham,  Thomas,  J. p.,  Holywood. 

*Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  d.d.,  m.r.i.a., 

(Representatives  of),  Broughshane. 

Grey,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Cavehill  Road,  Belfast. 
Greenhill,  John  H.,  Mus  bac,  do. 

Greer,  Thomas,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Seapark,  Carrickfergus. 

*Hall,  Frederick  H.,  Waterford. 

*Hamilton,  Hill,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Harland,  W.,  University  Road,  do, 

Henderson,  Miss  Anna  S.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Henderson,  Sir  James,  a.m.,  j.p.,  Oakley,  Windsor  Park,     do. 

Henderson,  Mrs.  Charlotte,  Clarges  Street,  London. 

Herdman,  John,  j.p.,  Carricklee  House,  Strabane. 

*Herdman,  Robert  Earnest,  j.p.,  Rosavo,  Cultra. 

Hermann,  Walter,  m.a.,  ph.d  ,  R.A.  Institution,  Belfast. 

Heyn,  James  A.  M.,  Strandtown  House,  do. 

Hind,  John,  junr.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 
Hodges,  Professor  John  F.,  m.d.,  f.c.s.,  j.p., 

Sandringham,  do. 

Hogg,  John,  Academy  Street,  do. 

Horner,  John,  m.i.,m.e.,  Chelsea,  Antrim  Road,  do. 
*Houston,  John  Blakiston,  j.p.,  v.l.,  m.p.,  Orangefield,        do. , 

*Hughes,  Edwin,  Dalchoolin,  Craigavad. 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  ll.d.,  Windsor,  Belfast. 

Inglis,  James,  J.P.,  Abbeyville,  Whiteabbeya 


76  Shareholders. 

Jackson,  A.  T.,  c.e.,  Tighnabruaich,  Derryvolgie 

Avenue,  Belfast. 

Jaffe,  Otto,  The  Rt.  Hon.  The  Lord  Mayor,  Kin 

Edar,  Strandtovvn,  do. 

Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  j.p.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey. 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  Amelia,  Richmond  Lodge,  Belfast. 

Kertland,  Edwin  H.,  Chlorine  Gardens,  do. 

Kidd,  George,  j.p.,  Lisnatore,  Dunmurry. 
*Kinghan,  John  R.,  Altoona,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Kyle,  Robert  Alexander,  Donegall  Place,  do. 

Lanyon,  John,  c.e.,  j.p.,  Lisbreen,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Larmor,  Joseph,  m.a.,  f.r.s.,  St.  John's  College,         Cambridge. 
Leathern,  Dr.  R.  R.,  Belgravia,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast. 

Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  j.p.,  Edgecumbe, 

Strandtown,  do. 

Lepper,  F.  R.,  j.p.,  Elsinore,  Carnalea,  Co.  Down. 

Letts,  Professor  E.  A.,  ph.d.,  f.c.s.,  Shirley  Lodge,  Cultra. 

Lindsay,  James  A.,  m.a.,  m.d..  College  Square  East,         Belfast. 
Lytle,  David  B.,  j.p.,  Bloomfield  House,  do. 

Lytle,  Joseph  H.,  j.i".,  Ashleigh,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Macassey,  L.  Livingstone,  b.l.,  m.i.c.e.,  Stanley  House, 

Holy  wood. 
Macfarlane,  John,  Bladon  Park,  Belfast. 

Mackenzie,  John,  c.e.,  Strathavon,  Lisburn  Road,  do. 

*Macrory,  A.  J.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Magill,  J.  E.,  Easton  Terrace,  Cliftonvllle,  do. 

Malcolm,  Bowman,  m.i.c.e.,  m.i.m.e.,  Ashley  Park, 

Antrim  Road,  do. 

Maxton,  James,  m.i.n.a.,  m.i.mar.e.,  The  Elms,         Strandtown. 
Maxwell,  David  A.,  College  Gardens,  Belfast. 

Milligan,  Seaton  Forest,  m.r.i.a.,  The  Drift,  Antrim  Road,  do. 
Mitchell,  Robert  A.,  Marmont,  Strandtown. 

Montgomery  Henry  C,  Bangor. 


Shareholders. 


77 


Montgomery,  H.  H.,  Knock,  Belfast. 

Montgomery,  Thomas,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Ballydrain  House,  Dunmurry. 

Moore,  James,  The  Finaghy.  Belfast. 

Mullan,  William,  Lindisfarne,  Marlborough  Park,  do. 

Murney,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p.,  Tudor  House,  Holywood. 

*Murphy,  Isaac  James,  Armagh. 

*Murphy,  Joseph  John  (Representatives  of).  Belfast. 

Murray,  Robert  Wallace,  j.p.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

*Musgrave,  Henry,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

Musgrave,  Sir  James.  Bart.,  j.p.,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

MacAdam,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  do. 

M 'Bride,  Henry  James,  Hyde  Park,  Mallusk,  do. 

M'Bride.  Samuel,  Edgehill,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

*iM'Calmont,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  London. 

*M'Cammon,  Lieut.  Col.  Thomas  A.,  Woodville,  Holywood. 

M'Cance,  H.  J.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Larkfield,  Dunmurry. 
M'Clure,  Sir  Thomas,  Bart.,  j.p.,  d.l.  (Reps,  of), 

MacColl,  Hector,  Kirkliston  Drive,  Strandtown,  Belfast. 

MacCormac,  John,  m.d.,  Victoria  Place,  do. 

M'Cormick,  Hugh  M'Neile,  Ardmara,  Craigavad. 
*M'Cracken,  Francis  (Representatives  of), 

jM'Gee,  James,  Woodville,  Holywood. 

M'Gee,  Samuel  Mackey,  University  Street,  Belfast. 

Maclhvaine,  John  H.,  Bangor. 

M'Kisack,  H.  L.,  m.d.,  College  Square  East,  Belfast. 

*MacLaine,  Alexander,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  do. 

M'Neill,  George,  Beechleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

MKnight,  Jonn  P.,  Nevara,  Chichester  Park,  do. 

Neill,  Sharman  D.,  Rowandean,  Marlborough  Park,  do. 

Nicholson,  Henry  J.,  College  Square  Noith,  do. 


O'Neill,  James,  m.a.,  College  Square  East, 
*0'Rorke,  Ambrose  Howard,  Dunratho, 


do. 

Craigavad. 


f  ark,  Rev.  Wm.,  m.a.,  Somerset  House,  University  St.,    Belfast. 


78  Shareholders. 

Patterson,  Edward  Forbes,  Adelaide  Park,  Blfaset. 

Patterson,  Mrs.  Isabella,  Bonn,  Germany. 

Patterson,  Richard,  J.P.,  Kilmore,  Holywcod. 

*Patterson,  Robert  Lloyd,  J.P.,  f.l.s.,  Croft  House,  do. 

Patterson,  Robert,  F.z.s.,  Malone  Park,  Belfast. 

Patterson,  William  H.,  m.r.i.a.,  Garranard,  Strandtown. 

Patterson,  William  H.  F.,  Stalheim,  Marlboro  Park,       Belfast. 
Patterson,  William  R..  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Pim,  Edward  W.,  J.P.,  Elm  wood  Terrace,  do. 

Pim,  Joshua,  Slieve-na-Failthe,  Whiteabbey. 

*Pirrie,  Elizabeth,  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

Praeger,  R.  Lloyd,  b.k.,  m.r.i.a..  National  Library,  Dublin. 

Purser,  Prof.  John,  ll.d.,  m.r.i.a.,  Queen's  College,         Belfast. 

Rea,  John  Henry,  m.d.,  University  Street.  do. 

Rea,  William  R.,  Gardtia,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do.. 

Reade,  Robert  H.  S.,  J.P.,  Wilmont,  Dunmurry. 

Riddel],  Samuel,  Beechpark,  Belfast. 

Robertson,  William,  j.p.,  Netherleigh,  Strandtown,  do. 

Robinson,  John,  Sydenham  Road,  do. 

Scott,  R.  Taylor,  Richmond  Villa,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 
Sheldon,  Charles,  m.a.,  d.lit.,  b.sc,  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  do. 

Shillington, Thomas  Foulkes.j.p.,  Dfomart,  Antrim  Road,  do. 
Simms,  Felix  Booth,  Queen  Street,  do. 

Sinclair,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Hopefield,  do. 
Sinclair,  Prof.  Thomas,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.  Eng.,  Howard  St.,  do. 
Smith,  John,  Castleton  Terrace,  do. 

Smyth,  John,  m.a.,  c.k.,  Milltown,  Banbridge. 

Speers,  Adam,  B.sc,  Riversdale,  Holywood. 

Steen,  Robert,  ph.d.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Steen,  William,  b.l..  Northern  Bank,  Victoria  Street,  do. 
Stelfox,  James,  Oakleigh,  Ormeau  Park,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

*Tennent,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  do. 


Shareholders. 

*Tennent,  Robert  James  (Reps.  of).  Rushpark, 
*Thompson,  James,  j.p.,  \Iacedon, 
Thompson,  S.  B.,  Short  Strand. 
Torrens,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.  (Representatives  of), 
*Turnley,  John  (Representatives  of), 


79 

Belfast. 
Whiteabbey. 

Belfast. 
Whiteabbey. 

Belfast. 


Walkington,  Mrs.,  Thornhill,  Malone,  do. 

Walkington,  Thomas  R.,  Edenvale,  Strandtovvn,  Belfast. 

Wallace,  John,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Malone  Road,  do. 
Walter,  Hermann,  m.a.,  ph.d.,  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  Belfast. 

Ward,  Francis  D.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a..  Chlorine  Gardens,  do. 

Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Camden  Street,  do. 

Ward,  John,  j.p..  Lennoxvale,  Malone  Road,  do. 

*Webb,  Richard  T.,  Knock,  do. 

Whitla,  Prof.  William,  m.d.,  j.p..  College  Sq.  North,  do. 
Wilson,  James,  m.e.,  Oldforge,                                         Dunmurry. 

Wilson,  John  K.,  Donegall  Street,  Belfast. 

Wilson,  Walter  H.,  Stranmillis  House,  do. 

*Wilson,  W.  Perceval,                        '  do. 

*Wolflf,  G.  W  ,  M.P.,  The  Den  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  Francis,  Drummena,  Bladon  Park,  do. 

Workman,  John,  j.p.,  Lismore,  Windsor,  do. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a.,  Rubane  House,  Glastry. 
Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  b.d..  The  Manse,            Newtownbreda. 

Workman,  R.  D  ,  Upper  Crescent,  Belfast. 
*  Workman,  Thomas,  j.p.,  Craigdarrah,                         Craigavad. 

Workman,  William,  Nottinghill,  Belfast. 

Wright,  James,  Lauriston,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  p.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Young,  Robert,  c.f,.,  j.p.,  Rathvarna,  do. 
*Young,  Robert  Magill,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathvarna,         do. 


-J 


8o 


Anrrnal  Subscribers, 


HONORARY   MEMBERS. 
Dufferin  and  Ava,  k.p.,  The  Marquis  of,  Clandeboye,  Co.  Down. 
Slokes,  Miss  M.,  Hon.  m.r.i.a.,  Carrig  Breac,  Howth, 

Co.  Dublin. 


HONORARY  ASSOCIATES. 

Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park, 

Stewart,  Samuel  Alex.,  f.b.s.  Edin,  Belfast  Museum, 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue, 


Belfast, 
do. 
do. 


Tate,  Prof.  Ralph,  f.g.s.,  f.l.s.,  Adelaide,  South  Australia. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  Belfast. 


ANNUAL   SUBSCRIBERS   OF  TWO  GUINEAS. 

Belfast  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  Belfast. 

Northern  Banking  Co.,  Ltd.,  do. 

Ulster  Bank,  Ltd.,  do. 

York  Street  Spinning  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 


ANNUAL   SUBSCRIBERS   OF  ONE   GUINEA. 

Allan,  C.  E.,  Stormont  Castle,  Dundonald. 

Armstrong,  William,  Chichester  Gardens,  Belfast. 

Barr,  James,  Beechleigh,  Windsor  Park,  do. 

Barton,  H.  D.  M.,  The  Bush,  Antrim. 

Boyd,  John,  Cyprus  Gardens,  Bloomfield,  Belfast. 

Brown,  G.  Herbert,  j.p.,  Tordeevra,  Helen's  Bay. 

Bruce,  James,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast. 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Chambers,  Walter,  c.e.,  Waring  Street,  do. 

Cleaver,  A.  S.,  b.a.,  Dunraven,  do. 

Craig,  James,  j.p.,  Craigavon,  do. 

Davidson,  S.  C,  Sea  Court,  Bangor. 


Aiitiual  Subscribers. 


Dunvnlle,  Robert  G.,  J.P.,  d.l.,  Redburn,  Holyvvood. 

Fulton,  G.  F..  Howard  Street,  Belfast. 

Gamble,  James,  Royal  Terrace,  do. 

Green,  Isaac,  Ann  Street,  do. 

Hanna,  J.  A.,  Marietta,  Knock,  do. 

Hazelton,  W.  D.,  Clittonville,  do. 

Higginbotham,  Granby,  Wellington,  Park,  do. 

Jones,  R.  M.,  M.A.,RQyal  Academical  Institution,  do. 
Kelly,  W.  Redfern,  M.r.c.K.,  f.r.a.s.,  Dalriada, 

Malone  Park,  do. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  Crumlin  Terrace,  do. 

Malone,  John,  Brookvale  House,  Cliftonville,  do. 

M'Laughlin,  W.  H.,  Brookville  House,  do. 

Redfern,  Prof.  Peter,  m.d.,  f.r.cs.i..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Scott,  Conway,  c.e.,  Annaville,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 
Swiney,  J.  H.  H.,  b.a.,  b.e.,  Bella  Vista,  Antrim  Road,       do. 

Tate,  Alexander,  c.e.,  Rantalard,  Whitehouse,  do. 

Taylor,  John,  Brown  Square  Works,  do. 

Thompson,  John,  Limestone  Road,  do. 

Turpin,  James,  Waring  Street,  do. 


|[^|0i[t  Hnd  iii0iii|i{dinfls 


BE  LB'-A.Sa? 


NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 


FOR    THK 


S  3E3  S  S I  O  IsT      1890-1900. 


BELFAST : 
PRINTED  BY  ALEXR.  MAYNE  &  BOYD,  2   CORPORATION  STREET 

(printers  to  queen's  college.) 


T9OO. 


CONTENTS. 


Annual  Report                ...             ...             ...             ...             ...             ...  1 

Balance  Sheet                 ...             ...             ...             ...             ...             ...  7 

Donations  to  Museum    ...             ...             ...             ...             ...             ...  8 

Books  Received              ...             ...             ...             ...             ...             ...  9 

President's  Inaugural  Address — T.  Workman          ...             ...             ...  18 

Personal   Impressions  of  the   Transvaal,  Natal,  and  Cape   Colony — 

Robert  A.  Mitchell,  LL.B.    ...             ...             ...              ...             ...  27 

Ireland  and  the  Scottish  Isles  ;  Ancient  Connexions  and  Intercourse — 

S.  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I.A.      ..              ...             ...             ...             ...  34 

Some  Thoughts  on  Rome — Conway  Scott,  C.E.         ...             ...             ...  41 

The  Growth  of  the  Ink  Blot— W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.     ...             ...  42 

The  Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction  under  the 

Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruction  Act — William  Gray,  M.R.I.A.  44 
Some  of  the  Work  Done  by  Committees  of  the  British  Association — 

Professor  Maurice  F.  FitzGerald,  B.  A.,  M.I.  M.E.          ...             ...  57 

An  Ancient  Bombshell— Robert  M.  Young,  B. A.,  M.R.I.A.  ...             ...  64 

List  of  Office-Bearers    ...             ...             ...             ...             ...             ...  66 

Liist  of  Shareholders  and  Subscribers          ...             ...             ...             ...  67 


Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society. 


■:o:- 


EST-A^BLISUBJID     1821- 
:o: 

SHAREHOLDERS. 

1  Share  in  the  Society  costs  £7. 

2  Shares  ,,  cost  £14. 

3  Shares  ,,  cost  £21. 

The  Proprietor  of  1  Share  pays  10s.  per  annum ;  the  proprietor  of  2 
Shares  pays  6s.  per  annum ;  the  proprietor  of  3  or  more  Shares  stands  exempt 
from  further  payment. 

Shareholders  are  only  eligible  for  election  on  the  Council  of  Management 

MEMBERS. 

There  are  two  classes — Ordinary  Members,  who  are  expected  to  road 
Papers,  and  Visiting  Members  who,  by  joining  under  the  latter  title,  are 
understood  to  intimate  that  they  do  not  wish  to  read  Papers.  The  Session  for 
Lectures  extends  from  November  in  one  year  till  May  in  succeeding  one. 
Members,  Ordinary  or  Visiting,  pay  £1  Is.  per  annum,  due  1st  November  in 
each  year. 

Each  Shareholder  and  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  all 
meetings  of  the  Society,  and  of  admitting  a  friend  thereto  ;  also  of  access  to 
the  Museum  and  Library  for  himself  and  family,  with  the  privilege  of  granting 
admission  orders  for  inspecting  the  collections  for  any  friend  not  residing  in 
Belfast. 

Any  further  information  can  ba  obtained  by  application  to  the  Secretary. 
It  is  requested  that  all  accounts  due  by  the  Society  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer. 


The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  from  10  till  4  o'clock. 
Admission  for  Strangers,  6d.  each.  The  Curator  is  in  constant  attendance,  and 
will  take  charge  of  any  Donation  kindly  left  for  the  Museum  or  Library. 


:Belfa9t  Natural  Ibietor^  anb  ipbilosopbical 
Society* 


ANNUAL  REPORT,  1899. 


■:o:- 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  of  the  Society  was  held 
©n  14th  June,  in  the  Museum,  College  Square  North.  On  the 
motion  of  Mr.  Robert  Young,  C.E.,  J.P.,  seconded  by  Dr. 
MacCormac,  the  chair  was  taken  by  Mr.  John  Brown,  and 
there  were  also  present  Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton  (President  of 
Queen's  College),  Professor  Fitzgerald.  B.A.,  M.T.M.E.  ;  R.  L. 
Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S.  ;  T.  F.  Shillington,  J.P."",  James 
O'Neill,  M.A.  ;  Joseph  Wright,  F.G.S. ;  J.  H.  Davies,  John 
M'Knight,  J.  Horner,  M.I.M.E. ;  Wm.  Faren,  J.  E.  MagiU, 
Isaac  Ward,  Conway  Scott,  C.E.;  R.  Patterson,  M.B.O.U.  ; 
Robert  M.  Young,  J.P.  (honorary  secretary)  ;  and  W.  H.  F. 
Patterson  (honorary  treasurer). 

Mr.  R.  M.  Young,  Hon.  Secretary,  having  read  the  notice 
convening  the  meeting,  presented  the  report  of  the  Council, 
as  follows  : — 

The  Council  of  the  Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical 
Society  desire  to  submit  to  the  Sharcsholders  their  report  of  the 
working  of  the  Society  during  the  past  year. 

The  Winter  Session  was  opened  on  7th  November,  1899, 
when  the  President  of  the  Society,  Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P., 
delivered  an  address,  subject  :  ''  Incentives  to  the  study  of 
Natural  History,"  with  lime-light  illustrations. 

The  Second  Meeting  was  held  on  5th  December,  1899,  at 
which  a  lecture  was  given  by  Mr.  Robert  A.  Mitchell,  LL.B  , 
subject  :  ''  Personal  Impressions  of  the  Transvaal,  Natal,  and 
a 


2  Annual  Meeting. 

Cape  Colony,"  illustrated  by  a  large  series  of  lime-light  views 
from  photographs  taken  by  the  lecturer  recently  in  South 
Africa. 

The  Third  Meeting  took  place  on  2nd  Januarv,  iqoo,  when 
Mr.  Seaton  F.  Milligan,  M.R.T.A.,  lectured  on  "Ireland  and  the 
Scottish  Isles  :  Ancient  Connections  and  Intercourse,"  illus- 
trated by  a  large  series  of  specially  prepared  lantern  views. 

The  Fourth  Meeting  was  arranged  for  6th  February,  when 
Mr.  Conway  Scott  read  a  paper,  subject  :  "  Some  thoughts  on 
Rome."  Afterwards,  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson  described  the 
"  Growth  of  the  Ink  Blot,"  Avith  illustrations. 

The  Fifth  Meeting,  on  6th  March,  was  devoted  to  the  con- 
sideration of  technical  instruction  in  Belfast,  when  Mr.  W.Gray 
read  a  paper  on  "  The  position  of  Belfast  in  relation  to  Technical 
Instruction  under  the  Agricultural  and  Technical  Instruction 
Act."     This  was  followed  by  an  interesting  discussion. 

The  Closing  Meeting  was  held  on  3rd  April,  when  a  paper 
was  given  by  Prof.  Fitzgerald,  B.A.,  A.M.I.C.E.,  subject  : 
"  Some  of  the  Work  Done  by  Committees  of  the  British 
Association." 

These  meetings  were  well  attended,  particularly  those 
devoted  to  Technical  Instruction. 

The  Gilchrist  Course  of  Lectures  mentioned  in  the  last 
Annual  Report  were  very  successful,  and  a  moiety  of  the 
balance  remaining  after  all  expenses  were  paid  was  handed  to 
your  council  by  the  Committee,  with  the  recommendation  that 
artizans  should  be  admitted  by  ticket  on  certain  days.  The 
number  of  kindred  societies  holding  their  meeetings  in  the 
Museum  exhibits  no  reduction.  At  the  Easter  holidays  the 
attendance  of  the  public  was  similar  to  last  year,  although  no 
special  attractions  were  on  view.  The  ordinary  days  admissions 
vary  little  of  late  years.  As  will  be  seen  by  the  Hon. 
Treasurer's  Statement  of  Accounts,  a  substantial  balance  in 
favour  of  the  Society  still  continues  to  be  shown  after  payment 
of  all  liabilities. 

A  list  of  donations  to  the  Museum  and  of  the  publications 


Annual  Meeting.  3 

received  in  exchange  from  home  and  foreign  societies  will  be 
printed  with  the  present  Report. 

Such  donations  as  were  received  during  the  year  have  been 
incorporated  with  the  Museum  collections  and  exhibited  in 
their  proper  place  in  the  several  cabinets.  Amongst  the  speci- 
mens given  maybementionedMr.  R  Welch's  land  and  fresh  water 
shells,  some  of  which  are  rare  species,  and  some  only  recently 
added  to  the  Irish  fauna.  Owing  to  evaporation  many 
specimens  in  jars  require  attention  ;  some  of  these  have  been 
renewed,  and  others  must  shortly  be  dealt  with.  Further 
additions  to  the  herbarium  have  been  selected,  mounted,  and 
placed  in  their  systematic  order,  and  several  cases  of  birds  have 
been  cleaned  and  renovated.  The  curator  and  his  assistant 
have  been  fully  occupied  with  the  work,  in  addition  to  the 
usual  attention  and  oversight  of  the  entire  collections  during 
the  session.  Your  council  have  to  deplore  the  loss  of  their 
president,  the  late  Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J. P.,  who  died  after 
a  short  illness  at  St.  Paul's,  Minnesota,  on  nth  May  last.  He 
had  been  for  many  years  an  active  and  valued  member  of  our 
society,  and  of  the  council,  in  which  he  was  a  vice-president 
and  librarian.  During  the  two  years  in  which  he  held  the  office 
of  president  he  was  most  zealous  for  the  interests  of  the  society, 
and  in  last  September  he  was  chosen  to  voice  at  the  Dover 
meeting  the  city's  invitation  to  the  British  Association.  He 
took  the  chair  at  our  March  meeting,  and  had  made  arrange- 
ments to  be  home  in  time  for  our  annual  meeting,  and  that  to 
be  held  for  the  renewal  of  the  invitation  to  the  British  Associa- 
tion. Your  council  also  received  with  much  regret  the 
announcement  of  the  death  of  Professor  John  F.  Hodges,  M.D., 
a  former  president  of  the  society,  and  of  Mr.  Jas.  Thompson, 
J. P.,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  valued  members,  whose 
brother  William  died  while  president  in  1852.  Captain  Robert 
Campbell,  the  donor  of  many  valuable  specimens  in  the 
museum,  has  also  passed  away,  much  regretted. 

Mr.  W.  H.  F.  Patterson  submitted  the  financial  statement, 
which  showed  a  substantial  balance  in  favour  of  the  society, 
though  the  subscriptions  had  slightly  decreased. 


4  Annual  Meeting. 

The  President  of  Queen's  College,  in  moving  the  adoption  of 
the  report  and  statement  of  accounts,  said  that  the  Belfast 
Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society  was  one  of  the 
few  old  things  that  our  comparatively  modern  city  had,  and 
was  one  of  the  most  useful  and  most  interesting  of  all  the 
societies  that  Belfast  could  boast  of.  He  hoped  the  day  was 
far  distant  when  it  woul  1  cease  to  perform  its  very  excellent 
functions  in  the  midst  of  this  busy  community. 

The  report  reminded  them  that  duringtheyear  the  society  had 
lost  four  very  valued  and  old  friends,  all  of  whom  he  knew, 
and  all  of  whom  the  society  had  good  reasons  to  prize.  The 
death  of  Mr.  Thomas  Workman  was  specially  sad.  He  was  the 
second  president  who  had  died  during  his  term  of  office,  the 
first  being  their  eminent  and  well-known  Belfast  naturalist, 
Mr.  William  Thompson,  whose  death  occurred  in  1852.  Mr. 
Workman,  as  they  all  knew,  was  a  man  of  very  varied  and  large 
scientific  attainments.  He  was  one  of  the  type  of  men  who 
helped  long  ago  to  earn  for  Belfast  the  appellation  of  the  Athens 
of  the  North,  and  who  at  the  present  day  enabled  it  to  still  lay 
claim  to  some  extent  to  that  name.  Another  death  chronicled 
in  the  report  was  that  of  Professor  Hodges.  They  in  Queen's 
College  had  already  in  their  own  way  taken  note  of  that  death, 
which  deprived  them  of  the  last  of  the  old  staff  of  original 
professors.  He  had  occupied  a  chair  in  the  college  for  fifty 
years,  and  he  (the  President)  was  glad  to  say  that  in  a  short 
time  a  portrait  of  him,  subscribed  for  by  his  friends  in  the 
college  and  city,  would  be  hung  on  the  walls  of  the  Ex- 
amination Hall.  In  the  Natural  History  Society  the 
late  professor  occupied  a  very  prominent  place,  and  in  its 
working  he  took  a  large  share.  In  connection  with  his  name  it 
ought  to  be  said  that  very  long  ago  he  took  steps  in  his  own 
private  capacity  to  do,  in  of  course  a  small  way,  what  this  very 
year  was  being  carried  out  by  the  Government  through  the 
operation  of  the  Agriculture  and  Technical  Schools  Act. 
He  established,  many  years  since,  a  little  farm  of  his  own  not 
far  from  the  College,  for  experimenting  with  seeds,  plants,  and 


Annual  Meeting.  5 

manures,  and  from  that  time  up  to  his  death  he  was  continually- 
endeavouring  to  infuse  a  spirit  of  science  into  the  agricuUure 
of  the  North  of  Ireland.  They  who  knew  him  best  in  his 
latter  days  deplored  the  loss  of  a  valued  friend,  whose  genial 
conversation  and  sage  experience  made  intercourse  with  him 
peculiarly  valuable  and  pleasant.  He  was  undoubtedly  one  of 
the  best  types  of  the  fine  old  Irish  gentleman. 

Mr.  James  Thompson  did  not  latterly  take  a  very  prominent 
part  in  the  working  of  the  Society,  but  he  belonged  to  a  family 
which  gave  to  Belfast  one  of  the  most  eminent  men  of  whom 
the  city  could  boast,  namely,  the  late  Mr.  William  Thompson. 
As  to  Captain  Campbell,  he  (the  President)  had  known 
him  from  boyhood,  and  a  finer  or  braver  fellow  never  trod 
the  quarter-deck  of  a  British  ship.  It  could  be  wished  that 
many  more  of  their  seafaring  men  would  use  their  opportunities 
abroad  in  collecting  rare  specimens  for  that  Museum. 

Those  were  the  sad  points  referred  to  in  the  report,  but  there 
was  a  bright  side,  and  it  might  be  summed  up  in  a  single 
sentence,  that  the  Society  continued  to  do  good  and  useful  work 
for  the  objects  lor  which  it  was  instituted.  It  had  had  a  busy  and 
useful  year.  Many  of  its  members  had  taken  a  lively  interest 
in  its  work,  and  he  could  only  express  the  hope  that  as  the  old 
members  passed  away  new  ones  might  be  found  to  come  in  to 
fill  their  places,  so  that  the  Society  might  be  continued,  not 
only  in  unimpaired,  but,  if  possible,  increased  efficiency,  and 
handed  down  to  future  generations  of  Belfast  men  as  they  had 
received  it  from  the  Belfast  of  long  ago. 

Mr.  R.  L.  Patterson,  in  seconding,  mentioned  that  at  a  town 
raeetmg  on  Wednesday  last  it  was  decided  to  invite  the  British 
Association  to  meet  in  Belfast  in  1902 — that  would  be  fifty 
years  after  ttieir  tirst  meeting  in  1852.  On  that  occasion  that 
society  took  a  leading  part  in  the  issuing  of  invitations,  while 
many  of  its  members  took  an  active  part  in  the  reception  of 
that  distinguished  body  both  mdividually  and  collectively.  He 
had  no  doubt  that,  as  he  hoped  and  expected  the  association 
would  accept  the  invitation,  the  present  members  of  the  society 


6  Annual  Meeting. 

would  do  their  best  to  make  the  gathering  a  distinct  and 
striking  success.  He  regretted  to  hear  that  the  subscriptions 
showed  a  slight  falling  off.  He  did  not  exactly  know  that  they 
could  increase  the  number  of  their  shareholders,  but  occasionally 
a  little  effort  might  get  them  recruits  in  the  way  of  annual 
subscribers,  and  thus  they  would  increase  the  usefulness  of  the 
society.  In  connection  with  their  active  membership  there 
was  one  point  he  should  Hke  to  mention.  On  the  list  of  share- 
holders there  figured  the  names  of  a  good  many  deceased 
shareholders,  or  rather  the  representatives  of  so  and  so  deceased. 
President  Hamilton  had  suggested  to  him  that  they  might  try 
and  get  Lord  Shaftesbury  to  join  the  Society  and  he  thought 
the  suggestion  a  good  one. 
The  resolution  was  adopted. 

The  fcillowing  five  members,  who  retired  by  rotation,  were 
re-elected  on  the  Council: — Sir  Otto  Jaffe,  J. P.;  President 
Hamilton,  D.D.,  L.L.D.,  Professor  Fitzgerald,  Mr.  T.  F. 
ShiUiugton,  J.P.  ;  and  Mr.  R.  M.  Young,  J. P. 

Mr.  R.  M.  Young  announced  that  Mr.  J.  H.  Davies,  a 
member  of  the  Council,  had  recently  discovered  in  County 
Antrim  three  species  new  to  the  Irish  moss  flora — namely, 
lor  tula  marginata^  Amblystegium  jfiiraizkaniim  and  Amhly- 
stegium  varium — specimens  of  which  would  be  placed  in  the 
Museum  Herbarium. 

Mr.  R.  Young  gave  an  interesting  description  of  some  rare 
specimens  of  worked  flints  (Wadi  el  Sheikh,  Egypt),  received 
from  the  Free  Museum,  Liverpool,  in  accordance  with  the 
system  of  duplicate  exchange  recently  adopted. 

The  following  Officers  were  elected  : — President,  John  Brown ; 
Vice-Presidents,  President  Hamilton,  William  Swanston, 
F.G.S.;  Robert  Young,  C.E.,  J. P.;  R.  L.  Patterson,  D.L., 
F.L.S.  Honorary  Treasurer,  W.  H.  F.  Patterson  ;  Honorary 
Librarian,  J.  H.  Davies  ;  Honorary  Secretary.  Robert  M. 
Young,  B.A.,  J.P.,  M.R.I.A. 

A  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chairman,  proposed  by  Dr. 
MacCormac  and  seconded  by  Mr.  Isaac  Ward,  concluded  the 
proceedings. 


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DONATIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM,  1899-1900. 


From  Mr.  John  Fisher,  Kilkeel. 

Transverse  section  of  a  yew  tree  from  Kilkeel,  Co.  Down,  the 
trunk  was  20  feet  long. 

From  Mr.  W.  H.  M'Laughlin. 
Specimen   of  goat   moth  ( Cossiis  lignaperda)^  and  its  cocoon 
embedded  in  a  block  of  ash  wood. 

From  The  City  of  London. 
Medal  struck  by  the  City  in  commemoration  of  the  60th  year 
of  the  reign  of  Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria. 

From  Mr.  I.  A.  Richardson. 
A  flint  lock  musquet  of  a  Broomhedge  yeoman. 

From  Mr.  Osborne  Grimshaw. 
Specimens  of  the  submerged  forest  at  Portrush. 

From  Mr.  Robert  Welch. 
A  large  number  of  the  rarer  Irish  land  and  Iresh  water  shells. 


ADDITIONS  TO   THE   LIBRARY,  isx   MAY,  1899,  till 
1ST  MAY,  1900. 

Adelaide. — Memoirs  of  the  Royal  Society  of  South  Australia. 

Vol.  I,  part  I,  and  Transactions,  vol.  23,  parts  i 

and  2  — 1899.  -^^''^  Society. 

Albany. — Forty-ninth  and  Fiftieth  Reports  of  the  New,  York 

State  Museum,  1895  and  1896. 

The  University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
Austin. — Transactions  of  Texas  Academy  of  Science.     Vol.  2, 

no.  2,  1899.  The  Academy. 

Belfast. — Report  and  Proceedings  of  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field 

Club.     Series  2,  vol.  4,  part  6,  i89q. 

The  Club. 
Bergen. — Bergens  Museums  Aarbog,  1899  ;  also  Crustacea  of 

Norway.     Vol.  2,  parts  13  and  14,  1899;  and 

vol.  3,  parts  I — 4,  1 899- 1 900. 

Bergen  Museum. 
Berlin. — Verhandlungen  der  Gesellschaft  fiir  Erdkunde.     Vol. 

26,  nos.  4 — 10,   1899;  and  vol.  27,  nos.   I — 3, 

1900.  The  Society. 

Boston. — Memoirs  of  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History.     Vol. 

5,  nos.  4  and    5,   1899;  also  Proceedings,  vol. 

28,  nos.  13 — 16,  1899;  and  vol.  29,  nos.  i — 8, 

1899.  2 he  Society. 

Bremen. — Abhandlungen    Herausgegeben   vom    Naturwissen- 

schaftlichen  Verein  zu  Bremen.     Vol.  16,  part 

2,  1899.  The  Society. 

Breslau — Zeitschrift   fiir    Entomologie    Herausgegeben    vom 

Verein  fiir  Schlessiche  Insektenkunde  zu  Breslau. 

Part  24,  1899.  The  Society. 

Brighton. — Annual  Report  and  Abstract  of  Papers  of  Brighton 

and  Sussex  Natural  History  and  Philosophical 

Society  for  the  year  1898-99.        The  Society. 


3  0  Books  Received. 

Brussels. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Royale  de  Botanique  de 
Belgique.     Vol.  37,   1898;  and  Vol.  39,   1899. 

The  Society. 
„  Annales  de  la  Societe  Entomologique  de  Belgique- 

Vol.  43,  1899.  T/ie  Society. 

„  Annales   de   la    Societe    Royale   Malacologique   de 

Belgique.    Vols.  21 — 23,  1896-98;  also  Bulletins 
des  Seances.  The  Society. 

Buenos  Ayrrs. — Annales  del  Museo  Nacional  de  Buenos  Aires. 
Series  2,  vol.  6, 1899;  and  Comunicaciones,  vol. 
1,  nos.  3 — 5,  1899.  77/1?  Director. 

Buffalo. — Bulletin  of  Buffalo   Society   of  Natural   Sciences. 

Vol.  6,  nos.  2 — 4,  1899.  The  Society. 

Calcutta. — Memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  India.  Vol. 
28,  part  1,  1898.  Palaeontologia  Indica.  Series 
15,  vol.  1,  part  2,  1899;  "^^^  "^^v  series,  vol.  i, 
parts  I  and  2,  1899 ;  also  General  Report  of  the 
Survey  for  year  1898-99. 

The  Director  of  the  Survey. 
Cambridge. — Proceedings  of  Cambridge  Philosophical  Society. 
Vol.  10,  part  2,  1899;  and  parts  3  and  4,  1900. 

The  Society. 

Cambridge,  Mass. — Bulletin  of  the  Museum  of   Comparative 

Zoology.     Vol.  32,  no.  10;  vols.  33  and  34;  and 

vol.  35,  nos.  I — 7,  1899.  2 he  Curator. 

Cardiff. — Report    and   Transactions    of  Cardiff    Naturalists' 

Society.     Vol.    30,    1899;    and   vol.    31,    1900. 

The  Society. 
Cassel. — Abhandlungen    and   Bericht    (44)   des    Vereins    fiir 

Naturkunde  zu  Kassel,  1899.         The  Society. 
Chicago. — Fortieth  Annual  Report  and  Bulletin    of  Chicago 
Academy  of  Sciences,  No.  2,  1897. 

The  Academy. 
,,  Occasional    Memoirs    of    Chicago     Entomological 

Society.     Vol.  i,  No.  i,  1900. 

The  Society. 


Books  Received.  Ii 

Christiania — Christiania  Videnskabs  Selskabs  Forhandlinger. 
No.  I,  1899. 

The  Royal  Norske  Frederiks  University. 

Edinburgh. — Proceedings  of  the  Botanical  Society  of  Edin- 
burgh. Vol.  31,  part  I,  1897;  part  2,  1898  ; 
and  part  3,  1899.  The  Society. 

„  Proceedings     of    the     Royal    Physical    Society, 

Session  1897-98  and  1898-99.        The  Society. 

Elberfeld. — Jahresbericht  derNaturwissenschaftlichen  Vereins 
in  Elberfeld.     Part  9,  1899.  The  Society. 

Emden. — Eighty-third  and  eighty-fourth  Jahresbericht  der 
Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in  Emden, 
1898-99.  2 he  Society. 

Genoa. — Giornale  della  Societa  di  Letture  e  Conversazione 
Scientifiche  di   Genova.     Anno  20,  fasc.  2 — 4, 

1899,  also   Rivista  Ligure  ;   anno.   22,  fasc.  i, 

1900.  The  Society. 
GiESSEN. — Thirty-fourth  Bericht  des  Oberhessichen  Gesellschaft 

fiir  Natur  and  Heilkunde,  1897-98-99. 

The  Society. 
Glasgow. — Transactions  of    the   Natural    History   Society    of 
Glasgow.     New  ser.  vol.  5,  No.  3,  1900. 

The  Society. 
„  Proceedings    of    the    Philosophical     Society    of 

Glasgow.     Vol.  30,  1899.  The  Society. 

GoTHENBERG. — Goteborg's  Kungl.  Vetenskaps  och  Vitterhets 

Samhalles  Handlingar,  1899.         2 he  Society. 
Halifax. — Proceedings  and  Transactions  of  the  Nova  Scotian 
Institute  of  Science,  Vol.  9,  part  4,  1898. 

The  Institute. 
Iglo. — Jahrbuch  des   Ungarischen    Karpathen  Vereines,  26th 

year,  1890.  The  Society. 

Lausanne. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Vandoise  des  Sciences, 
Naturelles.     Vol.  35,  n  s.  131-133,  1899. 

The  Society. 


12  Booksl  Received. 

-Lawrence. — Kansas  University  Quarterly.     Vol.  8,  nos.  2  and 

3,  1899.  Ihe  Kansas  University. 

Leipsic. — Mitteilungen  des  Vereins  fiir  Erdkunde  zu  Leipzig, 
i898,andWisscnschaftliche  Veroffentlichungen. 
Vol.  4,  1899.  The  Sociaty. 

„         Sitzungberichte  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  zu 
Leipzig,  24th  and  25th  years,  1897-98. 

The  Society. 
London. — Memoirs  of  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society.     Vols. 
52  and  53,  1896-1899.  The  Society. 

„  Report  of  the  69th  Meetingof  the  British  Association  ; 

Dover,  1899.  The  Association. 

,,  Fifteenth  Memoir  of  the  Egypt  Exploration  Fund 

of  the  Egypt  Exploration  Fund  (Deshasheh), 
1898,  Sixteenth  Memoir  (Deir  el  Bahari),  1898, 
and  Seventeenth  Memoir  (Dendereh),  1900. 
The  Committee  of  this  Fund. 
„  Quarterly   Journal    of  the    Geological    Society    of 

London.  Vol.  55,  parts  1 — 3,  1899.  Vol.  56, 
part  I,  1900;  also  Geological  Literature  added 
to  the  Library  during  1898,  and  List  of  Fellows 
of  the  Society.  2 he  Society. 

„  Journal   of  the  Royal  Microscopical  Society,  Nos. 

129—133,   1899,  and  Nos.  134  and   135,  1900. 

The  Society. 
,,  Proceedings  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London, 

parts  I — 4,  1899,  and  Transactions,  Vol.  15, 
parts  2 — 4,  1899;  also  List  of  Eellows  of  the 
Society.  The  Society. 

Madison. — Transactions  of  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Sciences, 
Arts,  and  Letters,  Vol.  12,  1898. 

The   Academy. 
Madras. — Bulletin  of  Madras  Government  Museum.     Vol.  2, 
No.  3,   1899,    and   Administration  Report  for 
i898-'99.  The  SuperintendetiL 


Books  Received.  13 

Manchester. — Journal  of  Manchester  Geographical  Society. 
Vol.  14,  nos.  7 — 12,  T898,  and  Vol.  15,  Nos, 
I — 9,  1899.  The  Soeietv. 

„  Transactions  of  Manchester  Geological  Society, 

Vol.  26,  parts  4 — 9,  1899,  and  part  13,  1900. 

The  Society 

Marseilles. — Annales  de  la  Faculte  des  Sciences  de  Marseille. 
Vol.  9,  fasc,  I — 5,  1899.  The  Lihrariaii. 

Melbourne. — Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Victoria. 
New  ser.,  Vol.  11,  part  2,  1899.     The  Society. 

Mexico. — Boletin  del  Institute  Geologico  de  Mexico.  No.  11, 
1898,  and  12  and  13,  1899.         The  Institute. 

„  Boletin    Mensual   del   Observatorio   Meteorologico 

Central  de  Mexico.  No.  for  December,  1898, 
and  Nos.  for  January — September,  1899. 

The  Director. 

,,  Boletin  del  Observatorio  Astronomico  Nacional  de 

Tacubaya.  Vol.  2,  No.  5,  1899  ;  also  Obser- 
vaciones  Meteorologicos,  1897,  and  Anuario 
20,  for  year  i  Qoo.  The  Director. 

Milwaukee. — Bulletin  of  Wisconsin  Natural  History  Society. 
New  seiies,  vol.  i,  no.  i,  iqoo  ;  also  i6th 
Annual  Report  of  Milwaukee  Public  Museum. 

The  Society. 

Montevideo. — Anales  del  Museo  Nacional  de  Montevideo. 
Vol.  2,  fasc.  Ti  and   12,  1899.     The  Director. 

Moscow.— Bulletin  ot  the  Society  of  Naturalists'  of  Moscow. 
No.  4,  i8q8;  and  no.  1,  1899;  also  Memoirs. 
Vol.  15,  part  7,  1898;  vol.  16,  part  1,  1898;  and 
part  2,  1899.  The  Society. 

Nantes.— Bulletin  de  la  Societe  des  Sciences  Naturelles  de  1' 
Quest  de  France.     Vol.  9,  parts  i — 3,  1899. 

The  Society. 


14  Books  Received. 

New  York. — Annals  of  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences.  Vol. 
II,  part  3,  i8q8  ;  and  vol.  12,  part  i,  1899;  also 
Constitution,  Bye -Law?,  and  List  of  Members, 
1899.  The  Academy. 

,,  Bulletin  of  American  Geographical  Society.     Vol. 

31,  nos.  2 — 5,   1899;  and  vol.  32,  no.  i,   1900. 

The  Society. 

Odessa. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  New  Russia. 
Vol.  22,  part  2,  1898;  also  Memoirs  of  the 
Mathematic  Section.     Vols.  ^6  and  19,  1899. 

The  Society. 

Oporto. — Annaes  de  Sciencias  Naturaes.     Vol.  5,  no.  4,  1898. 

The  Editor. 
OSNABRUCK. — Jahresbericht  des  Naturwissenschaftlichen  Vereins 
zu  Osnabruck  for  year  1898.         The  Society. 

Ottawa. — Annual  Report  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Canada. 
New  series,  vol.  10,  1897;  and  Maps  to  accom- 
pany Report;  also  Contributions  to  Canadian 
Palaeontology.  Vol.  i,  part  5,  189J;  and  vol.  4, 
part  I,  1899.  The  Director  of  the  Survey. 

Padua. — Bullettino  della  Societa  Veneto-Trentina  di  Scienze 
Naturali.  Vol.  6,  no.  4,  1899;  and  Atti;  series 
2,  vol.  4,  fasc.  I,  1900.  The  Society. 

Philadelphia. — Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences.     Parts  i  and  2,  1899. 

The  Academy. 
„        Proceedings  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society. 

Vol.  38,  no.  159,  1899.  The  Society. 

„         Transactions  of  Wagner  Free  Institute  of  Science. 

Vol.  6,  1899.  The  histittite. 

,,  Report  of  the  Philadelphia  Commercial  Museum; 
also  Monograph  on  the  State  of  Nicaragua,  and 
Monograph  on  Costa  Rica,  1898. 

The  Museum. 


Books  Received.  15 

Pisa. — Atti  della   Societa  Toscana  di  Scienze  Natural!.     Vol. 

11,  January  to  July,  1899;  and  Process!  Verbali. 
Vol.  12,  Nov.  1899.  ThQ  Society. 

Reigate. — Proceedings  of  Holmesdale  Natural  History  Club, 

iSqg.  The  Club. 

RoMF. — Atti  della  Reale  Academia  dei  Lincei.     Series  5,  vol. 

8,  semestre   i,  fasc.    7 — 12.     Semestre    2,  fasc. 

I — 12,    1899;    vol.    9,  semestre    i,    fasc.   i — 7, 

1900;  also  Rendicontodeir  Adunanza  Solenne, 

June,  1899.  The  Academy. 

San  Francisco. — Proceedings  of  California  Academy  of  Sciences. 

Series  3,  vol.    i,  nos.   5,  6,   11,   12,   1899;  and 

Occasional  Papers,  no.  6,  1899. 

The  Academy. 
St.    Louis. — Tenth    Annual    Report    of  Missouri    Botanical 

Garden,  1899.  The  Director. 

Stavanger. — Stavanger  Museums  Aarsberetning  for  1898. 

The  Museum  Trustees. 
Stirling. — Transactions     of    Stirling     Natural    History    and 

Archaeological  Society  for  year  1898-99. 

The  Society. 
Stockholm.  —  Kongliga     Svenska     Vetenskaps  Akademiens 

Handlingar,     Vol.  31,    1898-09.     Bihang,    vol. 

24,  parts    1 — 4,   1899;  and    Ofversigt,   vol.  55. 

1 898.  The  Academy. 

Sydney. — Science  of  Man.     New  series,  vol.  2,  nos.  3,  5,  10  and 

12,  1899  ;  and  vol.  3,  no.  i,  1900. 

The  Editor. 
Tokyo. — Mittheilungen  der  Deutschen  Gesellschaft  fiir  Natur 

und  Volkerkunde  Ostasiens.     Vol.  7,  parts    2 

and  3,  1809.  The  Society.     , 

Topeka. — Transactions  of  Kansas  Academy  of  Science.     Vol. 

16,  1899.  The  Academy. 

Toronto. — Proceedings  of  the  Canadian  Institute.     New  ser. 

Vol.  2  parts,  1899.  The  Institute. 


1 6  Books  Received. 

Upsala. — Bulletin  of  the  Geological  Institution  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Upsala.     Vol.  4,  part  i,  No.  7,  1898. 

The  University. 

Vienna. — Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich  Koniglischen  Reich- 
sanstalt.  N-s.  5 — 18,  1899,  and  Nos.  i  and  2, 
T900.  The  Society. 

„  Verhandlungen    der   Kaiserlich  Konglichen   Zoolo- 

gisch-Botanischen  Gelleschaft.     Vol.  49,  1899. 

The  Society. 
Washington. — Year  Book   of  United   States  Department   of 
Agriculture,   1899,  ^"d  Bulletins,  Nos.  14  and 
15,  1899.      Ihe  Secretary  of  the  Department. 

„  United     States     Geological     Survey     Reports — 

1 8th  Annual  Report,  parts  i — 5  and  5  con- 
tinued, 1897-98;  19th  Annual  Report,  part  i 
1898;  part  2,  1899,  part  4,  1899,  part  6,  1898, 
and  part  6  continued,  1898  ;  20th  Annual 
Report,  part  6,  and  part  6  continued,  1899  ; 
also  Monographs,  Vols.  29,  31,  and  35,  and 
Atlas  to  Vol.  31,  1898.  The  Director. 

„  Proceedings     of     the     United     States     National 

Museum,  Vol.  20,  1898,  and  Vol.  21,  1899  ;  also 
Bulletin,  No  47,  parts  2  and  3,  1 898,  and  Annual 
Report  for  1899  ;  Annual  Report  of  the  Smiths- 
onian Institution,  1898  ;  Miscellaneous  Collec- 
tions, Nos.  1,171  and  1,173,  1898. 

The  Smiihsoniajt  Inititiition. 
York. — Annual   Report  of  Yorkshire   Philosophical   Society, 
1899.  The  Society. 

Zurich. — Vierteljahresschrift  der  Naturfor  chenden  Gesellschaft 
in  Zurich,  44th  year,  parts  i — 4,  1899. 

The  Society. 

From  Mr.  Victor  Coaths,  D.L. — The  Zoologist,  Vol.  5,  1847. 
Vol.  6  of  sen  3,  1882,  and  Vol  7,  1883. 


Books  Received.  17 

From  Mr.  R.  Lloyd-Patterson,  J.P.,  F.L.S.— Journal  of  the 
Linnean  Society  (Botany.)  Vol.  26,  No.  178, 
and  Vol.  33,  Nos.  237 — 239,  1899. 

F)'om  Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P. — Malaysian  spiders.  Vol. 
2,  parts  I — 4,  1899. 


BELFAST 

NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 

SESSION     1899-1900. 


7///  November^   18Q9. 


ADDRESS     BY     THE     PRESIDENT, 
Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P. 


Incentives  to  the  Study  of  Natural  History, 


(Abstract.) 


It  has  no  doubt  been  the  privilege  of  many  of  you  to  ascend  the 
St  Gothard  valley  by  the  wonderful  railway  that  has  been  so  skil- 
fully engineered  up  it.  At  one  moment  the  traveller  is  carried 
in  a  straight  line  towards  the  snow  crested  alps  at  the  summit, 
as  if  no  obstacle  stood  in  the  path,  but  that  lasts  only  for  a 
little  way.  In  another  moment,  with  a  shrieking  whistle,  you 
enter  into  a  darksome  cavern  of  a  tunnel,  and  the  traveller 
knows  not  whether  his  course  is  away  from  or  towards  the 
object  of  his  aspiration.  However,  when  you  again  emerge  into 
the  sunlight  you  find,  though  you  have  taken  an  enormous 
spiral,  you  are  till  going  onwards  and  upwards,  and  you  can 
see  far  below  you  th  road  you  formerly  traversed,  and  that 
even  your  backward  course  was  an  onward  one. 

Such,  it  appears  to  me,  is  scientific  progress  ;  we  seem  never 
for  any  time  on  the  straight  course  to  perfect  knowledge,  but 
ever  on  a  spiral  one  if  we  follow  after  truth. 

We  cannot  follow  absolute  truth,  but  only  truth  as  it  appears 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  19 

to    us  at  every  moment   ot    our    progress.      Our    path    must 
necessarily  be  on  the  line  of  the  least  resistance. 

Too  many  incline  to  the  line  of  no  resistance,  and  taking 
the  river  as  their  guide  become  the  creatures  of  circumstance. 
Like  Tennyson's  Lotus  Eaters,  they  say — 

Let  us  alone.     What  is  it  that  will  last  ? 

All  things  are  taken  from  us  and  become 

Portions  and  parcels  of  the  dreadful  Past. 

Let  us  alone.     What  pleasure  can  we  have 

To  war  with  evil  ?     Is  there  any  peace 

In  ever  climbing  up  the  climbing  wave  ? 

All  things  have  rest,  and  ripen  towards  the  grave 

In  silence  ;  ripen,  fall  and  cease : 

Give  us  long  rest  or  death,  dark  death  or  dreamful  ease." 

But  your  presence  here  to  night  assures  me  that  you  are  not 
of  those,  but  that  you  are  ever  willing  to  struggle  on  towards 
the  light.  Now  though  the  nineteenth  century  has  still  a  few 
months  to  run,  this  is  the  last  session  of  the  Belfast  Natural 
History  and  Philosophical  Society  which  will  use  the  numbers 
eighteen  hundred  to  mark  its  date,  and  as  I  think  the  study  of 
Natural  History  has,  after  the  tremendous  development  when 
Darwin  published  in  1859  ^^^  epoch  making  book  on  the 
Origin  of  Species,  entered  somewhat  one  of  these  dark 
tunnels,  or  at  least  shady  places  whe;eweare  inclined  to  ask 
are  we  making  any  progress,  or  what  is  the  good  of  it  all. 
Believing  thus,  I  think  I  cannot  do  better  in  my  opening 
address  of  this  session,  1899-1900,  after  thanking  you  for  the 
honour  you  have  shown  me  by  again  electing  me  as  your 
President,  than  by  continuing  my  former  address,  "  Incentives 
to  the  Study  of  Natural  History  "  ;  treating  on  this  occasion 
the  ways,  colours,  and  instincts  of  Animals. 

It  had  not  been  my  intention  to  urge  as  an  incentive,  the 
good  we  may  do  by  the  study  of  Natural  History,  but  an 
important  instance  has  I'ust  been  brought  before  the  public  to 
which  I  think  it  right  to  refer. 

All  persons  who  have  lived  or  had  friends  living  in  tropical 
or  other  hot  countries  must  have  heard  something  of  the  ravages 


20  Inaugural  Ad^/ress  by  the  President. 

of  malarial  fever  or  ague.  The  cause  of  the  fever  has  long 
been  a  mystery  but  at  last  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  naturalists  will 
be  able  to  solve  the  mystery  and  that  we  are  on  the  track  of 
the  fell  destroyer.  It  would  appear  that  the  cause  is  a  living 
organism  which  gets  into  the  biood  and  there  sets  up  a 
disturbance  of  the  system  that  brings  on  the  fever.  This 
organism  has  been  found  to  be  not  only  carried  to  the  victim 
by  a  species  of  mosquito  but  actually  the  organism  goes  through 
a  change  or  metamorphosis  in  the  body  of  the  mosquito.  It  is 
hoped,  therefore,  that  if  we  can  destroy  the  mosquito  we  will 
be  able  to  annihilate  the  disease. 

In  Rome,  where  malarial  fever  never  originates  but  only  in 
the  Campagna  around  the  city,  some  of  these  mosquitos  have 
been  allowed  to  suck  the  blood  from  a  patient  suffering  from 
malarial  fever  and  after  a  few  days  allowed  to  eject  their  poison 
into  another  human  being  and  it  was  found  that  he  was 
inoculated  with  the  fever.  If  the  mosquito  is  ac  once  allowed 
to  attack  the  subject  it  can  do  no  harm  as  the  metamorphosis  is 
not  completed  and  the  organism  is  not  in  a  fit  slate  to  live  in 
the  human  system. 

The  eggs  of  this  mosquito  are  eagerly  sought  after  and 
devoured  by  fish,  so  that  they  have  no  chance  of  coming  to 
maturity  if  laid  in  deep  water  where  fish  are,  atid  thus  they  can 
only  come  to  maturity  in  puddles  or  shallow  surface  water 
where  fish  cannot  live.  Their  larv^ae  also  float  along  the 
surface  of  the  water,  getting  the  oxygen  necessary  for  their  life 
from  the  air,  so  they  can  easily  be  destroyed  by  pouring  a  little 
paraffin  oil  on  the  surface  of  the  water  which,  spreading  out, 
cuts  them  off  from  the  air.  Of  course  belter  surface  drainage 
Avill  also  have  the  effect  of  destroying  them. 

If  these  statements  should  prove  true,  as  we  have  every 
reason  to  expect  they  will,  we  have  very  direct  evidence  of  the 
good  of  this  ennobling  study. 

It  has  always  been  most  interesting  to  the  student  of  Natural 
History  to  investigate  the  similarity  in  structure  existing  be- 
tween animals  from  separate  parts  of  the  globe,  and  if  possible 


Inaugural  Address,  by  the  President  21 

to  discover  if  these  similarities  are  the  result  of  a  connection  in 
former  times.  For  such  an  investigation  a  knowledge  of  the 
forms  that  lived  during  the  past  history  of  the  earth  is 
imperative. 

Unfortunately  it  is  most  difficult  to  get  the  remains  of 
invertebrates  well  preserved  in  geological  strata,  owing  to  their 
perishable  nature,  but  there  is  one  substance  in  which  we  have 
them  well  preserved,  even  better  than  the  larger  animals. 
That  substance  is  amber.  Great  numbers  of  spiders,  as  well  as 
other  articulata  are  found  embedded  in  the  amber  which  is 
copiously  cast  up  on  the  southern  shores  of  the  Baltic,  many  in 
a  complete  state  of  preservation.  The  principal  work  by  Koch 
and  Berendt,  on  the  subject  of  these  remains  describes  these 
amber  spiders,  three  of  which  are  remarkable  for  their  strangely 
elevated  heads,  and  are  grouped  in  one  genus  Archaea.  Type, 
Archaea  paradoxa. 

Koch  considered  this  genus  not  to  be  related  to  any  known 
spiders,  while  the  late  Professor  Menge  of  Danzig,  believed 
them  at  lirst  to  have  most  affmity  with  letragnatha,  but  after- 
wards refers  Archaea  to  the  Laterigrades.  However  within 
the  last  few  years  living  spiders  have  been  discovered  closely 
related  to  Archaea^  but  strange  to  say,  in  widely  separated 
parts  of  the  world. 

The  first  of  these  sent  by  me  to  the  Rev.  O.  Pickard- 
Cambridge  and  described  by  him  under  the  name  of  Eriaiich- 
eniui  Workmani  was  found  in  Madagascar.  He  said  "  It  is  of 
great  interest,  not  only  on  account  of  its  singularly  elevated 
caput,  but  because  the  elevation  is  of  a  type  quite  distinct  from 
anything  I  have  ever  before  met  with." 

Some  specimens  of  Walckenaera  have  the  upper  part  of  the 
caput  elevated  to  a  great  height,  and  the  eyes  are  (some  or  all) 
carried  up  with  it;  but  in  the  present  spider  not  only  the  eyes 
but  the  falces  are  carried  up,  necessitating  the  extraordinary 
development  of  the  latter  to  enable  them  to  meet  and  cooperate 
with  the  other  parts  of  the  mouth.  These  parts  would  other- 
wise have  been  left  open  and  exposed  and  the  spider  itself 


22  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

would  have  been  in  danger  of  starvation  since  the  anterior 
extremities  of  the  falces,  with  their  fangs  and  teeth,  are  the 
main  instruments  for  holding  and  compressing  the  spider's 
prey,  the  juices  of  which  flow  thence  into  the  mouth  itself. 
Another  of  these  curious  spiders  came  from  Landana  on  the 
river  Congo  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa  and  has  been  described 
by  M.  Eugene  Simon  and  he  has  named  it  Landana  Petiti  dSttr 
the  discoverer  M.  L.  Petit. 

M.  Simon  has  not  only  described  a  third  living  species  under 
the  name  of  Mecysmauchenius  segmentatus  but  also  another 
fossil  species,  Archaea pougnetiio\xx\6.  embedded  in  amber  from 
the  shores  of  the  Baltic. 

M.  Simon  in  his  splendid  work  on  spiders,  just  being  issued, 
says,  that  he  can  see  no  difference  between  Archaea  and 
Ertauchenius,  and  therefore  does  away  with  the  latter  genus. 
He  also  says  of  these  spiders,  "  The  geographical  distribution  of 
the  Archaeidae  is  not  less  curious  than  the  details  of  their 
strange  structure.  Although  during  the  Tertiary  epoch  the 
genus  Archaea  inhabited  the  North  of  Europe,  the  genera 
actually  living,  which  we  must  suppose  to  be  its  descendants,  are 
relegated  to  the  most  southern  parts  of  the  Old  and  New 
world.  The  genus  Archaea  is  found  in  Madagascar,  the  genus 
Landana  in  the  Congo  districts,  while  the  genus  Mecysmau- 
cheniiis  comes  from  Cape  Horn.  The  first  two  genera  Simon 
considers  to  be  allied  to  the  Argiopae,  of  which  our  common  or 
garden  spider  Araneus  diadematiis  belongs.  Landana  he  has 
placed  in  the  Therididae.  It  would  be  of  great  importance  to 
know  what  sort  of  webs  they  make. 

The  L-ung-fishes,  Jivmg  representatives  of  the  Dipnoi^  an  order 
of  fish  that  goes  back  to  the  Devonian  period,  has  also  a  similar 
distiibution,  represented  by  the  Protopterus  in  Africa,  the 
Lepidosiren  in  South  America,  and  the  Ceraiodus  in  only  one 
or  two  rivers  in  Queensland. 

In  the  skunk  {Mephitis  sufficans)  we  have  a  curious  instance 
of  a  mammal  protected  by  warning  colours,  and  a  disagreeable 
smell.  The  skunk  goes  about  freely  with  its  white  tail  erect 
as  a  danger  signal,  fearing  neither  man  or  beast. 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  23 

In  1881,  when  crossing  the  Pampas  ot  Uruguay,  between  the 
Brazilian  frontier  and  the  city  of  Monte  Video,  in  a  diligence, 
with  a  party  of  Spaniards,  I  had  a  personal  interview  with  a 
skunk  in  a  state  of  nature,  and  can  therefore  speak  from 
experience  of  its  defensive  or  rather  offensive  armature.  While 
stopping  to  change  horses  I  wandered  a  little  way  from  the 
station,  searching  for  spiders.  While  in  the  act  of  catching 
some  red  ones  in  a  crevice  among  rocks,  I  heard  a  curious 
sound  like  that  emitted  by  a  large  moth  or  butterfly  flapping 
its  wings.  I  peered  down  into  the  opening,  expecting  to  see 
some  insect  trying  to  get  out,  but  instead,  I  saw  a  funny  little 
pig  like  nose  and  two  bright  eyes  looking  up  at  me  with  a  very 
comical  expression.  This  explained  where  the  hist !  hist  !  hist ! 
came  from.  But  what  was  the  thing.  At  first  I  thought  it  was 
a  young  pig,  but  a  pig  does  not  make  that  noise,  nor  is  it  armed 
with  long  claws  as  this  animal  was.  It  then  began  to  show 
signs  of  attack,  and  not  liking  the  look  of  the  long  claws  I 
kept  my  distance  and  hallooed  for  the  others,  who  soon  came 
running  down  to  see  what  was  wanted.  When  they  came  near 
they  did  not  seem  to  like  the  look  of  the  creature. 

borne  of  the  party  would  not  go  within  yards  of  the  rock 
where  it  was,  but  no  one  explained  the  nature  of  the  beast  and 
why  they  feared  it,  except  that  it  would  not  bite.  Seeing  they 
were  really  in  earnest  that  it  would  not  bite  I  felt  quite  anxious 
to  capture  it  alive.  So  taking  great  precautions  I  slipped  my 
hand  down  the  cleft  until  I  got  firm  hold  of  the  animal  by  the 
back  of  the  neck  and,  with  difficulty,  dragging  it  out,  I  began 
to  carry  it  to  the  diligence,  congratulating  myself  on  the  hand 
some  capture  I  had  made,  for  it  looked  very  nice  and  mild  with 
its  black  body  and  long  bushy  tail. 

My  companions  seemed  strangely  elated  and  laughed  im- 
moderately. Indeed  if  I  had  not  been  such  a  self-satisfipd 
tenderfoot  their  strange  behaviour  would  have  aroused  my 
suspicions  and  I  would  have  smelt  a  rat.  The  creature  now 
began  to  show  signs  of  dissatisfaction  as  if  it  thought  the  joke 
had  gone  far  enough  and  being  afraid  it  was  making  round  to 


24  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

bite  my  hand  I  let  it  drop  to  the  ground,  expecting  it 
immediately  to  bolt  off.  But  such  a  thought  seemed  never  to 
have  entered  its  mind.  It  apparently  thought  itself  master  of 
the  situation  and  when  I  poked  my  hat  at  it,  it  acted  very 
much  like  a  playful  kitten,  sitting  up  on  its  hind  legs  and 
jumping  at  the  hat  as  if  in  fun.  I  got  more  than  ever  pleased 
with  my  new-found  pet  and  proceeded  to  re-capture  it.  When 
suddenl}'  it  turned  tail  .  .  whew  !  !  I  The  murder  was 
out,  the  laughter  explained  ;  for  feeling  a  most  horrible 
effluvium  in  my  nose  and  smarting  in  my  eyes  I  needed  no  one 
to  tell  me  what  I  had  captured.  A  skunk,  a  beast  I  had  smelt 
before  but  never  seen  and  handled  and  don't  want  to  again. 

I  am  sure  I  cannot  better  close  my  lecture  than  in  the  noble 
words  in  which  Professor  Charles  Richet,  of  Paris,  opened  that 
address  on  Nerve  Waves  which  entranced  the  British  Associa- 
tion at  Dover  last  September. 

"  If,  owing  to  the  stupid  prejudices  and  barbarian  hate, 
nations  are  still  separated  by  divisions  which  may  lead  them 
into  fratricidal  war,  it  falls  to  the  men  of  science  at  least  to  set 
the  example  of  concord,  in  order  that  by  their  teaching,  based 
on  reason,  they  may  bring  to  all  peace,  sweet  peace — the 
chimera  of  the  past,  the  reality  of  to-morrow."  "  To  this 
end  nothing  can  be  more  effective  than  the  great  example  of 
the  British  Association  and  the  Association  Fran9aise,  who, 
within  the  space  of  a  few  days,  are  to  meet  twice  as  partners 
in  their  fertile  work  :  to-morrow  on  English  soil,  in  this 
hospitable  town  of  Dover  ;  five  days  later  on  the  soil  of  France, 
on  the  shores  you  can  see  from  here,  where  you  will  find  the  same 
courteous  and  cordial  welcome  as  our  countrymen  will  receive 
on  this  side."  '•  Yet,  after  these  words  of  peace  must  come 
words  of  war — nay,  its  open  declaration.'' 

"  Men  of  science  have  not  the  right  to  stay  within  the  closed 
gates  of  their  tower  of  ivory  ;  it  behoves  them  also  to  wrestle, 
and  to  wrestle  unceasingly  for  justice,  to  turn  the  united  forces 
of  all  generous  minds  against  the  common  foe,  the  worst  enemy 
of  mankind,  and  this  is  ignorance. 


Inaugural  Address  hy  the  President.  25 

"  We  must  not  value  unduly  the  admirable  conquests  won 
by  science  in  this  century.  Admirable  as  they  are,  they  are 
yet  nothing  as  compared  to  the  great  mystery  beyond. 
Newton  compared  our  science  to  that  of  a  child,  who  should 
pick  up  a  pebble  on  the  seashore,  and  think  he  has  penetrated 
the  secrets  of  ocean." 

"  After  all  our  searching  and  all  our  efforts,  we  to-day  can 
hardly  say  more.  The  shades  tliat  surround  us  are  as  deep  as 
in  the  time  of  Newton  ;  and  in  this  universe,  vast  and  obscure, 
at  most,  scattered  glimmers  of  light,  few  and  far  between,  reach 
our  straining  eyes.  We  need  all  the  co-operation  of  all  men 
of  science,  of  all  nations,  to  dispel  some  of  these  shades." 

"  What  madness  it  would  be  not  to  unite,  not  to  walk  hand 
in  hand,  but  to  strive  apart  !  The  reward  of  this  union 
will  be  above  all  price  ;  the  conquest  of  truth,  the  control  of 
brute  matter,  the  gift  of  a  life  less  precarious  and  less  painful  to 
man,  feeble  man." 

Also  his  closing  words, 

"  Vast  as  is  the  world,  mighty  as  are  the  fires  of  the  infinite 
stars,  the  intelligence  of  man  is  of  a  higher  order  than  these  ; 
and  I  would  fain  exclaim  with  the  great  philosopher  Immanuel 
Kant  :  '  More  than  the  starry  heaven  above  my  head,  one 
thing  fills  me  with  admiration  :  the  moral  law  in  the  heart  of 
man. 


Dr.  Charles  Sheldon  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
lecturer,  said  that  the  President  was  not  the  least  notable 
among  the  members  of  the  Workman  family,  who  had  done  so 
much  in  various  forms  to  increase  research  in  Belfast.  They 
had  been  delighted  with  the  manner  in  which  he  had  revealed 
to  them  the  results  of  his  own  investigation,  and  he  (Dr. 
Sheldon)  hoped  that  the  President's  desire  might  be  gratified 
that  the  British  Association  would  visit  them  at  a  future  date. 

Mr.  G.  W.  Ferguson  seconded  and  Mr,  W.  Gray  supported 
the  motion,  which  was  passed  by  acclamation. 

The  President  thanked  the  mover  of  the  vote  of  thanks  and 


26  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

the  other  gentlemen  who  had  spoken  for  their  kind  remarkS; 
and  said  he  could  promise  the  British  association  a  very  warm 
welcome  indeed  if  they  visited  Belfast  in  1902. 


27 


Ith  December^  1899. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


PERSONAL   IMPRESSIONS  OF  THE  TRANSVAAL, 
NATAL,  AND  CAPE  COLONFY. 

By  Robert  A.  Mitchell,  LL.B. 


{Abstract.) 


South  Africa  has  attracted  a  great  deal  of  pubHc  attention 
of  late  years,  especially  since  the  important  episode  of  the 
Jameson  Raid,  and  the  denouement  now  taking  place  had  not 
been  altogether  unexpected  by  those  who  really  knew.  It  has 
been  said  that  South  Africa  was  the  ''  grave  of  the  reputations 
of  prominent  men,"  but  it  has  also  produced  its  successes, 
among  whom  are  Cecil  Rhodes  and  Sir  Alfred  Milner.  To 
Mr.  Rhodes  Great  Britain  owes  her  predominance  in  South 
Africa  to-day,  ana  to  him  is  due  the  fact  that  we  have  a  vast 
empire  in  that  part  of  the  world.  Sir  Alfred  Milner  is  a  star 
which  has  shot  into  brilliancy  at  a  later  date,  but  his  conduct  of 
affairs  during  the  crisis  has  marked  him  as  a  coming  man. 

South  Africa  is  at  present  in  a  transition  state,  and  we  can 
only  guess  at  what  its  future  will  be.  Unlike  some  of  our 
other  colonies,  which  are  entirely  white  men's  country,  South 
Africa  has  its  great  native  question  always  present,  and  always 
will  have  it,  for  Great  Britain  has  stopped  the  cruel  and  bloody 
wars  by  which  thousands  formerly  lost  their  lives,  and  has  taken 
measures  to  keep  down  epidemic  diseases,  such  as  smallpox, 
which  claimed  its  thousands  of  victims  also.  This  is  character- 
istic of  us  as  a  colonising  power,  for  whenever  Britain  puts  her 


28  Personal  Impressions  of  the  Transvaal. 

shoulder  to  the  wheel,  ignorance,  cruelty,  and  injustice  vanish. 
Great  Britain  alone  has  made  a  thorough  success  of  colonising, 
and  we  await  with  interest  the  advent  of  a  new  colonising 
power  across  the  Atlantic  which  may  sometime  equal,  but 
never  eclipse  us.  Wherever  Great  Britain  goes,  unlike  the 
other  nations  of  the  world,  she  holds  her  possessions  in  trust  for 
mankind  ;  that  is  at  once  the  keynote  and  the  invisible  strength 
of  her  Empire. 

South  Africa  is  politically  divided  into  many  spheres,  but 
the  principal  divisions  are  Cape  Colony,  Natal,  Rhodesia, 
Orange  Free  State,  and  the  South  African  Republic  or 
Transvaal.  Germany  and  Portugal  hold  territories  on  the 
borders  of  these,  but  one  possession  in  the  hands  of  the  latter 
power  I  hope  will  now  become  British,  I  refer  to  Delagoa  Bay. 
Cape  Colony  is  the  oldest  and  most  important  of  the  places 
just  named.  Its  length  is  about  440  miles,  its  breadth  600,  and 
its  area  199,950  square  miles  (more  than  twice  that  of  Great 
Britain),  but  including  dependencies  it  has  an  area  of  355,171 
square  miles.  To  this  vast  area  must  be  added  that  of 
Bechuanaland,  Chartered  Company,  Mashonaland,  and  .Mata- 
beleland,  which  is  963,000  square  miles,  and  Natal  and  Zululand, 
or  a  grand  total  of  1,352,821  square  miles  owned  by  Great  Britain 
in  South  Africa.  The  population  of  Cape  Colony  and  depen- 
dencies is  410,000  whites  and  1,500,000  blacks. 

Natal  and  Zululand  have  an  area  of  34,650  square  miles  and 
a  population  of  50,000  whites  and  700,000  blacks. 

The  area  of  the  South  African  Republic  is  113,700  square 
miles,  and  the  population  204,000  whites  and  645,000  blacks. 

The  Orange  Free  State  has  an  area  of  43,000  square  miles 
and  a  population  of  95,000  whites  and  130,000  blacks. 

From  Capetown  to  the  Zambezi  is  about  1,200  mile:^,  and  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Indian  Ocean  is  ab  ut  1,300,  and  when  we 
assimilate  the  Orange  Free  State  and  the  South  African 
Republic  our  empire  in  South  Africa  will  be  a  gigantic  one  in 
point  of  area,  but  this  vast  country  is  peopled  by  but  720,000 
whites  and  4,000,000  blacKs,  the  two  added  together  not  much 


Personal  Impressions  of  the  Transvaal.  29 

more    than    the   population    of    Ireland    and    the    total   white 
population  's  only  about  twice  that  of  Belfast. 

As  regards  the  nature  of  her  population,  it  is  made  up  of 
Cape  Dutch,  Britishers,  Negroes,  Malays  and  Indians.  The 
Cape  Dutch  are  a  mixed  race,  being  descendants  through  inter- 
marriage of  the  original  Dutch  settlers  and  the  French 
Huguenots  who  came  to  the  country  in  the  17th  century. 
Their  language  is  not  pure  Dutch,  but  a  patois  called  the 
"  Taal."  The  lead  in  social  improvement  and  the  amassing 
of  wealth  is  taken  by  the  British,  and  their  superiority  is  due 
to  their  greater  application  to  habits  of  industry.  The  native 
races  comprise  Kaffirs,  Bechuanas,  Hottentots,  Fingoes,  Zulus, 
Mashonas  and  Matabele.  The  Zulu  is  the  first  type  of  the 
coloured  people  of  South  Africa — he  is  at  once  a  warrior  and 
a  gentleman,  and  until  Cetewayo  was  crushed  in  1879  he  never 
soiled  his  fingers  with  work,  as  his  women  folk  did  all  that  for 
him.  Each  native  man  who  is  not  a  Christian  is  entitled  to  as 
many  wives  as  he  can  buy,  and  his  ideal  number  is  four.  The 
price  of  wives  when  I  was  there  last  being  10  cows,  and  a 
commission  of  one  to  the  prospective  mother-in-law. 

The  Malays  who  inhabit  chiefly  Cape  Colony  were  brought 
therefrom  the  East  Indian  Islands  by  the  Dutch  as  slaves,  and  are 
very  energetic  and  industrious.  Another  element  of  the  popu- 
lation, and  a  serious  one,  is  the  Indian  element.  Natives  were 
brought  from  India  to  work  in  Natal,  and  are  to  a  ver}''  appreci- 
able extent  supplanting  the  white  man  in  that  colony,  and  so 
causing  a  burning  question  that  will  have  some  day  to  be 
settled  by  the  Home  Government.  Broadly  speaking  Cape 
Colony  is  more  Dutch  than  British  ;  Natal  has  only  a  sprinkling 
of  Dutch  inhabitants ;  in  the  Orange  Free  .State  there  are  five 
Dutch  to  one  Britisher,  and  in  the  Transvaal  almost  two 
Uitlanders  to  one  Boer. 

As  may  be  observed  in  the  several  views  at  this  stage  thrown 
on  the  screen,  Cape  town  and  Table  Bay  present  a  magnificent 
sight  to  the  visitor.  Towns  up  country,  however,  are  hardly 
worth  being  called  towns,  they  are  small  collections  of  houses 


30  Personal  Impressions  of  the  Transvaal. 

and  at  best  what  we  would  call  villages,  but  as  such  they  look 
large  in  the  estimation  of  the  population  unused  to  anything 
greater.  Places  like  Colesberg  and  De  Aar,  lately  come  into 
prominence,  are  very  small.  The  other  important  =eaports  of 
Cape  Colony  are  Port  Elizabeth  and  East  London.  Some  of 
the  finest  buildings  in  South  Africa  are  in  Capetown,  which  is 
so  much  in  advance  of  Belfast  that  it  possesses  an  electric  tram 
service.  Simonstown  is  the  British  Naval  station  for  the  Cape 
and  it  was  here  that  the  naval  brigade,  which  had  won  so  much 
fame  for  itself  in  recent  battles  had  been  organised,  and  it  was 
here  that  the  bulk  of  the  Boer  prisoners  were  detained. 

There  are  two  ways  to  choose  from  for  the  traveller  on  his 
way  to  Johannesburg,  one  is  by  train  direct  from  Capetown  a 
hot  and  weary  journey  of  62  hours,  and  the  other  way  via 
Natal,  first  by  sea  and  then  by  rail,  which  is  preferable  to  the 
long  train  journey  from  Capetown,  but  which  gives  travellers  a 
good  chance  of  seeing  Cape  Colony  scenery.  The  greater  part 
of  Caie  Colony  consists  of  Karoo.  Any  one  seeing  it  for  the 
first  time  would  imagine  himself  to  be  in  a  desert  and  the  very 
look  of  the  place  would  drive  a  County  Down  Farmer  to 
madness,  and  yet  vast  herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep  manage 
to  exist  there.  Port  Elizabeth  is  the  most  English  town  in 
the  colony.  Its  chief  export  is  wool.  One  remarkable  feature 
of  Cape  Colony  scenery  is  the  want  of  trees.  What  trees  did 
grow  are  not  more  than  20  feet  high  except  the  blue  gum 
tree  which  has  been  brought  from  Australia,  and  which  reaches 
a  good  height,  and  which  are  alwavs  planted  near  the  farm 
house  for  the  shade.  Almost  all  South  African  trees  bear 
flowers. 

Natal  was  first  settled  in  1820,  and  differs  considerably  from 
Cape  Colony  as  it  is  more  fertile  and  is  called  the  "  Garden 
Colony  "  in  consequence.  The  Natal  natives  are  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  Zulu  stock  ;  they  live  in  Kraals  and  are  governed  by 
their  own  chiefs.  The  Colony  of  Natal  is  essentially  British, 
much  more  so  than  Cape  Colony.  Natal  slopes  upwards  from 
the  coast  to  the  great  Central  African  tableland  at  a  rapid 


Personal  Impressions  of  the  Transvaal.  31 

angle,  and  so  causes  an  astonishing  variety  of  climate  from 
tropical  to  quite  cool  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Langs  Nek,  about 
5,500  feet  above  sea  level.  Pietermaritzburg  is  the  prettiest 
town  in  South  Africa,  and  the  railwa}'^  which  connects  it  with 
Johannesburg  is  a  great  feat  of  engineering  skill,  having  been 
brought  round  mountains  and  alongside  precipices  with  wonder- 
ful engineering  skill  in  negotiating  the  several  thousand  feet 
between  the  sea  coast  and  Johannesburg.  Travelling,  apart 
from  railways,  is  rather  rough  and  attended  with  considerable 
danger.  There  are  few  bridges  across  rivers  and  streams,  and 
these  have  therefore  to  be  crossed  by  drifts  or  fords,  which  is 
a  difficult  matter  in  time  of  rain.  Ladysmith,  when  I  visited 
it,  was  a  very  small  place  with  very  miserable  hotel  accommo- 
dation.    It  stood  on  a  plain,  surrounded  by  hills  on  two  sides. 

Crossing  into  the  Transvaal  we  may  glance  at  its  past  history, 
and  the  causes  that  led  up  to  the  present  war.  The  Boers  who 
ruled  it  had  formerly  peopled  Cape  Co  ony,  had  gone  north 
rather  than  live  under  the  flag  of  the  most  liberty-loving 
nation  in  the  world.  In  1877  the  Transvaal  was  annexed  by 
the  British  in  order  to  save  it  from  extinction  by  the  natives, 
but  through  the  weakness  of  the  Government  then  in  power, 
when  the  Boers  rebelled  in  1881,  it  was  again  allowed  its 
independence.  Conventions  were  entered  into  between  the 
Imperial  Government  and  the  Transvaal  in  188 1  and  1884. 
Almost  everv  provision  of  each  of  these  conventions  has  been 
systematically  and  deliberately  broken  by  the  Boer  government 
since  they  were  signed.  The  result  has  been  the  present  war. 
The  Transvaal  has  a  very  fine  climate  which  is  almost  perfect 
for  consumptives,  being  dry  and  bracing.  All  the  land 
is  covered  with  grass  and  there  is  plenty  of  water^ 
and  so  it  is  most  suitable  for  stock  farming.  Rolling 
grassy  plains  with  blue  gum  trees  here  and  there  round 
the  farms  and  distant  hills  are  the  characteristic  features 
of  the  Transvaal  landscape  Johannesburg  is  about  5,000 
feet  above  sea  level  and  in  the  winter  is  quite  cold.  The 
mineral  resources  of  the  country  are  not  yet  fully  known,  but 


32  Personal  Impressions  of  the  Transvaal. 

from  what  is  known  it  is  one  of  the  richest  places  in  the  world 
and  has  a  great  future  before  it.  Johannesburg  has  been  built 
up  within  the  last  14  years  by  the  industry  and  skill  of  the 
Uitlander.  It  is  a  very  f  ne  city  and  a  credit  to  our  fellow- 
countrymen.  So  oppressive,  however,  was  the  Boer  Govern- 
ment that  the  guns  of  the  fort  were  kept  constantly  trained 
upon  it.  Johannesburg  was  founded  in  1886,  and  in  1897  it 
had  a  population  of  ico,ooo,  one-half  white.  Mr.  Bryce,  the 
historian,  says,  ''  Johannesburg  with  its  mining  environs  has 
nearly  all  the  industry  and  wealth  and  half  the  whole  white 
population  of  the  Transvaal,  a  country,  be  it  rememberd,  as 
large  as  Great  Britain,  Pretoria  and  the  lonely  country  to  the 
north,  east,  and  west  has  the  rest  of  the  population  and  all  the 
power.'' 

Considering  the  political  situation  before  the  war  and  the 
grievances  of  the  Uitlanders,  instances  of  which  I  met  with  in 
Johannesburg,  it  seemed  to  me  clear  that  the  war  was  inevit- 
able, and  was  directly  brought  about  oy  the  Boer  government 
for  its  own  ends.  The  Boer  does  not  care  for  hard  work, 
but  has  no  objection  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  others  labours. 
This  explains  in  a  great  measure  their  attitude  towards  the 
Uitlanders,  and  their  barbarity  to  the  Natives. 

The  South  African  Republic  was  only  a  Republic  in  name, 
and  was  really  a  corrupt  oligarchy,  almost  all  the  members  of 
the  government  and  most  of  the  public  men  being  known  to 
accept  bribes  freely,  and  President  Kruger  has  pushed  into 
public  and  well  paid  offices  as  many  of  his  108  grandchildren 
as  he  could,  whether  they  had  the  necessary  qualifications 
or  not.  The  fact  is  that  the  Boers  are  far  behind  the 
times  ;  they  are  ignorant,  taciturn,  and  suspicious — their  ideas 
in  dealing  with  others  is  to  be  "  slim,"  i.e.^  crafty.  The 
Uitlanders  had  many  grievances  to  complain  of ;  it  had  been  in 
trying  to  bring  about  a  redress  of  those  grievances  that  the 
present  war  originated.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  issue  will 
be  on  the  side  of  right  and  justice. 

In   showing  some  slides  of  Pretoria,  I  may   explain   that 


Personal  Impressions  of  the  Transvaal.  33 

Pretoria  is  quite  unlike  Johannesburg,  and  presents  a  great 
contrast  to  it,  being  a  quiet  little  country  town,  rather  pretty, 
and  surrounded  by  hills — upon  the  summit  of  each  a  fort. 
The  only  fine  building  in  Pretoria  is  the  Raad  Zaal  or  Parlia- 
ment House  which  cost  _^20o,ooo. 

The  Orange  Free  State  is  almost  entirely  a  stock  raising 
country.  Farming  and  shop-keeping  are  the  only  industries. 
Bloemfontein  is  a  small  country  town,  with  nothing  to  claim 
attention.  The  climate  of  the  Orange  Free  State,  like  that  of 
the  Transvaal,  is  almost  perfect  for  consumptives.  It  is, 
however,  like  the  rest  of  South  Africa,  subject  to  violent 
thunderstorms.  While  travelling  in  the  Orange  Free  State 
I  experienced  one  of  the  most  tremendous  thunderstorms  it  is 
possible  to  imagine,  which  raged  for  many  hours.  About  6 
p.m.  the  sky  clouded  over,  the  rain  fell  in  torrents  and  for 
hours  the  thunder  rolled  and  the  lightning  flashed.  Forked 
lightning,  sheet  lightning,  and  balls  of  fire  followed  each  other 
in  quick  succession  so  that  the  illumination  of  the  landscape 
was  practically  continuous.  My  friends  and  myself  endeavoured 
to  count  the  flashes  per  minute,  but  as  they  were  coming  in  all 
directions  we  had  to  fall  back  on  an  estimate  of  30  or  40 
flashes. 

In  concludmg,  may  I  express  the  pleasure  I  have  had  in 
helping  any  one  to-night  to  understand,  even  if  faintly,  the 
main  features  of  our  future  Great  Dominion  in  South  Africa 
and  the  conditions  which,  until  recently,  obtained  in  one 
portion  of  it  more  particularly. 


3+ 


2nd  January^  igoo. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J. P.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


IRELAND  AND  THE  SCOTTISH  ISLES  ;   ANCIENT 

CONNEXIONS  AND  INTERCOURSE. 

By  S.  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I.A. 

{Abstract.) 


I  have  been  led  to  think  of  this  subject  in  consequence  of 
being  one  ot  a  large  party  who  visited  these  islands   in  the 
month  of  June  last.     On  the  occasion  referred  to  two  of  the 
leading    archaeological    societies — viz.,    the    Royal    Society   of 
Antiquaries  of  Ireland  and  the  Cambrian  Archaeological  Asso- 
ciation— chartered  a  fine  steamer,  and  paid  a  visit  to  the  Inner 
and  Outer  Hebrides,  as  well  as  several  islands  lying  outside  the 
track  of  tourists  and  ordinary  steamers.    I  was  much  impressed 
with  the  similarity  of  the  surroundings,  physical  appearance, 
and  social  conditions  of  the  islanders  as  compared  with  our  own 
people  in  Mayo,  Galway,  and  islands  on  the  Western  Atlantic 
seaboard.     In  most  of  the  islands  Gaelic  was  still  spoken,  and 
was  easily  understood  by  Irish-speaking  people.     Their  inter- 
course with  Ireland  was  much  greater  three  or  four  hundred 
years  ago  than  it  is  now,  due  to    the   fact  that  in  the  early 
ages  of  Christianity  and  for  many  centuries  afterwards  Irishmen 
had  a  great  disposition  for  roaming  all  over  Western  Europe, 
either  as  teachers,  missionaries,  or  soldiers.     About  the  year 
560  a.d.  Saint  Columba  formed  the  idea  of  going  to  Scotland 
to  attempt  the  conversion  of  the  Picts  to  Christianity,  and,  if 
successful,  he  hoped  it  would  alleviate  the  condition  of  his 
countrymen  who  had  settled  in  the  Scottish  Dalriada.    Columba 
by   his   grandmother   was   related   to    the    Dalriada  Kings  of 
Scotland,  and   his   sympathies  were   drawn  out    towards   his 


Ireland  and  the  Scottish  Isles.  35 

kinsmen  who  were  so  harassed  by  the  Picts.  He  had  spent 
the  first  forty  years  of  his  life  in  Ireland,  founding  churches 
and  monasteries,  and,  as  an  itinerant  missionarj^  preaching  all 
over  Ireland.  He  started  from  Derr} ,  founded  by  himself, 
where  stood  his  favourite  monastery.  He  proceeded,  accom- 
panied by  twelve  of  his  followers,  along  the  beautiful  shores  of 
Lough  Foyle  to  Innishowen  Head,  where  the  little  bay  is  still 
shown  from  which  his  curragh  sailed  to  the  Scottish  Isles.  It 
was  about  the  year  563  he  left  Ireland,  and,  as  he  was  born  in 
521,  he  was  then  forcy-two  years  of  age.  He  was  full  of  energy 
and  zeal,  and  had  vast  experience  of  mission  work,  when  he 
made  this  new  departure.  Monasticism  was  taking  a  firm  hold 
in  Ireland  about  this  time,  and  the  more  zealous  of  the  Irish 
clerics  were  founding  monasteries  in  the  islands  around  the 
Irish  coast  as  well  as  in  the  islands  on  the  larger  lakes.  Islands 
were  the  favourite  spots  where  these  institutions  first  flourished. 
It  is  supposed  that  monasticism  originated  in  Egypt  in  the 
third  century,  and  rapidly  spread  over  the  then  Christian 
world.  What  was  for  their  safety  and  security  at  first — that 
is,  their  isolated  position — ultimately  durmg  the  Danish  period 
led  to  their  destruction.  Columba  stopped  at  several  islands 
on  his  way.  He  called  at  Oronsay  with  the  idea  of  remaining, 
but  as  he  could  see  the  summits  of  the  mountains  of  Ireland 
from  it  he  proceeded  on  to  I,  or  Hy,  now  known  as  lona, 
where  he  got  a  grant  of  land,  and  founded  his  famous 
monastery.  For  two  years  he  never  lefi  the  island,  getting 
the  little  community  into  order,  building  his  monastery,  and 
tilling  the  ground.  By  his  holy  life,  example,  and  conversation 
he  impressed  most  favourably  all  who  came  in  contact  with 
him.  His  little  colony  was  like  an  oa'is  in  the  desert  of  that 
wild  country.  He  was  entirely  successful  in  his  mission  to 
Brude,  the  Pictish  King,  who  became  a  convert  to  the  Christian, 
faith.  The  leading  nobles  followed,  and  for  years  afterwards  his 
labours  amongst  the  Pictish  nation  never  flagged  until  the 
whole  nation  embraced  Christianity.  The  result  he  anticipated 
followed,  and  the  mellowing  influence  of  the  Gospel  caused  a 


36  Ireland  and  the  Scottish  Isles. 

marked  improvement  in  the  relations  between  the  Picts  and 
the  Scots,  and  led  to  their  ultimate  union  into  one  Scottish 
kingdom.  The  monastery  of  lona  became  celebrated  over 
Western  Europe,  and  for  centuries  afterwards  shone  as  a  bright 
beacon  of  Christianity  in  this  far-off  isle  of  the  sea.  In  the 
burial-ground  known  as  the  Relig  Oran  there  are  buried  48 
Scottish  kings,  4  Irish  kings,  8  Norwegian  kings,  and  Egfrid, 
a  king  of  Northumbria,  also  many  great  Highland  chiefs  and 
lords  of  the  isles,  so  that  very  few  spots  on  earth  contain  more 
lemains  of  illustrious  dead  than  does  lona.  It  was  the  parent 
of  many  monasteries  not  alone  in  Scotland  and  the  Isles,  but 
in  Ireland  and  the  North  of  England.  Columba  returned  to 
Ireland  at  the  close  of  his  life  to  attend  a  great  national 
convention  held  at  Drumceatt,  near  to  where  Limavady  now 
stands. 

The  Macdonnells  became  connected  with  Antrim,  and 
formed  an  Irish  family,  the  head  of  which  is  the  Earl  of  Antrim. 
John  Mor  Macdonnell,  son  of  Eion  of  Islay,  and  grandson  by 
his  mother  of  King  Robert  II.,  came  to  Antrim  for  a  wife. 
He  came  over  to  seek  the  hand  of  Margery  Bysett,  a  handsome 
woman,  and  heiress  to  all  the  lands  included  in  the  Glens  of 
Antrim.  The  Bysetts  were  a  noble  Scotch  family,  who  about 
the  year  1242  were  outlawed  from  Scotland  for  the  supposed 
murder  of  the  Earl  of  Athol,  which  charge  was  never  proved. 
Leaving  Scotland  with  all  their  means,  they  acquired  the 
territory  included  in  the  Glens.  Margery's  father  had  married 
a  daughter  of  The  O'Neill,  and,  having  no  other  child,  the 
property  fell  to  her.  John  Macdonnell  was  married  in  1399  to 
Margery  Bysett  at  Glenarm,  where  her  family  had  a  castle. 
They  resided  afterwards  in  Cantire,  and  occasionally  at  Glenarm. 
From  the  period  of  their  marriage  a  greater  number  of  the 
islanders  settled  in  the  Glens,  which  continued  a  favourite 
resort  and  hiding-place  when  any  trouble  arose  in  Scotland. 
The  intercourse  between  Antrim  and  the  Isles,  particularly 
Islay  and  Cantire,  from  this  time  became  very  close.  There 
was  constant  going  to  and  from  the  Isles,  and  occasional  forays 


Ireland  and  the  Scottish  Isles.  37 

were  made  as  far  as  Castlereagh,  when  large  preys  cf  cattle 
would  be  driven  back  to  the  Glens,  and  thence  to  Rathlin,  to 
be  taken  afterwards  to  Tslay  at  their  convenience.  In  the  year 
1 55 1  a  feud  existed  between  the  O'Neills  of  Castlereagh  and 
the  Macdonnells,  and  the  latter  made  an  incursion  into  Clan- 
naboy,  from  which  a  great  prey  of  cattle  and  other  valuables 
were  lifted  and  removed  to  Rathlin.  The  Macdonnells  were 
able  to  strike  a  blow  at  England  more  easily  through  the  North 
of  Ireland  than  any  other  quarter,  and  the  Government  in 
Dublin  made  up  their  mind  to  put  them  down.  This  was  in 
1 55 1,  when  Elizabeth  was  Queen.  Four  ships  were  fitted  out, 
and  a  large  number  of  soldiers  placed  on  board  to  proceed  to 
Rathlin,  and,  if  possible,  carry  off  the  plunder  that  was  supposed 
to  be  stored  there.  The  ships,  on  their  arrival,  proceeded  to  land 
an  armed  force  of  three  hundred  men,  part  gunners  and  part 
archers.  The  Macdonnells  awaited  them  on  the  shore,  prepared  to 
give  them  a  warm  reception,  By  a  sudden  upheavel  of  the  sea 
or  a  great  Atlantic  roller  the  boats  were  driven  high  on  the  rocks, 
and  before  they  could  recover  themselves  the  Macdonnells 
attacked  and  slew  every  man  except  the  two  captains.  These 
were  retained  as  hostages,  and  afterwards  exchanged  for  the 
younger  brother  of  the  chief,  the  afterwards  celebrated  Sorley 
Boy,  who  was  then  a  prisoner  in  Dublin  Castle.  The  Macdon- 
nells at  this  time  owned  Dunluce  Castle,  which  they  had  taken 
from  the  MacQuillans,  also  Kenbane  Castle  and  Dunanynie 
Castle,  built  on  a  cliff  near  the  sea  at  Ballycastle,  which  was 
the  favourite  residence  of  Sorley  Boy.  Ballycastle  was  pre- 
viously called  Port  Brittas,  and  was  the  place  principally  used 
for  landing  or  embarking  for  Cantire.  It  was  also  from  here 
that  Fergus  was  supposed  to  have  embarked  when  he  and  his 
brothers  founded  the  Scottish  kingdom.  A  little  to  the  east 
of  Ballycastle  is  Port  Usnach,  from  where  Naysi  and  Derdrie 
sailed  to  Alba. 

There  were  frequent  intermarriages  between  the  Macdon- 
nells and  the  leading  families  in  the  North  of  Ireland.  The 
Macdonnells  succeeded   in   holding  a  large  portion  of  their 


38  Ireland  and  the  Scottish  Isles. 

Irish  property,  whilst  they  lost  Islay  and  Cantire.  We  have 
<ried  to  show  that  an  ancient  and  intimate  connection  existed 
between  Ireland  and  the  Scottish  isles  ;  that  they  were  of  the 
same  race  and  language  ;  and  that  hundreds  of  years  ago  there 
was  a  close  and  intimate  union  existing.  They  retain  the 
name  that  we  have  lost  — that  is,  Scots,  whilst  we  are  called 
Irish.  When  in  Dunvegan  Castle  we  were  shown  a  drinking 
cup  made  in  the  North  of  Ireland  400  years  ago.  Maguire,  of 
Fermanagh,  in  the  fifteenth  century  married  a  lady  from  Skye, 
Catherine  Magrannal,  and  this  cup  was  made  at  her  expense 
and  forwarded  as  a  present  to  her  relatives  there.  The  high 
crosses  of  Ireland  were  reproduced  in  Scotland  and  the  isles, 
and  the  island  monasteries  of  Ireland  and  Scotland  were  similar 
in  both  architecture  and  discipline.  The  ruins  we  examined 
on  the  Flannan  Islands  and  North  Rona  have  their  counter- 
parts in  Innismurray,  Arran,  and  the  Skelligs.  If  you  would 
understand  the  social  condition  and  the  mode  of  life  in  Ireland 
in  the  Tudor  period,  you  may  study  it  at  present  in  the  Island 
of  Lewis  and  other  islands,  where  the  mode  of  living  has 
altered  very  little  for  hundreds  of  years.  Fynes  Morrison,  who 
was  secretary  to  the  Lord  Deputy,  and  who  visited  the  Scottish 
islands,  writes  in  1598  that  the  West  of  Scotland  carried  on 
trade  with  Ireland  in  red  and  pickled  herring,  sea  coal,  and 
aquavitae,  in  exchange  for  yarn  and  cow  hides.  The  Scottish 
Parliament  passed  an  Act  to  promote  temperance  and  stop  the 
importation  of  wine  to  the  islanders.  The  large  landowners, 
however,  were  permitted  to  import  wine,  and  the  quantity  was 
fixed  in  proportion  to  their  property.  MacLeod,  of  Dunvegan, 
might  purchase  876  dozen  bottles,  smaller  proprietors  220 
dozens.     Claret  was  the  wine  in  most  demand. 

The  Scottish  people  have  done  a  great  deal  to  attract 
tourists  to  their  country.  Besides  providing  extremely  cheap 
railway  and  steamboat  travelling,  they  have  availed  themselves 
of  the  halo  of  romance  that  Scott  has  shed  on  so  many  spots  in 
Scotland  in  his  poems  and  stories,  and  they  continue  to  keep 
them  well  to  the  front  as  an  additional  attraction  to  their  fine 


Ireland  and  the  Scottish  Isles.  39 

scenery.     We  might  do  a  little  more  in  this  way  in  Ireland. 
Our  country  is  not  devoid  of  places  possessing  great  historical 
interest.     All  around  our  Antrim  coast,  no  further  back  than 
three  hundred  years  ago,  was   bristling   with    stirring  events. 
Even  two  hundred  years  ago  matters  of  che  first  importance 
took  place  in  our  immediate   neighbourhood — the  landing  of 
William  III.  at  Carrickfergus,  and  his  march  to  Belfast  on  his 
way  to  the  Boyne.     The  old  town  of  Carrickfergus,  which  took 
its  name  from  the  Dalriadan  King,  has  a  history  of  very  great 
interest  all  through  the  Anglo-Norman  times.     What  varied 
people  trod  its  streets — the  great  De  Courcey,  King  John,  and 
many  a  gallant  Norman  knight  ;  Irish  chiefs  and  gallowglasses, 
the  Chichesters,  lord  deputies,  and  others  who  lived  there  or 
came  to  visit  this  stronghold  of  English  power.     We  can  almost 
fancy   we   can   hear   the    clash    of    swords   when    Sir   James 
Macdonnell  attacked  Sir  John  Chichester  when  returning  after 
collecting  taxes  over  the  glens.     The  battle  took  place  a  little 
on  the  Larne  side  of  Carrickfergus,  and  resulted  in  Sir  John 
being  slain  and  his  army  of  Englishmen  being  defeated.     The 
old  ruin  of  Olderfleet  at  Larne  marks  the  spot  where  Edward 
Bruce  landed  with  io,oco  Scots  in  the  year  131 5  for  the  conquest 
of  Ireland.     As  we  proceed  around  the  coast  we  reach  Glenarm, 
where  the  castle  of  the  Bysetts  stood  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river,  opposite  to  where   Glenarm    Castle  now  stands.     Near 
Waterfoot  stand  the  ruins  of  Red  Bay  Castle,  which  was  re- 
paired and  lived  in  by  the  Sir  James  to  whom  we  have  now 
referred.     Further  round  near  Cushendun  Shane  O'Neill,  the 
great   chieftain   of  Tyrone,   fell,   slain   at   a   banquet   by  the 
Macdonnells  in  revenge  for  the  death  of  their   chief  James, 
whom  O'Neill  kept  prisoner  till  his  death.     Shane's  head  was 
cut  off  and  taken  by  an  Englishman  to  Dublin  Castle,  where  it 
was  placed  on  a  spike  over  the  gateway.     Further  along  the 
coast  we  reach  Ballycastle,  the  ancient  Port  Brittas,  where  the 
Scots   landed    and    embarked   on  their  journey   to   and  from 
Cantire.     Here  still  stands  the  ruins  of  Sorley  Boy's  Castle  of 
Dunanynie,  his  favourite  abode  in  life,  and  where  he  died.     A 


40  Ireland  and  the  Scottish  Isles, 

little  distance  outside  Ballycastle  along  the  base  of  Knocklayde 
there  was  fought  one  of  the  fiercest  and  most  sanguinary 
battles  of  that  time.  Shane  O'Neill,  without  any  justifiable 
reason,  attacked  unexpectedly  and  treacherously  the  Macdon- 
nells  before  the  latter  could  collect  their  full  forces.  The  army 
of  the  Scots  was  almost  exterminated,  and  the  chief  and  his 
brother — Sorley  Boy — were  taken  prisoners.  James  was  sent 
to  a  castle  of  O'Neill's  at  Carrick,  in  Tyrone,  and  all  ransom 
refused,  while  his  brother  Sorley  Boy  was  sent  to  Dublin  Castle. 
We  cannot  omit  a  reference  to  Dunluce  Castle,  which  all 
through  the  Elizabethan  age  held  an  important  position  in 
Irish  history.  Here  the  eldest  son  of  Sorley  Boy — the  brave 
Alexander — defended  the  castle  most  heroically  against  Perrott, 
the  Lord  Deputy.  Between  the  Causeway  and  Ballycastle  is 
the  ancient  castle  of  Dunseverick,  much  older  than  any  we 
have  mentioned,  which  brings  us  back  to  Cormal  Cearnach,  a 
Red  Branch  knight,  who  resided  there.  On  a  hill  near  to 
Cushendall  is  pointe-!  out  the  grave  of  Ossian,  the  great  Irish 
bard  and  poet.  These  few  references,  taken  hurriedly,  may 
suffice  in  the  direction  I  have  indicated,  and  point  to  the  course 
that  should  be  taken  to  popularise  travel  in  Ireland,  which, 
added  to  its  scenic  beauties,  should  make  our  country  the 
favourite  resort  of  travellers. 

The  lecture  was  illustrated  by  upwards  of  eighty  specially- 
prepared  lantern  slides  of  both  Pagan  and  Christian  antiquities 
and  scenery  taken  during  the  visit  already  referred  to  by  Mr. 
MiUigan. 

The  cordial  thanks  of  the  meeting  was  accorded  to  Mr. 
MiUigan  on  the  motion  of  Dr.  Moran,  seconded  by  Mr.  Wm. 
Gray,  M.R.I.A. 


41 


6th  February^  igoo. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J. P.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


SOME  THOUGHTS  ON  ROME. 
By  Conway  Scott,  C.E. 


{Abstract.) 


At  the  outset  the  reader  surv 'vei  the  early  history  of  the  city 
OD  the  Palatine  hills,  and  inquired  into  th^  causes  contributing 
to  the  greatness  of  the  Roman  power.  But  walking  through 
the  streets  of  the  Rome  of  to-day,  with  the  mind  full  of 
memories  of  the  past,  one  could  hardly  realise  that  it  was 
Rome,  the  once  mighty  mistress  of  the  civilised  world.  Every- 
thing became  so  modernised  that  little  remained  of  the  old 
Pagan  city  on  the  Tiber.  The  ancient  architectural  magnifi- 
ce  ce  of  Rome  was  dealt  with,  and  a  minute  description  given 
of  the  present  state  of  the  ruins  of  those  monuments  of  former 
greatness.  He  considered  that  one  of  the  causes  of  the  fall  of 
Kome  was  the  extent  ot  her  possessions,  which  more  or  less 
extinguished  her  early  spirit  of  patriotism.  Another  cause  was 
her  opposition  to  Christianity,  which  in  the  end  won  its 
triumph,  and  subdued  a  far  vaster  realm  than  ever  was  held 
sway  over  by  Roman  dictator  or  Emperor.  But  the  Roman 
civilisation  formed  a  splendid  basis  for  the  Christian  civilisation, 
and  to  day  the  once  capital  city  of  the  world  was  as  famous  for 
sending  out  the  soldiers  of  the  cross  to  conquer  the  world  f6r 
Christ,  as  ever  it  was  for  sending  out  its  legions  to  win  earthly 
dominions. 


42 


THE  GROWTH  OF  THE  INK  BLOT. 
By  W.  H.  Pattekson,  M.R.I.A. 


{Abstract.) 


The  author  described  some  experiments  on  the  markings 
produced  by  the  appHcation  of  various  coloured  inks  to 
blotting  paper  and  exhibited  some  remarkably  brilliant  ''blots" 
which  he  had  made,  or  rather  which  had  made  themselves  by 
the  methods  described  below.  Some  of  them  bore  a  wonderful 
resemblance  to  the  pictures  that  have  been  produced  of  the 
corona  during  an  eclipse  of  the  sun,  others  looked  like  paintings 
of  botanical  subjects,  but  all  possessed  a  strange  kind  of  con- 
structive beauty  and  harmonious  blending  of  colour.  Very 
frankly  Mr.  Patterson  admitted  that  the  "  blots,"  so  far  as  he 
knew,  were  of  no  practical  use  further  than  to  illustrate  in  a 
pleasing  manner  the  principal  of  capillary  attraction. 

In  forming  the  blot,  the  materials  or  appliances  required 
are  some  ink,  some  white  blotting  paper,  and  a  piece  of  cotton 
cord  to  serve  as  a  wick.  The  most  convenient  way  of  causing 
the  blots  to  grow  is  by  placing  a  wick  in  a  bottle  of  ink  so  that 
the  ink  can  freely  rise  to  the  upper  point  of  the  wick.  The 
lower  side  of  a  sheet  of  blotting  paper  is  then  brought  in 
contact  with  the  point  of  wick,  and  supported  there  in  any 
convenient  manner,  for  instance,  on  the  edge  of  a  bowl  or  basin, 
inside  which  the  bottle  of  ink  may  stand. 

The  ink  immediately  commences  to  rise  through  the  wick 
into  the  paper,  and  quickly  or  slowly,  according  to  the  nature 
of  the  ink,  spreads  into  a  blot  of  more  or  less  circular  form,  until 
it  reaches  the  edge  of  the  paper,  but  it  is  not  well  to  let  it  go 


The  Growth  of  the  Ink  Blot.  43 

quite  so  far  if  one  wishes  to  have  a  pretty  well  shaped  blot.  By 
transferring  the  blotting  paper  from  an  ink  of  one  colour,  say 
red,  to  a  bottle  containing  a  different  coloured  ink,  say  green, 
and  letting  the  paper  take  up  more  or  less  of  the  various 
colours,  a  great  variety  of  very  remarkable  and  unexpected 
results  will  be  obtained.  Very  soft  and  pretty  blots  can  be  made 
if  some  clear  water  is  led  with  a  camel's  hair  brush  to  the  upper 
side  of  the  blotting  paper,  while  the  lower  side  is  still  receiving 
a  supply  of  ink  from  the  wick.  The  character  of  the  blot  can 
in  this  way  be  varied  in  an  almost  endless  manner. 

In  the  case  of  black  or  blue  black  inks,  it  is  a  curious  fact 
that  nearly  every  different  make  of  ink  forms  a  different  kind 
of  blot,  more  especially  as  regards  the  edge,  which  is  sometimes 
beautifully  branched  or  scalloped.  There  are  also  remarkable 
differences  as  to  the  rates  at  which  different  inks  will  flow  or 
travel  through  the  paper  while  the  blots  are  growing. 


44 


6th  March,  igoo. 


Mr.  Thomas  Workman,  J.P.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


"THE  POSITION  OF  BELFAST  IN  RELATION  TO 

TECHNICAL  INSTRUCTION  UNDER  THE 

AGRICULTURE  AND  TECHNICAL 

INSTRUCTION  ACT." 

By   William    Gray,   M.R.LA. 


Mr.  Gray  said  that  the  time  had  arrived  when  it  became 
necessary  to  readjust  our  arrangements  for  imparting  technical 
instruction  in  Belfast,  and  that  he  proposed  to  discuss  the 
merits  of  that  portion  of  the  Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruc- 
tion Act  of  last  Session  that  applied  more  particularly  to 
technical  instruction  in  County  Boroughs.  He  would  briefly 
indicate  the  lines  along  which  our  present  system  of  industrial 
education  has  been  developed.  In  the  middle  of  last  century 
the  lirst  institutions  were  founded  in  England,  Scotland,  and 
Ireland  for  the  promotion  of  technical  instruction,  or  for  the 
practical  application  of  Art  and  Science  to  industries.  Mr. 
Gray  related  the  history  of  the  first  agencies  founded  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  for  the  practical  application  of  Art  and 
Science  to  industries.  The  Board  of  Trustees  in  Scotland, 
founded  in  1727,  the  Dublin  Society,  incorporated  by  Royal 
Charter  in  1749,  and  the  Society  of  Arts,  London,  founded  in 
1754.  He  referred  particularly  to  the  original  School  of  Design 
established  in  London  in  1837,  and  its  result,  the  founding  of 
what  we  now  know  as  "  The  Department  of  Science  and  Art." 
In  Ireland  the  Dublin  Society  originated  the  Botanic  Gardens, 
the    Industrial  Museum,   School   of  Art  and  Library,  which 


Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction.  45 

in  1877  were  transferred  from  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  a 
voluntary  agency,  to  the  care  of  the  Science  and  Art  Depart- 
ment, under  the  Crown. 

Reference  having  been  made  to  the  schools  established  by  its 
agency  and  to  the  opposition  with  which  the  Government 
arrangements  were  met  before  the  desired  aims  were  accom- 
plished, Mr.  Gray  went  on  to  say  that  it  was  this  spirit  of  inde- 
pendence that  must  govern  our  aclion  in  dealing  with  the 
Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruction  Act,  which  should 
assist,  but  not  supersede  voluntary  effort. 

In  the  first  quarter  of  this  century  the  industrious  and 
progressive  artisans  began  to  feel  the  necessity  for  some  form  of 
technical  intstruction,  and  under  the  skilful  leadership  of  Dr. 
Birkbeck  mechanics'  institutes  were  founded  in  most  manu- 
facturing localities.  At  that  period  Belfast  was  not  behind  ; 
indeed,  it  was  then  foremost  among  the  towns  in  the  kingdom 
in  the  cultivation  of  literature,  art,  and  science.  This 
educational  work  was  in  fact  the  foundation  of  that  measure  of 
material  prosperity  Belfast  has  enjoyed  in  modern  days.  A 
meeting  was  held  in  1807  to  receive  "  The  report  of  the  com- 
mittee appointed  to  arrange  a  plan  for  the  Government  of  the 
Belfast  Academical  Institution."  That  plan  embraced  techni- 
cal instruction  in  Chemistry,  Botany,  and  Agriculture,  and 
such  subjects  as  may  be  "conducive  to  the  improvement  of  the 
agriculture,  arts,  and  manufactures  of  the  country."  What  a 
clear  vision  those  old  Belfast  folk  had  of  what  is  now  about  to 
be  unfolded  possibly  on  their  own  premises?* 

Mr.  Gray  then  proceeded  to  explain  how  the  old  "  Schools 
of  Design  "  originated  with  the  Select  Committee  of  the  House 
of  Commons  appointed  in  1835  "  to  inquire  into  the  best  means 
of  extending  a  knowledge  of  the  arts  and  the  principles  of 
design  among  the  people,  especially  the  manufacturing  popula- 
tion." As  the  first  School  of  Design  founded  in  Somerset 
House   was   not   quite   a   success,  because  of  its  limited  sphere 

*  Since  the  lecture  was  delivered  the  County  Borough  Council  has  taken  a  site  tor 
the  proposed  Technical  College  on  the  grounds  of  the  Royal  Academical  Institution. 


46  Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction. 

of  action,  the  Government  in  1841  determined  to  further  the 
creation  of  schools  of  design  in  certain  manufacturing 
centres  and  to  provide  teachers  for  this  purpose.  Under 
this  arrangement  the  School  of  Design  was  established 
in  Belfast,  subsequent  changes  in  the  conditions  under  which 
aid  was  given  to  local  schools,  caused  the  Belfast  school  to  be 
given  up  although  it  had  contributed  works  to  the  first 
exhibition  of  students'  works  ever  held  in  London.  The 
Belfast  School  of  Art,  which  suceeded  the  old  school 
of  design  after  some  years,  was  opened  in  1870,  had 
made  steady  progress,  and  in  the  School  of  Science,  established 
two  years  later  in  connection  with  the  Working  men's  Institute, 
pupils  had  taken  high  positions  in  the  annual  national 
competitive  examinations.  The  labours  of  the  Royal  Com- 
mission on  Technical  Instruction  during  1882  and  1883  gave 
a  powerful  stimulus  to  local  efforts  lor  the  promotion  ot 
technical  instruction,  and  while  the  Commission  was  sitting 
Belfast  was  stirred  up  to  establish  the  Hastings  Street  School, 
which  has  steadily  maintained  a  precarious  existence  ever  since, 
under  most  discouraging  circumstances.  The  fact,  then,  that 
we  have  struggling  for  existence  a  school  of  art,  a  science  school, 
and  a  certain  form  of  Technical  school  demonstrated  the 
desirability  and  possibility  of  having  a  good  combined  central 
Technical  school  if  sufficient  funds  were  forthcoming.  Belfast 
has  always  for  its  voluntary  educational  agencies  but  limited 
means,  and  divided  interests  hindered  their  effective  operation, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  scheme  formulated  in  1887.  Having 
noted  the  want  of  co-operation  among  the  various  agencies 
engaged  in  technical  instruction  in  Belfast,  and  the  evil 
consequences  arising  therefrom,  Mr.  Gray  drew  attention  to  the 
fact  that  by  the  Technical  instruction  Act  of  1889  city  councils 
were  enabled  to  aid  local  effort  to  provide  technical 
instruction  to  the  extent  of  id  in  the  £\.  The  Act  was 
welcomed  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  new  schools  were 
everywhereestablished  under  its  provisions.  In  Belfast,  although 
every  effort  had  been  made  by  public  appeal,  deputations,  and 


Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction.  47 

personal  application  to  induce  our  City  Council  to  follow  the 
lead  of  the  chief  cities  and  towns  of  the  kingdom,  up  to  the 
present  the  County  Borough  Council  of  the  city  only 
granted  from  the  rates  the  sum  of  ^800  per  annum, 
which  is  distributed  in  an  arbitrary  way  between  our 
four  industrial  schools,  that  for  many  years  have  been 
hampered  by  straightened  financial  difficulties,  to  the 
serious  disadvantage  of  the  technical  educational  prospects  of 
the  city.  Mr.  Gray  referred  very  fully  to  the  effect  of  the  Cus- 
toms and  Excise  Act  of  1890,  under  which  large  sums  are  ren- 
dered available  for  technical  instruction  in  England,  Wales,  and 
Scotland,  and  the  establishment  of  the  City  and  Guilds  of 
London  Institute,  which  in  1878  founded  a  central  and  other 
colleges  in  London,  in  which  technical  instruction  was  carried  on 
to  an  advanced  stage.  Mr.  Gray  clearly  pointed  out  how  Ireland 
was  handicapped  by  having  no  advantage  under  the  Customs  and 
Excise  Act  for  the  promotion  of  Technical  Instruction,  and  that 
owing  to  the  apathy  of  our  City  Council,  the  Technical 
Instruction  Act  of  1889  was  not  put  into  operation. 

Mr.  Gray  said  that,  amid  the  chaos  and  confusion  that 
prevailed  in  the  political  atmosphere  of  Ireland  in  1895,  ^  far- 
seeing  intellect  perceived  and  followed  up  an  opening  that  gave 
some  prospect  of  securing  a  substantial  advantage  for  Ireland  in 
favour  of  the  agricultural  and  industrial  classes  of  the  country. 
The  steps  taken  in  the  formation  of  the  Recess  Committee  by 
the  Right  Hon.  Horace  Plunkett,  M.P.,  and  the  important 
report  of  the  Committee's  labours  laid  before  the  Chief  Secretary 
in  August,  1890,  was  the  origin  of  the  Agriculture  Act  intro- 
duced into  Parliament  in  1897.  Fortunately  this  as  then 
drafted  was  not  passed,  owing  to  pressure  of  other  business,  but 
it  was  reintroduced  in  an  amended  and  much-improved  form,  and 
and,  without  any  help  fromthe  Belfast  municipal  authorities,  was 
passed  into  law  last  year  under  the  title  of  "  The  Agriculture 
and  Technical  Instruction  Act."  Under  the  provisions  of 
this  most  welcome  Act  Belfast  and  other  county  boroughs 
in  Ireland  will  be  enabled  to  readjust  the  local  arrangements 


48  Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction. 

for  technical  instruction,  and  if  Belfast  County  Council 
would  but  do  its  duty  and  try  to  make  up  for 
past  delay  it  would  be  enabled  to  formulate  and  carry 
out  such  a  scheme  as  would  equal  that  of  any  city  in 
the  kingdom,  and  be  worthy  of  our  educational  and  indus- 
trial traditions  and  advancement.  The  Act  provides  for  the 
establishment  of  a  Department  of  Agriculture  and  other 
Industries  and  Technical  Instruction,  with  the  Chief  Secretary 
as  President,  and  a  Vice-President  appointed  by  the  Crown. 
Mr.  Gray  mentioned  that  the  technical  instruction  branch 
referred  more  particularly  to  Belfast,  and  noted  several  matters 
of  importance  connected  with  the  duties  of  the  Board  ot 
Technical  Instruction  and  the  consultative  Committee.  The 
funds  at  the  disposal  of  the  department,  in  addition  to  the  cost 
of  administration,  will  be  about  ;^i66,ooo  per  annum,  or 
including  departmental  expenses,  a  total  of  ^200,000  per 
annum.  Of  this  amouut  a  sum  of  _;^55,ooo  per  annum  will  be 
allocated  exclusively  to  technical  instruction  in  Ireland,  not 
depending  on  an  annual  Parliamentary  vote,  but  conferred  by 
direct  endowment.  It  is  not  only  possible,  but  it  would  be 
desirable,  for  the  county  councils,  say  of  Antrim  and  Down,  to 
work  in  unison  with  Belfast  County  Borough  Council  in  the 
working  out  of  their  respective  schemes.  All  educational  efforts 
should  be  co-operative,  and  for  this  purpose  scholarships  may 
be  founded  connected  with  National  and  other  country  and 
town  schools  to  enable  students  to  pass  on  to  the  more  im- 
portant central  school  in  Belfast.  All  educational  agencies 
should  be  considered  in  the  scheme,  so  as  to  avoid  friction  or 
overlapping.  For  this  reason  no  really  effective  scheme  can  be 
formulated  unless  with  the  co-operation  of  all  our  educational 
agencies.  The  actual  amount  to  which  Belfast  may  be  entitled 
will  depend  upon  the  division  to  be  made  of  the  £55,000  by  the 
department  with  the  concurrence  of  the  Board  of  Technical 
Instruction.  Assuming  that  the  division  will  be  in  equal  parts, 
then  Belfast,  in  proportion  to  its  population,  would  receive  a 
little  over  ^10,000  a  year  from  this  source  of  income,  exclusive 


Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction.  49 

of  the  income  from  the  penny  rate  under  the  Act  of  1889,  and 
the  additional  penny  rate  under  the  act  of  last  year.  The 
purposes  on  which  the  money  is  to  be  expended  will  be  deter- 
mined by  the  Department  and  not  by  the  City  Council. 
As  the  powers  and  duties  of  the  Science  and  Art 
Department  in  Ireland  and  the  administration  of  grants 
for  teaching  art  and  science  will  be  transferred  to  the 
new  department,  the  usual  result  fees  and  wrints  hitherto 
paid  are  still  available,  from  which  we  may  calculate  upon  an 
increase  of  ^1,000,  and,  if  the  local  contribution  from  the  rates 
is  only  id  in  the  £\^  a  total  income  of  j^i5,ooo  a  year  may  be 
calculated  upon,  exclusive  of  pupils'  fees,  provided  that  the 
^55,000  is  divided  mto  two  equal  portions  by  the  department.* 
Attention  was  called  to  the  fact  that  the  "  department  will  not 
approve  of  any  scheme  that  is  not  assisted  from  money  provided 
by  local  authorities  or  from  local  sources,"  and  that  the  financial 
aid  under  the  Act  will  not  be  limited  to  any  one  institution, 
and  the  amount  to  be  given  to  the  Central  School  will  depend 
upon  how  far  it  will  be  conducted  in  harmony  with  all  the 
other  local  educational  agencies. 

Mr.  Gray  strongly  advocated  the  immediate  formation  of  a 
composite  managing  committee,  and  said  that  it  was  shown  by 
the  records  of  Europe  and  America  that  when  the  agencies 
employed  for  the  management  and  maintenance  of  educational 
institutions  are  limited  to  municipal  control  such  institutions 
are  rarely  successful,  but  similar  institutions  become  living 
realities  when  they  command  the  liberality  and  active  exertions 
of  individual  citizens  in  their  private  personal  capacity,  un- 
trammelled by  the  formalities  of  office.  Hence  it  will  be  very 
desirable  that  a  good  Composite  Committee  should  be  formed 
to  draft  the  scheme  and  carry  it  into  execution,  as  has  been 
found  to  work  well  in  all  the  chief  towns  of  the  kingdom,  and 
in  the  County  Council.  The  appointment  of  a  composite 
executive  committe  in  Belfast  was  recommended  by  the  Chief 

*The  Department  has  for  the  present  apportioned  ;^20,ooo  to  the  County  Boroughs, 
;^20,ooo  to  the  Rural  districts,  and  keep  in  reserve  ;{,  15,000. 

d 


50  Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction, 

Secretary  and  Mr.  Horace  Plunkett.  Assuming  that  it  was 
formed,  Mr.  Gray  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  could  not  set 
before  it  a  higher  or  better  aim  than  to  fully  realise  that  form 
of  a  technical  instruction  institute  suggested  by  the  composite 
committee  that  met  during  the  Mayoralty  of  Sir  James  Haslett, 
M.P.,  in  1887,  which  proposed  to  establish  "  a  central  institution 
for  the  teaching  in  a  combined  form  of  art,  science,  and 
technology,  as  applied  to  the  trade  and  manufacturers  of  the 
district,  utilising  and  combining  so  far  as  possible  for  this 
purpose  the  school  of  art,  schools  of  science  and  technology, 
and  the  technical  school."  A  full  definition  of  what  was  meant 
by  the  expression  ''  technical  instruction  "  was  given,  and  the 
views  of  many  well-known  authorities  quoted.  Proceeding, 
Mr.  Gray  said  they  could  not  do  better  than  to  provide  without 
delay  a  central  institution  in  which  our  present  excellent  Art, 
Science,  and  Technological  classes  may  be  properly  and  com- 
fortably housed,  with  ample  space,  class-rooms,  laboratories, 
and  lecture-rooms,  equipped  with  all  necessary  fittings  and 
appliances  of  the  most  approved  kinds,  and  conducted  by  a 
staff  of  specially  qualified  teachers  for  each  department  of  the 
work,  capable  of  rendering  teaching  assistance  or  advice  to  any 
school  or  class  in  the  city.  Thus  appointed,  together  with 
bright,  cheerful,  and  attractive  surroundings,  they  might  fiirly 
calculate  that  the  1,500  pupils  now  receiving  instruction  in 
their  local  art,  science,  and  technological  classes  would  be  in 
creased  to  not  less  than  3,000  in  the  r.ear  future,  with  a  promise 
of  proportionate  advantage  to  our  local  industries.  Enlisting 
into  their  educational  scheme  every  available  auxiliary,  they 
should  extend  and  should  complete  the  intended  Technical 
Museum  and  Art  Gallery  connected  with  the  Public  Library, 
and  every  function  connected  with  that  institution  should  be 
subordinated  to  the  purposes  of  technical  instruction  in  its 
widest  and  most  liberal  aspects,  and  placed  under  the  manage- 
ment of  the  composite  technical  committee,  and  conducted  by 
them  as  part  of  the  Technical  Instruction  Scheme  for  the  city.* 

*The  County  Borough  Council  have  joined  the  Library  Committee  and  the  Technical 
Instruction  Committee  into  one  Committee. 


Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction.  51 

Although  elementary  teaching  will  be  excluded  from  the 
proposed  technical  institution,  the  elementary  schools  under 
the  National  Education  Commissioners  must  not  be  altogether 
overlooked  in  our  technical  scheme.  When  the  national 
education  scheme  was  drafted  in  1838  it  was  far  in  advance  of 
an  educational  system  in  Britain,  and  it  was  intended  to  be 
technical  in  its  character,  but  sectarian  conflicts  eliminated 
that  important  element  from  our  national  system  of  industrial 
education.  This  form  of  technical  instruction  should  be 
restored  The  late  Commission  had  recommended  its  renewal, 
and  in  future  technical  instruction  would  be  encouraged  so  as 
to  prepare  the  young  pupils  for  the  next  step  in  the  technical 
institutions  of  the  county  boroughs,  our  National  schools 
would  then  be  helpful  auxiliaries  to  the  central  institution  ; 
their  students  at  entrance  to  the  Technical  College  would  no 
doubt  be  tested  by  examination,  and  classed  accordingly 
Scholarships  may  be  founded  for  competition  among  the 
National  school  pupils  preparing  to  enter  the  Technical 
Institute,  and  also  scholarships  to  enable  advanced  pupils  of  the 
Technical  Institute  to  go  forward  to  the  technical  branch  of 
the  Queen's  College,  the  Royal  University,  and  the  Royal 
College  of  Science  in  Dublin. 

Evening  continuation  classesshouldbe  promoted  in  connection 
with  our  National  schools,  and  to  this  end,  as  well  as  to  supply 
the  necessary  school  accommodation  now  required  for  Belfast, 
Mr.  Gray  advocated  the  opening  of  four  National  schools  in 
Belfast  under  the  Technical  Committee  to  become  models  for 
their  respective  localities,  if  not  for  the  whole  country.  These 
would  be  evening  as  well  as  day  schools,  and  they  may  be  further 
used  as  branch  Libraries.  These  should  be  properly  equipped, 
and  officered  by  a  staff  of  qualified  teachers  enabled  to  discharge 
their  professional  duties  untrammelled  by  clerical  obligations: 
Mr.  Gray  in  conclusion  referred  to  the  fosterage  laws  of  ancient 
Ireland  that  provided  for  certain  forms  of  technical  instruction, 
then  the  native  Irish  were  disposed  to  indu?try,  and  skilled  in 
workmanship,  qualities  that  may  be  revived  with  great  advan- 


52  Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction, 

tage  to  our  industrial  progress.  Tlie  opportunity  is  given 
Belfast  to-day  to  help  to  revive  the  best  forms  of  our  national  skill 
open  up  new  fields  of  industry,  and  by  a  well  considered  scheme 
of  technical  instruction  set  an  example  for  all  Ireland,  and 
justify  anew  the  imputed  title  of  Belfast  as  the  industrial 
metropolis  of  Ireland. 

Professor  Fitzgerald,  in  opening  the  discussion,  said  he  wished 
to  emphasise  what  Mr.  Gray  had  said  as  to  what  the  old  Belfast 
people  were  in  the  beginning  of  the  century,  compared  with 
what  they  were  at  the  present  time.  What  Mr.  Gray  had  said 
was  a  most  interesting  lesson,  and  showed  that  Belfast  was  fifty 
years  behind  the  place  where  it  was  fifty  years  ago.  Could 
they  conceive  that  the  old  Belfast  people,  who  were  willing  to 
allow  a  little  money  out  of  their  pockets  to  build  such  insti- 
tutions as  that  in  which  they  were  met — could  they  conceive 
that  they  would  allow  such  an  important  place  as  the  Victoria 
Institute  to  break  down  in  the  way  it  ha  i   been  allowed  to  go  ? 

With  regard  to  the  necessity  of  breadth  of  the  local 
scheme  touched  upon  by  .Mr.  Gray,  he  might  say  the  Cor- 
poration had  got  a  peculiarity  of  never  saving  anything 
about  anything  that  they  cojld  help.  They  appointed  a  mixed 
Committee,  who  drew  up  a  scheme  which  was  fairly  broad,  and 
as  he  was  on  that  Committee  he  could  give  them  some  idea  of 
the  plan.  The  general  notion  was  that  the  Corporation  Tech- 
nical Committee  should  co-ont  a  number  of  outsiders,  not 
exceeding  one-half  of  the  members  of  the  Corporation,  to  form 
a  mixed  Committee  for  working  the  technical  education  scheme 
in  Belfast,  and  that  the  immediate  working  of  schools  should  be 
regulated  by  a  board  of  heads  of  departments  of  schools. 
The  departments  of  the  school  were  not  precisely  finally 
settled,  there  was  a  list  made  by  the  Committee,  bu':  it  would 
be  liable  to  alteration  from  time  to  time.  Among  the  depart- 
ments of  the  school  it  was  intended  to  comprise  a  set  of 
preparatory  evening  classes  for  youths,  some  of  whom  were 
serving  their  apprenticeship  at  the  present  time.  It  has  been 
found  that  this  was  necessary  in  other  large  towns.     In   order 


Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction.   53 

that  boys  should  not  be  debarred  from  taking  advantagj  of  the 
superior  classes  of  the  technical  schools  it  was  neces-ary  to 
have  preparatory  classes.  The  schools  were  to  be  built 
exactly  opposite  the  building  in  which  they  were  .  ssembled.  and 
pupils  would  not  be  admitted  to  the  regular  technical  classes 
who  were  not  properly  prepared.  A  subject  which  had  not 
been  mentioned  by  the  lecturer,  but  which  he  (Professor 
Fitzgerald)  hoped  would  be  included,  was  cookery.  It  was  an 
historical  fact  that  the  ancient  Irish  never  seemed  to  mind  what 
the}'  ate.  He  himself  thought  the  preparatory  classes  should 
be  held  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  but  he  believed  they  were 
to  be  held  only  in  the  central  institute.  With  regard  to  the 
b  eadth  of  the  scheme,  he  did  not  know  whether  those  present 
in  the  Y.M.C.A.  when  Mr.  Balfour  was  there  paid  sufficient 
attention  to  the  strong  reference  that  was  made  to  the  necessity 
in  Ireland  within  the  next  few  years  of  training  a  large  number 
of  teachers.  That  ap^  eared  one  of  the  primary  difficulties  with 
technical  instruction.  In  the  scheme  special  provision  was 
made  both  for  the  agricultural  and  technical  instruction  teachers. 
The  agricultural  teachers,  he  thought,  meant  nothing  more 
than  teachers  in  technical  schools  outside  the  county  boroughs. 
He  had  noticed  in  the  papers  that  a  considerable  number  of 
national  school  teachers  were  wanting  to  be  trained  in  manual 
instruction,  and  existing  teacher.-,  with  few  exceptions,  had  no 
training  in  work  of  that  kind  ;  but  to  that  he  would  not  refer. 
The  agricultural  teachers  would  be  paid  out  of  the  grant  which 
would  go  to  the  agricultural  division  out  of  the  .^55,000  to 
which  reference  had  been  made. 

]\lr.  Stevenson  was  of  opinion  that  the  apithy  with  which 
technical  instruction  ,  as  regarded  in  Belfast  was  decidedly 
disheartening  to  all  interested  in  the  subject.  It  would  seem 
as  if  Belfast  manufacturers  had  a  poor  opinion  of  their  fello\Vs 
when  it  came  to  anything  affecting  the  arts  or  sciences.  He 
believed  a  great  number  of  the  young  people  in  Belfast  who 
used  their  hands  might  increase  their  comfort  and  usefulness 
very  much  if  they  could  add  a  little  brainwork  to  their  labours. 


54  Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction. 

The  new  institution  would  assist  such,  and  no  doubt  there 
would  be  a  great  improvement  in  the  prosperity  of  the  city 
after  its  establishment.  He  had  had  recently  several  hundred 
designs  sent  him  from  various  parts  of  the  country,  and,  while 
the  senders  no  doubt  were  well  educated,  the  results  from  an 
artistic  point  of  view  would  have  been  laughable  had  one  not 
felt  some  sadness  in  looking  at  them.  In  conclusion,  he  wished 
to  express  the  pleasure  he  felt  at  listening  to  Mr.  Gray's  paper, 
and  his  entire  confidence  in  the  far-reaching  effect  which  the 
establishment  of  this  institution  would  have  in  their  midst. 

Mr.  MiUigan  said  everyone  had  been  delignted  with  Mr. 
Gray's  admirable  paper.  One  of  the  most  intelligent  and 
cultured  audiences  he  had  ever  seen  in  the  hall  he  looked 
upon  that  night,  and  it  was  a  great  pity  the  members  of  the 
Council  did  not  come  there  for  information — the  mformation 
which  they  needed  very  much.  They  had  made  a  move  as  to 
site  for  the  new  buildmg,  but  he  would  have  preferred  it  at 
Marcus  Ward's,  because  it  would  have  saved  them  ^i,ooo  a 
year.  However,  money  was  of  no  importance  to  the  Council, 
and  it  was  better  to  have  the  present  site  than  none.  He  hoped 
that  Mr.  Gra}''s  Lecture  would  be  printed,  and  that  the 
members  of  the  Town  Council  would  read  it,  for  he  felt  assured 
it  contained  information  they  would  get  in  no  other  place. 
Though  late,  they  were  not  too  late  to  do  well.  The  future 
prosperity  of  the  city  depended  largely  upon  the  interest  taken 
iu  the  matter,  and  he  hoped  the  technical  school  would  be 
pushed  forward  as  quickly  as  possible. 

Mr.  W.  Armstrong  regarded  the  subject  from  two  points  of 
view — the  cosmopolitan  and  the  patriotic.  He  expressed  the 
opinion  that  they  were  bound  to  go  on  with  it,  because  other 
nations  were  making  progress,  and  if  ifiey  would  simply  sit  still 
and  pat  each  other  on  the  back  they  would  soon  find  them- 
selves fifty  years  behind  the  times. 

Mr.  Shaw  thought  the  great  linen  manufacturers  of  Belfast 
might  have  established  a  school  of  design  for  their  own  purposes, 
and   that   the  great   shipbuilding  concerns   might   have    done 


Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instruction.  55 

something  similar  for  their  respective  places  of  business. 
Nothing,  however,  had  ever  been  done.  He  spoke  in  favour 
of  drawing  and  the  teaching  of  the  chemistry  of  common 
things,  and  said  that  without  some  practical  work  even  the 
elementary  teaching  of  chemistry  would  be  useless.  There 
might  be  a  danger  of  the  cry  of  technical  schools  supplanting 
the  proper  work  of  other  schools. 

Mr.  Wheeler  asked  on  what  principle  Mr.  Gray  had  arrived 
at  the  figures  representing  the  two  divisions  of  the  ;^5 5,000 
grant. 

Mr.  May  inquired  what  class  of  people  would  be  benefited  by 
the  teaching  in  the  school  regarding  woodcarving. 

Mr.  Gray  in  replying  said  there  would  be  a  prescribed  course  tor 
pupils,  with  an  examination,  and  after  two  years  they  would  be 
put  to  practical  work.  The  Technical  instruction  given  in  the 
Central  School  would  be  limited  as  much  as  possible  to  those 
practising  it  in  the  way  of  trade.  No  encouragement  should  be 
given  to  mere  amateur  aims  after  educational  embellishments. 
All  must  be  practical,  and  calculated  to  promote  our  local 
industries.  Replying  to  a  question,  Mr.  Gray  said  that  the 
amount  available  was  clearly  given  in  the  Act,  and  included  not 
only  aid  to  the  Central  School,  but  was  available  also  for  any 
other  educational  effort.  It  was  a  mistake  to  think  that  all  the 
funds  provided  by  the  Act  will  be  devoted  to  the  Central  College. 
In  replying  to  Professor  Fitzgerald,  he  might  say  it  was  an 
extraordinary  thing  that  after  ten  years  waiting  we  had  no  official 
knowledge  of  what  the  Town  Council  proposed  to  do.  If  the 
project  was  to  be  successful  it  must  be  kept  in  touch  with  the 
public,  and  the  people  should  know  what  the  members  of  the 
Council  were  doing.*  Of  all  the  sites  best  adopted  for  the 
purposes  of  a  technical  school,  he  thought  the  one  chosen  in 
1887,  immediately  behind  the  Public  Library,  was  the  best, 
because  in  that  place  they  could  have  had   all  their  schools  to- 

*  Up  to  the  time  of  going  to  press  no  acceptable  scheme  has  been  devised.  No 
composite  committee  has  been  formed,  and  the  persons  most  interested  in  Technical 
instruction  have  not  been  consulted. 


56  Position  of  Belfast  in  Relation  to  Technical  Instrnction. 

gether.  We  do  not  object  to  the  site  selected  on  the  grounds 
of  the  Royal  Academical  Institute,  only  for  its  cost,  which  must 
come  out  of  the  ratepayers  pocket,  and  not  out  of  the  funds 
available  under  the  provisions  of  the  Technical  Instruction 
Act.  The  Council  should  go  in  for  a  building  for  educational 
purposes,  and  not  for  a  building  to  simply  decorate  the  city. 


57 

3rd  April^  igoo 
Mr.  Robert  Young,  C.E,,  J.P.,  Vice-President  in  the  Chair. 


SOME  OF  THE  WORK  DONE  BY  COMMITTEES 
OF  THE  BRITISH  ASSOCIATION. 

By  Professor  Maurice  F.  FitzGerald,  B.A.,  M.I.M.E, 


The  Lecturer  began  by  remarking  that  many  people,  including 
some  ^who  might  have  attended  meetings  of  the  British 
Association,  had  little,  if  any,  conception  that  that  society  was 
more  than  an  organisation  for  carrying  out  annually  a  sort  of 
scientific  picnic.  The  Association,  like  many  other  societies, 
had  a  yearly  meeting  or  conference,  held  usually  in  the  end  of 
summer  or  beginning  of  autumn,  which  lasted  for  a  week,  and 
which  constituted,  to  the  outsider,  the  most  obvious  and 
apparently  important  part  of  the  work  of  the  Associa- 
tion. This  impression  was  natural  enough,  and  was  encouraged 
by  the  large  attendance  of  scientific  and  other  notabilities,  and 
by  the  immense  number  of  papers  read  and  discussed,  during 
this  annual  meeting,  the  Association  being  divided  into  sections 
(now  numbering  nine)  which  have  separate  meeting  rooms, 
so  that  a  large  number  of  papers  are  read,  or  subjects  discussed 
every  day  simultaneously.  As  an  example  taken  at  random, 
the  Bristol  meeting  of  1898  might  be  instanced,  when  the 
number  of  items  in  the  sectional  proceedings  was  304.  It  was 
pointed  out,  that  however  large  the  amount  of  work  represented 
by  the  labour  undergone  in  listening  to  the  maximum  possible 
number  of  these  communications,  by  any  person  attending  the 
meeting,  such  work  was  not  itself  of  any  particular  scientific 
value,  and  that  the  real  importance  of  the  Association   was 


58  Work  Done  by  British  Association  Committees, 

liable  to  be  more  or  less  masked  by  the  "  fuss "  attached  to 
the  Annual  meeting.  It  was  remarked  that,  as  in  other 
societies  holding  periodical  meetings  or  conferences,  a 
great  part  of  the  really  valuable  work  of  the  British 
Association  was  done  by  committees  appointed  to  in- 
vestigate particular  matters,  and  to  report  on  them  to  the 
annual  meetings.  The  committees  pursued  their  work  all  the 
year  round,  sometimes  for  many  years  in  succession,  and  were 
aided  by  money  grants  from  the  Association.  The  total  sum  so 
granted  since  the  formation  of  the  Association  in  1832  up  to 
the  present  time  amounted  to  about  ;^66,7oo.  In  the  Report 
of  the  meeting  of  British  Association  at  Bristol  in  1898, 
above  referred  to,  723  pages  were  occupied  by  Reports  of 
Committees  and  303  by  transactions  of  the  Sections  at  the 
Bristol  meeting  itself,  the  total  number  of  Reports  of  Com- 
mittees being  nearly  fifty,  and  a  good  many  of  these  were 
interim  reports  of  Conimitltes,  some  of  which  have  been  at 
work  for  over  thirty  years.  The  Lecturer  proceeded  to  remark 
on  the  character  and  influence  of  the  work  of  various  com- 
mittees of  the  Association,  beginning  with  reports  by  Fairbairn 
and  Hodgkinson,  so  far  back  as  1837,  on  Hot  and  Cold  Blast 
Iron,  whose  relative  merits  were  at  that  time  a  matter  of  con- 
siderable importance,  in  consequence  of  the  then  just  beginning 
development  of  railways,  and  the  free  use  of  cast  iron  in  bridges 
and  girders.  Ultimately,  as  we  now  see,  improvements  in  the 
manufacture  of  wrought  iron  and  steel  and  the  consequent 
reduction  in  the  cost  of  bridges  constructed  of  these  materials, 
compared  with  the  cost  of  cast  iron,  coupled  with  the  relative 
disadvantages  of  the  latter,  had  led  to  the  abandonment  of  cast 
iron  as  a  material  for  bridge  structures  of  any  size,  but  until  well 
on  in  the  fifties  cast  iron  was  an  important  part  of  the  structure 
of  many  bridges,  and  its  properties  formed  the  subject  of  in- 
vestigation by  the  Association.  These  investigations  were  of 
material  use  and  assistance  to  the  Commissioners  on  Railway 
structures,  whose  report,  made  in  1848,  forms  the  basis  of  the 
present  Board  of  Trade  regulations  for  Railway  Bridges  and 
similar  works. 


Work  Done  by  British  Association  Committees.  59 

During  the  period  from  1830  to  i860  a  vast  increase 
in  the  use  of  steam  power  for  manufacturing  purposes  took 
place,  and  steamships  came  into  existence  capable  of  making 
long  sea  voyages.  Among  the  matters  of  importance  on 
which  information  was  deficient  at  the  time,  not  the 
least  was  the  provision  of  adequate  strength  in  boilers, 
since  the  problems  arising  from  increase  of  steam  pressure  have 
always  been  prominent,  and  steam  pressure  has  steadily  risen 
since  the  days  of  Watt.  Accordingly  there  were  found  in  the 
records  of  the  Association  the  investigations  of  Fairbairn  on 
the  effects  of  temperature  on  the  strength  of  wrought  iron  in 
1856,  and  on  the  collapse  of  circular  flues  in  1857.  This  latter 
may  be  described  as  formmg  the  foundation  for  the  design  of 
all  furnace  flues  since,  and  is  still  the  ruling  authority  in  this 
matter,  its  conclusions  having  been  early  embodied  in  the  rules 
for  the  strength  of  circular  marine  boiler  furnaces  adopted  by 
the  Board  of  Trade,  as  well  as  in  the  principles  of  design  used 
by  all  the  leading  manufacturers  of  land  boilers  of  the  Cornish 
and  Lancashire  types.  About  i860  another  matter  connected 
with  the  strength  of  iron  and  steel  came  into  greater  promi- 
nence than  before,  namely,  the  effects  on  the  material  of 
repeated  loadings  and  unloadings,  reversal  of  stress  from 
tension  to  compression  and  vice  versa  at  short  intervals, 
and  of  vibration.  Again  here  we  find  the  most  impor- 
tant part  of  the  early  woik  reported  on  by  the  British 
Association,  beginning  about  i860.  This  work  was,  some  seven 
or  eight  years  later,  taken  up  by  the  Prussian  Government  in 
a  more  thoiough  and  complete  manner  than  could  have  been 
effected  with  the  resources  ot  the  Association,  and  has  been 
continued  at  Government  expense  ever  since.  It  is  of  a  kind 
which  must  unavoidably  take  up  much  time  to  carry  out. 

Another  matter  which  occupied  much  attention   for  a  good  ' 
many  years  was  the  performance  of  steamships  in  respect  ot  the 
relations  of  power  and    speed.     Up   to  about  i8b5  little  real 
progress  was  made  owing  largely  to  false  impressions  as  to  the 
importance  of  details  of  form,  and  the  consequent  controversies 


6o  WorA  Done  by  British  Association  Committees. 

as  to  the  merits  of  ''  wave  line  "  forms,  "  hollow"  versus  "  full  " 
lines,  and  the  like.  The  Association,  however,  got  together  a 
committee  of  men,  including  Mr.  Froude,  Professor  Rankine, 
Robert  Napier,  and  others,  who  really  did  understand  what 
they  were  about,  and,  after  a  few  years,  placed  the  question  on 
a  proper  basis.  In  about  ten  years,  that  is  in  1874,  the 
Admiralty  became  so  impressed  with  the  importance  of  this  work 
that  they  established  their  experimental  tank  at  Torquay  for  the 
testing  of  ship's  models,  and  the  German  and  U.S.  Admiralties  or 
Navy  Boards  have  since  followed  suit.  It  may  seem  strange 
that  a  body  so  difficult  to  move  in  any  new  direction 
as  ihe  British  Admiralty  is  commonly  assumed  to  be,  should 
have  taken  up  this  matter  before  any  private  shipbuilder  or 
foreign  government  did,  but  apart  from  the  fact  that  govern- 
ment departments  occasionally  have  the  sense  to  act  rightly, 
the  difficulties  of  predicting,  even  roughly,  the  speed  and  horse- 
power of  new  ships  always  pressed  much  more  Lcverely  on  the 
Navy  designers  than  on  others,  partly  on  account  of  the  pro- 
portions of  the  ships  they  dealt  with  diverging,  as  a  rule,  much 
more  from  the  ordinary  types  of  cargo  or  passenger  steamer 
than  these  do  from  one  ancther,  and  partly  from  the  wide 
differences  between  different  ships  ot  tiie  Navy  itself,  specially 
accentuated  at  the  time  referred  to,  by  the  then  recent  intro- 
duction of  ironclads.  Besides  this,  the  Admiralty  had  received 
a  very  severe  lesson  on  the  unwisdom  of  neglecting  good  advice 
from  sensible  people,  it  having  been  made  abundantly  manifest 
that,  it  they  had  attended  to  reports  on  the  stability  of  ships 
which  had  been  pressed  on  their  attention  by  the  British 
Association  about  1863,  and  carried  out  very  simple  tests  fully 
explained  theiein,  but  vyiiich  the  Admiralty  officials  stated  were 
not  practical,  the  "  Captain  "  would  have  been  ascertained  to 
be  unfit  for  being  sailed  in  the  way  which  led  to  her  capsizing. 
After  the  accident  of  course,  it  was  found  that  the  tests  of 
stability  proposed  were  quite  easy  to  carry  out,  and  they 
have  been  ever  since  made  on  every  new  ship  in  the 
Navy. 


Work  Done  by  Br^'frs/^  Associatioii  Committees.  6i 

The  enormous  strides  made  by  the  electrical  industries 
in  the  last  twenty  five  years  were  referred  to  by  the  lecturer, 
and  it  was  shown  that,  until  the  matter  was  taken  up  by  the 
British  Association,  the  commercially  necessary  means  of 
measurino^  electric  quantities  were  so  deficient  as  to  be,  for 
most  practical  purposes,  altogether  wanting.  For  telegraphic 
purposes — or  at  least  most  telegraphic  purposes — the  actual 
amount  of  electric  energy  required  to  be  supplied  was  too  small 
to  call  for  any  particularly  accurate  measurement,  nor  did  the 
apparatus  involve,  as  a  rule,  any  verv  close  regulation  of 
voltage  or  current.  Consequentlv  although  the  scientific 
principles  on  which  the  measurement  of  electric  quantities  is 
made  had  been  laid  down,  and  some  standards  of  measurement, 
corresponding,  in  matters  electrical,  to  the  standard  yard  and 
pound  in  matters  of  ordinary  measurement,  had  been  made  or 
proposed  to  be  made,  still  the  whole  subject  of  dealing  with 
electricity  on  an  industrial  scale  was  practically  as  much  in  a 
state  of  chaos  as  the  buying  and  selling  of  coal  would  be  if  the 
mines  all  sold  it  by  the  truck  load,  but  every  mine  had  a 
diflPerent  sized  truck,  whose  capacity  had  never  been  measured, 
to  shippers  who  dealt  in  it  by  the  shipload,  every  man  according 
to  his  ship,  but  the  tonnage  of  the  ships  was  not  ascertained,  and 
the  consumer  received  it  bv  the  cartload,  every  dealer  pleasing 
himself  as  to  the  size  of  his  cart,  and  building  new  carts  when 
the  old  ones  were  worn  out,  as  near  the  former  size  as  he  could 
judge  by  the  eye. 

About  thirty  eight  years  ago  the  Association  set  itself 
to  rectify  this  state  of  things,  and  for  that  purpose  appointed 
a  committee  on  Electrical  Standards,  with  a  view  to  pro- 
viding means  for  doing  with  electricity  what  corresponds  to 
providing  foot  rules,  weighing  machines,  and  pounds  or  other 
weights  to  measure  the  coal  trucks,  ship  loads,  and  cart  loads,  in 
the  case  of  the  coal.  The  Committee  rightly  judged  the  matter 
to  be  one  of  international  importance,  and  began  by  collecting 
advice  on  the  system  of  measurement  to  be  employed,  as  well 
as  all   other   information  relating  to  existing  standards  from 


62  Work  Done  by  British  Association  Committees. 

foreign  as  well  as  British  sources.  It  very  soon  appeared  that 
even  among  scientific  workers,  methods  of  measurement  were 
often  used  which  were  (comparatively  speaking)  not  much 
more  accurate  for  the  purpose  in  hand  than  measuring-  off 
lengths  of  cloth  by  the  reach  from  finger  tip  to  shoulder  are, 
and  that  one  of  the  very  first  steps  to  be  taken  was  to  find  out 
accurate  methods  in  measurement,  and  to  construct  accurate 
instruments.  The  trouble  occasioned  by  these  things  may 
be  realised  when  it  is  found  that  it  took  about  seven  years  to 
produce  a  really  reliable  standard  resistance.  Everything  about 
it  was  ill  understood  at  first.  The  most  suitable  material 
was  unknown  ;  wires  which  were  supposed  to  be  exactly  alike 
in  constitution  were  found,  on  exact  testing,  to  differ  materially: 
alloys  supposed  to  be  permanent  were  found  to  alter  irregularly 
in  time.  Different  experimental  methods  for  arriving  at  the 
same  result  were  found  to  give  discordant  results,  and  the 
apparently  small  and  obscure  causes  of  the  discrepancies  had  to 
be  searched  out  and  corrected.  The  result  has  been  that 
electricity  can  now  be  dealt  in  for  industrial  purposes  as  easily 
and  accurately  as  any  other  commodity,  and  in  some  respects 
more  easily,  since  the  fundamental  system  of  weights  and 
measures  used  is  international,  both  in  actual  value  and  names 
of  the  quantities,  so  that  pressure  in  volts,  current  in  amperes, 
and  power  in  kilowatts  mean  the  same  things  all  the  world 
over. 

It  is  probably  not  too  much  to  say  that  no  authority 
except  the  British  Association  could  have  been  brought 
about  this  result.  No  other  body  possessed  the  scientific 
weight  and  insight  required  to  initiate  the  system,  no  other 
body  could  have  enlisted  such  able  assistance,  and  no  other 
bodv  could  so  effectually  insure  the  universal  adoption  by  the 
world  of  the  system  of  measures  and  nomenclature  brouo;ht 
forward  by  it,  and  have  led  up  to  the  international  conferences 
required  for  that  adoption  to  be  oflficially  ratified.  The  Lecturer 
adverted  to  the  small  cost  at  which  the  work  of  the  Associa- 
tion's Committees  was  done,  for  though  the  sum  total  of  the 


Work  Done  by  British  Association  Committees.  63 

grants  for  scientific  purposes  already  referred  to  (£66,700), 
expended  since  1832,  mi^ht  seem  pretty  large,  it  really  repre- 
sented but  a  fraction  of  what  would  have  been  paid  if  the  same 
investigators  had  been  employed  to  do  the  work  as  part  of  their 
regular  paid  professional  or  commercial  work.  Many  eminent 
^professional  men,  whose  fees  when  called  in  for  advice  might 
sometimes  be  reckoned  at  pounds  a  minute,  or  men,  like 
Sir  W.  Fairbairn  and  others,  who  gave  the  use  of 
their  works,  materials,  and  the  assistance  of  their  staff,  carried 
out  lengthy  and  troublesome  investigations  without  charge. 
It  would  be  but  fair  to  say  that  the  ^66,700  would  have  been 
expanded  into  probably  a  quarter  of  a  million,  if  all  the  work 
done  had  been  paid  for  in  the  commercial  sense,  as  the  Railway 
Commissioners,  the  Board  of  Trade,  the  Admiralty,  and  others 
would  have  had  to  do  if  they  had  not  had  the  British  Associa- 
tion to  do  so  much  for  them  as  it  had  done. 

The  Lecturer  desired  to  draw  attention  to  the  many  valuable 
Reports  made  to  the  Association  on  educational  subjects  ;  it 
would,  however,  occupy  too  much  time  to  enter  into  any 
any  review  of  these.  Some  were  statistical  and  were  mainly 
valuable  as  an  index  of  the  progress  or  otherwise  made  in  in- 
troducing scientific  and  technical  subjects  into  the  courses  of 
various  schools.  Others  contained  reports  from  various 
authorities,  scholastic  and  otherwise,  on  their  experience  as  to 
the  effectiveness  of  particular  methods  of  teaching,  and  the 
value  of  particular  subjects  as  expanders  of  the  general 
faculties  of  the  pupils.  Others  again  dealt  with  such  matters 
as  the  proper  fitting  up  and  uses  of  museums  and  collections, 
and  the  necessary  provision  in  the  way  of  demonstrator  and 
apparatus  required  to  render  these  most  useful.  This  matter 
was  especially  worthy  of  attention,  and  was  one  in  which  most 
museums  were  specially  deficient,  insomuch  that  the  great 
majority  of  the  persons  to  whom  museums  or  trade  collections  ' 
should  be  useful  were,  partly  from  want  of  training,  and 
partly  from  want  of  assistance,  quite  unable  to  take  any 
practical  value  out  of  the  collections  of  objects  before  them. 


64  Work  Done  by  British  Association  Committees. 

The  Lecturer  was  obliged  to  omit  reference  to  the  immense 
value  of  the  great  mass  of  the  British  Association  reports  on 
purely  scientific  subjects.  There  were  in  Belfast  many  persons 
fully  competent  to  appreciate,  and  infinitely  better  qualified 
than  himself  to  discuss,  the  reports  on  subjects  connected  with 
Natural  History.  In  pure  science,  the  computation  of  tables 
of  the  values  of  special  mathematical  functions,  the  bibliography 
of  particular  scientific  information,  and  the  like,  did  not  lend 
themselves  to  exposition  before  a  popular  audience  without 
previous  explanation  at  considerable  length  of  how  and  why 
the  matters  on  which  so  much  trouble  was  spent  were  of 
importance,  so  that  a  whole  evening  would,  in  many  cases, 
have  to  be  devoted  to  a  single  Report,  but  the  Lecturer  hoped 
that  some  of  those  able  to  do  so  would  endeavour  to  make  this 
society  and  the  public  realise  the  value  and  magnitude  of  the 
work  of  the  British  Association  in  relation  to  Natural  History 
and  kindred  subjects. 


AN  ANCIENT  BOMBSHELL. 

By  RoBFRT  M.  YouxG,  B.A.,  M.R.LA. 

{Honorary  Secretary.) 


This  ancient  bombshell,  which  is  exhibited  by  the  courtesy  of 
Mr.  E.  G.  MacGeorge,  J.P.,  was  found  at  a  depth  of  8  feet  in 
estuarine  clay  adjacent  to  the  Scottish  Provident  Buildings. 
It  weighs  about  I  cwt.,  is  10  inches  in  diameter,  and  2  inches 
thick,  of  cast  iron.  There  is  a  fuse  hole  in  which  a  wood  plug 
4  inches  long  and  i^  thick  was  found.  Small  handles  of  iron 
rod  are  inserted  at  each  side.  The  discovery  of  the  bomb  was 
made  when  Mr.  Robert  Corry,  contractor  for  the  additional 
buildings  of  the  Scottish  Provident  Institution,  was  excavating 
on  the  ground  adjoining  their  present  block.  By  reference  to 
old  maps  of  Belfast  it  would  seem  that  this  site   lay  outside  of 


An  Ancient  Bombshell.  65 

the  old  town  rampart,  one  of  whose  bastions  was  erected  on  the 
side  of  Donegall  Square  North,  near  Fountain  Street.  The 
ground  seems  to  have  been  marshy,  and  drained  by  the  Malone 
ditch,  which  is  shown  as  extending  to  Sandy  Row  about  1790. 
Since  no  artillery  of  heavy  calibre  is  mentioned  in  the  various 
accounts  of  Belfast  as  regards  1 7th  century  struggles,  the  missile 
in  question  may  be  probably  referred  to  the  next  century,  when 
the  volunteer  movement  originated.  The  Alall  passed  the 
spot,  and  many  of  the  military  displays  took  place  in  its 
vicinity.  Howitzers  of  6-inch  calibre  were  used  in  some  of  the 
reviews.  Notably  in  1781,  when  5,300  men  were  under  arms. 
On  this  occasion  it  is  stated  that  shells  were  discharged  of  such 
a  composition  as  to  afford  the  appearance  of  real  shells  without 
the  danger. 


ii^atural  2|istors  $c  Pjjilosnpijital  Sotietg* 


Officers  and  Council  of  Management  for  igoo-iqoi. 

^rcsibent : 
JOHN  BROWN 

■^tce-'g'rcsibents  : 
EEV.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.      |     WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 
R.LLOYD  PATTERSON,  D.L.,r.L.s.     |    ROBERT  YOUNG,  c.e.,  j. p. 

iboxK.  'ireosurer : 
W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

j^on-  j£ibrarion  : 

JOHN.  H.  DAVIES. 

^ott.  §ccrefa»:i> : 

ROBERT  M.  YOUNG,  h.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a. 

gouncil : 

JOHN  BROWN. 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

PROFESSOR  M.  F.  FITZGERALD,  li.A.,  m.i.m.k. 

ANDREW  GIBSON,  f.k.s.a. 

REV.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.,  president  g.c.b. 

JOHN  HORNER,  m  i.m.e. 

SIR  OTTO  JAFFE,  j.p. 

SEATON  F.  MILLIGAN,  m.r.i.a.,  f.k.s.a. 

R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  d.l.,  j.p.,  f.l.s. 

AVM.  H.  PATTERSON,  m.r.i.a. 

W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

THOMAS  F.  SHILLINGTON,  j.p. 

WM.  SWANSTON,  f.q.s. 

THOMAS  WORKMAN,  j.p. 

ROBERT  YOUNG,  j.p.,  c.e. 

R.  M.  YOUNG,  ]i.A.,  J.P.,  m.r.i.a. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

[*  Denotes  holders  of  three  or  more  Shares.^ 

*Alexander,  Francis,  b.k.,  Belfasl. 

AUworthy,  Edward,  Ardgreenan,  Cavehill  Road,  do. 

Anderson,  John,  j.p.,  f.g.s..  East  Hillbrook,  Holywood. 

Andrew,  John  J.,  l.d.s.,  r.c.s.  Eng.,  University  Square,  Belfast. 
Andrews,  Miss  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Andrews,  George,  j.p.,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Armstrong,  Thomas,  jun.,  7  Donegall  Square  West,  do. 

Armstrong,  William,  Chichester  Gardens,  do, 

Baird,  Wm.,  Royal  Avenue,  do. 

Barbour,  James,  j.p.,  Ardville,  Marino,  Holywood. 
Beattie,  Rev.  A.  Hamilton,                                        Portglenone. 

Bigger,  Francis  J.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ardrie,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast. 

Bland,  Robert  H.,  j.p.,  Lisburn. 

Bottomley,  Henry  H.,  Belfast. 

Boyd,  William,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 

Boyd,  William  Sinclair,  Ravenscroft,  Bloomfield,  do. 

Braddell,  Edward,  The  Limes,  Malone  Park,  do, 
Brett,  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,       do. 

Brett,  John  H.,  c.k.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Bristow,  James  R.,  Lismore,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Brown,  John,  Longhurst,  Dunmurry. 

Brown,  WiUiam  K.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Bulloch,  Alexander,  Eversleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Burnett,  John  R.,  Elmwood  Avenue,  do. 

Byers,  Prof.  John  W.,  m.a.,  m.d..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Calwell,  Alex.  M'D.,  do. 

Calwell,  William,  m.a.,  m.d..  College  Square  North,  do. 

•Campbell,  Miss  Anna  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Carlisle,  A.  M.,  Elmwood  House,  do. 


68 


Shareholders. 


Carr,  A.  H.  R.,  "Rathowen,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Carson,  John,  Walmer  Terrace,  Hol5rwood. 

*Charley,  Phineas  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor. 

Clark,  George  S.,  Dunlambert,  Belfast. 

Coates,  Victor,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry. 

Connor,  Charles  C,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  Belfast. 

Combe,  George.  Cranethorpe,  Strandtown. 

Cowan,  P.  C,  M  i.c.E.,  Local  Government  Board,  Dublin. 

Crawford,  William,  Mount  Randal,  Belfast. 

Crawford,  William,  Calendar  Street,  do. 

Craig,  Edwin  E.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown. 
Cunningham,  Professor  Robert  O.,  m.d.,  f.l.s., 

F.G.S.,  Mountpellier,  Malone  Road,  Belfast 


Davies,  John  H.,  45  Castle  Street,  Lisburn. 

*Deramore,  Lord,  d.l.  (Representatives  of),  Newtownbreda. 

Dods,  Robert,  b.a.,  St.  Leonards,  Newcastle. 

♦Donegal,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 
*Downshire,  Marquis  of  (Reps,  of).  The  Castle,    Hillsborough. 

Drennan,  W.  H.,  Wellington  Place,  Belfast. 

Duffin,  Adam,  ll.d.,  University  Square,  do. 

Dunleath,  Lord,  Ballywalter  Park  (Reps,  of),  Ballywalter. 


Ewart,  G.  Herbert,  m.a.,  Firmount,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast. 

Ewart,  Fred  W.,  Derryvolgie,  Lisburn. 

Ewart,  Sir  Wm.  Quartus,  Bart.,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Glenmachan 

House,  Belfast. 


Faren,  Wm.,  Mountcharles, 

*Fenton,  Francis  G., 

Ferguson,  Godfrey  W.,  c.e.,  Donegall  Park, 

Finlay,  Fred.  W.,  j.p.,  Wolfhill  House, 

Finlay,  Robert  H.  F.,  Cavehill  Road, 


do. 
London. 

Belfast. 
Ligoniel. 

Belfast. 


Sharehola'ers.  69 

Finnegan,  John,  b.a.,  b.sc,  Kelvin  House,  Botanic  Avenue, 

Belfast. 
FitzGerald,  Professor  Maurice  F.,  b.a  ,  m.i.m.e.,  Assoc. 

M.I.C.E.,  Eglantine  Avenue,  do. 

*Getty,  Edmund  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Gibson,  Andrew,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Girdwood,  Catherine,  Mountpleasant,  do. 

Gordon.  Robert  W.,  j.p.  (Reps,  of),  Bangor. 

Graham,  Thomas,  j.p.,  Holywood. 
•Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  d.d.,  m.r.i.a., 

(Representatives  of),  Broughshane. 
Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Cavehill  Road,  Belfast. 

Greenhill,  John  H.,  mus.  bac,  Southampton. 

Greer,  Thomas,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Seapark,  Carrickfergus. 

*HalI,  Frederick  H.,  Waterford. 

Hamilton,  Rev.  Thos.,  d.d..  President,  Queen's  College,  Belfast. 
*Hamilton,  Hill,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Harland,  W.,  do. 

Henderson,  Miss  Anna  S.  (Representatives  of)  do. 

Henderson,  Sir  James,  a  m.,  j.p.,  Oakley,  Windsor  Park,      do. 
Henderson,  Mrs.  Charlotte,  Clarges  Street  (Reps,  of),    London. 
Herdman,  John,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Carricklee  House,  Strabane. 

*Herdman,  Robert  Ernest,  j.p.,  Rosavo.  Cultra. 

Heyn,  James  A.  M.,  Strandtown  House,  Belfast. 

Hind,  John,  junr.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Hodges,  Professor  John  F.,  m.d.,  f.c.s.,  j.p., 

Sandringham  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Hogg,  John,  Academy  Street,  do. 

Horner,  John,  m.i.m.e.,  Chelsea,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

*Houston,  John  Blakiston,  j.p.,  v.l.,  m.p..  Orangefield,       do. 
*Hughes,  Edwin,  Dalchoolin,  Craigavad. 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  ll.d.,  Windsor,  Belfast. 

IngHs,  James,  j.p.,  Abbeyville,  Whiteabbey. 


yo  Shareholders. 

Jackson,  A.  T.,  c.e.,  Tighnabruaich,  Derryvolgie 

Avenue,  Belfast. 

Jaffa,  Sir  Otto,  j.p.,  Kin  Edar,  Strandtown,  do. 

Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  j.p.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey. 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  Amelia,  Richmond  Lodge,  Belfast. 

Kertland,  Edwin  H.,  Chlorine  Gardens,  do. 

Kidd,  George,  j.p.,  Lisnatore,  Dunmurry. 
*Kinghan,  John  R.,  Altoona,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Kyle,  Robert  Alexander,  Donegall  Place,  do. 

Lanyon,  John,  c.e.,  j.p.,  Lisbreen,  Fortwilliam  Park, 

(Representatives  of),  do. 

Larmor,  Joseph,  m.a.,  f.r.s.,  St.  John's  College,        Cambridge. 

Leathern,  Dr.  R,  R.,  Belgravia,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast. 

Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  j.p.,  Edgecumbe, 

Strandtown,  do. 

Lepper,  F.  R.,  j.p.,  Elsinore,  Carnalea,  Co.  Down. 

Letts,  Professor  E.  A.,  ph.d.,  f.c.s.,  Shirley  Lodge,  Cultra. 

Lindsay,  Professor  James  A,  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Square 

East,  Belfast. 

Lytle,  David  B.,  j.p.,  Bloomfield  House,  do, 

Lytle,  Joseph  H.,  j.p.,  Ashleigh,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Macassey,  L.  Livingstone,  b.l.,  m.i.c.e.,  Stanley  House, 

Holywood. 
Macfarlane,  John,  Bladon  Park,  Belfast. 

Mackenzie,  John,  c.e.,  Strathavon,  Lisburn  Road,  do. 

*Macrory,  A.  J.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Magill,  J.  E.,  Easton  Terrace,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Malcolm,  Bowman,  m.i.c.e.,  m.i.m.e.,  Ashley  Park, 

Antrim  Road,  do. 

Maxton,  James,  m.i.n.a.,  m.i.mar.k.,  Kirkliston  Drive, 

Strandtown. 
Maxwell,  David  A.,  College  Gardens,  Belfast. 

Milligan,Seaton  Forest, m.r.i. a., The  Drift,  Antrim  Road,    do. 
Mitchell,  Robert  A.,  ll.b.,  t.c.d.,  Marmont,  Strandtown. 

Montgomery,  Henry  C,  Bangor, 


Shareholders. 


71 


Montgomery,  H.  H.,  Knock,  Belfast. 

Montgomery,  Thomas,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Ballydrain  House,  Dunniurry. 

Moore,  James,  The  Finaghy,  Belfast. 

MuUan,  William,  Lindisfarne,  Marlborough  Park,  do. 

Murney,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p  ,  Tudor  House,  Holywood 

*Murphy,  Isaac  James,  Armagh. 

*Murphy,  Joseph  John,  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Murray,  Robert  Wallace,  j.p.,  Newcastle. 

Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone,  Belfast. 

*Musgrave,  Henry,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 
Musgrave,  Sir  James,  Bart.,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

MacAdam,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  do. 

M'Bride,  Henry  James,  Hyde  Park,  Mallusk,  do. 

M'Bride,  Samuel,  Edgehill,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

•M'Calmont,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  London. 

*M'Cammon,  Lieut. -Col.  Thomas  A.,  Woodville,  Holywood. 

M'Cance,  H.  J.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Larkfield,  Dunmurry. 
M'Clure,  Sir  Thomas,  Bart.,  j.p.,  d.l.  (Reps,  of), 

MacCoU,  Hector,  Kirkliston  Drive,  Strandtown,  Belfast. 

MacCormac,  John,  m.d.,  Victoria  Place,  do. 

M'Cormick,  Hugh  M'Neile,  Ardmara,  Craigavad. 
*M'Cracken,  Francis  (Representatives  of), 

M'Gee,  James,  Woodville,  Holywood. 

M'Gee,  Samuel  Mackey,  University  Street,  Belfast. 

Macllwaine,  John  H.,  Bangor. 

M'Kisack,  H.  L.,  m.d.,  College  Square  East,  Belfast. 

*MacLaine,  Alexander,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  do. 

M'Neill,  George,  Beechleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

M'Knight,  John  P.,  Nevara,  Chichester  Park,  do. 

Neill,  Sharman  D.,  Holywood. 

Nicholson,  Henry  J.,  College  Square  North,  Belfast.. 

O'Neill,  James,  m.a..  College  Square  East,  do. 

♦O'Rorke,  Ambrose  Howard,  Dunratho,  Craigavad. 

Park,  Rev.  Wm.,  m.a.,  Somerset  House,  University  St.,    Belfast. 


72  Shareholders.  \  -vsrovi  j 

Patterson,  Edward  Forbes,  Adelaide  Park,  Belfast. 

Patterson,  Airs.  Isabelle,  Bonn,  Germany. 

Patterson,  Richard,  j.p.,  Kilmore,  Holyvvood. 

*Patterson,  Robert  Lloyd,  j.p.,  d.l.,  f.l.s.,  Croft  House,     do. 
Patterson,  Robert,  f.z.s.,  M alone  Park,  Belfast. 

Patterson,  William  H.,  m.r.i.a.,  Garranard,  Strandtown. 

Patterson,  William  H.  F.,  Stalheim,  Knock,  Belfast. 

Patterson,  William  R.  (Representatives  of)  do. 

Pim,  Edwara  W.,  j.p.,  Elmwood  Terrace,  do. 

Pirn,  Joshua,  Slieve-na-Failthe,  Whileabbbey. 

*Pirrie,  Elizabeth,  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

Praeger,  R.  Lloyd,  b.k.,  m.r.i.a,,  National  Library,  Dublin. 

Purser,  Prof.  John,  ll.d.,  m.r.i.a.,  Queen's  College,         Belfast. 

Rea,  John  Henry,  m.d.,  University  Street  do. 

Rea,  William  R.,  Gardha,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Reade,  Robert  H.  S.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Wilmont,  Dunmurry. 

Riddell,  Samuel,  Beechpark,  Belfast. 

Robertson,  William,  j.p.,  Netherleigh,  Strandtown  do. 

Robinson,  John,  Sydenham  Road,  do. 

Scott,  R.  Taylor,  Richmond  Villa,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 
Sheldon,  Charles,  m.a.,  d.lit.,  b.sc,  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  do. 

Shillington,  Thomas  Foulkes,  j.p.,  Dromart,  Antrim  Road,  do. 
Simms,  Felix  Booth,  Queen  Street,  do. 

Sinclair,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Hopefield,  do. 
Sinclair,  Prof.  Thomas,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.  Eng.,  Howard  St.,  do. 
Smith,  John,  Castleton  Terrace,  do. 

Smyth,  John,  m.a.,  c.e.,  Milltown,  Banbridge. 

Speers,  Adam,  b.sc,  Riversdale,  Holywood, 

Steen,  Wm.  C,  m.d.,  Windsor  Crescent,  Belfast. 

Steen,  William,  b.l..  Northern  Bank,  Victoria  Street,  do. 
Stelfox,  James,  Oakleigh,.Ormeau  Park,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

*Tennent,  Ro.bert  (Kepresentatives  of),  Rushpark,  do. 


Shareholders. 


73 


♦Tennent,  Robert  James  (Reps,  of),  Rushpark,  Belfast. 

♦Thompson,  James,  j.p.  (Reps,  of),  Macedon,  Whiteabbey. 

Thompson,  S.  B.,  Short  Strand,  Belfast. 

Torrens,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.  (Representatives  ot),  Whiteabbey. 

•Turnley,  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Walkington,  Mrs.,  Thornhill,  Malone,  do. 

Walkington,  Thomas  R.,  Edenvale,  Strandtown,  do. 

Wallace,  John,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Malone  Road,  do. 
Walter,  Hermann,  m.a.,  ph.d.,  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  do. 
Ward,  Francis  D.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ivydene,  Malone  Park,      do. 

Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Camden  Street,  do. 

Ward,  John,  t-P-,  Lennoxvale,  Malone  Road,  do. 

*Webb,  Richard  T.,  Knock,  do. 

Whitla,  Prof.  William,  m.d.,  j.p.,  College  Sq.  North,  do. 

Wilson,  James,  m.e.,  Oldforge,  Dunmurry. 

Wilson,  John  K.,  j.p.,  Donegall  Street,  Belfast. 

Wilson,  Walter  H.,  Stranmillis  House,  do. 

•Wilson,  W.  Perceval,  do. 

*Wolff,  G.  W.,  M.P.,  The  Den,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,   Francis,  Drummena,  Bladon  Park,  do. 

Workman,  John,  j.p.,  Lismore,  Windsor,  do. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a.,  Rubane  House,  Glastry. 
Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  b.d..  The  Manse,  Newtownbreda. 
Workman,  R.  D.,  Sans  Souci,  Harrow  View, 

Wealdstone,  Middlesex. 

*Workman,  Thomas,  j.p.,  Craigdarrah  (Reps,  of),  Craigavad. 

Workman,  William,  Nottinghill,  Belfast. 

Wright,  James,  Lauriston,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Young,  Robert,  c.e.,  j.p.,  Rathvarna,  do. 

*Young,  Robert  Magill,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathvarna,         do. 


74  Annual  Subscribers. 


HONORARY    MEMBERS. 

DufFerin  and  Ava,  k.p.,  The  Marquis  of,  Clandeboye,  Co.  Down. 
Stokes,  Miss  M.,  Hon.  m.r.i.a.,  Carrig  Breac,  Howth, 

Co.  Dublin. 


HONORARY   ASSOCIATES; 

Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park.  Belfast. 

Stewart,  Samuel  Alex.,  f.b.s.  Edin,  Belfast  Museum,  do 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Tate,  Prof.  Ralph,  f.g.s.,  f.l.s.,  Adelaide,  South  Australia. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  Belfast. 


ANNUAL   SUBSCRIBERS   OF   TWO  GUINEAS. 

Belfast  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  Belfast. 

Northern  Banking  Co.,  Ltd.,  do. 

Ulster  Bank,  Ltd.,  do. 

York  Street  Spinning  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 


ANNUAL  SUBSCRIBERS   OF    ONE    GUINEA. 

Allan,  C.  E.,  Stormont  Castle,  Dundonald. 

Boyd,  John,  Cyprus  Gardens,  Bloomfield,  Belfast. 

Brown,  G.  Herbert,  j.p.,  Tordeevra,  Helen's  Bay. 

Bruce,  James,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast. 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Cleaver,  A.  S.,  b.a.,  Dunraven,  do, 

Davidson,  S.  C,  Sea  Court,  Bangor 


Annual  Subscribers.  75 

Fulton,  G.  F.,  Howard  Street,  Belfast. 

Gamble,  James,  Royal  Terrace,  do. 

Green,  Isaac,  Ann  street,  do. 

Hanna,  J.  A.,  Marietta,  Knock,  do. 

Hazelton,  W.  D.,  Clittonville,  do. 

Higginbotham,  Granby,  Wellington  Park,  do. 

Jones,  R.  M.,  m.a.,  Royal  Academical  Institution,  do. 
Kelly,  W.  Redfern,  m.i.c.e.,  f.r.a.s.,  Dalriada, 

Malone  Park,  do. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  Crumlin  Terrace,  do. 

Malone,  John,  Brookvale  House,  Cliftonville,  do. 

M'Laughlin,  W.  H.,  Brookville  House,  do. 

Redfern,  Prof.  Peter,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.i.,  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Scott,  Conway,  c.e.,  Annaville,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 
Swiney,  J.  H.  H.,  b.a.,  b.e.,  Bella  Vista,  Antrim  Road,       do. 

Tate,  Alexander,  c.r.,  Rantalard,  Whitehouse,  do. 

Taylor,  John,  Brown  Square  Works,  do. 

Thompson,  John,  Mount  Collyer,  do. 

Turpin,  James,  Waring  Street,  do. 


|[i[pi|t  mA  §\mm\mp 


OF    THE 


BE  LB".A.ST 


NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIEiy 


FOR    THE 


SEssionsr    iqoo-iqoi. 


BELFAST : 

PRINTED  BY  ALEXR.  MAYNE  &  BOYD,  2  CORPORATION  STREET 

(printers  to  queen's  college). 


IQOI. 


.  •• • f . mmm^mo^* 


CONTENTS. 


Annual  Eeport 

Balance  Sheet ... 

Donations  to  Museum    ... 

Books  Received 

President's  Inaugural  Address — J.  Brown 

The  Botany  of  the  Shores  of  Lough  Neagh — John  H.  Davies 

Ohj'ects    Comprised   in    Lord    Deramore's    Eecent    Donation — W.    H 

Patterson,  M.fl.I. A.,  and  S.  A.  Stewart,  F.B.S.,  Ed.     ... 
Notes  on  some  Clay  Concretions  from  the  Connecticut  Valley,  U.S.A.— 

W.  Swanston,  F.G.S. 
Some  Side  Lights  on  the  China  Question — Rev.  A.  R.  Crawford,  M.A. 
Report  of  Delegate  to  Corresponding  Societies'  Conference — J.  Brown    . 
Irish  Railways  and  the  State — Lynden  Macassey,  C.E. 
Colour— W.  B.  Morton,  M.A.        .. 
Scenery  and  Antiquities  of    Sligo,   Connemara,   and   Clare — Seaton   F 

Milligan,  M.R.I. A. 
List  of  Office- Bearers    ... 
List  of  Shareholders  and  Subscribers 


6 
7 

17 
35 

43 

49 
51 


60 

63 
81 
82 


Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society. 


EST.A.BLISIIEir)      1821. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

1  Share  in  the  Society  costs  £7. 

2  Shares  ,,  costs  £14. 

3  Shares  ,,  costs  £21. 


The  Proprietor  of  1  Share  pays  10s.  per  annum ;  the  proprietor  of  2 
Shares  pays  5s.  per  annum  ;  the  proprietor  of  3  or  more  Shares  stands  exempt 
from  further  payment. 

Shareholders  are  only  eligible  for  election  on  the  Council  of  Management. 

MEMBERS. 

There  are  two  classes — Ordinaay  Members,  vrho  are  expected  to  read 
Papers,  and  Visiting  Members  who,  by  joining  under  the  latter  title,  are 
understood  to  intimate  that  they  do  not  wish  to  read  Papers.  The  Session  for 
Lectures  extends  from  November  in  one  year  till  May  in  succeeding  one. 
Members,  Ordinaiy  or  Visiting,  pay  £1  Is.  per  annum,  due  1st  November  in 
each  year. 

Each  Shareholder  and  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  all 
meetings  of  the  Society,  and  of  admitting  a  friend  thereto ;  also  of  access  to 
the  Museum  and  Library  for  himself  and  family,  with  the  privilege  of  granting 
admission  orders  for  inspectiag  the  collections  for  any  friend  not  residing  in 
Belfast. 

Any  further  information  can  be  obtained  by  application  to  the  Secretary. 
It  is  requested  that  all  accounts  due  by  the  Society  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer. 


The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  from  10  till  4  o'clock 
Admission  for  Strangers,  6d.  each.  The  Curator  is  in  constant  attendance,  and 
will  take  charge  of  any  Donation  kindly  left  for  the  Museum  or  Library. 


Belfast  matural  IbiQtox^  anb  pbiloeopbical 

Society. 


■:o: 


ANNUAL  REPORT,   1901. 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  of  the  Society  was  held 
on  the  1 6th  July,  in  the  Museum,  College  Square  North.  Mr. 
John  Brown,  President,  occupied  the  chair,  and  the  attendance 
included— Messrs.  R.  Lloyd-Patterson,  D.L.,  J.P.  ;  W.  H- 
Patterson,  M.R.I.A.;  T.  F.  Shillington,  J.P. ;  R.  Young,  J.P., 
C.E. ;  Andrew  Gibson,  George  Kidd,  J.P.;  R.  M.  Young,  J.P.  ; 
Henry  Musgrave,  Davys  Bowman,  A.  J.  Jackson,  W.  Armstrong, 
R.  Patterson,  M.R.T.A.  ;  Isaac  Ward,  James  O'Neill,  M.A.  ;  W. 
F.  Faren,  and  W.  H.  F.  Patterson.  Letters  of  apology  regret- 
ting their  inability  to  be  present  were  announced  as  having  been 
received  from  Sir  James  Henderson,  D.L.  ;  and  Mr.  Seaton  F. 
Milligan,  M.R.I. A. 

Mr.  R.  M.  Young,  Hon.  Secretary,  having  read  the  notice 
convening  the  meeting,  submitted  the  report  of  the  Council, 
as  follows  : — 

The  Council  of  the  Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical 
Society  desire  to  submit  their  report  of  the  working  of  the 
Society  during  the  past  year. 

The  Winter  Session  was  opened  in  the  Museum  on  the  6th 
November,  1900,  when  the  President  of  the  Society  (Mr.  John 
Brown)  delivered  an  inaugural  address ;  subject — "  Some 
Matters  Electric,"  with  lantern  and  experimental  illustrations. 

The  Second  Meeting  was  held  on  the  nth  December,  when 
the  following  papers  were  read  :— i,  Mr.  John  H.  Davies,  on 
"The  Botany  of  the  Shores  of  Lough  Neagh  ;"  2,  Mr.  W.  H. 
Patterson,  M.R.I  A.,  "  Some  Account  of  the  Objects  Comprised 
in  Lord  Deramore's  Recent  Donation,  Principally  Antiquarian;" 
3,  Mr.  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S.,  "  Notes  on  Some  Clay  Concretions 
from  the  Connecticut  Valley,  U.S.A." 


2  Anniinl  Meeting. 

The  Third  Meeting  was  held  on  the  20th  December,  when  a 
lecture  was  kindly  given  by  Rev.  A.  R.  Crawford,  M. A.,  Kirin, 
Manchuria  ;  subject,  "  Some  Sidelights  on  the  China  Question," 
illustrated  by  special  limelight  views. 

At  the  Fourth  Meeting,  held  on  8lh  January,  1901,  two 
papers  were  read: — i.  The  President,  subject,  "Report  as 
Delegate  of  the  Society  to  the  British  Association  Meeting  at 
Bradford  ;"  2,  Mr.  Lyndon  Macassey,  C.E.,  B.A.,  LL.B., 
subject,  "  Irish  Railways  and  the  State,"  followed  by  a  dis- 
cussion. 

The  Fifth  Meeting  was  held  on  5th  February,  when  a 
lecture  was  kindly  given  by  Professor  Morton,  M.A.  ;  subject, 
'■  Colour,''  with  experimental  illustrations. 

Mr.  Seaton  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I.A.,  gave  the  sixth  lecture,  on 
5th  March  ;  subject,  "  Scenery  and  Antiquities  of  Sligo, 
Connemara,  and  Clare,"  illustrated  by  a  series  of  150  lantern 
slides.  The  chair  was  taken  by  Sir  James  Henderson,  D.L.,  in 
the  unavoidable  absence  of  the  President. 

The  Seventh  Meeting  was  held  on  2nd  April,  when  a 
lecture  was  kindly  delivered  by  Mr.  George  Cof!ey,  M.R.I.A., 
keeper  of  the  Irish  antiquities.  National  Museum,  Dublin  ; 
subject,  "  The  Antiquity  of  Man  and  the  Dawn  of  Art," 
illustrated  by  a  special  series  of  lantern  slides  of  palaeolithic 
implements. 

The  attendance  al  the  meetings  was  well  maintained,  and 
several  were  inconveniently  crowded. 

The  number  of  allied  societies  holding  their  meetings  in  the 
Museum  shows  no  reduction.  This  was  also  the  case  with  the 
ordinary  admissions  of  visitors  to  the  Museum,  which  have  been 
above  the  average,  and  many  who  took  an  interest  in  some  or 
the  subjects  illustrated  expressed  their  gratification  with  what 
they  saw  in  the  collections.  At  Easter  the  Museum  was  thrown 
open,  as  usual,  at  a  nominal  charge,  and  full  advantage  of  this 
ooportunity  was  taken  by  the  public,  particularly  children.  No 
damage  was  done  to  any  part  of  the  collections.  As  will  be 
seen  by  the  Hon.   Treasurer's  Statement   of  Accounts,  duly 


Annual  Meeting.  3 

audited  by  the  Local  Government  Board,  a  slight  diminution 
is  shown  by  the  balance  in  hand,  but  this  is  fully  accounted  for 
by  the  large  sum  spent  on  necessary  repairs  to  the  building  and 
the  cases. 

A  list  of  donations  to  the  Museum  and  of  the  numerous 
publications  received  in  exchange  from  home  and  foreign 
societies  will  be  presented  with  the  present  Report. 

Amongst  the  donations,  that  of  Lord  Deramore  is  specially 
noteworthy,  comprising  as  it  does  a  large  number  of  valuable 
Irish  antiquities,  and  some  Greek  and  Roman.  The  Irish 
bronzes  have  been  arranged  by  themselves  in  the  Benn  Room, 
and  the  stone  implements  and  some  ethnological  specimens 
have  been  incorporated  with  the  general  collections.  A  number 
of  good  fossils  remain,  for  which  there  is  no  space  available  at 
present.  Many  valuable  objects  from  the  recent  excavations  at 
Abydos  have  been  presented  by  the  Egypt  Exploration  Fund, 
through  the  good  offices  of  Mr.  John  Ward,  J. P.,  F.S.A.  Such 
other  donations  as  have  been  received  during  the  year  have 
been  placed  in  their  proper  cabinets.  Your  Council  have  under 
serious  consideration  the  necessity  of  rearranging  the  contents 
of  the  Museum,  and  making  as  complete  as  possible  the  Irish 
natural  history  collections.  In  view  of  the  meeting  of  the 
British  Association  next  year  in  Belfast,  they  have  also  decided 
on  having  a  loan  collection  of  Irish  antiquities,  &c.,  following 
the  precedent  of  their  action  when  the  first  meeting  was  held 
here  in  1S52.  The  Council  desire  to  express  their  best  thanks 
to  the  local  Press  for  their  admirable  reports  of  the  Society's 
meetings.  Five  members  of  Council  retire  from  office,  of  which 
four  are  eligible  and  offer  themselves  for  re-election — viz., 
Messrs.  R.  Lloyd- Patterson,  J.  PI.  Davies,  John  Horner,  and 
Robert  Young. 

The  Hon.  Treasurer  (Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson)  submitted  the 
Statement  of  Accounts,  from  which  it  appeared  that  the 
expenditure  amounted  to  ;^252  los.  2d.,  while  the  income  was 
;^3I5  14s.  6d.,  leaving  a  balance  in  hands  of  £6-^  4s.  4d. 

Mr,  Lloyd-Patterson  moved  the  adoption  of  the  Report,     He 


4  Annual  Meeting. 

much  regretted  he  had  not  been  present  at  the  last  meeting  of 
the  Council.  There  were  two  subjects  he  would  like  to  draw 
the  attention  of  the  meeting  to,  first,  their  large  and  successful 
meetings,  and,  secondly,  the  rearrangement  of  their  collections. 
The  latter  was  a  matter  upon  which  he  felt  strongly,  and  he 
would  not  trust  himself  to  speak  as  strongly  on  it  as  he  felt. 
Many  of  the  specimens  were  very  old,  and  while  every  care  had 
been  taken  of  them  that  circumstances  would  permit,  they  were 
clearly  worn  out.  For  his  part,  he  thought  it  would  be  better 
to  have  a  small  and  perfect  collection,  as  far  as  it  went,  than  a 
large  and  faulty  one.  The  financial  report  showed  that  the 
slight  diminution  in  the  balance-sheet  is  accounted  for  chiefly 
by  expenditure  on  the  building. 

Dr.  MacCormac,  in  seconding,  regretted  that  he  could  not 
use  the  superlative  degree  when  speaking  of  the  monetary  side 
of  the  question  ;  but,  considering  the  admirable  lectures  they 
had  had,  he  was  bound  to  speak  in  the  superlative  degree.  He 
was  present  at  one,  the  most  interesting  he  had  ever  had  the 
opportunity  of  listening  to,  apart  from  its  literary  aspect,  and 
he  was  sorry  to  see  so  few  present.  He  might  say  if  the  Belfast 
public  knew  the  merits  of  the  lectures  they  had  in  that  room 
they  would  always  have  the  room  filled,  and  filled  to  overflowing. 

Mr.  Henry  Musgrave  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr. 
Brown  for  having  presided,  and  to  Mr.  Young,  Secretary.  He 
paid  a  high  compliment  to  Mr.  Brown's  ability,  and  said  he 
understood  he  had  consented  to  occupy  the  presidency  for 
another  year.     He  (Mr.  Musgrave)  thought  that  very  proper. 

Mr.  Davys  Bowman  seconded  the  motion,  which  was  sup- 
ported by  Mr.  William  Armstrong,  and  carried  by  acclamation. 

The  Chairman  briefly  replied,  after  which  the  lollowin^y  were 
elected  members  of  Council  : — President,  John  Brown  ;  Vice- 
Presidents,  President  Rev.  T.  Hamilton,  D.D.,  LL.D.  ;  R.  L. 
Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S.  ;  W.  Swarstcn,  F.G.S.  ;  Robert  Young, 
C.E.,  J.P.  ;  Hon.  Treasurer,  W.  H.  F.  Patterson  ;  Hon. 
Librarian,  J.  H.  Davies ;  Hon.  Secretary,  Robert  M.  Young, 
B.A.,  J.P.,  M.R.I.A. 


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DONATIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM,  1900-1901. 


From  Head  Constable  John  Raynor. 

A  fresh  specimen  of  Palimiriis  vulgaris,  which  is  a  cray  fish 
known  as  the  spring  lobster.     Caught  at  Portrush. 
From  Mr.  Walter  Smyth,  Holywood. 
A  specimen  of  the  bittern  {BotaiLrus  stellaris). 

From         *         *         #         * 
A  Hving  specimen   of  a  longicorn   beetle  {Astyomus  aediliis) 
captured  on  Queen's  Island,  Belfast. 

From  Miss  Perry,  Wellington  Place. 
A  snake's  skin  from  West  Africa. 

From  Lord  Deramore. 
A  large  number  of  bronze  celts,  swords,  spearheads,  rings,  etc. 
Flint    arrowheads,    stone    celts,    fossils,    minerals,    classic 
pottery,  Egyptian  curios,  leather  water  bottles,  etc. 
From  Egypt  Exploration  Fund. 
A  number  of  specimens  obtained  in  the  recent  excavations  at 
Abydos. 

From  Mr.  R.  M.  Young,  J. P.,  M.R.I.A. 
Portrait    of   R.    Lloyd-Patterson,    Esq.,    D.L.,    F.L.S.,   former 
President  of  the  Society. 

From  Mr.  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S. 
Clay  concretions  from  the  Connecticut  Valley. 
From  Miss  M.  K.  Andrews. 
Rock  specimen,  showing  granite  intrusion  in  Silurian  rocks  of 
Mourne  ;  also  specimens  of  a  number  of  local  rocks. 
From  Mr.  A.  S.  Oswald. 
A  beggar's  badge,  in  brass,  inscribed  "St.  Field,  25." 

From  Mr.  Richard  Hanna. 
Portion  of  the  planking  of  a  wooden  ship  perforated   by  the 
shipworm  {Teredo).     Found  at  Newcastle  sandhills. 


ADDITION'S   TO  THE   LIBRARY,  ist   MAY,  1900,  till 
1ST  MAY,  1 901. 

Adelaide.  —  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society  of  South 
AustraHa.  Vol.  24,  parts  i  and  2,  1900,  and 
Memoirs,  vol.  i,  part  2,  1900.        The  Society. 

Albany. — Forty-ninth  Annual  Report  of  New  York  State 
Museum,  vol.  3,  1895.  Fiftieth  Report,  vol.  2, 
1896,  and  Fifty-first  Report,  vols,  i  and  2,  1897. 
The  Regents  of  the  University. 

Bergen. — Bergens  Museums  Aarbog,  1899,  part  2,  and  1900, 
parts  I  and  2  ;  also  Aarsberetning  for  1899  and 
1900  ;  and  Crustacea  of  Norway.  Vol.  3,  parts 
5  — 10,  1900.  Bergen  Museiun. 

Berlin. — Verhandlungen  dtr  Gesellschaft  fur  Erdkunde  zu 
Berlin.  Vol.  27,  nos.  4 — 10,  1900;  and  vol.  28, 
Nos.  I — 3,   1 901.  2 he  Society. 

Birmingham. — Proceedings  of  Birmingham  Natural  History 
and  Philosophical  Society.  Vol.  10,  part  i, 
1896;  and  part  2 — 1897;  and  vol.  11,  part  i, 
1899;  also  Records  of  Meteorological  Observa- 
tions for  1896  and  1897.  2 he  Society. 

Bologna. — Rendeconto  della  R.  Accademia  delle  Scienze  dell' 
Istituto  de  Bologna  ;  new  series,  vol.  2,  fasc. 
I — 4,  1898,  and  vol.  3,  1899.     The  Academy. 

Boston. — Proceedings  of  the  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History. 
Vol.  29,  nos.  9  —  14,  1900.  Memoirs,  vol.  6,  no. 
6,  1900;  and  no.  7,  1901;  also  Occasional 
Papers,  vol.  i,  no.  4,  1900.  The  Society. 

Bremen. — Abhandlungen  Herausgegeben  vom  Natuiwissen- 
schaftlichen  Verein  zu  Bremen.  Vol.  16,  part, 
3,  1900.  The  Society. 

Breslau — Zeitschrift  fur  Entomologie  Herausgegeben  vom 
Verein  fiirSchlesiche  Insektenkunde  zu  Breslau. 
New  series,  part  25,  1900.  2 he  Society. 


8  Books  Received. 

Brighton. — Annual  Report  of  Brighton  and    Hove   Natural 
Histor_v  and  Philcsophical  Society  for  1899-1900. 

2he  Society. 
Brisbane. — Annals  of  the  Queensland  Museum,  no.  5,  1900. 

Tlie  Director. 
Brussels. — Bulletin    de    la  Societe    Royale    de  Botanique   de 
Belgique.     Vol.  39,  1900.  The  Society. 

,,  Annales  de  la  Sociele  Entomologique  de  Belgique. 

Vol.  44,  1900.  The  Society. 

„  Annales  de  la  Societe  Royale  de  Malacologique  de 

Belgique.     Vol.  34  (part  of),  1899. 

The  Society. 
Buenos    Ayres. — Comunicaciones    del    Museo    Nacional    de 
Buenos  Aires.     Vol.  i,  Nos.  6  and  7,  1900. 

The  Director. 
Calcutta. — Memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  India.  VcJ. 
28,  part  2,  1900;  vol.  2q,  1899  ;  vol.  30,  parts  1 
and  2,  1900 ;  and  vol.  33,  part  I,  1901. 
Palseontologia  Indica.  Series  9,  vol.  2,  part  2, 
1900;  and  vol.  3,  part  i,  1900;  also  series  15, 
vol.  3,  parts  I  and  2,  1899;  and  General  Report 
of  the  Work  of  the  Survey  for  1899. 

The  Director  of  the  Survey. 
Cambridge. — Proceedings    of    the     Cambridge    Philosophical 
Society.     Vol.  10,  parts  5 — 7  ;  and  vol.  11,  parts 
I  and  2,  1 900- 190 1.  The  Society. 

Cambridge,  Mass. — Bulletin  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative 
Zoology.  Vol.  35,  no.  8,  1900;  vol.  36,  nos.  i 
— 6,  T900;  vol.  37,  nos.  I  and  2,  1900;  and  vol. 
38,  nos.  2  and  3,  1901;  also  Annual  Report  for 
1899-1900.         The  Secretary,  Ale.x.  Agassiz. 

Cardiff. — Report  and  Transactions  of  Cardiff  Naturalists' 
Society.     Vol.  32,  1901.  7 lie  Society. 

Casskl. — Abhandlungen  und  Bericht  (45)  des  Vereins  fiir 
Nzturkunde  zu  Kassel,  1900.        2 he  Society. 


Books'_Received.  9 

Chicago. — Bulletin  of  the  Chicago  Academy  of  Sciences,  No. 

3,  1898.  The  Academy. 

Christiania. — Christiania  Videnskabs  Forhandlinger.  Nos.  2 
— 4,  1899;  and  Oversigt  for  1899;  also  Norway 
Official  Publication  for  the  Paris  Exhibition  in 
1900. 

llie  Royal  Norskc  Frcdenks  University. 
Cincinnati.  —  Bulletin    of    the    Lloyd    Library    of    Botany, 
Pharmacy,  and  Materia  Medica,  No.  i,  I  ,00. 
The  Messrs.  Lloyd. 
Colorado  Springs. — Colorado  College  Studies.     Vol.  8,  1899. 

Colorado  College  Scientific  Society. 
Dantzic. — Schriften    der    Naturtorschenden     Gesellschaft    in 
Danzig.     New  series,  vol.  10,  part  i,  1899. 

The  Society. 
Davenport,  Iowa. — Proceedings  of  the  Davenport  Academy  of 
Natural  Sciences.     Vol.  7,  1900. 

The  Academy. 
Dublin. — Scientific  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society. 
Series  2,  vol.  7,  parts  2  and  3,  1899;  and  par'is 
4 — 7,  1900.  Scientific  Proceedings.  New 
series,  vol.  9,  part  i,  1899;  and  part  2,  1900. 
Economic  Proceedings.  Vol.  i,  parts  i  and  2, 
1899;  and  Index,  1899.  The  Society. 

Edinburgh. — Transactions  and  Proceedings  of  the  Botanical 
Society  of  Edinburgh.     Vol.  21,  part  4,  1900. 

The  Society. 
,,  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh. 

Vol.  22,  1897-99.  ^^^^  Society. 

„  Transactions    of  the   Scottish    Natural   History 

Society.     Vol.  i,  part   i,  1900.     The  Society. 

Genoa. — Rivista  Ligure  di  Scienze,  Lettere  ed  Arti.  Anno, 
22,  fasc.  2,  4,  5,  and  6,  1900;  and  fasc.  i,  igoi. 

The  Society. 

Glasgow. — Proceedings  of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Glasgow. 
Vol.  21,  1900.  The  Society. 


lo  Books  Received. 

Halifax,   N.S. — Proceedings   and   Transactions  of  the   Nova 

Scotian  Institute  of  Science.     Vol.   lo,  part  I, 

1899  ;  and  part  2.  1900.  The  Institute. 

Hamburg.  —  Verhandlungen      des      Naturwissenschaftlichen 

Vereins  in  Hamburg.     Ser.  3,  vol.  7,  1900;  and 

Abhandlungen,  vol.  16,  part  i,  190c. 

The  Society. 
Iglo. — Jahrbuch  des  Ungarischen    Karpathen  Vereines,   27th 

year,  1900.  The  Society. 

Tndianopolis. —  Proceedings  cfthe  Indiana  Academy  of  Science 

for  1891  and  1899.  I'he  Academy. 

Khakkow. — Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  Sciences,  Physico- 

Chimiques,    of  the    University    of    Kharkow. 

Part  24,  1898;  and  parts  25 — 27,  1900. 

The  Society. 
KiEW. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists'  of  Kiew.     Vol. 

16,  part  I,  1899.  The  Society. 

Lausanne. — Bulletin    de   la    Societe   Vandoise   des    Sciences 

Naturelles.     Ser.    4,  no.    134,   1899  ;   and  nos. 

135 — 137,  1900.  The  Society. 

Lawrence. — The  Kansas  University  Quarterly.     Vol.  8,  no.  4, 

1899  ;  and  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Kansas. 

Vcl.  I,  nos.  2  and  3,  1900.      The  Cniversitv. 
Lripsic. — Mitteilungen  des  Vereins  fiir  Erdkunde  zu  Leipzig, 

1900.  The  Society. 

London.— Report  of  the  Seventieth  Meeting  of  the  British 

Association  ;  Bradford,  1900. 

The  Association. 
,,         Quarterly   Journal    of    the    Geological    Society    of 

London.     Vol.  56,  parts  2 — 4,  1900;  and  vol. 

57,  part  I,  1901;  also  Geological  Literature  for 

1899  ;  and  List  of  Fellows,  190-. 

The  Society. 
,,         Journal    of  the  Royal   Microscopical    Society,  Nos. 

136 — 139,  1900  ;  and  Nos.  140  and  141,  T901. 

The  Society. 


Books  Received.  II 

London. — Proceedings  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London, 
parts  I — 4,  1900.  Transactions,  Vol.  15,  parts 
5 — 7,  and  vol.  16,  part  i,  1900-1901;  also  List 
of  Fellows,  1900.  The  Society. 

Madison. — Bulletin  of  the  Geological  and  Natural  History 
Survey  of  Wisconsin,  Nos.  3  and  4,  1808,  and 
Nos.  5  and  6,  iqoo.  The  Director. 

,,  Transactions  of  the  Wisconsin  Acadenw  of  Sciences, 

Arts,  and  Letters.     Vol.  12,  part  2,  1900. 

The  Academy. 
Madras. — Bulletin  of  Madras  Government  Museum.     Vol.  3, 
Nos.   I  and  2,   1900;  and  Vol.  4,  No.  i,   1901  ; 
also  the  Administration  Report  for  1 899-1 900. 
The  Superintendent. 
Manchester.  —  Journal    of    the     Manchester     Geographical 
Society.    Vol.  11,  nos.  9 — 12,  1895;  vol.  14,  nos. 
9-<  12,   1898;  vol.  15,  nos.  10 — 12,   1899  ;  and 
vol.  16,  nos.  I — 9,  1900.  The  Society. 

,,  Transactions     of    the     Manchester     Geological 

Society.     Vol.  26,  parts  14 — 19,  1900. 

The  Society. 
Marseilles. — Annales  de  la  Faculte  des  Sciences  de  Marseille. 
Vol.  10,  preface  and  fasc.  1--6. 

The  Librarian. 
Melbourne. — Proceedings    of  the  Royal  Society  of  Victoria. 

New  ser.,  vol.  12,  part  2,  1900.      The  Society. 
Mexico. — Boletin     Mensual    del    Observatorio    Meteorologico. 
Central    de    Mexico.     Oct. — Dec,    1899,    and 
Jany. — June,  1900.  The  Director. 

,,  Boletin  del  Observatorio  Astronomico  Nacional  de 
Tacubaya.  Vol.  2,  No.  6,  1900  ;  also  Anuario, 
Ano.  21,  1900,  and  El  Clima  de  la  Republica 
Mexicana,  Ano.  2,  1900.  The  Director. 

„  Boletin  del  Instituto  Geologico  de  Mexico.  No.  14, 
part  1 ,  1 900.  The  Institute. 


12  Books  Received. 

Milwaukee. — Bulletin    of    the    Wisconsin    Natural    History 
Society.     New  ser.,  vol.  i,  nos.  i   and   2,  1900. 

The  Society. 
,,  Seventeenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Trustees  of 

Milwaukee  Public  Museum,  1899. 

The  Trustees. 
Montevideo. — Anales   del    Museo   Nacional    de    Montevideo. 
Vol.  2,  fasc.  15  and   16,   1900;  fasc.  17,   1901  ; 
and  vol.  3,  fasc.  13,  14,  and  18,  1900. 

The  Director. 
Moscow. — Bulletin  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists    of  Moscow. 
Nos.  2 — 4,  1899,  and  nos.  i  and  2,  19CO. 

The  Society. 
Nantes. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  des  Sciences  de  1'  Quest  de  la 
France.     Vol.  9,  part  4,  1899,  and  vol.  10,  parts 
I  and  2,  1900.  The  Society. 

New  Yokk.— Annals  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Vol.  12,  parts  2  and  3,  and  vol.  13,  part  i,  1899 

1900.  Memoirs,  vol.  2,  part  i,  1899,  and  part 
2,  1900.  The  Academy. 

,,  Bulletin  of  the  American  Geographical  Society. 

Vol.    32,  nos.    2 — 5,   1900,  and   vol.  33,  no.   i, 

1 90 1 .  The  Society. 
Nottingham.  —  Report    and    Transactions    of    Nottingham 

Naturalists  Society  for  1899-iqoo. 

The  Society. 
Oporto. — Annaes  de  Sciencias  Naturaes.     Vcl.  6,  1900. 

The  Editor. 
Ottawa. — Preliminary    Report    on    Klondyke   Goldfields    of 
Yukon,  Canada,  and  Geological  Map  ;  also  Note 
on  the  Sydney  Coal  Field,  Nova  Scotia,  and 
Maps  652-654,  1900. 

The  Director  of  the  Survey. 
Philadelphia. — Proceedings     of    the     Academy    of    Natural 
Sciences   of  Philadelphia.     Part    3,   1899,   and 
parts  I — 3,  1900.  The  Academy. 


Books  Received.  13 

Philadelphia. — Proceedings  of  the  American  Philosophical 
Society,  No.  160,  1899,  and  nos.  161  — 164;  1900. 

The  Society. 
„         Transactions    of    the    Wagner    Free    Institute   of 
Science.     Vol.  3,  part  5,  1900. 

The  Institute. 

Pisa.— Atti  della  Societa  Toscana  di  Scienze  Natural!,  Processi 
Verbali,  January,  November,  1900. 

The  Society. 

Rochester. — Proceedings  of  Rochester  Academy.  Vol.  3, 
brochure  2,  1900.  The  Academy. 

Rome. — Atti  Rcale  Accademia  dei  Lincei.  Vol.  8,  semestre  i, 
fasc.  12,  1899.  Vol.  9,  semestre  i,  fasc.  8,  9,  11, 
12,  1900.  Semestre  2,  fasc.  i — 3  and  7 — i?, 
1900  ;  vol.  10,  semestre  i,  fasc.  i — 6,  1901  ;  and 
Rendiconto  dell'  Adunanza  Solenne  del,  lolh 
June,  1900.  Tlie  Academy. 

,,        Journal   of  the   British    and  American  Archaeological 
Society  of  Rome.     Vol.  3,  no.  2,  1900. 

The  Society. 
,,       Bollettino  della  Societa  Zoologicaltaliana.     Ser.  2,  vo'. 
I,  fasc.  2 — 4,  iqoo.  The  Society. 

San  Francisco. — Proceedings  of  the  Californian  Academy  cf 
Sciences.  Geology,  vol.  i,  nos.  7 — 9,  1900. 
Zoology,  vol.  2,  no.  i,  i89q,  and  nos.  2,  4,  and 
6,  1900  ;  also  Occasional  Papers,  no.  7,  1900. 

The  Academy. 

St.  Louis — Eleventh  Annual  Report  of  Missouri  Botanical 
Garden,  1900.  The  Director. 

Stavangek. — Stavanger  Museum  Aarsberetning  for  1899 

The  Museum  Triistees. 
Stirling. — Transactions    of    Stirling     Natural    History     and 
Archaeological  Society  for  1899- 1900. 

The  Society. 


14  Books  Received. 

Stockholm. — Handlingar   of   the   Royal   Swedish    Academy. 
New   ser.,  vol.    32,    1899.     Ofversigt,    no.    56, 

1899,  and  Bihang,  vol.  25,  parts  I — 4,  1900. 

The  Academy. 
Sydney. — Science  of  Man,  new  ser.,  vol.  3,  nos.  3 — 12,  1900, 

and  vol.  4,  no.  l,  1901,  The  Editor. 

ToKio. — Mittheilungen  der  Deutschen  Gesellschaft  fi'ir  Natur 

und    Volkerunde    Ostasiens.     Vol.    8,    part    2, 

1 900.  The  Society. 
Toronto. — Transactions  of  the    Canadian    Institute.     Vol.   6, 

1899.  Proceedings,    new  ser.    vol.    2,    part   3, 

1900,  and  part  4,  1901.  The  Institute. 
Upsala. — Bulletin  of  the  Geological   Institution  of  the  Uni- 
versity cif  Upsala.     Vol.  4,  part  2,  1899. 

The  University. 
Vienna. — Verhandlungen    der    Kaiserlich-Koniglichen    Geolo 
gische.i  Reichsanstalt.     Nos.  3  — 18,  1900,  and 
I  — 3,  1 901.  The  Society. 

„         Verhandlungen    der    Kaiserlich-Koniglichen    Zoolo- 
gisch  Bolanischen  Gesellschaft.     Vol.  50,  1900. 

The  Society. 
Washington. — Year  Book  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
for  1899.  Report  of  the  Secretary  for  1900. 
Bulletin  of  the  Department,  nos.  12 — 14,  1900, 
and  North  American  Fauna,  nos.  16  — 18,  1899- 
1900.  The  Secretary  of  the  Department. 

„  Seventeenth    Annual    Report    of    the    American 

Bureau  of  Ethnology.     Part  2,  1895-96. 

The  Director  of  the  Bnrean. 
,,  Nineteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  United  States 

Geological  Survey.  Parts  3  and  5,  with  Atlas, 
1897-98,  and  Twentieth  Report,  part  i,  1898- 
99;  also  Bulletins,  nos.  151 — 156,  1898,  and  nos. 
157 — 162,  1899.  Monographs,  vol.  32,  part  2, 
vols.  33,  34,  36,  37,  and  38,  iSgo. 

The  Director, 


Books  Received.  15 

Washington. — American  Monthly  Microscopical  Journal.  Vol. 
21,  nos.   I — T2,  iqoo.  The  Fiihlisher. 

„  Annual  Report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  for 

1898.  Special  Bulletin,  part  i,  1900.  Smith- 
sonian Miscellaneous  Collections,  1,253,  1901. 
Annual  Report  of  the  United  States  Museum, 
1898.  Bulletin  of  the  U.S.  Museum,  no.  47, 
part  4,  iqoo. 

The  Smithsonian  Institution. 

Xalapa. — Boletin  Mensual  Meteorologico  y  Agricola  del 
Observatorio  Central  del  Estado  Vera  Cruz,  four 
numbers,  1898  1900.  The  Director. 

York, — Annual  Report  of  the  Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society, 
1901.  The  Soeietj. 

Zurich. — Vierteljahrsschrift  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft 
in  Zurich,  44th  year,  parts  i  and  2,  1900. 

The  Society. 

From  Mr.  R.  Lloyd -Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S. — Journal  of  the 
Linnean  Society  (Botany).  Nos.  240  and  241, 
1900,  and  242,  1901. 

From  James  Green,  Esq.  (Massachusetts  Bar),  Worcester, 
Mass,  U.S.A.  Causes  of  the  War  in  South 
Africa. 


BELFAST 

NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 

SESSION     1900-1  901. 


6ih  November^  igoo. 


ADDRESS     BY    THE     PRESIDENT, 
Mr.  J.  Brown. 


Some  Matters  Electric. 


At  this  opening  meeting  of  our  Session  there  is  wanting  a  time 
honoured  ceremony  that  usually  graces  the  occasion.  I  allude 
to  the  introduclion  to  you  of  your  president  elect  by  his  outgoing 
predecessor. 

For  the  second  time  in  the  history  of  the  Society  death  has 
removed  its  President  during  his  term  of  office.  On  the  present 
occasion  I  feel  the  loss  of  one  of  my  earliest  Belfast  friends,  one 
who  was  always  ready  in  sympathy  whether  of  condolence  and 
help  in  times  of  sorrow  or  of  congratulation  in  times  of  success. 
One  whose  advice  and  counsel  were  freely  available.  One  from 
whom  I  have  received  many  kindnesses,  and  with  whom  I  have 
spent  many  pleasant  and  profitable  hours.  I  feel  sure  these 
sentiments  find  an  echo  in  the  hearts  of  all  those  who  knew  our 
late  President. 

In  his  death  the  Society  has  to  deplore  the  loss  of  one  who 
had  its  best  interests  at  heart,  whose  shrewdness  made  him  quick 
to  discern  these  interests,  and  whose  energy  left  no  stone 
unturned  in  working  for  them.  During  my  thirteen  years  official 
connexion  with  the  working  of  the  Society  as  its   Honorary 


1 8  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

Treasurer  I  had  often  occasion  to  observe  the  disinterested  and 
completely  unostentatious  way  in  which  Mr.  Workman  gave 
his  mind  to  the  good  of  the  Society.  Several  important  steps 
which  turned  out  advantageously  were  initiated  by  him. 

Mr.  Workman's  membership  was  an  honour  to  us.  He  was 
one  of  the  few  business  men  in  our  city  who  found  time  for 
original  scientific  research.  Mr.  Workman  not  only  spared 
time  from  his  business  for  this  purpose,  but  actually  took 
advantage  of  his  far  business  connexions  to  assist  him  in  the 
successful  study  of  that  branch  of  natural  history  which  he  had 
made  his  own. 

Memoirs  published  in  our  own  proceedings  and  elsewhere 
bear  witness  to  the  success  attending  his  researches — the 
discovery  of  new  species  and  the  more  careful  observation  of 
the  habits  of  others. 

The  volume  of  plates  illustrating  in  detail  so  many  of  the 
Arachnida,  which  has  been  so  carefully  prepared  by  his  own 
hands,  assisted  sometimes  by  his  daughter,  and  of  which  a 
beautiful  copy  was  presented  by  him  to  the  Society  bear^ 
witness  to  the  interest  with  which  he  pursued  his  subject. 

Offering  to  the  memory  of  our  late  President  this  tribute  of 
esteem  and  regret,  I  turn  to  my  own  duties  unannounced. 

In  seeking  a  subject  on  which  to  address  you,  it  seemed  that 
either  something  pertaining  historically  to  the  Society,  or 
something  with  which  I  myself  was  connected  or  interested,  or 
some  topic  of  new  and  general  interest  might  be  appropriate. 

The  first  mentioned  has  been  ably  treated  already.  I  have, 
therefore,  thought  it  might  not  be  amiss  to  take  up  a  little  of 
the  two  last. 

I  shall  first  deal  as  briefly  as  possible,  with  my  own  work  on 
a  subject  of  much  scientific  interest,  though  not  perhaps  of  a 
very  popular  kind,  "  The  Theory  of  Voltaic  Action."  It  seems 
proper  that  some  record  of  this  should  find  a  place  in  our  pro- 
ceedings, and  this  has  not  yet  been  the  case.  Afterwards  I  hope 
to  describe  experimentally  some  modern  applications  of 
electricity. 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  Presiaent.  19 

As  my  work  on  voltaic  theory  is  on  the  main  line  of  research, 
I  would  lead  up  to  it  by  a  brief  reference  to  the  history  of  the 
subject.  The  earliest  experiment  in  this  connexion  was  a  very 
simple  and  now  well-known  one  described  by  Sulzer^,  in  1760, 
in  a  paper  on  "  The  theory  of  agreeable  and  disagreeable 
sensations"  The  experiment  consisted  in  placing  under  the 
tongue  a  plate  of  silver,  and  on  top  of  the  tongue  a  plate  of  lead 
or  zinc  or  other  suitable  metal.  In  bringing  the  outer  ends  of 
these  metals  in  contact  a  peculiar  sensation  is  experienced  in 
the  tongue.  That  this  is  really  due  to  the  formation  of  an 
electric  current  passing  through  the  tongue  between  the  metals 
was  not  even  guessed  at  the  time  of  its  observation,  nor  for 
many  years  afterwards.  Yet  its  discoverer  (if  he  had  only  known 
it)  was  the  first  to  observe  the  current  from  a  voltaic  cell. 

Science,  however,  does  not  progress  by  such  co-ordinated 
observations  of  isolated  efTects,  and  the  first  step  towards  the 
discovery  of  the  true  character  of  the  phenomenon  was  made  by 
the  observation  and  connexion  of  two  almost  accidental  efTects 
noted  by  Galvani,^  professor  of  anatomy  at  Bologna. 

In  1780  when  investigating  the  nervous  irritability  of  cold 
blooded  animals  he  observed  that  the  limbs  of  a  recently  killed 
frog,  when  hung  by  the  crural  nerve  on  a  metal  support  near  an 
electric  machine,  contracted  convulsively  at  the  occurrence  of 
each  spark  drawn  from  the  machine.  Six  years  afterwards  he 
observed  the  same  contraction  when  a  copper  hook,  on  which 
the  nerve  hung,  and  the  limb  itself  came  simultaneously  in  con- 
tact with  an  iron  railing — the  copper  hook,  the  iron  railing, 
and  the  frog's  leg  forming  thus  a  circuit  of  three  bodies  in 
contact.  The  similarity  of  the  result  pointed  to  the  same 
cause — electricity.  But  how  in  this  last  mentioned  case  was 
the  electricity  produced  ? 

This  question  has  exercised  the  scientific  world  ever  since. ' 
Galvani  thought  it  was  produced  in  the  animal  tissues,  and 
even  went  so  far  as  to  connect  it  with  the  spirit  of  the  animal. 

1.  ^/Wf  Electrochemie,  Ostwald,  p.  41. 

2.  Ibid,  p.  27.  3.   Ibid,  p.  45. 


20  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

A  year  after  the  publications  of  his  work,  which  naturally 
excited  the  greatest  interest,  it  was  criticised  by  his  great  com- 
patriot, Alessandro  Volta,^  Professor  of  physics  at  Pavia. 
Galvani's  attention  had  been  devoted  to  the  nerves  and  muscles 
of  the  frog.  Volta's  was  directed  upon  the  metallic  matters  in 
contact  with  them.  He  emphasised  (what  Galvani  had  already 
noticed)  that  strong  muscular  contractions  were  only  obtained 
when  the  connecting  arc  is  composed  of  two  metals  in  contact, 
and  he  maintained  that  the  electric  current  causing  the  muscular 
contractions  was  produced  at  the  contact  or  Junction  of  the 
metals  ;  and  he  describes  this  theory  of  hjs,  without  reticence  or 
modesty,  as  a  discovery  of  the  highest  order. 

H:id  Volta's  observations  been  made  half  a  century  later, 
when  the  splendid  researches  of  Faraday  emphasized  the 
beginning  of  a  more  perfect  knowledge,  a  truer  view  of  science 
would  doubtless  have  supported  and  intensified  the  leaning 
which  he  himself  at  first  possessed  towards  the  assumption  that 
the  source  of  the  electric  action  was  to  be  found  in  the  chemical 
activities  at  the  contact  between  the  metals  and  the  liquids  of 
the  fresh  animal  tissues. 

That  the  electricity  was  produced  by  chemical  action  of 
these  fluids  on  the  metals  was  indeed  suggested  by  Fabroni,* 
in  1792,  and  by  Creve,*  whose  explanation  of  the  action  bears 
a  quaint  resemblance  to  that  which  a  wider  knowledge  has 
brought  foith  in  modern  times. ^ 

Volta,  however,  was  carried  away  by  the  (merely  apparent) 
simplicity  of  the  metallic  contact  theory  and  by  the  result  of  a 
most  ingenious  form  of  experiment  which  seemed  to  preclude 
the  possibility  of  any  such  chemical  action  on  the  metals.  The 
apparatus  used  is  represented  by  that  on  the  table  and  is 
known  as  Volta's  condenser.  Here  the  two  metals  are  in  the 
form  of  plates,  having  plain  surfaces,  and  mounted  on  insulating 
supports  so  as  to  be  capable  of  being  approached  very  closely 
to  one  another  without  touching.     If  when  so  approached  the 

4.  Wilkinson's  Galvanism  I,  p.  313 — 15. 

5.  Ibid,  p.  311.  6.   Ibid,  p.  104. 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  21 

two  plates  be  joined  for  a  moment  by  a  metallic  wire  and  then 
separated,  it  is  found  that  the  zinc  appears  to  be  positively  and 
the  copper  negatively  electrified.     I  say  appears  advisedly. 

If  we  neglect  any  possible  actions  of  the  atmosphere  on  the 
metals  we  are  tied  to  Volta's  view.  It  is  surprising,  considering 
the  clear  insight  and  the  careful  and  persevering  nature  which 
Volta  possessed,  that  he  did  neglect  such  atmospheric  action, 
and  continued  to  do  so  even  after  his  brilliant  invention  of  the 
Voltaic  pile  and  cell  in  1799,  in  which,  notwithstanding,  the 
obvious  presence  of  cheu  ical  action,  he  still  placed  the  seat  o^ 
generation  of  the  current  at  the  contact  of  the  two  metals.  I 
am  inclined  to  think  that  the  largi  acceptance  which  Volta's 
contact  theory  obtained  subsequently  was  due  in  great  measure 
to  his  impressive  and  self-confident  style  of  writing,  to  the  care 
he  took  to  publish  widely,  and  to  the  respect  due  to  his 
undoubted  genious  rather  than  to  any  convincing  characteristic 
in  his  experiments.  For  it  is  to  be  noticed  that  beginning  with 
Fabroni  and  Creve  and  culminating  with  our  own  immortal 
Faraday,  there  was  a  succession  of  philosophers  who  maintained 
that  in  all  cases  the  electric  effect  was  due  to  chemical  action 
upon  the  metals  whether  of  the  atmosphere  on  Volta's  condenser 
plates  or  of  liquid  in  his  cell.  In  the  cell  indeed  the  presence 
of  chemical  action  is  evident,  and  the  need  of  some  such  source 
of  energy  to  produce  the  continuous  current  of  the  cell  is  more 
obvious. 

To  illustrate  this,  I  have  here  two  metallic  plates,  one  of 
copper  and  one  iron,  placed  in  the  necessary  metallic  contact 
through  a  wire  which  forms  part  of  this  galvanoscope.  When 
placed  in  this  jar  of  acidulated  water  the  current  generated 
immediately  deflects  the  pointer  of  the  instrument.  If  the 
experiment  be  continued  for  some  hours,  we  find  the  iron  has 
been  dissolved  by  the  acid  while  the  copper  remains  unacted 
on.  In  Faraday's  researches'"  on  many  varieties  of  such  cells  it 
was  clear  inter  aha  that  contact  of  dissimilar  metals  was  not 
necessary  (one  metal  and  two  liquids  being  also  active),  also  that 

7.  Experimental  Researches  in  Electricity  II.,  p.  18. 


22  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

the  direction  of  the  current  was  always  from  the  chemically 
active  surface  of  metal  through  the  liquid  to  the  inactive  one. 
A  very  remaikable  experiment  arises  from  this  last-mentioned 
law. 

You  observed  that  when  we  dipped  these  metal  plates  in  the 
acidulated  water  the  pointer  moved  to  the  right,  and  I  told  you 
that  in  this  case  the  iron  was  being  attacked.  We  now  place 
them  in  another  solution,  a  solution  of  potassium  sulphide 
which  attacks  the  copper  most,  with  the  result  that  the  current  is 
reversed,  and  sends  the  pointer  to  the  left.  It  now  flows  from 
the  copper  by  liquid  to  iron.  I  point  especially  to  this  experi- 
ment with  its  reversal  ot  current  for  a  reason  which  follows 
later. 

After  Faraday's  brilliant  researches,  men's  minds  seemed  to 
have  inclined  towards  belief  in  the  chemical  source  of  the  current 
till  about  1862,  when  Lord  Kelvin  (then  Sir  William  Thomson) 
published  what  he  described  as  a  new  proof  of  Volta's  contact 
force,*  which  was  really  only  a  very  elegant  variation  of  Volta's 
fundamental  experiment,  and  does  not  to  my  thinking  throw 
any  further  light  on  the  subject.  Lord  Kelvin,  however, 
became  himself  convinced  that  the  contact  theory  was  the  true 
one,  and  this  seems  very  remarkable  when  we  remember  that 
it  is  to  Lord  Kelvin  we  owe  the  enunciation  of  the  law  (now 
known  as  Thomson's  law)  defining  the  intimate  and  exact 
connection  between  the  electromotive  force  of  the  cell  and  the 
chemical  actions  in  it.  The  great  authority  belonging  to  Lord 
Kelvin's  high  order  of  genius  however  swayed  the  scientific 
world  towards  what  he  accepted  as  true. 

We  have  now  come  to  the  period  when  I  was  tempted  to 
enter  the  lists.  I  found  then  two  opposing  camps,  one  led  by 
the  genius  of  Faraday  holding  that  the  Voltaic  current  and  all 
Voltaic  action  was  due  to  chemical  action  at  the  surface  of  the 
metal  and  liquid,  the  other  maintaining  that  the  seat  of  the 
force  generating  the   current  was   at  the  contact  of  the   two 

8.  Papers  on  Electrostatics  and  Magnetism,  p.  317. 


Fiff.   I. 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  23 

metals  and  pointing  to  the  Volta  condenser  experiment  as 
precluding  the  possibility  of  chemical  action.  They  pointed 
out  that  this  condenser  experiment  gave  the  same  result  in 
vacuo  where  they  said  no  atmospheric  action  could  take  place. 
They  omitted  to  consider,  however,  that  there  was  no  such 
thing  as  a  vacuum  attainable.  After  the  best  means  of  exhaustion 
known  there  is  always  amply  sufficient  gas  left  to  cause  the 
minute  amount  of  chemical  action  required  for  this  particular 
electric  effect. 

Since  it  seemed  hopeless  to  attempt  to  nullify  the  electric 
effect  by  removing  the  atmosphere,  it  occurred  to  me  to  try  if 
varying  the  chemical  nature  of  the  atmosphere  Avould  cause  a 
corresponding  variation  of  the  electric  eflFect.^  In  fact  I  con- 
sidered  that  if  with  a  Volta  condenser  we  could  arrange  a 
change  of  the  chemical  activities  of  the  atmosphere  surrounding 
the  plates  analogous  to  the  change  of  the  chemical  activities  of 
the  liquid  in  the  cell  which  I  have  just  described,  we  should  find 
a  reversal  of  the  electric  charges  analogous  to  the  reversal  of 
current  in  the  cell. 

I  chose  the  same  metals  as  Faraday,  copper  and  iron,  and  of 
these  this  small  condenser  Fig.  i  was  made  so  as  to  be  enclosed 
under  a  glass  bell  on  insulating  supports.  When  tested  in 
ordinary  atmosphere  the  chemical  action  of  which  is  chiefly 
directed  towards  the  oxidation  of  the  iron,  the  usual  Volta  effect 
was  produced.  The  iron  plate  communicated  a  positive  charge  to 
the  electrometer.  Then,  without  changing  any  of  the  metallic 
contacts,  I  passed  into  the  glass  bell  a  stream  of  hydrogen 
sulphide  gas.  The  copper  was  actively  attacked  and  tarnished  by 
the  gas  and  at  once  took,  electrically  speaking,  the  place  of  the 
iron  in  the  first  case,  and  a  positive  electrification  was  now 
obtained  from  it. 

My  satisfaction  and  indeed  elation  at  finding  my  hypothesis, 
so  clearly  verified  was  very  great.  Indeed  I  believed  that  this 
experiment  would  end  the  dispute  between   the  contact  and 

9.  Phil.  Mag.  VI.,  p.  142,  1878. 


24  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

chemical  theories  that  had  gone  on  for  nearly  a  century. 

Immediately  afterwards  I  arranged  the  experiment  in  the 
form  devised  by  Lord  Kelvin  where  a  metallic  ring  is  formed — 
half  of  one  metal  here  copper,  and  the  other  half  of  a  different 
metal,  here  iron.  Over  the  junction  swings  a  delicately 
suspended  needle  capable  of  being  electrified.  Lord  Kelvin 
showed  that  when  positive  the  needle  swings  towards  the 
copper  attracted  by  a  negative  electrification,  if  negative  towards 
the  iron.  I  showed  that  these  deflexions  are  reversed  if  the 
atmosphere  be  charged  with  hydrogen  sulphide  in  this  case  as 
in  that  of  the  condenser  method. 

Using  copper  and  nickel  plates  in  air  and  in  hydrochloric 
acid  gas,^"  the  electrification  is  also  reversed  following  its 
analogous  reversal  in  the  corresponding  cell.  Finally,  although 
the  requisite  conditions  obtain  with  only  a  few  metals  and 
liquids,  I  was  able  to  arrange  five  different  experiments  of  an 
analogous  kmd,  and  in  all  these  the  hypothesis  was  amply  and 
decidedly  confirmed.^^ 

An  attempt  to  annul  the  Voltaic  efTect  by  a  removal  of  all 
active  chemical  atmospheric  matters  from  about  the  metals  in 
a  more  thorough  way  than  had  hitherto  been  employed  was 
made  by  sealing  up  in  an  exhausted  glass  tube  this  small  Volta 
condenser,  together  with  a  quantity  of  potassium  intended  to 
absorb  oxygen,  etc.^^  Means  were  provided  for  testing  the 
electric  difference  of  potential.  Lord  Kelvin,  I  may  mention, 
told  me  I  should  not  succeed  in  annulling  the  difference  of 
potential  by  these  means. 

Tn  my  first  experiment,  which  lasted  six  months,  it  was 
reduced  somewhat  and  increased  on  re-opening  the  tube.  In  a 
second  experiment  lasting  i8  months,  and  in  a  third  lasting 
seven  years,  there  was  no  such  effect  observed.     Lord  Kelvin 

10.  Phil.  Mag.  VII.,  p.  109,  1879. 

11.  Proc.  Roy.  Soc,  XL!.,  p.  301,  1886. 

12.  Ibid.,  LXIV.,  p.  369,  1899, 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  25 

was  therefore  correct  in  his  prophecy.  I  attribute  this  negative 
result  to  the  extreme  difficulty  of  removing  the  chemically 
active  matters  from  about  the  plates. 

Several  other  forms  of  experiment  were  devised  to  obtain 
evidence  on  the  question.  In  the  result  I  can  say  that  I  have 
found  nothing  to  definitely  contradict  and  much  to  support  the 
hypothesis  I  adopted  originally. 

In  considering  the  true  nature  of  the  effect  in  Volta's  funda- 
mental experiment,  I  concluded  that  its  explanation  would  be 
found  in  a  modification  of  the  theory  originally  put  forth  by 
De  la  Rive,^^  that  the  electrification  was  produced  by  electrolytic 
chemical  action  on  the  metallic  surfaces,  and  that  the  electrolyte 
acting  on  these  sui  faces  was  condensed  on  them  in  the  form  of 
a  liquid  film.  In  the  ordinary  atmosphere  this  film  is  doubtless 
chiefly  water  with  oxygen,  carbonic  acid,  etc.,  in  solution.  Its 
basis  is  doubtless  in  all  cases  water,  while  any  gases  present 
would  dissolve  in  this  aqueous  film.  In  confirmation  of  this  it 
was  found  that  when  by  exceedingly  careful  and  patient 
manipulation  the  plates  of  the  zinc-copper  Volta  condenser 
were  brought  exceedingly  close  together,  but  not  actually 
touching,  the  films  on  their  surfaces  came  together  and  acted 
together  as  the  liquid  conductor  of  a  cell,  and  a  continuous 
current  could  be  obtained  from  the  cell  so  formed^*  sufficient  to 
deflect  a  galvanometer  connected  to  the  condenser  plates. 

Such  a  theor}^  explains  the  action  of  the  Volta  condenser  and 
that  of  the  cell  as  really  the  same,  in  so  far  as  either  can  be 
explained.  In  so  doing  it  has  to  admit  that  we  know  very  little 
about  either  of  them.  I  believe  that  is  one  of  the  attributes 
that  characterises  it  as  non-acceptable  in  comparison  with 
theories  which,  based  on  large  and  ill-supported  assumption, 
profess  to  explain  everything. 

13.  Traite  d'  Elecfrieite  II.,  p.  776. 

14.  Proc.  Roy.  Soc,  XLI.,  p.  307,  1886,  also  Repertorium  der  Physik,  XXIII., 
P  732- 


26 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 


^ 


^ 


E 


Fisf.  2. 


In  Figure  2  D  represents  an  ordinary  Voltaic  cell — a  plate  of 
copper  and  one  of  zinc  connected  and  immersed  in  an  oxidizing 
electrolyte.  A  current  flows  with  the  arrows,  round  the  circuit 
copper,  zinc,  electrolyte,  copper. 

Now,  if  we  cut  this  circuit  at  a  point  in  the  copper,  as  shown 
at  E,  we  get  a  diiference  of  potential  between  the  copper  ends 
at  the  division,  positive  in  the  part  next  the  immersed  portion 
of  the  copper,  negative  in  the  other  end.  Similarly  if  we  cut 
the  zinc  as  at  F,  we  get  the  positive  end  above  towards  the 
contact,  negative  end  below,  and  if  we  divide  through  the 
electrolyte  as  at  G  we  have  still  the  same  effect,  positive  at  the 
side  in  which  the  zinc  is  immersed,  negative  in  that  containing 
the  copper.  Now  supposing  we  let  this  dividing  diaphragm 
through  the  electrolyte  be  composed  of  air,  and  let  it  gradually 
increase  so  as  to  occupy  so  much  of  the  space  between  two  metal 
plates  that  only  a  mere  film  of  the  electrolyte  is  left  on  each  metal 
surface,  we  have  at  once  the  whole  effect  as  observed  in  the 
Volta  condenser  experiment  or  in  the  contact  experiment  of 
Lord  Kelvin.  I  have  shown  this  to  be  the  case  experimentally^^ 
and,  further,  if  instead  of  merely  dividing  a  single  electrolyte, 
we  use  two  electrolytes^*'  such  as  a  layer  of  copper  sulphate 
solution  on  the  copper,  and  zinc  sulphate  solution  on  the  zinc 


15.  Phil.  Mag.  VII.,  p.  110,  1879. 

16.  Proc.  Roy.  Soc,  XLI.,  p,  306,  iS 


Fig-  3- 


Fig. 


Fig  4. 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  27 

we  get  the  difference  of  potential  equal  to  that  of  the  Daniell 
cell  analogous  with  this  arrangement  of  films. 

As  touching  the  reception  of  my  conclusions  by  the  scientific 
world,  it  may  be  said  that  some  accepted  them  fully,  while 
others  merely  modified  their  definitions  so  as  to  save  them  from 
contradiction  by  my  experiments.  Professor  Clerk  Maxwell^'^ 
was  among  the  first  to  agree  with  me,  and  the  interest  taken 
in  the  experiments  and  acceptance  of  the  conclusions  drawn 
from  them  by  one  occupying  a  place  so  high  in  the  scientific 
world  doubtless  led  others  to  consider  them. 

Having  now  completed  the  more  drily  scientific  part  of  my 
address,  I  shall  ask  your  permission  to  describe  a  few 
applications  of  electric  power  arranged  for  the  convenience  of 
my  own  home,  and  afterwards  to  describe  and  exhibit  experi- 
ments on  the  more  important  modern  developments  of  electric 
art  in  wireless  telegraphy  and  the  Wehnelt  interrupter. 

At  and  about  my  home  at  Longhurst  we  employ,  besides 
electric  lighting  eight  electric  motors  and  five  pieces  of  apparatus 
in  which  electric  heating  is  used.  Fig.  3  represents  an 
electrically  driven  gravel  sitter.  The  motor  is  seen  on  the  top 
driving  the  barrel  screen  which  separates  out  the  coarsest  gravel, 
delivering  it  at  the  end  into  a  barrow.  Below  the  barrel  screen 
is  a  sieve  hung  on  springs  and  caused  to  vibrate  and  shake 
about  by  blows  on  its  edge  from  the  cams  on  the  barrel  screen. 
This  delivers  fine  gravel  into  a  second  barrow  and  lets  the  sand 
fall  through  into  a  third.  The  economy  over  the  usual  method 
with  two  inclined  flat  screens  is  in  the  fact  that  only  one 
shovelling  is  needed  instead  of  say  three  or  four  for  the  two 
screenings,  and  the  subsequent  filling  of  the  barrows  with  the 
product  to  be  wheeled  away. 

The  spiral  shaped  cam  seen  on  the  top  is  arranged  to  rise 
periodically  with  its  supporting  piece  (which  is  hinged  to  the 
main  frame)  and  fall  suddenly  as  it  is  being  rotated  by  contact 
with  the  revolving  drum  of  the  screen.  The  blow  given  by  its 
fall  shakes  out  any  stones  that  may  have  become  wedged 
between  the  rods  of  the  screen. 

17.  Elementary  Treatise  on  Electricity,  p.  14.9. 


28  inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

Fig.  4  illustrates  an  electric  motor  arranged  to  drive  either 
a  mangle  or  an  ice  making  machine. 

At  present  it  is  connected  by  the  strap  to  the  mangle  which 
it  drives  very  agreeably  on  washing  days.  By  changingTthe 
belt  it  may  work  the  ice  maker,  the  product  of  which  was  found 
acceptable  in  the  hot  weather.  You  simply  enclose  about  a 
pint  of  water  in  the  receptacle,  switch  on  the  current,  and  come 
back  in  twent}'  or  thirty  minutes  for  the  ice.  Water  or  wine 
can  be  iced  in  a  very  few  minutes,  and  ice  cream  can  be  made. 

Fig.  5  shows  our  electric  motor  car,  or  as  a  friend  calls  it  the 
electric  street  boat.  In  it  the  motor  and  gearing  are  at  the 
back  over  the  driving  wheels.  The  accumulator  to  carry  the 
store  of  electricity  needed  for  a  20  mile  ride  is  under  the  middle 
of  the  car.  The  steering  is  effected  by  the  wheel  in  front  acting 
on  the  front  wheels. 

On  the  table  is  an  electrically  driven  meat  chopper,  in  which 
I  have  arranged  a  small  motor  simply  coupled  up  to  the  usual 
hand  chopping  machine.  The  only  disadvantage  m  introducing 
a  machine  of  this  kind  into  one's  domestic  arrangements  is  the 
continuous  monotony  of  croquettes  and  rissoles  which  its 
handiness  suggests  to  the  housekeeper.  By  removing  the 
chopping  arrangements,  and  substituting  egg  beating  apparatus, 
it  is  converted  into  a  very  efficient  egg  beater. 

When  this  machine  had  been  working  for  a  year  or  so  in  my 
kitchen  it  occurred  to  me  that  the  effect  could  be  got  more 
directly  and  simply.  The  magnetic  pull  which  drives  the 
rotary  motor  acts,  like  all  other  pulls,  in  straight  lines  and 
would  produce  the  rectilinear  motion  required  for  meat  chopping 
and  egg  beating,  if  we  did  not  employ  complicated  means  in 
the  motor  to  produce  rotary  motion  which  we  do  not  want, 
and  are  obliged  to  render  rectilinear  by  further  contrivances 
before  we  can  use  it. 

It  would  be  evidently  simpler  and  better  to  allow  the 
rectilinear  pull  to  produce  directly  rectlinear  motion.  This  is 
accomplished  in  the  new  form  ot  apparatus  Fig.  g  (here 
arranged  as  a  meat  chopper)  in  which  the  well  known  action 
of  a  solenoid  on  a  soft  iron  core  is  employed. 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 


29 


The  current  in  passing 
round  the  coil  attracts 
upwards  the  core  E 
and  its  attachments, 
including  the  knife  F^ 
with  a  force  of  3  to  4 
lbs.  In  order  to  let  it 
fall  again  it  is  only 
necessary  to  break  the 
current,  which  is  dene 
by  the  sliding  break  or 
collar  G.  The  current 
in  entering  the  coil  D 
passes  through  the  two 
contact  springs  J  J  and 
the  sliding  collar  G, 
making  connexion  bet- 
ween them,  but  as  soon 
as  the  core  in  rising  has 
stretched  out  the  spring 
supports  H  H  of  the 
collar  far  enough  to 
draw  it  up  out  of  con- 
tact, the  circuit  is 
broken  and  the  core 
falls  by  its  own  weight 
assisted  by  the  re- 
silience of  a  buffer 
spring  E^  under  the 
coil.  The  sliding  collar 
break  follows  it  down 
and  again  completes 
the  circuit,  and  so  the  reciprocating  action  continues.  The 
material  to  be  chopped  is  placed  in  a  vessel  with  a  wooden 
bottom  as  indicated  in  the  figure  by  broken  lines. 

Besides  this  vertical  motion  it  is   necessary  to   rotate   the 


30  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

knife  F^  so  as  to  distribute  its  strokes  over  the  whole  of  the 
meat.  This  rotation  is  effected  by  the  inclined  grooves  G^  in 
the  collar  break  which  engage  with  catches  on  the  heads  of  the 
contact  springs  causing  a  turning  movement  each  time  the 
collar  is  drawn  upwards. 

A  quick  reciprocating  motion  of  the  kind  we  have  here 
might  be  applied  to  many  things  svich  as  hammering,  rock 
drilling,  etc.  I  have,  as  an  experiment,  fitted  a  hammer  to  this 
apparatus  which  can  be  controlled  like  a  steam  hammer. 
Again  by  turning  the  whole  thing  upside  down  and  attaching 
to  the  cone  a  fret-saw  or  jig-saw  with  a  spring  take  up,  it  has 
been  made  to  saw  also. 

By  substituting  another  core  with  a  suitable  plunger  it  is 
converted  into  an  egg  beater  of  great  convenience  and  efficiency. 
The  addition  to  this  of  an  adjustable  oil  dropping  arrangement 
gives  it  the  power  of  making  an  excellent  mayonnaise. 
Mayonnaise  making,  according  to  a  high  authority,  requires 
"  time,  patience,  and  nicety."  When  these  matters  are 
arranged  for  in  the  machine  one  simply  puts  in  the  egg,  oil, 
vinegar,  and  condiments,  switches  on  the  current,  and  in 
twenty  or  thirty  minutes  there  is  an  excellent  mayonnaise. 

I  now  pass  on  to  what  is  perhaps  the  most  important  electric 
invention  of  the  last  few  years,  namely,  wireless  telegraphy. 
In  ordinary  telegraphy  the  message  is  transmitted  by  means  of 
electric  currents  in  an  insulated  wire  from  the  sender  to  the 
receiver,  returning  by  the  earth  through  earth  plates,  connected 
one  to  each  end  of  the  wire  and  buried  in  damp  soil  or  in  water. 
In  returning  through  the  earth  the  current  does  not  confine 
itself  to  one  path  but  spreads  out  through  the  earth.  If  we 
insert  in  the  path  of  a  portion  of  this  earth  current  a  second 
pair  of  earth  plates  and  wire,  we  shall  get  a  part  of  the  earth 
returned  current  in  a  wire  connecting  these  plates  sufficient  to 
affect  a  telephone,  so  that  signals  made  by  the  current,  in  the 
first  mentioned  wire,  can  be  heard  in  the  telephone.  Such  a 
system  is,  I  understand,  in  successful  operation  between  Rathlin 
Island  and  the  mainland  at  Ballycastle. 


Inaugural  Address  by  the  President.  31 

A  method  of  much  greater  scientific  interest  as  well  as  of 
later  invention  is  that  which  has  been  recently  perfected  and 
brought  into  notice  by  Marconi.  In  this  form  of  wireless 
telegraphy  the  message  is  carried  by  wave  motions  in  the 
aether.  In  one  sense  it  is  not  more  wonderful  than  signalling 
by  flashes  of  light  ;  light  waves  being  also  wave  motions  in 
the  sether,  but  with  waves  very  much  shorter  than  those  used 
in  telegraphy. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  recall  briefly  the  history  of  the  dis- 
covery of  these  electromagnetic  aether  waves. 

In  the  year  1845  that  greatest  of  all  experimental  philosophers 
Michael  Faraday,  tells  us — "  I  have  long  held  an  opinion  almost 
amounting  to  conviction,  in  common  I  believe  with  many  other 
lovers  of  natural  knowledge,  that  the  various  forms  under  which 
the  forces  of  matter  are  made  manifest  have  one  common  origin, 
or  in  other  words  are  so  directly  related  and  mutually  dependent 
that  they  are  convertible  as  it  were  one  into  another  and 
possess  equivalents  of  power  in  their  action.  This  strong 
persuasion  extended  to  the  powers  of  light  and  led  to  many 
exertions  having  for  their  object  the  discovery  of  the  direct 
relation  of  light  and  electricity,  but  the  results  were  negative. 

These  ineffectual  exertions  could  not  remove  my  strong 
persuasion  derived  from  philosophical  considerations,  and, 
therefore,  I  recently  resumed  the  enquiry  by  experiment  in  a 
most  strict  and  searching  manner,  and  have  at  last  succeeded  in 
magnetizing  and  electrifying  a  ray  of  light." 

We  can  imagine  the  great  philosopher  standing  thus,  as  it 
were,  on  the  farthest  bound  of  knowledge,  at  the  utmost  point 
of  discovery  jutting  out  into  the  misty  waters  of  the  as  yet  dim 
unknown,  gazing,  examining  into  the  depths  of  the  infinitely 
possible,  watching  each  dim  foredawning  of  those  gigantic 
truths,  which  that  finest  almost  supernatural  intuition  with 
which  he  was  endowed,  convinced  him  existed  there. 

With  this  intuitive  experimentalization  of  Faraday  we 
contrast — but  cannot  compare — the  brilliant  deductions  of 
Clerk  Maxwell,  who,  in  a  later  time,  working  on  the  experi- 


32  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

mental  data  of  Faraday  and  others,  and  throwing  on  them  the 
clear  decisive  light  of  mathematical  deduction,  concluded  not 
only  that  there  was  a  connection  between  light  and  electricity, 
but  that  light  itself  was  really  an  electromagnetic  phenomenon. 
He  showed  also  that  disturbances  in  the  aether  were  produced 
by  electric  discharges,  and  that  if  such  discharges  were  repeated 
with  sufficient  rapidity  they  would  become  the  source  of  aether 
waves  similar  to  light  waves,  but  much  longer,  and  having 
many  surprising  peculiarities.  To  such  waves,  for  instance, 
certain  opaque  non-conducting  substances  such  as  pitch  vulcanite 
and  so  forth  would  be  found  transparent.  To  these  they  would 
offer  no  more  opaqueness  than  glass  does  to  light.  Metals 
would  be  opaque,  but  would  have  electric  disturbance  produced 
in  them  by  the  impact  of  these  electromagnetic  aether  vibrations. 

The  experimental  confirmation  of  these  deductions  was, 
however,  still  to  be  made.  In  1883  Prof.  George  F.  FitzGerald 
drew  my  attention  to  this,  and  pointed  out  that  if  we  could 
produce  electric  discharges  at  the  rate  of  50  or  100  million  per 
second  we  could  verify  Maxwell's  prophesy.  I  could  think  of 
no  current  breaker  which  could  work  at  such  a  rate.  I 
mention  this  to  show  how  narrowly  one  sometimes  misses 
becoming  famous.  If  we  had  only  thought  of  the  oscillatory 
discharge  of  an  ordinary  induction  coil  or  leyden  jar  it  would 
not  have  been  left  to  Herz  five  y^ars  later  to  show  that  the 
oscillations  of  such  discharges  have  the  required  frequency  for 
radiating  Maxwell's  waves  and  to  invent  also  means  for  detect- 
ing the  radiations  at  a  distance  from  their  source. 

In  the  working  of  such  an  induction  coil  as  this  now  before 
you,  at  each  spark  there  is  an  inconceivably  rapid  surging 
backwards  and  forwards  of  the  current  forming  the  spark,  so 
that  what  looks  like  one  spark  is  really  a  discharge  oscillating 
in  opposite  directions  between  the  brass  knobs  with  extreme 
rapidity.  By  means  of  a  suitable  receiving  instrument,  telegraphy 
can  be  carried  on  by  the  usual  code  of  short  and  long  flashes. 
Such  elementary  apparatus  as  I  can  show  you  here  works  very 
well  across  the  lecture  room  as  you  see.  Marconi  has  been  able 
by  more  perfect  arrangements  to  send  messages  over  40  miles. 


Inait,giiral  Address  by  the  President.  33 

If  I  have  not  wearied  you  too  much  I  would  now  attempt  to 
show  two  or  three  rather  interesting  experiments  with  another 
new  electric  invention.  Wehnelt's  electrolytic  interrupter  as 
applied  to  the  induction  coil. 

The  construction  of  the  Wehnelt  is  very  simple — merely  a 
jar  containing  dilute  sulphuric  acid  into  which  dips  a  lead  plate 
forming  the  negative  terminal  of  a  supply  at  100  volts  or  so. 
The  other  terminal  is  a  platinum  wire  about  the  thickness  of 
a  darning  needle  enclosed  in  a  glass  tube  so  as  to  expose  only 
half  an  inch  or  so  to  the  liquid.     When  the  current  is  switched 
on  it  passes  by  the  platinum  wire  through  the  liquid  to  the  lead 
plate.     In  doing  so  it  heats  the  little  platinum  wire  red  hot. 
The  heated  wire  electrolyses  and  also  boils  the  acidulated  water 
in  contact  with  it,  and  surrounds  itself  with  a  layer  of  steam 
and   electrolysed  gas.       Steam    being    a    non-conductor    the 
current  cannot  pass  it,  and  so  the  needed  interruption  of  the 
current   occurs.     The   steam   then   promptly   condenses    thus 
allowing   the  dilute  acid   to  come  again  in  contact  with   the 
platinum  wire.     The  current  again  flows,  only  to  be  interrupted 
again  and  so  on  at  the  rate  of  several  hundred  times  per  second, 
the  rate  of  frequency  depending  on  the  make  of  the  interrupter, 
and  the  self-induction  of  the  coil  employed.     The  result  at  the 
secondary  terminals  is  a  torrent  of  sparks  succeeding  each  other 
so  rapidly  as  to  resemble  a  flame  of  fire.     If  the  terminals  be  in 
the  form  of  circles  placed   one  over  the  other  the  discharge 
between  them  may  be  made  to  move  round  the  circles  by  the 
proximity   of  a  magnetic  pole  according  to  well  known  laws 
Again  if  the  terminals  be  prolonged  two  or  three  feet  in  an 
upward  direction,  but  diverging  slightly  as  they  rise,  the  dis- 
charge will  form  at  the  lower  part,  be  carried  up  by  the  heated 
air  formed  in  its  track  till  it  breaks  at  the  top  to  reform  below. 
Sir  Otto  Jaflfe,  in  moving  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  President, 
said  it  would  be  an  impertinence  on  his  part  to  attempt  to 
criticise  the  lecture  they  had  heard.     He  congratulated   the 
President  in  that  he  had  not  only  attempted  but  had  been 
successful  in  scientific  researches  on  one  of  the  most  difficult 
subjects  of  the  present  day. 


34  Inaugural  Address  by  the  President. 

Professor  Purser,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said  he  thought 
they  would  all  agree  with  him  in  saying  that  they  had  seldom 
listened  to  a  lecture  so  lucid  and  so  well  arranged.  The  experi- 
ments in  wireless  telegraphy  had  been  wonderfully  successful. 
The  motion  having  been  passed  by  acclamation, 
The  President,  in  acknowledging  the  vote  of  thanks,  said  that 
after  all,  the  success  of  an  experimental  lecture  mainly  depended 
not  so  much  on  the  lecturer  as  on  the  care  and  efficiency  of  his 
assistants,  and  in  this  case  their  very  best  thanks  were  due  to 
his  friend  Mr.  MacWhirter,  of  Glasgow,  who  had  come  over 
specially  and  had  given  so  much  care  and  time  to  the  prepara- 
tion and  carrying  out  of  the  experiments.  They  were  also 
indebted  to  Mr.  MoUan  for  his  efficient  assistance,  to  Professor 
Whitla  lor  the  use  of  the  current  from  his  house,  to  Mr. 
M'Cowan  for  making  provision  for  this,  and  to  Professor 
Morton,  Mr.  Finnegan,  and  Mr.  Drennan  for  their  kindness  in 
lending  apparatus. 


35 


/////  December^  I  goo. 


Mr.  J.  Brown,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


THE  BOTANY  OF  THE  SHORES  OF  LOUGH  NEAGH. 
By  John  H.  Davies. 


(Abstract. ) 


Mr.  Davies  said  that  prior  to  the  close  of  the  seventeenth 
century  there  had  been  very  Httle,  if  any,  systematic  investi- 
gation of  the  botanical  productions  of  Lough  Neagh.  The 
first  records  were  those  supplied  by  the  celebrated  English 
botanist,  Dr.  William  Sherard,  who  endowed  the  chair  of 
Botany  at  Oxford,  the  distinguished  Dillenius  being  the  first 
Sherardian  Professor.  When  visiting  his  friend,  Sir  Arthur 
Rawdon,  at  Moira,  in  1692,  Sherard  spent  some  time  in 
herborising  along  the  lake  shores.  Following  Sherard  about 
the  end  of  the  next  century,  nearly  100  years  later,  came  their 
townsman,  John  Templeton,  than  whom  there  had  been 
no  more  zealous  and  devoted  naturalist.  In  the  course  of  his 
frequent  visits  to  the  lough  and  to  Portmore,  which  are  con- 
nected, he  added  much  to  the  then  meagre  knowledge  of  its 
botanical  history.  In  1833  Dr.  David  Moore,  when  associated 
as  botanist  with  General  Portlock  in  the  Ordnance  Survey  of 
Derry,  had  splendid  opportunities  which,  at  Lough  Neagh,  he  ' 
used  with  the  greatest  advantage  in  the  exercise  of  bis  love  of 
botanical  research.  In  more  recent  years  their  knowledge  of 
the  lake  flora  had  been  extended  by  not  a  few  of  the  ardent 
and  active  botanists  of  the  present  time.    Mr.  Davies  described 


2)6  Botany  of  the  Bhores  of  Lough  Ncngh. 

the  character  of  the  rich  and  varied  flora  of  the  lough,  and 
made  allusion  to  the  most  noteworthy  discoveries  of  those 
whose  names  he  had  mentioned.  Some  of  the  plants  detected 
there  by  the  earlier  explorers,  he  said,  were  supposed  to  be  now 
lost  through  the  lowering  of  the  level  of  the  lake  by  the 
drainage  works  in  the  Lower  Bann,  but  careful  observation 
might  probably  result  in  the  restoration  of  some  of  them  to  the 
list  of  Lough  Neagh  plants.  One  of  the  most  important  recent 
discoveries,  by  which  the  flora  had  been  enriched,  was  that  of 
a  little  sand-loving  cress,  Teesdalia  imdicatiHs,  at  Washing  Bay, 
Co.  Tyrone.  It  occurred  in  some  abundance,  but  there  was  a 
question  as  to  whether  it  might  be  indigenous.  His  own 
observations  led  him  to  believe  that  it  had  long  been  established 
there,  and,  though  the  ways  in  which  a  plant  of  the  kind  may 
be  introduced  were  manifold,  one  was  inclined  to  think  it  might 
be  native.  Recalling  to  mind,  soon  after  it  had  been  seen  there, 
that  the  great  bulk  of  the  sand  brought  from  the  lough  b) 
canal  to  Lisburn  and  Belfast  for  building  and  filtration  purposes 
is  taken  from  the  place  where  the  plant  is  found,  two  of  the 
spots  along  the  canal  where  the  sand  is  discharged  were 
examined.  In  both,  the  plant  was  seen  in  quantity,  with  every 
appearance  of  having  been  there  for  some  time,  which  was  in 
support  of  the  view  that  if  not  native  at  Lough  Neagh,  it  was 
by  no  means  a  recent  introduction. 

Continuing,  the  lecturer  said  that  the  mterest  belonging  to 
tht  occuxrQnctoi  Polygonum  mite  at  Lough  Neagh,  where  he 
had  the  good  fortune  to  meet  with  it  very  recently  on  both 
the  County  Antrim  and  County  Armagh  margins,  consisted  in 
its  being  a  very  rare  plant  in  Ii eland.  There  were,  indeed, 
only  two  other  stations  for  it.  In  England  it  was  also  a  scarce 
plant,  and  it  was  not  known  in  Scotland  nor  in  Wales. 

Sometimes  one  saw  in  the  lake  on  the  Antrim  border  con- 
siderable quantities  of  a  very  rare  water  crowfoot,  Ranunculus 
fluitans^  but  on  examination  it  was  found  to  be  floating  loose  in 
the  water,  not  a  single  stem  being  attached.  Were  it  not 
known  that  it  occurred  in  the  Sixmilewater,  discovered  there  by 


Botany  of  the  Shores  of  Lough  Neagh.  37 

his  friend  Mr.  Stewart,  some  years  ago,  that  river  still  remain- 
ing its  only  Irish  station,  it  might  possibly  be  mistaken  as  a 
lake  plant.  It  was  carried  from  the  river  to  the  lake  in  times  of 
flood.  Though  producing  abundant  fruit,  much  of  which  must 
frequently  find  its  way  to  the  lough,  the  plant  did  not  grow 
there.  So  nice  was  it  in  its  choice  of  habitat  that  it  occurred 
only  in  streams  having  a  rapid  current. 

Proceeding,  Mr,  Davies  said  that  notwithstanding  the 
attention  that  had  been  given  to  the  investigation  of  its  flora  by 
those  to  whom  allusion  had  been  made,  it  might  not  unreason- 
ably be  supposed  that  in  the  case  of  a  lake  having  an  area  of 
over  150  square  miles,  there  were  some  parts  of  its  margins  that 
had  never  been  thoroughly  explored.  For  a  botanist  he  could 
conceive  nothing  more  likely  to  afford  profitable  enjoyment 
than  to  spend  a  long  summer  holiday  there,  to  examine  its 
diversified  shores,  to  visit  its  islands,  and  to  dredge  its  waters 
for  Characese  and  other  hydrophytes.  The  student  of  nature 
who  found  pleasure  in  mingling  with  his  pursuits  matters  of 
human  interest  would  have  opportunity.  The  hardy  and 
intelligent  fisherman  you  met  by  the  way,  or  who  invited  you 
into  his  cottage  for  acceptable  shelter  from  a  passing  thunder 
shower,  would  ask  you  about  ''  them  quare  weeds,"  and  impart 
his  views  on  the  affairs  in  which  he  took  interest.  If  you  fell 
in  with  him  on  the  beach  at  his  noontide  meal  of  freshly-caught 
pollan,  cooked  on  the  embers  of  a  wood  fire,  you  were  heartily 
welcome  to  a  share,  and  he  (Mr.  Davies)  could  avouch  that  those 
same  pollan,  cooked  after  that  fashion,  and  served  to  you  on 
fresh,  cool  sycamore  leaves,  were  fish  most  excellent  that  would 
not  be  lightly  esteemed  by  the  most  fastidious  epicure.  He  was, 
moreover,  kindly  and  obliging  in  other  ways,  and  would  deem  it 
no  trouble  to  help  you  en  your  way  by  ferrying  you  over  an 
intervening  stream  or  inlet.  But,  however  it  may  have  been 
with  him  aforetime,  he  was  now  not  much  given  to  straying  along 
the  banks  at  the  "  clear,  cold  eve,"  or  other  time  of  day. 
His  energies  were  devoted  to  the  care  of  his  nets  and  the 
baiting  of  his  lines,  to  the  capture  of  his  pollan  and  trout  and 


38  Botany  of  the  Shores  of  Lough  Neagh. 

eels,  and  he  was  not  overmuch  concerned  in  searching  for  the 
submerged  architectural  structures  of  poetic  fable.  The  old 
order  changeth.  Now-a-days  he  must  take  account  of  railroads, 
and  his  fish  must  be  packed  and  despatched  in  time  to  catch 
the  Liverpool  steamer. 

Continuing,  Mr.  Davies  said  that  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting features  of  the  lough  flora  was  the  presence  there 
of  a  small  group  of  plants,  some  of  which  were  not  found 
inland  elsewhere  in  Ireland,  and  others  which  seem  never 
to  have  been  seen  inland  throughout  the  British  Isles.  The 
main  difference  between  some  parts  of  the  shores  of  their 
large  lakes  and  the  seaside  consisted  in  one  case  of  the  absence, 
and  in  the  other  the  presence,  of  salinity.  In  both,  the  degree 
of  humidity  was  much  the  same,  and  in  some  other  respects 
there  was  more  or  less  similarity.  In  their  island,  save  at  the 
seaside  and  parts  of  their  lake  shores,  they  had  very  little,  or 
none,  of  the  loose  shifting  sands  which  influence  the  character 
of  the  flora.  It  was  necessary  to  have  some  understanding  of 
this  before  looking  for  or  attempting  to  explain  the  presence 
Inland  of  plants  which  are  regarded  as  maritime.  As  was  well 
known,  there  are  species  having  a  partiality  for  situations  in 
close  proximity  to  the  sea,  which  occur  on  some  of  their  highest 
moui  tains.  Examples  of  some  of  these  were  given,  the  popular 
and  scientific  names  of  which  sufficiently  indicated  their 
preference  for  the  sea  coast.  In  the  high  altitudes  inland,  in 
which  they  occur,  it  was  to  be  assumed  they  found  atmospheric 
conditions  necessary  for  their  growth  and  sustenance,  their 
distribution  not  being  solely  influenced  by  salinity  of  soil 
Nevertheless,  it  is  noteworthy  that  they  had  at  Lough  Neagh, 
and  that  only  on  the  County  Antrim  shore,  a  number  of  plants 
usually  regarded  as  maritime,  which,  in  Ireland,  had  not  been 
met  with  elsewhere  in  distinctly  inland  localities.  The  names 
of  some  of  these  were  mentioned,  and,  in  particular,  allusion 
was  made  to  the  Sea  Club-rush,  Scirpiis  iiiarttimus,  which,  so 
far  as  he  knew,  did  not  occur  otherwhere  inland  in  any  part  of 
the    British   Isles.     A    well-known    botanist,   Mr.    Nathaniel 


Botany  of  the  Shores  of  Lough  Ntagh.  39 

Colgan,  knowing  Mr.  Davies'  interest  in  the  matter,  had 
given  him  references  to  its  continental  range  of  distribution. 
There  it  was  known  to  occur  in  the  regions  adjacent  to  the 
Jura  Mountains.  Yet,  it  remained  that  in  this  island  it  was 
restricted  to  the  seaside,  Lough  Neagh,  so  far  as  he  could 
ascertain,  being  the  only  exception.  In  the  course  of  last 
summer  he  had  seen  there  another  plant,  a  sand  spurrey, 
Spergidaria  rtipestris,  which  held  the  same  position.  How 
came  these  plants  ?  Not  carried  by  sea-birds  which  visit 
the  lake,  since  in  that  case  the}'  might  be  expected  at  the 
margins  of  other  large  lakes,  also  frequented  by  sea-birds. 
There  were  considerations  which  pointed  to  geological 
possibilities.  One  incident  bearing  on  this  he  might  mention. 
In  1874  the  British  Association  met  in  Belfast  under  the 
presidency  of  Professor  Tyndall.  That  meeting  was  most 
memorable,  and  of  some  of  the  discussions  that  then  arose,  and 
were  for  some  time  continued,  there  were  those  of  them,  who 
retained  a  lively  recollection.  On  that  occasion  a  well-known 
geologist,  Mr.  Hardman,  brought  forward  a  paper  on  "  The 
age  and  mode  of  formation  of  Lough  Neagh."  He  sought 
to  prove  that  the  clays  overlying  the  basalt  were  lacustrine 
deposits  of  Pleiocene  age.  Two  years  later,  during  a  visit  to 
Crumlin  in  company  with  Professor  Hull,  they  found  in  the 
clay  at  that  place  fossil  shells,  the  only  fossils  save  those 
of  plants  previously  known  to  occur  in  the  Lough  Neagh  clays. 
They  were  considered  to  be  fresh  water  shells,  and  their 
discovery  was  held  to  be  in  support  of  a  theory  that  there 
was  a  former  very  large  Lough  Neagh,  also  fresh  water,  with 
an  area  probably  twice  as  great  as  at  present.  This  aroused 
so  much  interest  that  three  of  their  members,  his  friends,  Mr. 
W.  Swanston,  Mr.  Stewart,  and  Mr.  Wright,  made  a  thorough 
investigation  of  the  deposits,  which  led  to  widely  different 
conclusions.  The  shells,  which  were  in  loose  drift  over-lying 
the  boulder  clay,  were  found  to  be,  not  fresh  water  shells,  but 
those  of  the  common  mussel.  It  was  found  also  that  the  deposit 
contained  several  species  of  microzoa  now  living  along  their  sea 


4©  Botany  oj  the  Shores  of  Lough  Neagh. 

coasts.  These  had  lived  and  died,  where  their  remains  were  now 
to  be  seen  at  Crumlin  Waterfoot.  The  deposit  in  which  they 
occur  must  have  been  formed  by  the  action  or  within  the 
influence  of  the  sea.  That  being  so,  it  seemed  not  very  unHkely 
that  at  least  some  of  the  group  of  plants  to  which  he  had  called 
their  attention  were  survivals  of  a  once  littoral  flora  at  Lough 
Neagh,  when,  through  subsidence  of  the  land  in  Pleistocene 
times,  the  country  along  the  course  of  the  Lower  Bann  was 
probably  an  arm  of  the  sea. 

Mr.  Davies  concluded  by  stating  that  he  had  been  inviting 
their  attention  to  the  Lough  Neagh  flora,  but  he  thought 
he  might  say  that  they  in  the  North  of  Ireland,  possessing 
the  largest  lake  in  the  United  Kingdom,  were  perhaps 
scarcely  alive  to  the  many  debatable  points  in  connection 
therewith.  The  physical  problems  as  to  the  origin  of  the 
Lough  itself  would  afford  subjects  for  much  discussion.  Was  it 
glacier  formed,  or  was  it  due  to  some  geological  flexure  ?  or,  was 
the  depression  caused  by  a  fracture  of  the  strata  at  that  place 
as  suggested  by  Portlock's  report  ?  Then,  the  geological 
deposits  surrounding  it,  its  great  bed  of  clay,  with  its  petrified 
trees  and  its  nodules  of  ironstone  in  which  are  preserved  the 
fossilised  leaves  of  a  flora  long  since  extinct  in  these  regions, 
required  more  investigation.  Zoology  offered  for  research 
another  field  which  had  not  yet  been  exhausted.  The  avifauna 
was  most  attractive,  and  a  further  study  of  its  unusual  fish  and 
crustaceans  would  be  instructive. 

Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart,  in  the  course  of  some  brief  remarks,  said 
he  had  listened  with  great  pleasure  to  the  paper  which  Mr. 
Davies  had  just  read.  The  shores  around  Lough  Neagh  sup- 
ported a  rich  and  varied  flora,  and  its  waters  yielded  an 
abundance  of  aquatic  plants,  some  being  of  considerable  rarity. 
Lough  Neagh  was  often  resorted  to  by  the  botanist;  and 
seldom  failed  to  reward  his  research.  Mr.  Davies  had  just 
shown  that  it  had  not  yet  been  exhausted,  and  no  doubt  the 
list  of  its  plants  will  be  still  more  extended  when  its  western 
shores  have  been  scanned  by  keen  eyed  Naturalists  as  well  as 


Botany  of  the  Shores  of  Lough  Neagh,  41 

the  eastern  had  been  by  Mr.  Davies  and  others.  A  most 
interesting  point,  briefly  referred  to  in  this  paper,  is  the 
occurrence  of  certain  maritime  plants  at  a  locality  so  far 
removed  from  the  influence  of  sea  water.  The  existence  of 
shells  of  littoral  molluscs  in  a  clay  bed  on  the  Crumlin  River 
had  been  cited  as  evidence  proving  that  the  sea,  in  a  most 
recent  geological  period,  extended  up  into  the  depression  of 
Lough  Neagh.  Owing  to  one  of  the  latest  elevations  of  our 
land  this  anciently  maritime  lough  was  now  a  freshwater  lake  ; 
but  these  plants,  which  usually  flourish  by  the  seacoast,  remain 
to  corroborate  the  evidence  of  the  mussel  shells  of  Crumlin 
River. 

Mr.  Wm.  Swanston  remarked  that  the  occurrence  of  plants 
whose  natural  habitat  is  along  the  sea  coast  so  far  inland,  and 
established  on  the  margins  of  Lough  Neagh,  is  a  most  valuable 
point  brought  out  by  Mr.  Davies,  which  goes  far  to  confirm  the 
view  that  at  no  very  distant  geological  date  the  Lough  was 
marine.  This  botanical  evidence  is  new,  but  as  far  back  as 
187Q  the  same  conclusion  was  surmised  on  geological  grounds 
by  the  discovery  of  beds,  near  the  southern  shore,  containing 
shells  of  the  common  mussel  {Mytihis  edulis).  These  shells — 
or  rather  fragments — were  determined  by  the  late  Dr.  Gwynn 
Jeffreys,  the  greatest  authority  on  British  Mollusca  then  living. 
The  microscopic  examination  by  our  fellow-member,  Mr.  Joseph 
Wright,  of  the  strata  in  which  the  shells  were  found,  also 
prove  the  marine  origin  of  the  beds,  Mr.  Wright  being  able  to 
record  several  species  of  Foramenifera  (a  group  of  minute 
organisms  exclusively  marine)  from  the  small  quantity  of 
material  exammed,  those  being  forms  such  as  may  readily  be 
found  any  day  on  our  sea  shores.  Quite  recently  zoological 
evidence  was  unexpectedly  established  by  Mr.  Robert  Welch, 
of  our  city,  and  Dr.  Scharff,  of  Dublin,  who,  while  dredging  in 
Lough  Neagh,  found  in  some  plenty  a  small  crustacean  {Mysis 
relictd),  new  to  Britain,  but  a  member  of  a  marine  group  of 
which  four  species  are  recorded  by  the  late  Wm.  Thompson 
from  the  Irish  coasts.    These  scattered  pieces  of  evidence — very 


42  Botany  of  the  Shores  of  Lough  Neagh. 

interesting  in  themselves — when  brought  together,  are,  in  my 
opinion,  conclusive,  and  show  in  a  very  remarkable  manner  the 
value  of  noting  and  recording  observations  seemingly  trifling  in 
themselves.  Mr.  Davies'  paper  deserves  the  fullest  notice  the 
Society  can  give  it. 

Mr.  Davies,  in  replying,  thought  that  little  remained  to  be 
said  save  for  him  to  express  his  best  thanks  for  the  manner  in 
which  the  paper  had  been  received,  and  for  the  kind  words  that 
had  been  spoken.  Sometimes  one  heard  the  conjecture 
expressed  that  the  Pollan,  to  which  allusion  had  been  made, 
was  possibly  a  transformed  herring,  but  he  hardly  supposed 
that  that  was  intended  to  be  taken  seriously.  If  it  were  such, 
the  transformation  was  positively  marvellous  in  that  it  did  not 
possess  the  generic  characters  of  the  herring.  There  was  a 
prevalent  notion  that  it  was  peculiar  to  Lough  Neagh,  but  he 
believed  that  it  also  occurred  in  Lough  Erne  and  in  Lough 
Derg.  Closely  allied  species  were  met  with  in  Wales  and  on 
the  Continent.  For  the  natnralist  there  were  not  many  places 
with  more  varied  enticements  than  Lough  Neagh. 


43 


SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  OBJECTS  COMPRISED  IN 
LORD  DERAMORE'S  RECENT  DONATION,  PRIN- 
CIPALLY ANTIQUARIAN. 

Part.  I. — Antiquarian. 

By  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.LA. 

{Abstract?} 

The  Society  is  much  indebted  to  Lord  Deramore  for  his 
kindness  in  presenting  to  their  Museum  a  large  collection  of 
objects  of  scientific  and  antiquarian  interest.  It  is  quite  fitting 
that  the  antiquities,  being  mainly  Irish,  should  find  an  abiding 
place  in  an  Irish  Museum,  and  especially  in  one  where  Irish 
antiquarian  remains  already  form  an  important  feature.  Lord 
Deramore's  gift  makes  our  series  of  ancient  implements  still 
more  complete,  and  in  this  way  helps  us  to  realise  how  these 
primitive  or  barbaric  people  lived,  and  what  means  they  had 
for  carrying  on  their  occupations  of  war  and  the  chase. 

The  stone  implements  in  the  Deramore  collection  are  not 
numerous  as  compared  with  those  of  bronze.  Two  hammer 
stones  of  a  tough  quartzite,  with  hollows  in  the  sides  for  con- 
venience in  holding,  represent  this  class  of  antiquities.  One  of 
these  is  oval,  measuring  6  inches  by  4  inches  ;  the  other 
is  almost  round,  measuring  3  inches  across. 

And  here  I  may  say  that,  most  unfortunately,  none  of  the 
antiquities,  either  stone  or  bronze,  have  any  labels  attached 
(with  one  or  two  exceptions  only),  stating  where  or  when  they 
were  found.  If  collectors  would  only  realize  in  time  how  the 
value  of  a  specimen  of  any  kind  is  enhanced  by  the  preserva- 
tion of  full  particulars  of  place  and  date,  and  circumstances  of 
finding,  their  collections  would  be  of  much  greater  scientific 
value  than  they  often  are. 

The  Deramore  antiquities,  we  must  assume,  are  in  the 
main  Irish,  but  we  do  not  know  any  of  the  circumstances  con- 
nected with  the  discovery  of  the  objects  themselves. 


44     Objects  comprised  in  Lord  Dcramores  Recent  Donation, 

The  collection  contains  fourteen  polished  stone  celts,  vary- 
ing from  2\  inches  to  13  inches  long.  These  are  the  hatchet- 
shaped  implemeuts,  which  are  so  well  represented  in  all  collec- 
tions of  Irish  antiquities,  and  of  which  vast  numbers  have  been 
found,  and  are  still  being  found,  in  Ireland  ;  perhaps  I  might 
say  especially  in  County  Antrim.  Most  of  these  fourteen  celts 
are  of  close-grained  black  stone,  in  fact,  varieties  of  basalt,  but 
the  largest,  and  another  next  to  it  in  size,  are  of  a  whitish 
coloured  stone.  Some  of  the  middle-sized  ones,  say  from  4  to 
5  inches  long,  are  in  very  fine  and  perfect  condition,  and  there  is 
one  of  very  unusual  form  with  the  side  edges  flattened  and 
hollowed  ;  one  of  the  larger,  about  6  inches  long  has  been 
made  from  a  slaty  rock,  and  large  flakes  have  weathered  off 
both  sides,  leaving,  however,  the  edge  intact. 

The  objects  of  flint  are  few  in  number  ;  there  are  two  well- 
marked  flint-flakes  of  light-coloured  flint,  both  showing 
secondary  working. 

There  are  twenty-five  flint  arrow-heads,  barbed,  stemmed, 
and  leaf-shaped,  from  |  inch  to  2\  inches  in  length.  Many  of 
these  are  beautifully  chipped  into  form,  and  show  what  exquisite 
skill  the  flint  workers  of  our  stone-age  had  attained  to. 

We  come  now  to  the  antiquities  formed  of  bronze.  This 
fine  metal,  which  has  been  found  by  analysis  to  be  made  up  of 
about  ten  parts  of  copper  and  one  part  of  tin,  is  exceedingly 
hard  and  close  grained,  and  is  capable  of  taking  an  edge  almost 
as  fine  and  sharp  as  iron  or  steel.  The  ancient  bronze  age 
people  made  their  weapons  and  implements  by  casting,  in  the 
first  place,  and  then,  by  hammering  and  grinding,  they  were 
finished  to  form  the  things  as  we  now  find  them. 

Many  of  the  moulds  have  been  found  in  Ireland  in  which 
spears,  hatchets,  and  other  weapons  were  cast,  and  in  some 
places  finds  have  been  made  of  moulds,  broken -up  bronze,  and 
finished  and  partly  finished  implements,  showing  plainly  that 
such  sites  were  the  workshops  of  old  artificers  in  bronze. 

In  the  Deramore  collection  there  are  nineteen  flat  bronze 
celts,   from    4    inches   to    8    inches    in    length,    varymg    very 


Objects  comprised  in  Lord  Deramore's  Recent  Donation.     45 

much  in  breadth,  and  also  in  the  shape  and  curve  of  the 
cutting  edge,  some  having  the  edge  almost  straight,  others 
half-moon  shaped.  This  is  the  simplest  form  of  bronze  celts, 
and  is  supposed  to  have  been  suggested  by  the  stone  celts 
which  were  in  such  common  use  in  the  stone  age.  These  fiat 
celts  were  either  cast  in  sand,  from  models  of  wood  or  metal,  or 
in  moulds  cut  in  sandstone.  Some  of  these  moulds  have  been 
found. 

The  next  development  of  the  bronze  celt  has  been  called 
the  flanged  celt.  In  this  form  the  sides  have  been 
hammered  so  that  a  flange  has  been  raised,  sometimes  scarcely 
perceptible,  and  sometimes  of  considerable  breadth  ;  and 
later  on,  if  we  may  use  the  expression,  when  a  still  broader 
flange  was  wanted,  the  moulds  were  altered  or  were  so  made 
that  a  bold  flange  was  made  in  the  casting  at  once.  The 
collection  contains  nine  flanged  celts,  very  interesting  specimens, 
from  4  inches  to  5^  inches  long,  and  showing  a  gradation 
of  flanges  from  the  very  slightest  to  ones  that  are  broad  and 
bold. 

We  now  come  to  a  most  interesting  series  of  celts,  called 
by  antiquaries  "  palstaves,"  or  winged  celts.  This  type  shows 
a  distinct  advance  upon  those  just  named,  and  has  been  planned 
for  the  much  more  eflective  fixing  of  the  wooden  handle.  The 
side  flanges  have  been  enlarged  and  strengthened,  and  in  this 
way  deep  hollows  have  been  formed;  a  "stop  ridge"  right 
across  the  centre  of  the  celt  has  been  added  at  both  sides,  and 
we  can  readily  see  what  a  fine  weapon  or  implement  for  war, 
the  chase,  or  agriculture  a  well-handled  palstave  celt  would 
be. 

The  Deramore  collection  contains  twenty-six  palstaves, 
from  4  inches  to  7  inches  long,  and  of  great  variety  in  form  and 
strength.  Some  show  a  little  ornament.  One  of  the  palstaves; 
6  inches  long,  has  been  labelled  "  Found  along  with  a  skeleton 
near  Armagh."  Among  the  palstaves  there  are  three  small 
unfinished  narrow  celts,  about  4^^  inches,  much  weathered,  and 
almost  exactly  alike.      As   these   have   not   an   Irish   look,  I 


46      Objects  comprised  in  Lord  Deramore's  Recent  Donation. 

submitted  one  of  them  to  Sir  John  Evans,  who  writes  me  that 
he  thinks  it  is  of  EngHsh  origin,  and  is  in  all  probability  from 
the  great  hoard  found  at  Stibbard,  in  Norfolk,  where  about 
seventy  such  rough  castings  were  found,  as  well  as  ten  castings 
for  spear-heads,  evidently  the  factory  of  an  old  English  worker 
in  bronze. 

We  now  come  to  the  most  advanced  and  perfect  form  of 
bronze,  axe-shaped  objects — namely,  the  socketed  and  looped 
celt.  Of  these  celts  there  are  twenty-two  in  the  Deramore 
collection,  from  the  large,  strong  celt,  measuring  4^  inches 
long  down  to  tiny  ones,  little  more  than  i^  inches  long.  What 
these  very  small  ones  were  used  for  it  is  hard  to  conceive,  and 
yet  they  must  have  had  their  use,  although  this  could  not  have 
been  to  strike  a  hard  blow  ;  they  are  too  light  and  small  for 
that. 

The  way  in  which  socketted  celts  show  a  great  advance  in 
the  metal-workers'  art  is  the  clever  way  by  which  the  deep 
socket  or  hollow  was  formed,  and  the  casting  left  comparatively 
thin,  except,  of  course,  near  the  edge,  where  some  thickness  of 
metal  was  wanted  for  frequent  grinding  and  sharpening.  The 
socket  was  made  by  the  introduction  in  the  mould  of  a  core, 
and  this  was  probably  done  in  just  the  same  way  that  a  modern 
moulder  or  brassfounder  would  adopt.  Celts  of  this  type  had 
almost  always  a  bronze  loop  cast  on,  close  to  the  opening  of  the 
socket.  This,  no  doubt,  was  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  a 
thong  or  other  tie  to  secure  the  bronze  head  to  the  wooden 
handle,  and  thus  prevent  its  falling  off  and  being  lost  in  battle. 
All  the  Deramore  socketted  celts  have  loops. 

There  are  twelve  bronze  spear-heads,  some  unfortunately 
in  a  rather  fragmentary  state  ;  eight  of  these  have  each  two 
loops  fixed  against  the  socket  for  helping  to  secure  the  spear 
head  to  the  shaft.  The  largest  of  these  is  only  9  inches  in 
length,  and  the  shortest  about  4  inches,  so  that  there  are 
none  of  the  ver}^  fine  long  spears  seen  in  some  collections.  The 
broad,  keen  blades  and  deep  sockets  are  so  cleverly  fashioned 
that  these  spears  may  be  pronounced  masterpieces  of  the  bronze* 


Objects  comprised  in  Lord  Deramoris  Recent  Donation.     47 

workers'  art.  There  are  two  other  spears  of  quite  a  different 
type,  with  long  openings  in  the  blades  ;  one  of  these  is  labelled 
"Spear  from  Naples,  R.B.  1849."  The  R.  B.  is  obviously  the 
late  Sir  Robert  Bateson,  first  baronet,  grandfather  of  the 
present  Lord  Deramore.  The  second  spear  is  very  similar  in 
shape,  but  fresh  and  clean,  instead  of  being  deeply  corroded. 
There  are  two  broad,  thick  and  short  blades  with  rivet  holes  at 
base,  which  may  have  been  battle  axes. 

There  is  a  dagger-knife  blade,  5  inches  long,  labelled 
"  Irish  skeyn,  Co.  Kildare,"  and  there  is  another  somewhat 
similar,  with  socket  and  rivet  holes. 

Of  the  leaf-shaped  swords,  which  are  usually  seen  in  col- 
lections of  Irish  antiquities,  Lord  Deramore's  collection  con- 
tains eight  ;  some  are  much  broken  ;  the  largest  of  these  is  20 
inches  long.  There  is  an  object  of  bronze  which  seems  to  be 
the  point  of  a  scabbard ;  it  is  6;^^  inches  long,  and  is  decorated 
with  fine  engraved  lines. 

I  find  among  the  bronzes  two  socketted  gouges  ;  they  are 
of  small  size,  and  are  of  a  well-known  type. 

There  are  forty-eight  bronze  rings,  some  of  them  hollow, 
varying  from  i  inch  to  3^  inches  in  diameter.  Such  rings 
have  been  found  in  great  numbers  in  Ireland,  the  Museum 
of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  containing  more  than  one  thousand 
of  them.  It  is  supposed  that  they  were  for  personal  use,  and 
may  have  been  sewed  on  clothing  to  serve  as  ornaments,  or  as 
a  protection  against  sword  cuts. 

There  is  also  a  large  ring,  4  inches  across,  which  appears 
to  be  made  of  jet. 

In  the  collection  there  is  a  bronze  crucifix  ;  it  is  12  inches 
high  ;  the  figure  which  is  4  inches  high  seems  quite  archaic, 
but  the  cross  looks  rather  modern. 

There  are  a  few  more  objects  of  bronze  in  this  interesting 
collection,  which  may  be  briefly  named  : — two  bronze  spurs  ;  a 
bronze  smoking  pipe  ;  a  bronze  or  brass  cup,  egg-cup  shaped, 
4  inches  high  ;  a  bronze  boss  z\  inches  in  diameter  ;  a  circular 
spoon  or  ladle,  4  inches  across,  and  a  few  things  that  were 


48      Objects  comprised  in  Lord  Dcr amoves  Recent  Donation. 

probably  for  domestic  use,  such  as  buckles,  etc. 

I  should  say  that  there  are  also  a  few  objects  of  stone, 
pottery,  etc.,  apparently  from  Egypt,  Greece,  or  other  Eastern 
countries,  and  there  is  a  fine  black  stone  adze,  probably  from 
New  Zealand. 


Part  IT. — Geological. 

By  S.  A.  Stewart,  F.B.S.Edin. 

The  geological  specimens  in  the  Deramore  collection  are 
numerous  and  varied.  There  are  specimens  from  several 
iormations,  mainly  of  the  Secondary  or  Mesozoic  Period.  A  few 
of  the  fossils  are  of  species  which  are  found  in  the  Carboniferous 
rocks,  but  the  greater  part  come  from  the  Cretaceous  and 
Liassic  formations.  There  are  a  good  many  Ammonites,  some 
of  them  very  good  examples,  especially  those  from  the  Lias. 
Two  of  the  Liassic  oysters  are  remarkably  fine,  as  are  also  some 
of  the  bivalves  from  the  chalk.  One  very  fine  palate  or  crushing 
tooth  is  also  from  the  chalk — presumably  English.  There  are 
some  small  pieces  of  silicified  wood,  and  also  a  number  of  rock 
specimens,  and  minerals,  but  not  being  furnished  with  localities 
these  are  much  less  instructive  than  would  otherwise  be  the 
case.  This  remark  applies  also  to  the  fossils.  As  to  them  we 
can  fix  the  genera  under  which  they  must  be  placed,  and  with 
a  little  trouble  the  specific  names  may  be  ascertained.  In  many 
cases  the  locality  of  their  origin  may  be  inferred  with  strong 
probability,  but  without  entire  certainty  on  this  point  the  value 
of  fossils  is  much  diminished.  The  necessity  of  attention  to 
this  matter  of  indicating  on  each  specimen  the  locality  whence 
it  came  deserves  to  be  impressed  very  strongly  on  all  collectors. 


49 


NOTES  ON  SOME  CLAY  CONCRETIONS  FROM 
THE  CONNECTICUT  VALLEY,  U.S.A., 

By  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S. 

{Abstract.) 

In  introducing  this  remarkable  series  of  concretionary 
nodules  I  should  state  that,  as  I  have  not  personally  collected 
them,  I  am  unacquainted  with  such  details  of  their  occurrence 
as  I  should  have  been  glad  to  bring  before  the  meeting.  They 
were  collected  near  Hartford,  U.S.A.,  in  beds  of  the  Triassic 
series.  Nodules  and  concretions  of  similar  character  occur  in 
most  sandstone  and  clay  deposits  irrespective  of  geological  age. 
We  may  therefore  safely  infer  that,  under  similar  conditions, 
their  mode  of  formation  will  be  somewhat  alike.  The  following 
appears  imder  the  heading  "  Concretions "  in  an  authority 
consulted.  "  Concretions  are  nodules,  balls,  or  irregular 
masses  which  occur  scattered  through  the  body  of  the  rock,  and 
consist  of  mineral  matter  which  was  formerly  diffused  through 
the  material  of  the  rock.  Some  are  crystalline,  as  gypsum  in 
clay  ;  others  may  have  mternal  radiating  structures,  as  iron 
pyrites  in  shale,  etc.  Fantastically  shaped  concretions  are  not 
uncommon  in  fine  clays,  and  are  known  as  'fairy  stones'  by  the 
country  folk  in  some  districts.  They  are  produced  by  mole- 
cular aggregations  subsequent  to  the  deposition  of  the  strata, 
whereby  the  substance  of  the  rock  is  forced  into  spherules  or 
balls."  Similar  nodules,  but  of  less  delicate  form  and  texture, 
are  occasionally  found  in  stream  courses  cutting  through  the 
new  red  sandstones  of  County  Antrim,  the  softer  body  of  the 
rock  having  been  removed  by  the  action  of  the  water,  the . 
concretions  are  found  adhering  to  the  sides  of  the  miniature 
canyons.  The  extremely  delicate  character  of  the  examples 
exhibited  is  doubtless  due  to  the  finer  texture  of  the  rocks  in 
which  they  were  found.     Their  stratified  appearance — which 


5o  Azotes  on  Some  Clay  Concretions. 

is  only  external — is  probably  due  to  the  different  degrees  of 
hardness  of  the  more  minute  strata  of  the  beds  in  which  they 
are  found,  the  more  pervious  strata  allowing  the  seggregation 
to  push  along  their  parallel  lines,  subsequent  weathering  giving 
the  strange  resemblance  some  of  them  have  to  objects  produced 
on  the  lathe. 

After  an  examination  of  the  specimens  a  series  was  presented 
by  the  reader  to  the  Museum. 


Kt 


20th  December^  igoo. 

Mr.  J.  BROWN,  President,  in  the  Chair 

SOME  SIDE  LIGHTS  ON  THE   CHINA   QUESTION, 

By  Rev.  A.  H.  Crawford,  M.A. 

{Abstract) 

The  first  portions  of  Mr.  Crawford's  paper  were  devoted  to 
the  Chinese  view  of  human  Hfe.  The  general  incapacity  of 
Chinese  government,  especially  in  regard  to  its  foreign  relations, 
and  the  civilisation  and  religion  of  the  country  having  been 
very  ably  discussed,  Mr.  Crawford  dealt  with  the  recent  Boxer 
movement,  which  created  such  anxiety  amongst  the  civilised 
governments  of  the  world.  He  said  it  was  undoubtedly 
patriotic,  but  in  a  limited  sense  of  the  word.  Its  aim  was 
negative — the  ridding  of  the  country  of  foreign  influence.  It 
had  nothing  positive  to  suggest  wiih  a  view  to  remedying  the 
acknowledged  unsatisfactory  condition  of  the  country. 
Amongst  the  causes  which  produced  the  revolt  were  to  be 
found  the  superstitious  element  and  a  long-continued  drought 
in  the  spring  of  the  present  year,  which  brought  large  numbers 
of  the  population  in  the  Northern  Provinces  to  the  brink  of 
starvation,  and  produced  a  widespread  feeling  of  dissatisfaction. 
A  very  important  reason  for  the  outbreak  had  been  the  aggres- 
sive attitude  of  the  various  European  nations.  Unfortunately 
we  had  got  into  the  way  of  speaking  of  the  "  partition  of 
China,''  and  of  claiming  "  spheres  of  influence  "  in  a  way  which 
must  have  been  very  galling  to  any  Chinese  who  were  possessed 
of  the  slightest  spark  of  patriotism.  Proceeding,  Mr.  Crawford 
said  they  could  not  omit  from  the  list  of  aggravating  causes  the 
missionary  problem.  Although  his  testimony  might  be  ruled 
out  of  court  as  being  ex  parte,  he  thought  it  might  be  fairly 
claimed  for  Protestant  missionaries  at  least  that  they  had  not 
sought  to  intermeddle  with  Chinese  politics.      In  spite  of  the 


52  Some  Side  Lights  on  the  China  Question. 

magnitude  of  the  outbreak,  we  must  not  for  a  moment  imagine 
that  the  whole  of  China  was  against  us  at  this  time.  In 
provinces  where  there  seemed  for  a  time  to  be  a  serious  out- 
break the  motive  was  anti-dynastic  rather  than  anti-foreign, 
and  since  the  time  when  the  allies  began  to  obtain  the  upper 
hand  in  the  North  the  source  of  danger  had  subsided.  He  for 
one  could  not  bring  himself  to  believe  in  a  ''yellow  peril"  as 
an  actual,  practical  menace  to  the  world's  peace.  It  must  be 
remembered  what  Sir  R.  Hart,  in  expressing  grave  fears  on  that 
score,  wrote  but  a  few  days  after  the  raising  of  the  siege  of  the 
legations.  It  was  not  surprising  that  he  should  at  such  a  time 
have  looked  at  things  through  dark  spectacles.  It  should  be 
noted  that  combination  had  always  been  China's  weak  point, 
and  that,  strong  as  the  Boxer  movement  had  been,  it  would 
have  been  a  mere  rabble  but  for  the  adhesion  of  the  Imperial 
troops.  It  was  now  for  the  allied  powers  to  take  effective 
measures  for  restricting  the  introduction  of  firearms  into 
China.  Much,  Mr.  Crawford  thought,  had  been  learnt  on  both 
sides,  and  if  toleration  was  mixed  with  firmness  and  due  regard 
to  justice  they  must  all  believe  and  hope  that  China  would  yet 
take  her  place  in  the  comity  of  nations,  and  that  in  time  she 
would  become  a  source  of  strength,  and  not  of  danger,  to  the 
whole  civilised  world. 

The  lecture  was  profusely  illustrated  by  special  limelight 
slides  and  maps. 

The  hearty  thanks  of  the  society  were  accorded  to  Mr. 
Crawford,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  T.  F.  Shillington,  J.P., 
seconded  by  Mr,  F.  R.  Lepper. 


Mr.  Robert  M.  Young,  B.A.,  M.R.I.A.  (Hon.  Secretary), 
presented  the  Society  with  a  well-executed  portrait  of  Mr. 
Robert  Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S.,  who  on  several  occasions 
filled  the  position  of  its  president. 

The  President  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  the  interesting 
gift,  and  said  it  was  most  appropriate  that  the  Society  should 
possess  portraits  of  its  presidents. 


8th  Ja7itcary,  igoi. 

Mr.  J.  BROWN,  Presidrnt,  in  the  Chair. 

REPORT  OF  DELEGATE  TO  CORRESPONDING 
SOCIETIES'  CONFERENCE,  BRITISH  ASSOCIA- 
TION MEETING,  1900. 

By  J.  Brown. 

{Abstract) 

As  your  delegate  I  attended  both  meetings  of  the  Conference. 
At  the  first  meeting  two  resolutions  on  proposed  changes  in 
the  arrangement  of  the  proceedings  were  negatived,  but  the 
discussion  threw  light  on  the  wishes  of  the  delegates,  implying 
that  they  did  not  desire  to  hear  papers  at  the  conference,  but 
rather  to  discuss  methods  of  procedure  that  might  make  local 
societies  successful.  The  question  of  the  protection  of  copy 
right  of  societies  in  their  proceedings  was  brought  up  and 
referred  to  the  general  committee. 

At  the  second  meeting,  after  hearing  and  discussing  a  paper 
on  ''  Dew  Ponds,"  the  conference  received  the  usual  reports 
from  sections.  Section  C  is  anxious  for  co-operation  of  corres  - 
ponding  societies  in  the  work  of  the  Geological  Photographs 
Committee  and  the  Erratic  Blocks  Committee.  Mr.  Sower- 
butts,  representing  Section  E,  made  suggestions  for  more  active 
co-operation  of  corresponding  societies.  Mr.  Hartland,  repre- 
senting section  H,  brought  forward  the  request  of  the  Anthro- 
pological Photographs  Committee  for  photographs  of  pre- 
historic stone  monuments,  stone  implements,  primitive  pottery,  , 
and  of  objects  connected  with  local  superstitions.  Such 
objects  were  frequently  met  with  in  local  museums.  I  am  asked 
to  bring  these  requests  before  the  Society,  and  I  feel  sure  there 
are  many  members  competent  to  comply  with  them,     I  should 


54    Report  of  Delegate  to  Corresponding  Societies'  Conference, 

be  glad  to  take  charge  of  any  photographs,  and  the  names  of 
senders  would  be  published  in  the  annual  report  of  the  British 
Association. 

As  items  of  general  interest  to  our  members,  T  may  mention 
that  our  distinguished  fellow- member,  Dr.  J,  Larmour,  presided 
over  Section  A,  and  delivered  a  characteristic  address- 
Professor  John  Perry,  another  distinguished  student  of  Q.C.B., 
now  President  of  the  Institution  of  Electrical  Engineers,  also 
took  an  active  part.  Professor  Letts,  who  is  making  the  new 
Queen's  College  Laboratory  the  home  of  important  original 
research,  read  several  papers,  and  I  had  the  honour  of  exhibit- 
ing the  viagraph  (including  the  usual  striking  diagram  of  the 
Lisburn  Road)  at  the  Lord  Mayor's  conversazione  and  before 
Section  G,  where  there  was  also  read  a  paper  by  Professor  Hele 
Shaw  on  "Tractive  Force  on  Roads."  Subsequently  the 
Association  appointed  a  committee  to  further  investigate  this 
question.  As  your  President  I  was  honoured  by  a  request  to 
act  as  first  spokesman  of  the  deputation  to  invite  the  Associa- 
tion to  Belfast  in  1902.  Professors  Letts  and  Symington  and 
Mr.  W.  Gray  added  their  promises  of  welcome,  in  which  I 
doubt  not  the  city  will  generously  bear  us  out." 


IRISH  RAILWAYS  AND  THE  STATE. 

By  LYNDEN  M^CASSEY,  C.E.,  B.A.,  LL.B.,  B.L., 

Lecturer  Railway  Department,  London  School  of  Economics. 

{Abstract.) 

The  relations  that  should  exist  between  railways  and  the 
State  possess  great  commercial  and  political  importance.  Rail- 
ways may  be  privately  or  State  owned,  and  four  relations  are 
found — railways  privately  owned  and  subject  to  or  free  from 
the  control  of  the  State,  as  in  England  and  America,  and  rail- 
ways State  owned  and  worked  by  the  State  or  by  private  in- 
dividuals, as  in  Prussia  and  France  respectively.  For  the 
distinction,  the  Continental  disposition  to  leave  everything  to 
the  State,  as  compared  with  the  Anglo  Saxon  inclination  to 
give  private  enterprise  full  sway,  really  is  the  explanation. 

In  Ireland  railways  are  privately  owned,  but  State  con- 
trolled. That  control  is  directed  to  construction,  public  safety, 
public  convenience,  and  rates.  As  regards  the  first  three  sub- 
jects mentioned,  the  control  is  perhaps  too  effective  ;  the  real 
question  is  that  of  rates.  There  exists  a  maximum  schedule 
of  goods  rates  in  excess  of  which  Irish  railways  may  not  charge. 
But  the  limits  are  rightly  high,  and  the  companies  do  not  now 
charge  anything  like  full  rates.  Railways  do  not  try  to  in- 
crease profits  by  raising  rates,  but  by  lowering  them  and  so 
swelling  their  traffic.  Nor  can  you  limit  dividends.  If  you  do 
you  make  it  to  the  advantage  of  a  company  to  do  a  small 
business  at  a  high  rather  than  a  large  business  at  low  rates. 
All  proposals  for  nationalisation  are  grounded  on  the  in- 
efficiency of  the  present  system  of  control,  and  on  the  defects 
in  management  of  Irish  railways.  As  the  latters'  profits  are 
not  excessive,  their  charges  are  not  either.  The  average  divi- 
dend paid  in  1900  on  the  capital  invested  was  only  3.9  per 
cent.  Rates  certainly  are  not  unreasonable.  Eggs  are  carried 
from  Gahvay  to  London  for   |d  per  dozen,  fish  from  |d   and 


56  Jrish  Railways  and  the  State, 

|d  per  lb.,  according  to  the  class.     Special  trains  are  given  to 
the  fish  traffic  for  consignments  as  low  as  20  tons. 

Increase  in  train  mileage  represents  increase  in  public 
facilities,  and  in  respect  of  increase  in  passenger  and  goods 
train  mileage  Irish  railways  are  i  per  cent,  and  8  per  cent, 
respectively  ahead  of  English  railways,  while  the  tonnage  and 
number  of  passengers  increased  by  21  per  cent,  and  28  per 
cent.,  which  compares  very  favourably  with  England.  The 
corresponding  receipts  only  increased  by  17  per  cent,  and  13 
per  cent.  Irish  railways  therefore  do  not  seem  to  be  neglecting 
the  public.  The  recent  amalgamations  will  be  a  benefit, 
working  expenses  will  be  reduced  ;  competition  in  Ireland  is 
impossible,  and  itself  would  merely  result  in  amalgamation  or 
the  pooling  of  traffic.  Dissatisfaction  with  Irish  railways  is 
therefore  unreasonable  ;  the  requirements  of  Ireland  are 
served  ;  to  provide  facilities  in  excess  would  be  financially  im- 
possible. 

Defects  in  private  management  are  not  the  cause  of  State 
management  of  railways  on  the  Continent.  There  the  Govern- 
ments had  generally  to  construct  railways  themselves  in  the 
absence  of  effective  private  enterprise,  or  they  acquired  private 
lines  merely  to  consolidate  their  military  strength.  In  France 
unimpared  company  monopoly  has  been  the  price  of  State 
control  ;  in  Belgium  the  efficiency  of  the  State  railways  is  due 
to  their  long  competition  with  once  privately-owned  railways. 
I^ates  founded  on  '  cost  of  service'  is  the  motto  on  which  every 
Government  started  business.  The  theory  proved  unworkable, 
and  Governments  had,  like  companies,  to  charge  '  what  the 
traffic  would  bear.'  The  latter  principle  makes  to  a  large  ex- 
tent the  advancement  of  railway  prosperity  involve  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  district  served. 

Governments  cannot  manage  commercial  undertakings  well. 
They  do  not  reduce  rates,  except  on  popular  agitation.  The 
history  of  the  Post  Office  proves  this  :  penny  postage  and  six- 
penny telegrams  were  the  outcome  of  great  pressure. 

Irish    trade  particularly  needs  careful    nursing.      That,  we 


Irish  Railways  and  the  State.  57 

could  not  trust  the  State  to  do.     The  purchase  of  Irish  rail- 
ways would  be   a  financial  impossibility  for  Ireland  itself  to 
stand.     England  would  scarcely  contribute.     Although  nation- 
alisation is  inadvisable,  the  relations  between  the  State    and 
Irish  railways  may  be  improved.      At  present    the  Board  of 
Trade  compels  a  Hne  in  Connemara  to  be  as  substantially  con- 
structed as  a  line  in  London,  without  regard  to  the  probable 
traffic.      So,   too,  with  regard  to  safety   appliances,  a   line  in 
Galway  must  be  as  perfectly  signalled  and  equipped  as  a  line  in 
England  with  heavy  traffic.     This  all  involves  a  heavy  sinking 
of  unremunerative  capital,  and  is  not  business.     '  As  the  traffic, 
so  the  road,'  the  principle  in  America,  is  founded  on  common 
sense.     The  procedure  for  acquiring  land  for  railways  is  more 
expensive  in  Ireland  than  in  England.     A  landowner  in  Eng- 
land gets  one  hearing  before  an  arbitrator  or  a  jury  ;  in  Ireland 
he  gets  three.      The    costs  on   acquiring  a    single  acre   often 
amount  to  two  or  three  times  the  value  of  the  land.     The  State 
should  perfect  their  present  S3^stem  of  control  by  cheapening 
the  procedure  of  the  Railway  and  Canal  Commission  Court, 
entirely  out  of  the  reach  at  present  of  humble  litigants. 
,^     Future   railway  extension    in  Ireland  must  depend  on  the 
State,  which  in    the    past    has    adopted    a  restrictive  policy. 
Baronial  guarantees  are  wrong.     If  a  district  cannot  support  a 
railway,  to  tax  it  for  the  support  will  be  a  burden.     Free  grants 
or  cheap  loans  to  judiciously  located  lines — not  to    lines  con- 
structed merely  to  give  employment — would  promote  railway 
extension.      Railways  the  subject  of  State  aid  at  present  are 
limited  to  light  railways,  but  the  construction  of  light  railways 
has  shown  how  much  the  State  can  do  to  open  up  and  develop 
Ireland. 

Mr.  Isaac  J.  Murphy  said  he  had  very  seldom  heard  a  lecture 
of  the  kind  with  the  leading  ideas  of  which  he  was  in  such 
absolute  agreement.  This  was  a  subject  on  which  he  had  a 
considerable  amount  of  information,  and,  in  these  days  when 
the  old  principles  of  Cobden  and  Bright  on  free  trade  and  pri- 
vate enterprise  were  supposed  to  be  exploded,  he  was  glad  to 


58  Irish  Railways  and  the  State. 

hear  those  sound  principles  so  clearly  and  strongly  enunciated 
by  Mr,  Macassey. 

Mr.  Robert  Dunwoody  thought  a  change  in  the  heads  of 
departments  and  the  directorate  on  some  of  the  Irish  railways 
would  be  one  of  the  very  best  things  that  could  happen. 
There  had  been  a  great  improvement  in  recent  years  in  the 
management  of  some  of  their  local  railways,  and  he  instanced 
the  Great  Northern  in  particular.  He  knew  of  one  industry 
that  had  been  immensely  helped  by  the  generous  way  in  which 
Mr.  Plews,  the  manager  of  that  line,  had  helped  it. 

Professor  Fitzgerald  sympathised  especially  with  that  part  of 
the  paper  which  pointed  out  the  annoyance  caused  by  applying 
the  same  elaborate  system  of  signalling  to  small  lines  over 
which  there  ran  two  or  three  trains  per  day  as  was  applied  to 
lines  which  had  trains  running  every  two  minutes. 

Mr.  John  Carson  said  he  would  have  been  glad  if  Mr.  Ma- 
cassey had  gone  a  little  further  than  he  had.  Ireland  was  a 
very  poor  country,  and  required  Government  aid,  especially  in 
the  important  matter  of  her  railways.  He  thought  the  manage- 
ment of  some  of  cur  lines  could  be  very  greatly  improved,  and 
he  suggested  that  excursion  trains  at  cheap  fares  should  be  run, 
say,  two  days  per  week,  between  Belfast  and  Dublin  and  Dublin 
and  Belfast,  in  order  that  the  people  of  the  metropolis  and  the 
people  of  the  Northern  capital  might  become  better  acquainted 
with  each  other.  Intercourse  between  the  two  cities  should 
certainly  be  encouraged.  Mr.  Macassey  had  not  in  his  paper 
dealt  with  the  subject  of  electrical  lines.  In  the  Isle  of  Man 
the  electric  system,  as  far  as  passenger  traffic  was  concerned, 
had  worked  well,  and  he  did  not  see  why  it  should  not  be  ap- 
plied to  goods  traffic  as  well.  He  thought  the  Bangor  and 
Holywood  line  should  be  worked  by  electricity  instead  of 
having  fifty-ton  engines  employed.  The  system  on  this  line 
should  be  made  more  like  a  tramway  system  with,  say,  a  ten 
minutes'  service. 

Mr.  H.  Leslie  Thomas  was  in  favour  of  State-owned  railways. 
They  were  a  success  in  India,  Egypt,  and  Belgium,  and  he  did 


Irish  Railways  and  the  State.  59 

not  see  why  they  should  not  be  a  success  in  Ireland.  Germany 
failed  because  she  neither  left  this  matter  to  private  enterprise 
nor  took  it  entirely  over. 

The  Post  Office  would  not  be  nearly  so  well  managed  in 
private  hands.  There  is,  for  instance,  much  to  be  desired  in 
the  present  management  of  the  telephone.  In  the  hands  of 
Government  the  service  would  be  better  and  cheaper.  The 
tendency  at  present  was  in  favour  of  State  aid  being  given,  not 
only  to  railways,  but  to  every  large  industry  that  was  a  neces- 
sity to  the  general  public.  He  thought  electrical  traction 
would  be  safer  and  cheaper  than  steam  traction. 

Mr.  Walter  Bailev  said  he  was  surprised  to  find  that  no  one 
present  had  made  a  serious  suggestion  that  the  State  ownership 
of  Irish  railways  would  be  a  benefit  to  the  country  at  large.  He 
was  under  the  impression  that  the  State  purchase  of  Irish  rail- 
ways was  one  of  the  strongest  planks  in  the  platform  of  many 
gentlemen  in  Belfast  to-day.  He  thought,  however,  that  most 
people  believed  that  private  enterprise  was,  upon  the  whole, 
far  better  than  the  State  working  of  Irish  or  any  other  rail- 
ways. The  subject  of  the  price  to  be  paid  for  Irish  railways, 
should  the  Government  think  the  scheme  feasible,  was  one  of 
the  greatest  circumstance,  and  on  it  a  great  deal  might  have 
been  said,  but  the  point  had  not  been  raised.  Indeed,  the  dis- 
cussion had  been  of  a  very  cursory  description,  and  he  did  not 
wish  to  trouble  the  meeting  with  statistics  on  that  particular 
point. 

On  the  motion  of  Dr.  Redfern,  seconded  by  Mr.  Adam 
Speers,  Holyvvood,  the  hearty  thanks  of  the  meeting  were  ac- 
corded to  Mr.  Macassey. 


6o 


Sih  February^  IQOI. 
Mr.  J.  BROWN,  President,  in  the  Chair. 

The  President  moved  the  following  resolution  : — "  That  the 
members  of  this  Society  desire  to  express  their  deep  sorrow  at 
the  death  of  her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  their  sense  of  the 
great  loss  thereby  sustained  by  the  British  nation,  and  to  tender 
their  most  humble  and  loyal  duty  to  his  Majesty  King  Edward, 
with  the  fullest  confidence  that  he  will  worthily  occupy  the 
high  place  of  her  late  revered  Majesty." 

Mr.  Robert  Young,  J. P.,  seconded  the  resolution,  which,  on 
being  put,  was  passed  unanimously,  the  audience  standing. 

COLOUR. 

By  Professor  W.  B.  Morton,  M.A. 

{Abstract.) 

The  subject  of  colour  had  been  selected  as  lying  in  the 
borderland  between  science  and  art,  in  the  hope  of  interesting 
the  many  members  of  the  Society  who  were  artistic  in  their 
tastes.  The  discussion  would  be  limited  to  the  treatment  of 
colour  as  a  sensation,  and  would  leave  untouched  the  purely 
physical  side  of  the  question.  The  origin  of  all  the  colour  in 
nature  was  found  in  the  composite  nature  of  white  light.  In 
illustration  of  this,  experiments  were  shown  with  a  spectrum 
thrown  on  the  screen.  The  colours  of  transparent  bodies  were 
due  to  the  fact  that  they  absorbed  some  of  the  constituent  rays 
of  white  light,  and  allowed  the  rest  to  pass.  Opaque  coloured 
bodies  absorbed  some  rays,  and  scattered  the  rest  back  from  their 
surfaces.      The  colour  shown  by  any  surface  must,  therefore, 


ColoiLV.  6  r 

depend  on  the  quality  of  the  illumination.  This  was  illustrated 
by  holding  different  coloured  papers  in  different  parts  of  the 
spectrum,  and  also  in  the  pure  yellow  light  of  a  sodium  flame. 
All  the  various  tints  and  shades  could  be  got  from  the  separate 
spectrum  colours  by  altering  either  their  intensity  or  their 
purity,  with  the  exception  of  purple  tints,  for  which  it  was 
necessary  to  mix  the  extreme  colours  of  the  spectrum.  In  very 
bright  light  colours  tend  to  become  yellowish  ;  \\\  dim  light, 
such  as  moonlight,  the  bluish  colours  are  alone  visible. 

The  laws  of  mixture  of  colours  were  then  explained  and 
illustrated  experimentally  by  making  coloured  patches  on  the 
screen  overlap,  and  by  whirling  rapidly  parti-coloured  discs. 
The  results  obtained  had  to  be  distinguished  from  those  got  by 
mixing  pigments,  and  led  to  the  assumption  of  red,  green  and 
violet  as  the  primary  colour  sensations.  The  treatment  of  the 
rather  complicated  facts  of  colour-mixture  was  rendered  easy 
by  the  use  of  a  colour  diagram  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  with 
the  primary  colours  at  its  angles.  Attention  was  drawn  to  the 
unique  position  occupied  by  green,  and  the  artistic  consequences 
of  this.  Specially  important  from  the  artistic  point  of  view 
was  the  grouping  of  colours  into  complimentary  pairs,  which 
combine  to  give  white  or  grey — e.g..^  blue  and  yellow,  green 
and  purple,  red  and  greenish-blue.  The  phenomena  of  con- 
trast depended  directly  on  these  groupings.  They  might  be 
explained  as  an  error  of  judgment  on  the  part  of  the  eye,  the 
standard  of  white  being  affected  by  the  prevailing  colour. 
Thus  in  a  prevailing  yellow  illumination  the  standard  of  white 
would  be  displaced  towards  a  yellowish  tint,  and  surfaces  which 
were  really  grey  would  look  to  have  the  complementary  colour 
blue.  This  was  illustrated  by  the  well-known  effects  of 
coloured  shadows,  seen,  for  instance,  in  a  room  lit  by  both 
ordinary  and  incandescent  gas  burners.  In  general,  coloured 
objects  seen  on  an  extended  coloured  background  had  their 
true  colours  mixed  with  that  complementary  to  the  back- 
ground. A  number  of  instances  were  shown  in  which  two 
rings,  cut  from  the  same  coloured  paper,  but  pasted  on  back- 


62  Colour. 

grounds  of  different  colours,  looked  of  entirely  different  shades. 
The  effect  was  best  seen  when  the  colours  were  made  paler  by 
covering  with  a  sheet  of  white  tissue  paper.  It  was  shown  that 
phenomena  of  this  kind  gave  a  clue  to  the  explanation  of  the 
fact  that  certain  pairs  of  colours  "  go  badly  together." 

The  lantern  was  manipulated  by  Messrs.  John  Wylie,  B.A., 
and  T.  B.  Vinycomb,  B.A.,  upon  the  capable  performance  of 
whose  duties  in  this  respect  the  lecture  in  considerable  degree 
depended. 

Professor  Redfern  commented  upon  the  brilliance  and  in- 
structiveness  of  the  lecture,  and  moved  that  the  best  thanks  of 
the  Society  be  accorded  to  Professor  Morton  for  having 
delivered  it. 

Rev.  Robert  Workman  seconded  the  motion,  which  was 
supported  in  warm  terms  by  Mr.  William  Workman,  Mr. 
George  Coulter,  Mr.  William  Gray,  M.R.I.A.,  and  passed  by 
acclamation. 

Professor  Morton  briefly  acknowledged  the  vote  of  thanks. 


63 


5th  March,  IQOI. 


Sir  JAMES  HENDERSON,  D.L.,  in  the  Chair. 


SCENERY    AND    ANTIQUITIES    OF    SLIGO, 

CONNEMARA,  AND  CLARE. 

By  Seaton  F.  Milligan,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a. 

{Abstract.) 

The  Chairman  said  probably  every  one  present  had  already 
heard  Mr.  Milligan  describe  the  scenery  of  what  they  all 
believed  to  be  the  finest  country  in  the  world,  and  consequently 
it  was  unnecessary  to  use  many  words  in  introducing  him  on 
that  occasion.  A  lecture  on  the  scenery  of  the  West  of  Ireland 
was  very  appropriate,  because  in  the  coming  season  they  wanted 
to  attract  as  many  visitors  to  Ireland  as  possible  so  as  to  benefit 
the  country.  He  was  of  opinion  that  the  Irish  Tourists' 
Association  reached  the  zenith  ot  their  success  last  April,  when 
Queen  Victoria,  the  greatest  and  most  important  lady  in  the 
British  Empire,  visited  Ireland  ;  but  they  should  not  slacken 
their  efTorts  in  developing  the  tourist  traffic  as  much  as  pos- 
sible in  future.  It  was  a  matter  of  regret  that  the  King  and 
Queen  could  not  visit  the  country  this  year  for  reasons  which 
weighed  with  all  of  them,  but  it  was  their  hope  that  next  year 
they  would  have  the    pleasure  of  welcoming  their  Majesties. 

The  Lecturer  said — It  is  admitted  by  well-informed  people 
that  Ireland  is  one  of  the  most  healthful  and  picturesque  coun- 
tries in  Europe,  but  its  charms  had  remained  hidden,  and  its 
beauties  were  only  known  to  those  who  had  ample  means  and 
time  to  explore  them.  The  most  interesting  places  and  the 
finest  scenery  are  situated  in  remote  parts  difficult  of  access  and 
expensive  to  reach. 

This  drawback  has  been  removed  in  recent  years  by  the 


64  Scenery  and  Antiquities  of 

opening  of  new  lines  of  railway  and  the  erection  of  comfortable 
and  commodious  hotels  in  the  centres  where  the  best  scenery  is 
situated.  Tourists  and  visitors  in  search  of  health,  possessed 
of  moderate  means,  can  visit  these  hitherto  exclusive  districts 
at  a  comparatively  small  outlay.  The  railway  from  Galway  to 
Clifden  has  opened  up  the  district  of  Connemara.  The  exten- 
sion of  the  railway  from  Westport  to  Mallarany  and  the  Sound 
of  Achill  has  made  that  island  quite  accessible  with  all  its 
wealth  of  chflF  and  mountain  scenery,  and  its  invigorating 
breezes  fresh  drawn  from  the  Atlantic.  Further  south  the  West 
Clare  Railway  opens  up  in  County  Clare  a  most  charming  and 
interesting  district — viz.,  Lahinch,  Miltown  Malbay,  and  Kil- 
kee.  The  hotel  and  golf  links  at  Lahinch,  overlooking  Lis- 
canor  Bay,  are  attracting  quite  a  crowd  of  tourists.  Nature 
has  made  Kilkce  one  of  the  finest,  if  not  the  very  finest, 
watering-places  in  Europe,  where  the  great  Atlantic  rolls  in 
on  its  gently-sloping  silver  strand  or  dashes  with  thundering 
force  on  its  huge  cliffs,  carrying  spray  and  foam  upwards  over 
their  topmost  summit  to  be  carried  landward  on  the  gale  for 
miles.  County  Clare  is  comparatively  unknown  to  North  of 
Ireland  people.  It  lies  away  in  the  South-West,  out  of  the 
beaten  track  of  travellers,  and  until  quite  recently  was  most 
diflficult  of  access.  Since  the  opening  of  the  Balfour  railways 
this  remote  district  has  become  much  better  known.  Lis- 
doonvarna,  in  North  Clare,  is  noted  for  its  sulphur,  iron,  and 
magnesian  spa,  which  is  said  to  equal  any  in  England.  We 
can  reach  these  places  by  various  routes — by  rail  from  Athenry 
to  Ennis,  and  thence  by  the  narrow  guage  to  Kilkee,  or  to 
Ennistymon  and  thence  by  coach  to  Lisdoonvarna.  I  went 
straight,  via  Galway,  thence  across  the  bay  by  steamer  to 
Ballyvaughan,  and  public  car,  fare  one  shilling.  The  steamer 
goes  three  days  a  week,  and  it  is  the  most  direct  route.  From 
Lisdoonvarna  to  Ennistymon  is  nine  miles,  fare  by  public  car 
IS  6d  ;  you  can  take  train  from  thence  to  Kilkee,  or  stop  at 
Lahinch  for  the  golf  links.  In  July  last  I  spent  a  week  at 
Lisdoonvarna  with  the  Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries,  who  held 


Sligo,   Connemara  and  Clare  dz, 

their  summer  meeting  there.  I  next  proceeded  to  Kilkee,  and 
finished  up  by  returning  to  Gahvay  by  rail,  and  from  thence 
to  Recess  in  Connemara.  Recess  is  an  extremely  good  centre 
from  which  to  explore  Connemara,  and  the  hotel  there  is  owned 
and  managed  by  the  railway  company,  who  have  done  every- 
thing possible  to  attract  visitors  to  it. 

I  will  now  refer  to  the  western  seaboard  of  Ireland,  and 
describe  as  briefly  as  possible  some  of  the  sights  that  will  meet 
the  traveller  coming  from  Sligo  in  the  north-west  to  he  reaches 
Kilkee  in  the  south-west.  The  people  who  inhabit  these  parts 
of  Ireland  are  bilingual,  and  speak  Irish  and  English,  the  former 
from  choice  and  the  latter  from  necessity.  These  people  are 
most  interesting  to  meet  and  speak  to,  the  older  people  are 
conversant  with  the  habits  and  customs  of  the  ancient  Celtic 
race,  and  relate  old  stories  and  folk  tales,  and  croon  you  some 
of  the  ancient  airs  that  we  are  now  trying  to  write  down  and 
preserve  from  being  entirely  lost.  Through  Mayo,  Galway  and 
Clare  the  old  manners  and  customs  can  be  studied,  which  are 
surely  and  slowly  dying  out  through  the  increased  contact  with 
visitors  and  tourists.  The  sublime  cliff  scenery  of  Achill  and 
Clare  can  now  be  visited  with  comparatively  little  fatigue,  as  well 
as  the  rivers,  lakes,  and  bens  of  Connemara.  The  Midland  Great 
Western  Railway  runs  right  across  the  centre  of  Ireland  from 
Dublin  to  Galway,  and  from  thence  through  Connemara  to 
Clifden,  the  capital  of  that  district.  From  Athlone,  almost  the 
centre  of  Ireland,  it  extends  through  Roscommon  and  Mayo  to 
Westport,  and  thence  to  the  Sound  of  Achill,  and  to  Ballina 
and  Killala.  Here  on  the  line  at  Mallarany  the  railway  com- 
pany have  erected  a  fine  and  commodious  hotel  on  a  site  com- 
manding a  view  of  Clew  Bay.  The  tourist  visiting  Connemara 
and  Achill  will  be  delighted  with  many  miles  of  the  grandest 
and  most  picturesque  lake  and  mountain  scenery  in  the  United 
Kingdom.  The  panoramic  view  of  Killary  Bay  for  eight  miles, 
with  its  wild,  romantic  mountains  towering  into  the  sky,  and 
the  volcanic-like  "  Mweelrea  "  (2,688  feet)  at  the  entrance,  can- 
not be  surpassed.    The  wild  grandeur  of  Kylemore  Pass  and 


66  Scenery  and  Antiquities  of 

Lake,  with  the  "Twelve  Bens"  (2,000  feet)  in  the  background, 
is   unrivalled.     The   silvery   lakes — Glendalough,    Derryclare, 
Inan — teem   with  salmon  and  trc>ut,  and    offer  inexhaustible 
sport.     The   seacliflFs   and    headlands    of  Clifden    and    Achill, 
washed  by  the  broad  Atlantic,  are  grand  and  wild.     Clew  Bay, 
comprising  an  area  of  28  square  miles,  studded  with  over  100 
islands,   aflFords  from  Croagh  Patrick   (2,500  feet)  one  of  the 
rarest   panoramic    views   in    the    world,    not    excepting    the 
Thousand  Isles  of  the  St.  Laurence.      Lough  Corrib,   18  miles 
long,  is  a  small,  fresh-water,  inland  sea.      The  venerable  ruins 
of   Cong    Abbey  are  not   only  beautiful,  but   traditional  and 
legendary.      Loughs  Conn  and  CuUin,  the  former  eight  miles 
long,  affords  views  that  are  the  real  of  the  extravagant  scenic 
artist's  ideal — wild  foreground,  water-jutting  headlands,  backed 
by  numerous  lines  of  hills  and  high  mountains.      Lough  Gill 
and  Hazlewood    Demesne  afford  a  change  from  the  wild  and 
romantic  to  the  wooded  class  of  scenery,  still,  however,  blended 
in  the  background  with   desert-looking,    serrated    mountains. 
To  the  scenic  tourist,  the  health-seeker,  the  angler,  the  sports- 
man, the  botanist,  the  geologist,  the  archaeologist,  the  artist, 
or  the  pedestrian,  the  attractions  offered  by  the  Western  High- 
lands are  unrivalled,  with  the  additionalcharmof  being  in  parts 
unexplored.      Its  streams  and  waters  are  as  pure  as  its  breezes 
wafted  in  by  the  Atlantic.      No  barriers  on  its  rivers  stop  the 
fish  from  running  up  from  the  sea,  nor  does  any  product  of 
manufacture  poison  them.     The  coracle  skims  over  its  bays  and 
inlets,  reaping  the  harvest  of  the  deep.     The  western  peasant 
believes  in  home  manufacture,  as  he  and  his  family  produce 
almost  all  they  require  of  food  and  clothing,  and  are  technically 
educated  to  an  extent  that  the  peasant  of  the  North  is  not- 
They  spin,  weave  and  dye  the  wool  of  their  sheep,  knit  their 
hosiery,   make  their  shoes,  coracles,  and  many  other  articles. 
They  are  good  builders  of  walls  without  mortar,  and  frequently 
erect   their  own  dwelling-houses.     Nature  provides  for  these 
western  districts  many  things  that  in  our  cities  could  not  be 
procured  at  any  cost.      Scientists  state  that  ozone  is  produced 


Sh'go^   Connemara  and  Clare.  67 

when  the  waves  of  the  sea  are  dashed  and  split  up  against  the 
cliff.  No  place  known  to  me  are  the  waves  so  smashed  up  into 
what  I  may  term  waterdust  as  along  the  coast  of  Achill  and 
Clare.  Here  the  greatest  production  of  ozone  in  Europe  is 
constantly  in  operation.  We  have  a  nature's  own  factory  for 
the  production  of  the  most  life-sustaining  and  health-giving 
air  in  the  world.  No  such  invigorating  supply  is  produced  on 
any  part  of  the  coast  of  the  Riviera,  where  people  flock  for 
health,  whilst  the  temperature  along  this  western  county  is 
very  equal  and  mild  all  the  winter  through.  The  breezes  from 
the  gulf  stream  so  temper  the  air  that  fuchsias  grow  into  great 
trees  and  bloom  in  mid-winter.  I  have  seen  at  Kilkee  the 
Atlantic  stirred  up  by  a  western  gale,  particles  of  white  foam 
flying  high  up  in  the  air  and  carried  inland  for  a  great  distance 
out  of  sight.  We  will  show  views  of  Kilkee  in  fine  weather, 
and  also  the  wave  effects  during  a  gale  ;  but  no  views  can  do 
justice  to  the  grandeur  and  sublimity  of  the  scene  during  a  stiff 
gale  from  the  west.  We  think  that  the  health-giving  and  in- 
vigorating properties  of  the  air  at  Kilkee  are  not  sufficiently 
known  to  the  public  or  the  medical  profession.  The  out-door 
life  now  recommended  in  case  of  lung  disease  where  the  air  is 
pure  should  be  tried  in  some  of  the  sheltered  valleys  of  the  west 
coast  ;  there  the  force  of  the  wind  would  not  be  felt,  but  where 
its  purity  would  remain  unimpaired. 

COUNTY  SLIGO. 

Our  tour  naturally  divides  itself  into  three  parts — Sligo, 
Connemara,  and  Clare.  If  we  start  from  the  north-west  at 
Sligo,  we  find  it  has  a  class  of  scenery  peculiarly  its  own.  It 
differs  entirely  from  Connemara  and  Clare.  It  has  fine  moun- 
tain ranges,  beautiful  lakes,  with  well  wooded  islands,  and 
picturesque  fishful  rivers.  Its  fields  are  green  and  fertile,  its 
valleys  and  hill  slopes  are  well  wooded,  giving  a  richness  and 
warmth  to  the  scenery  not  found  elsewhere  in  the  west.  The 
farm  houses  are  comfortable,  clean,  and  well  kept,  so  that  no 
one  would  imagine  this  to  be  in  the   poor   Ireland    so   often 


68  Scenery  and  Antiquities  of 

pictured.  It  differs  widely  from  the  districts  in  Mayo  and 
Galvva}^,  both  in  its  appearance  and  people.  Many  Crom- 
wellian  soldiers  were  settled  in  County  Sligo  as  the  border 
county  of  Connaught.  They  were  mostly  of  English  descent, 
and  they  introduced  improved  methods  of  farming,  which  are 
visible  to  the  present  day.  Lough  Gill,  close  by  Sligo  town, 
is  a  charming  lake  five  miles  long,  by  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
wide.  It  contains  several  well  wooded  islands,  and  the  ruins 
of  an  ancient  Celtic  Church  on  one.  It  is  surrounded  on 
almost  every  side  by  high  mountains,  which  give  it  quite  the 
appearance  of  Killarney,  but  on  a  smaller  scale.  The  arbutus 
grows  in  Hazlewood  Demesne  on  the  northern  side  of  the  lake, 
the  hills  of  Cleveragh,  overlooking  lake  and  river,  are  also  finely 
wooded.  There  is  a  holy  well  and  altar  at  Tober  Nalt  on  the 
margin  of  the  lake,  where  a  pattern  is  held  on  the  last  Sunday 
in  July  called  Garland  Sunday.  The  river  Garvogue,  which 
discharges  the  surplus  waters  of  the  lake,  is  the  earliest  salmon 
river  in  Ireland,  as  fishing  commences  on  the  ist  of  January, 
when  the  fish  are  found  to  be  in  prime  order.  The  Owenmore 
that  empties  into  Ballysodare  Bay  very  close  to  the  Sligo 
river,  strange  to  say,  is  fully  three  months  later.  The  rapids 
and  falls  of  the  latter  river  at  Ballysodare  are  very  fine,  par- 
ticularly when  the  river  is  in  flood.  For  several  hundred  yards 
the  rapids  extend  from  the  bridge  towards  the  sea,  and  finally 
tumble  over  a  fine  fall,  and  are  lost  in  the  bay.  Glencar  Lake, 
on  the  northern  side  of  Sligo,  some  ten  miles  distant,  lies  right 
under  the  Benbulbin  Mountains  ;  it  contains  two  crannoges,  or 
artificial  islands,  which  in  ancient  times  were  used  as  strong- 
holds. Bronze  and  stone  implements  have  been  found  in 
them,  also  great  quantities  of  bones  of  the  red  deer,  ox,  goat, 
and  other  animals.  There  is  a  celebrated  waterfall  at  Glencar, 
with  the  peculiar  feature  that  when  the  wind  blows  strong 
from  a  point  in  front  of  it  the  water  seems  to  rise  up  the  face 
of  the  mountain  and  is  lost  in  spray.  The  visitor  to  Glencar 
can  return  to  Sligo  by  the  village  of  Drumcliff,  founded  by  St. 
Coiumba.     It  possesses  a  beautiful  sculptured  cross  and  a  por- 


Sligo^  Connemara  and  Clare.  69 

tion  of  a  round  tower.  The  ancient  church  has  disappeared, 
but  the  cross  and  round  tower  point  to  the  antiquity  of  the 
place.  Close  by  this  village  is  the  charming  district  of  Lisadell, 
and  the  seat  of  Sir  Henry  Gore  Booth,  Bart.  This  district  is 
noted  for  ancient  forts,  cashels,  cromleachs,  giants'  graves,  and 
other  interesting  objects  of  ancient  times.  In  one  day  the 
traveller  can  visit  Glencar,  Drumcliff,  and  Lisadell,  returning 
to  Sligo  same  evening.  Another  interesting  tour  from  Sligo 
is  to  Carrowmore,  to  see  the  cromleachs  and  stone  circles  ; 
thence  to  the  Glen,  and  finally  to  Knocknarea.  Driving  as  far 
as  Primrose  Grange  School,  where  a  twenty  minutes'  climb 
will  bring  us  to  the  summit,  1,078  feet  above  sea-level.  It  lies 
exactly  between  the  bays  of  Sligo  and  Ballysodare,  and  com- 
mands a  most  extensive  view  across  Donegal  Bay  and  south- 
wards to  the  Curlews.  The  greatest  cairn  in  Ireland  crowns 
its  summit,  called  Mescaun  Maeve,  supposed  to  have  been 
erected  about  the  period  of  the  Christian  era,  in  memory  of 
Maeve,  Queen  of  Connaught.  Close  by  the  river  side  in  Sligo 
town  are  the  ruins  of  the  abbey  founded  about  the  year  12^2 
by  Maurice  Fitzgerald,  for  the  Order  of  Dominicans.  This 
Maurice,  who  was  Lord  Justice  of  Ireland  at  this  time,  was  the 
ancestor  of  the  Leinster  Fitzgeralds,  now  represented  by  the 
Duke  of  Leinster.  A  drive  around  the  lake  should  not  be 
missed.  It  passes  around  the  southern  side,  reaching  the  little 
town  of  Dromahaire,  and  returning  back  by  the  Enniskillen 
Road.  The  ruins  of  the  Franciscan  monastery  of  Creevelea  can 
be  included  on  the  way  back,  as  well  as  the  great  prehistoric 
sepulchral  monument  in  the  deerpark,  known  as  the  Irish 
Stone  Henge.  We  next  proceed  to  County  Mayo,  on  our  way 
to  Connemara.  We  can  go  by  two  routes — take  train  via 
CoUooney  and  Claremorris  for  Westport,  or  by  long  car  from 
Sligo,  via  Ballysodare  and  Dromore  West,  for  Ballina,  from 
which  a  short  train  journey  reaches  Westport.  This  drive 
enables  us  to  see  the  rapids  and  falls  of  Ballysodare  and  the  in- 
teresting scenery  by  Dromore  West  until  we  cross  the  river 
Moy  at  Ballina,  which  divides  Mayo  from  County  Sligo.     The 


7©  Scenery  and  Antiqtnties  of 

Moy  is  a  hue  salmon  river,  and  Lough  Conn  is  also  close  by, 
where  there  is  extremely  good  fishing.  In  the  vicinity  of 
Ballina  there  are  several  places  of  great  antiquarian  interest. 
Rosserck  and  Moyne  Abbeys  and  the  Round  Tower  of  Killala; 
a  circular  drive  from  Ballina  will  take  in  all  three.  The  place 
where  the  French  landed  in  1798  is  pointed  out  about  three 
miles  from  Killala.  We  can  proceed  by  train  direct  to  West- 
port  via  Manulla  junction  from  Ballina. 

ACHILL  ISLAND. 

Westport  is  situated  at  the  head  of  Clew  Bay,  and  is  the 
most  convenient  place  from  which  to  visit  Achill  Island,  or 
start  for  Connemara.  It  is  a  very  picturesque  town,  with  a 
river  running  through  the  centre  of  it,  and  trees  planted  on 
either  bank,  which  has  a  very  pretty  effect  in  summer.  Lord 
Sligo  has  a  seat  quite  close,  and  the  entrance  gate  opens  from 
the  town  ;  the  demesne,  which  is  very  extensive,  should  be 
visited,  and  many  fine  views  of  Clew  Bay  may  be  had  from  it. 
We  proceed  by  rail  from  Westport  to  Mallarany,  where  the 
railway  company  have  erected  a  fine  and  commodious  hotel. 
We  can  visit  from  Mallarany  all  the  places  of  interest  in  Achill, 
going  by  rail  to  Achill  Sound,  taking  a  car  there,  and  driving 
to  the  various  places,  returning  again  to  Mallarany  by  last 
train  in  the  evening.  We  may,  after  seeing  all  the  places  of 
interest  at  or  near  Mallarany,  proceed  to  Dugort,  where  Mr. 
Sheridan,  the  popular  proprietor  of  the  Slievemore  Hotel,  can 
put  us  up  most  comfortably,  and  also  guide  us  to  every  spot  of 
interest  in  the  island.  The  population  of  this  interesting 
island  in  1891  was  4,677.  Tillage  on  a  small  scale  and  fishing 
are  the  only  employments  of  the  people.  The  distance  from 
Dublin  to  Achill  Sound,  where  the  line  terminates,  is  187^ 
miles,  the  extension  from  Westport  to  the  Sound  is  26^  miles. 
The  Sound  is  a  narrow  strait  connecting  Clew  and  Blacksod 
Bays.  A  bridge  now  crosses  the  Sound,  opening  in  the  centre 
on  a  swivel  to  allow  small  vessels  to  pass,  and  is  a  great  con- 


Sh'go,   Connemara  and  Clare.  71 

venience  to  all  going  to  or  from  the  island.  The  bridge  was 
built  mainly  through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  John  G.  Porter,  of 
Lisbellaw,  County  Fermanagh,  who  contributed  about  one- 
third  of  its  total  cost.  Achill  is  about  15  miles  long  by  11 
broad,  and  is  the  largest  island  off  the  Irish  coast.  It  has  very 
fine  cliffs  and  seal  caves.  Croghaun  is  2,192  feet  high,  present- 
ing a  magnificent  section  to  the  Atlantic.  Slievemore  is 
2,204  feet  high.  The  village  of  Dugort  at  its  base  contains  the 
hotel,  church,  police  barracks,  and  principal  buildings.  From 
Dugort  all  the  sights  are  easily  reached,  the  ascent  of  Slieve- 
more and  Crogham,  the  seal  caves,  and  cliffs  of  Menawn,  the 
cathedral,  rocks,  and  the  native  village  of  Keel.  There  is  a 
fine  strand  near  this  village,  extending  for  about  three  miles, 
and  close  by  the  village  of  Slievemore  are  the  remains  of  many 
objects  of  antiquarian  interest.  Dugort  is  about  nine  miles 
from  the  sound,  and  cars  run  in  the  tourist  season  on  arrival  of 
the  trains.  From  the  summit  of  Croaghhaim  a  magnificent 
sea  clift,  only  equalled  by  Slieve  League  in  Donegal,  a  most  ex- 
tensive view  can  be  obtained  either  inland  towards  Westport 
and  Connemara,  or  seaward  towards  Clare  Island  and  the  other 
islands  scattered  along  that  portion  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard. 

CONNEMARA. 

Leaving  Achill  we  return  to  Westport,  which  is  the  starting 
place  for  Connemara.  We  take  our  seat  on  the  tourist  car  for 
Leenane,  by  the  lovely  Erriff  Valley,  through  which  the  Erriff 
River,  a  fine  trout  and  salmon  stream,  flows  into  Killary 
Harbour.  We  stop  at  the  Leenane  Hotel,  from  which  a  series 
of  excursions  may  be  taken.  There  is  fine  lake,  river,  and  sea 
fishing  to  be  had  here,  some  free  and  also  at  a  moderate  rental 
by  the  day  or  week.  For  those  fond  of  mountaineering  there 
are  several  most  interesting  excursions — the  ascent  of  Leenane' 
Mountain  (at  the  foot  of  which  the  hotel  is  situated),  which 
rises  1,404  feet,  and  commands  a  splendid  view  of  the  twelve 
Bens,  Killary  Harbour,  and  the  lakes  and  rivers  of  Connemara, 
the  Delphi  pass,  and  the  ascent  of  Mweelrea,  which  lies  along 


72  Scenery  and  Antiquities  0/ 

the  northern  side  of  the  Killary,  rising  to  a  height  of  2,688 
feet,  can  be  made  from  Leenane.  If  I  were  asked  to  describe 
the  scenery  of  this  district  around  Leenane  in  as  few  words  as 
possible,  I  would  reply,  huge  mountains  dotted  all  round,  con- 
nected by  deep,  dark  valleys,  through  which  lakes  wind,  and 
from  which  rivers  flow  to  other  lakes  or  to  the  sea.  Many  of 
the  mountains  are  bare  rock,  others  clad  in  heather,  and 
vegetation  very  sparse.  Interesting  excursions  can  be  made 
from  Leenane  as  a  centre  by  car,  boat,  or  small  steamer,  and 
the  tourist  car  from  Clifden  to  Westport  passes  the  door. 
Leaving  Leenane  by  the  tourist  car  for  Clifden,  we  pass  by 
Kylemore  and  Letterfrack.  Kylemore  Lake  and  Castle,  the 
property  of  Mr.  Mitchell  Henry,  is  a  charming  place,  its  natural 
beauties  being  developed  by  all  that  good  taste  and  money 
could  do.  Letterfrack  is  a  well-to-do  village,  founded  by  a 
Quaker  gentleman,  who  has  done  a  great  deal  to  found  indus- 
tries and  improve  the  locality.  There  is  a  comfortable  hotel, 
owned  by  Mrs.  O'Grady,  in  the  village.  Renvyle  Hotel  is 
about  five  miles  from  here.  The  house  was  the  family  mansion 
of  the  Blake  family,  who  some  twenty  years  ago  turned  it  into 
a  hotel  to  provide  accommodation  for  those  coming  here  for 
fishing,  shooting,  and  sea  bathing.  It  is  exceedingly  comfort- 
able, homely,  and  well-kept.  Renvyle  is  an  extremely  good 
centre  from  which  to  explore  this  district.  From  Letterfrack 
to  Clifden  occupies  one  hour  and  a  half  to  drive.  It  is  the 
capital  of  Connemara,  built  on  rising  ground  overlooking  a 
beautiful  inlet  of  the  sea  called  Ardbear  Harbour.  Clifden  is 
built  on  the  property  of  the  D'Arcy  family  ;  population,  about 
one  thousand.  From  Clifden  we  may  drive  to  Roundstone,  or, 
if  we  are  interested  in  angling,  can  go  by  rail  to  Recess.  At 
Recess  the  Railway  Hotel,  which  is  owned  by  and  under  the 
management  of  the  Midland  Railway  Company,  is  adjacent  to 
the  Recess  Station  on  the  Galway  and  Clifden  line.  The 
hotel,  which  is  furnished  with  every  modern  comfort  and 
convenience,  occupies  a  picturesque  situation  in  the  midst 
of    the     well-known     lake     district     of    Connemara.       It    is 


SHgo^  Connemara  and  Clare.  73 

sheltered  from  the  north-easterly  winds  by  the  Maam  Turk 
Mountains,  and  from  its  position  it  affords  magnificent  views 
of  the  famous  Twelve  Bens.  When  stopping  at  Recess  we 
observed  the  anglers  had  all  well -filled  baskets  on  their  return, 
principally  salmon  and  trout.  The  climate  is  very  mild  in 
winter,  so  that  it  should  be  a  good  winter  resort  for  invalids 
who  could  enjoy  a  soft,  balmy  air  in  mid-winter  coming  direct 
oft  the  Gulf  Stream,  which  flows  along  the  coast.  When  finally 
leaving  Recess  a  minutes'  walk  brings  us  to  the  special  hotel 
platform,  where  our  luggage  has  preceded  us,  and  from  whence 
we  take  train  to  Galway,  which  we  reach  in  about  two  hours. 

ARRAN  ISLANDS. 
Galway  city  is  now  so  well  known  that  it  will  be  unnecessary 
to  dwell  on  the  various  places  of  interest  still  remaining  from 
bygone  days.  The  Airan  Islands,  which  we  reach  by  steamer 
from  Galway,  have  also  become  much  better  known  since  the 
visit  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries  in  1895.  They  issued 
a  very  fully  illustrated  handbook,  giving  copious  illustrations 
and  descriptive  sketches  of  all  places  of  interest  in  the  islands. 
These  islands  possess  a  special  charm,  no  matter  how  often 
visited;  they  contain  the  finest  specimens  of  prehistoric  Pagan 
forts  in  Europe — viz..  Dun  Angus,  Dun  Oghill,  and  Dhu  Caher 
in  the  north  island,  and  Dun  Connor,  situated  on  the  summit 
of  the  middle  island.  Arran  of  the  Saints  contains  as  well 
many  examples  of  our  earliest  churches — the  Seven  Churches, 
or  Temple  Brecan,  and  Temple  Mac  Duach,  on  the  north  side 
of  Arranmore  ;  on  the  south  side  is  Temple  Benen  and 
Monaster  Kieran,  together  with  the  remains  of  a  round  tower. 
On  the  shore  of  the  bay  at  Killeany  is  Arkin  Castle,  or  Crom- 
well's Fort,  built  during  the  time  of  the  Protector  and  gar- 
risoned by  his  troops.  There  is  plenty  of  material  on  the  • 
islands  to  employ  the  visitor  for  a  week,  and  accommodation 
may  be  had  at  the  Atlantic  Hotel,  Kilronan.  The  cliffs  cf 
Moher  and  the  coast  of  Clare  can  be  distinctly  seen  from  the 
islands  on  a  clear  day.      The  steamer  from  Galway  goes  daily 


74  Scenery  and  Antiquities  of 

in  the  summer  months,  and  takes  three  hours  to  reach  Kil- 
ronan  pier.  The  Irish  language  is  that  commonly  used  by  the 
people  amongst  themselves,  but  most  of  the  young  people  can 
speak  English  as  well.  Many  rare  ferns  grow  on  the  islands, 
including  maiden  hair  and  royal  tern 

COUNTY  CLARE  (LISDOONVARNA.) 
We  went  from  Galway  to  Lisdoonvarna  by  the  direct  route 
across  the  bay  by  steamer  to  Ballyvaughan,  which  lies  on  the 
opposite  or  Clare  side  of  the  bay  ;  from  here  we  afterwards 
drove  by  the  public  car  to  Lisdoonvarna.  Ballyvaughan  is  the 
best  and  nearest  point  from  which  to  visit  the  celebrated  ruins 
of  Corcomroe  Abbey.  A  great  battle  was  fought  in  this 
locality  in  the  year  13 17,  when  many  of  the  O'Briens  fell,  and 
were  buried  within  the  Abbey.  The  drive  from  Ballyvaughan 
goes  through  the  Shale  district,  across  the  high  hills,  by  the 
well-known  Corkscrew  Road.  On  reaching  the  summit  a  fine 
view  of  the  Bay  of  Galway  may  be  obtained,  with  the  ancient 
city  of  the  tribes  and  a  great  rocky  amphitheatre  lying  in  the 
foreground  of  the  picture  close  to  us.  The  visit  of  the  Royal 
Society  of  Antiquaries  here  took  place  in  July,  1900.  The 
party  numbered  almost  100,  and  though  it  was  the  busy  season 
they  all  managed  to  get  comfortably  provided  for  amongst  the 
various  hotels.  The  town  is  situated  about  600  feet  above  sea 
level  on  a  limestone  subsoil,  within  three  miles  of  the  Atlantic. 
The  air  is  very  bracing,  and  the  spa  is  said  to  equal  any  in 
England.  The  Gowlan  river  flows  through  the  place  in  a  deep 
gorge  or  ravine  which  it  has  cut  in  the  course  of  ages  through 
the  rock.  The  principal  sulphur  spa  is  situated  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill  from  the  Queen's  Hotel  at  one  side,  and  the  Eagle  and 
Atlantic  View  on  the  other.  There  is  a  pump  house  built 
over  the  spring  close  by  the  river  side.  The  water  is  pumped 
up  through  glass-lined  pipes,  and  supplied  to  visitors  at  a  very 
moderate  charge.  The  following  ate  amongst  some  ot  the 
places  visited  during  our  s<-ay  at  Lisdoonvarna — Ballinalackin, 
a  15th  century  tower  belonging  to  the  O'Brien's.     It  is  situ- 


Sligo,   Connemara  and  Clare.  75 

ated  on  the  top  of  a  high  rock,  which  is  perpendicular  on  two 
sides.  The  cHffs  of  Moher  extend  for  a  distance  of  about  seven 
miles  along  the  coast  of  Clare,  the  most  prominent  points  of 
which  are  Slievenageeragh,  668  feet  high  ;  Ailnasharragh.  the 
fool's  clifiF,  603  feet  ;  O'Brien's  Tower,  58;'  feet  ;  and  the  Hag's 
Head  (in  Irish  Cearn,  Calliach)  407  feet.  From  the  cliffs  of 
Moher  a  most  glorious  view  may  be  had  of  the  cliffs  them- 
selves, as  some  portions  project  from  which  a  view  may  be  ob- 
tained. You  can  see  towards  the  north  Innishmaan,  crowned 
with  the  great  fort  of  Pun-Connor,  The  Bens  of  Connemara  ; 
southward  Liscanor  Bay,  the  spire  of  Miltown  Malbay  behind 
Spanish  Point,  Caherrush,  Mutton  Island,  the  bold  head  of 
Boltard,  and  Loop  Head.  And  on  a  clear  day  the  mountains 
of  North  Kerry  may  be  seen,  and  inland  Bureen,  Elva,  Callan, 
and  the  distant  peak  of  Telegraph  Hill,  1,746  feet  high,  at  the 
remote  end  of  Clare.  The  cliffs  derive  their  name  from  an 
ancient  stone  fort  or  caher  which  stood  on  the  top  of  the  cliffs, 
but  now  dismantled.  Leaving  the  cliffs  of  Moher  after  lunch- 
ing, we  drove  downhill  by  the  village  and  ruined  castle  of  Lis- 
canor, passing  by  St.  Bridget's  Holy  Well,  where  the  scene  of 
the  picture  for  "  The  Blind  Girl  at  the  Holy  Well"  was  taken. 
We  stopped  to  examine  the  ancient  Church  of  Kilmacreehy, 
standing  on  the  shore  of  Liscanor  Bay.  A  little  further  round 
is  the  village  of  Lahinch,  and  the  Norwegian-built  Golf  Hotel, 
similar  to  Rosapena,  where  you  will  find  the  finest  i8-hole  golf 
links  in  Ireland,  two  miles  long  and  a  mile  and  a  half  broad. 
These  various  places  were  all  included  in  a  circular  drive  from 
Lisdoonvarna,  returning  there  in  time  for  dinner.  Another 
day's  excursion  was  to  the  ancient  Cathedral  Church  of  Kil- 
fenora,  where  there  is  a  very  fine  sculptured  high  cross  ;  from 
thence  to  a  fine  stone  fort,  or  caher,  called  Ballykinvarga.  The 
walls  of  it  are  from  12  to  15  feet  thick,  built  in  three  concentric 
sections,  like  the  coatings  of  an  onion.  For  external  defence 
a  very  fine  chevaux-de-frise  extends  to  a  distance  of  100  feet 
from  the  wall  of  the  fort.  The  entrance  is  by  a  single  door- 
way, with  a  stone  lintel,  seven  feet  long.     The  wall  stands  at 


7 6  Scenery  and  Antiquities  of 

present  from  12  to  16  feet  high.  A  fine  and  never-failing 
spring  of  water  near  the  entrance  suppHed  the  fort.  It  has 
never  been  tampered  with  by  any  restorer,  and  is  a  good 
example  of  a  pre-historic  fort.  After  leaving  Ballykinvarga, 
we  returned  homeward,  calling  on  our  way  at  the  ancient 
castle  of  Leemaneagh.  It  consists  of  a  tall  tower,  built  in  1480, 
to  which  a  large  Tudor  house  was  attached  a  century  later. 
This  castle  belonged  to  a  branch  of  the  O'Brien  family  of  Clare. 
A  gateway  and  arch  have  the  arms  of  Conor  O'Brien,  dated 
1643.  Many  other  places  possessing  both  historic  and  pre- 
historic interest  are  situated  within  reach  of  Lisdoonvarna. 
The  examples  we  have  referred  to  may  suffice  to  point  out 
what  an  interesting  antiquarian  centre  it  is,  in  addition  to  the 
curative  properties  of  its  famous  spa. 

KILKEE  TO  LOOPHEAD. 

We  left  for  Ennistymon,  where  we  were  fortunate  in  seeing 
an  extremely  fine  waterfall  under  favourable  conditions.  The 
river  was  in  flood,  and  the  mass  of  water  was  enormous, 
sufficient  to  drive  several  factories  and  light  the  town  by 
electricity.  We  took  the  train  from  here  on  the  West  Clare 
line  for  Kilkee.  Time  will  not  permit  us  to  speak  of  the  many 
interesting  places  on  our  way.  Our  time  is  all  too  limited  for 
Kilkee  and  vicinity.  After  seeing  all  the  watering  places  of 
Ireland,  none  of  them  can  approach  Kilkee  for  magnificent 
cliff  scenery,  wave  effects,  or  the  extreme  purity  of  its  air.  The 
town  is  built  around  a  horseshoe-shaped  bay,  called  Moore 
Bay.  It  is  about  one  mile  around.  The  old  portion  of  the 
town,  where  the  shops,  telegraph,  and  post  office,  banks,  and 
other  public  buildings  are  is  on  the  eastern  side  ;  also  the  rail- 
way station.  The  water  flows  in  from  the  Atlantic  over  a 
ledge  of  rocks  that  breaks  the  force  of  the  waves  approaching 
the  strand,  which  has  a  gentle  slope  over  a  floor  of  fine,  firm 
silver  sand.  It  is  sheltered  from  the  north  by  the  lofty  cliff  of 
George's  Head.  Outside  the  town,  both  north  and  south,  are 
great  sea  cliffs,  against  which  the  huge  Atlantic  billows  strike 


Sligo^  Connemara  mid  Clare,  77 

with  a  force  we  have  never  seen  equalled  elsewhere.      During 
the  season  the  strand  at  Kilkee  presents  a  very  lively  sight.    It 
is   dotted   with  bathers   and  bathing  boxes,  which  are  drawn 
backward   and   forward  to  suit  the  tide   by   donkeys,    whilst 
cricket  and  tennis  may  be  seen  in  progress  at  the  same  time. 
The  esplanade  is  protected  from  the  sea  by  a  very  thick,  low 
wall,  that  does  not  rise  high  above  the  road,  and  which  forms  a 
convenient  place  for  people  to  sit  upon  whilst  looking  out  to 
sea.     From  the  fact  that  the  force  of  the  waves  is  broken  before 
they  reach  the  strand  by  the  Duggerna  and  Edmond  rocks,  it 
is  perfectly  safe  for  ladies  and  children  to  bathe  there,  whilst 
the   gentlemen  have  a  spring  board  and  iron  ladders  further 
round  towards  the  west  where  they  can  have  a  plunge  in  deeper 
water.      There  are  also  pools  left  by  the  receding  tide  to  suit 
bathers  who  wish  to  get  a  plunge  at  a  moderate  depth  in 
safety.     Walking  towards  the  west  end  the  road  leads  up  over 
a  green  sloping  hill  covered  with  short  crisp  grass.      Diverging 
oflF  this  road  we  come  to  the  cliffs  which  continue  for  a  long 
distance   towards   the   south.     There   are  caves  in  the  rocks 
along   the   shore   that  can   be  entered  when  the  tide  is  out. 
Many  varieties  of  shell  fish  may  be  collected  here,  also  dulse, 
and  Carrigeen  moss.     The  latter  when  boiled  forms  a  jelly, 
which  is  very  nutritious,  and  said  to  be  good  for  weak  lungs. 
Large  quantities  of  it  were  used  in  1846  during  the  famine,  by 
which  many  were  saved  from  starvation.      Further  along  the 
strata  is  quite  horizontal,  and  you  can  descend  to  the  sea  level 
by  natural  steps  from  layer  to  layer.      Proceeding  still  further 
south,  the  rocks  again  become  perpendicular  and  much  higher. 
There  is  a  puffing  hole  here,  which  acts  when  the  wind  blows 
the  sea  in  from  the  west.      The  water  is  forced  up  to  a  great 
height,  and  in  falling  again  in  spray,  if  it  is  sunshine,  all  the 
prismatic  colours  are  shown,  which  adds  to  the  beauty  of  the' 
scene.     Towards  Bishop's  Island  is  the  amphitheatre,  so  called 
from  its  crescent  shape.     The  waves  here  during  a  western  gale 
are  magnificent,   and  strike  the  rocks  with  thundering  force, 
rising  in  spray  occasionally  to  their  highest  summit  to  be  blown 


7 8  Scenery  and  Antiquities  oj 

in  foam  landward  on  the  gale.     There  is  a  cave  here  extending 
backward   for    60   feet   and    30    feet    wide   at    the    entrance. 
Mackerel  is  the  principal  fishing,  which  are  cured  and  exported 
to  America.     Herrings,   haddock,    whiting  and   cod   are   also 
plentiful      In  addition  to  its  good  fish  supply,  it  is  well  provided 
in  the  season  with  excellent  mutton,  and  a  plentiful  supply  of 
fowls,  which  the  peasants  bring  to  the  doors  of  the  various 
lodges  for  sale.     Board  and  lodgings  can   be  had  at  the  best 
hotels   at   £'i    per  week,  and  apartments  with   cooking  and 
attendance  can  be  had  at  a  reasonable  rate.      There  is  a  good 
bath  house  where  hot  and  cold  sea  water  baths  may  be  had. 
The  roads  are  good  for  cycling,  and  most  attractive  scenery  all 
the  way  to  Loop  Head,  a  distance  of  some  15  miles.      Return 
journey  may  be  made  by  Carrigaholt,  situate  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Shannon  estuary.      It  has  the  additional  advantage  of  a 
water  supply  of  the  purest  and  coolest  from  a  holy  well,  the 
patron  saint  of  which  is  Senanus,  or  St.  Senan,  as  he  is  some- 
times called.     There  is  a  little  distance  further  off  a  second  holy 
well  called  Tober  Kee,  after  the  saint  who  gave  his  name  to 
Kilkee.     It  is  a  picturesque  sight  to  see  the  people  with  pitchers 
of  water  on  their  heads  and  others  praying  around  the  well. 
On  the  east  end  of  the  town  there  is  an  ancient  chambered  rath 
surrounded  by  a  moat  about  twenty  feet  broad.      In  a  field  at 
the  rere  of  Moore's  Hotel  there  is  a  fallen  cromlech,  whilst  on 
Bishop's  Island  there  is  an  ancient  beehive  oratory.      All  the 
way  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  the  peninsula,  which  extends  from 
Kilkee  to  Loop  Head,  are  a  series  of  most  interesting  views  of 
cliffs  and  headlands  and  sea  caves,  and  huge  rock  monoliths 
standing  up  isolated  in  the  water,  and  defying  all  the  fury  of 
the  Atlantic.     Dunlicky  Castle  is  an  object  of  great  interest. 
Built  on  a  promontory,  which  is  joined  to  the  land  by  a  very 
narrow  neck,  in  ancient  times  it  was  impregnable.     The  natives 
have   a   legend  that  it  was  owned  by  pirates,  who  decoyed 
vessels  in  here,  and  had  an  armed  sloop  in  hiding  to  fall  on  the 
hapless  vessel  when  it  came  in.      A  mile  beyond  Dunlicky  is 
the  pretty  fishing  village  of  Goleen.      Standing  above  Goleen 


Sltgo,   Connemara  and  Clare.  79 

is  the  lofty  Knockmagarron  Hill,  410  feet  above  the  sea,  and 
formerly  used  as  a  signal  station.  The  natural  bridges  of  Ross 
are  the  next  objects  of  interest,  situated  near  to  the  village  of 
that  name.  There  are  two  bridges  ;  the  largest  is  about  45 
feet  in  length,  30  feet  broad,  and  three  feet  in  thickness.  The 
layers  of  rock  are  horizontal  ;  the  bottom  of  the  span  is  about 
40  feet  above  low  water.  Two  very  beautiful  arches,  called  the 
cathedral  arches,  may  be  seen  close  by.  Reaching  Loop  Head, 
the  lighthouse  should  be  visited  for  the  extensive  view  that  it 
commands.  Leap  Head,  now  Loop  Head,  took  its  name  from 
the  extraordinary  leap  of  the  great  Irish  hero  Cuchullin,  who, 
to  escape  a  too  importunate  lover,  leaped  the  chasm  separating 
the  head  from  the  cliff  adjoining.  The  lady  leaped  it  success- 
fully, but  in  returning  to  follow  him  she  fell  and  was  killed. 
We  have  now  reached  a  point  north  of  the  great  estuary  of  the 
Shannon,  and  can  return  by  a  diflFerent  route,  calling  at  the 
ancient  Castle  of  Carrigaholt,  thence  to  Kilrush,  Scattery 
Island,  with  its  round  tower  and  ancient  churches,  the  abode  of 
St.  Senan.  The  group  of  ruins  are  extensive,  embracing  an 
early  Irish  church,  a  round  tower,  and  cathedral  of  the  middle 
ages. 

I  have  now  briefly  attempted  to  describe  some  of  the  beauties 
of  Ireland  lying  along  its  western  seaboard,  which  gives  a  very 
imperfect  idea  of  the  reality.  We  will  now  proceed  to  illus- 
trate what  we  have  been  describing  with  photographs,  the 
majority  of  them  never  before  exhibited  in  Belfast,  and  some 
of  those  taken  at  Kilkee  during  a  storm  show  wave  effects  that 
could  not  be  described  by  any  words  of  mine. 

The  views  were  then  thrown  on  the  screen  and  much  ap- 
preciated, the  lantern  being  skilfully  manipulated  by  Mr.  F. 
M'Gibney,  of  Messrs.  Lizars. 

Mr.  Garrett  Nagle,  R.M.,  moved  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to 
Mr.  Milligan  for  his  most  interesting  and  charming  lecture, 
which  he  was  sure  would  long  be  remembered  by  all  who  had 
had  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  it.  To  himself  it  had,  indeed, 
been  a  special  pleasure,  for  he  was  born  and  brought  up  in  the 


8o  Scenery  and  Antiquities  of 

South  of  Ireland,  and  the  pictures  and  the  descriptions  of  them 
had  brought  before  his  mind  famihar  scenes.  They  must  all 
feel  grateful  to  Mr.  Milligan  for  his  efforts  to  bring  the  scenery 
of  Ireland  under  the  notice  of  the  people  of  England  and 
Scotland  and  foreigners. 

Mr.  John  Carson  seconded  the  motion. 

The  motion  was  passed  by  acclamation,  and  appropriately 
conveyed  to  the  chairman. 

Mr.  Milligan,  in  replying,  said  he  felt  greatly  indebted  to 
Mr.  Nagle  for  his  kind  words,  and  he  assured  them  that  he 
took  a  delight  in  increasing  an  interest  in  their  country. 

Dr.  Moran  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  vSir  James  Henderson 
for  presiding. 

Mr.  Wm.  Gray,  M.R.I. A.,  seconded  the  motion,  and  after 
alluding  in  appreciative  terms  to  the  chairman's  interest  in  the 
well-being  and  progress  of  their  country,  joined  with  him  in 
the  hope  that  the  King  and  Queen  would  visit  them  next 
year. 

The  vote  was  passed  with  great  heartiness,  and  the  com- 
pliment suitably  acknowledged, 


2nd  Aprils  igoi. 


Mr.  J.  BROWN,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


Mr.  George  Goffey,  M.R.I.A.,  read  a  paper  on 
THE  ANTIQUITY  OF  MAN  AND  THE  DAWN  OF 

ART, 

Illustrated  by  a  Special  Series  of  Lantern  Slides  of  Paleolithic 

Implements,  etc. 


Officers  and  Coimcil  of  Management  for  1901-1902. 
JOHN  BROWN. 

"^ice-'g'resibents : 

REV.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.     i     WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 
R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  d.l.,  f.l.s.  |     ROBERT  YOUNG,  c.b.,  j.p. 

,^ott-  "ircasutrer : 

W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

Jjon.  (iLibrarittn  : 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

^on.  gccretarg  : 

ROBERT  M.  YOUNG,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.k.i.a. 

Council : 

JOHN  BROWN. 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

PROFESSOR  M.  F.  FITZGERALD,  b.a.,  m.i.m.e. 

ANDREW  GIBSON,  f.r.s.a. 

REV.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.,  pkbsident  q.c.b. 

JOHN  HORNER,  m.i.m.e. 

SIR  OTTO  JAFFE,  j.p. 

SEATON  F.  MILLIGAN,  m.e.i.a.,  f.r.s.a. 

R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  d.l.,  j.p.,  f.l.8. 

W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

THOMAS  F.  SHILLINGTON,  j.p. 

WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 

JOSEPH  WEIGHT,  f.g.s. 

ROBERT  YOUNG,  j.p.,  c.e. 

R.    M.    YOUNG,    B.A.,    J.P.,    M.R.I.A. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

\^ Denotes  holders  of  three  or  more  Shares.'] 

*Alexander,  Francis,  b.e.,  Belfast 

AUworthy,  Edward,  Ardgreenan,  Cavehill  Road,  do. 

Anderson,  John,  j.p.,  f.g.s.,  East  Hillbrook,  Holywood 
Andrew,  John  J.,  l.d.s.,  r.c.s.  Eng.,  University  Square,  Belfast. 

Andrews,  Miss  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Andrews,  George,  j.p.,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Armstrong,  Thomas,  jun,  Donegall  Square  West,  do. 

Armstrong,  William,  Chichester  Gardens,  do. 

Baird,  Wm.,  Royal  Avenue,  do. 

Barbour,  James,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Ardville,  Marino,  Holywood. 
Beattie,  Rev.  A.  Hamilton,                                          Portglenone. 

Bigger,  Francis  J.,  m.r.l.a.,  Ardrie,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast. 

Bland,  Robert  H.,  j.p.,  Lisburn. 

Bottomley,  Henry  H.,  Belfast. 

Bowman,  Davys,  Chichester  Street,  do. 

Boyd,  William,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 

Boyd,  William  Sinclair,  Ravenscroft,  Bloomfield,  do. 

Braddell,  Edward,  St.  Ives,  Malone  Park,  do. 
Brett,  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,       do. 

Brett,  John  H.,  C.E.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Bristow,  James  R.,  Lismore,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Brown,  John,  Longhurst,  Dunmurry. 

Brown,  William  R.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Bulloch,  Alexander,  Eversleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Burnett,  John  R.,  Elmwood  Avenue,  do. 

Byers,  Prof.  John  W.,  m.a.,  m.d..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Calwell,  Alex.  M'D,,  do. 

Calwell,  William,  m.a.,  m.d,,  College  Square  North,  do. 

*Campbell,  Miss  Anna  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Carlisle,  A.  M.,  Elmwood  House,  do. 


Shareholders. 


^3 


Carr,  A.  H.  R.,  Waring  Street,  Belfast. 

Carson,  John,  Walmer  Terrace,  Holywood. 

♦Charley,  Phineas  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor. 

Christen,  Madame,  Carnbinn,  Whitehouse 

Clark,  George  S.,  Dvmlambert,  Belfast. 

Clarke,  E,  H..  Notting  Hill,  do. 

Coates,  Victor,  J.P.,  d.l.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry. 

Connor,  Charles  C,  m.a.,  j.p,.  Queen's  Elms,  Belfast. 

Combe,  George,  Cranethorpe,  Strandtown. 

Crawford,  William,  Mount  Randal,  Belfast. 

Crawford,  William,  Calendar  Street,  do. 

Craig,  Edwin  E.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown. 
Cunningham,  Professor  Robert  O.,  m.d.,  f.l.s., 

F.G.S.,  Mountpellier,  Malone  Road,  Belfast. 

Davies,  John  H.,  Castle  Street,  Lisburn. 
*Deramore,  Lord,  p.l.  (Representatives  of) 

Dods,  Robert,  b.a.,  St.  Leonards,  Newcastle. 

*DonegaI,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

*Downshire,  Marquis  of  (Reps,  of),  The  Castle,  Hillsborough. 

Drennan,  W.  H.,  Wellington  Place,  Belfast. 

Duffin,  Adam,  ll.d.,  University  Square,  do. 

Dunleath,  Lord,  Ballywalter  Park  (Reps,  of),  Ballywalter. 


Ewart,  G.  Herbert,  m.a.,  Firmount,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast. 

Ewart,  Fred  W.,  Derryvolgie,  Lisburn. 
Ewart,  Sir  Wm.  Quartus,  Bart.,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Glenmachan 

House,  Belfast. 

Faren,  Wm.,  Mountcharles,  do. 

*Fenton,  Francis  G.,  London. 

Ferguson,  Godfrey  W.,  C.E.,  Donegall  Park,  Belfast. 

Finlay,  Fred.  W.,  j.p.,  Wolfhill  House,  Ligoniel. 

Finlay,  Robert  H.  F.,  Cavehill  Road,  Belfast. 
Finnegan,  John,  b.a.,  b.sc,  Kelvin  House,  Botanic 

Avenue,  Belfast. 


84 


Shareholders. 


FitzGerald,  Professor  Maurice  F.,  b.a.,  m.i.m.e.,  Assoc. 
M.I.C.E.,  Eglantine  Avenue, 


Belfast. 


*Getty,  Edmund  (Representatives  of),  do 

Gibson,  Andrew,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Girdwood,  Catherine,  Mountpleasant,  do. 

Gordon,  Robert  W.,  j.p.  (Reps,  of),  Bangor. 

Graham,  Thomas,  j.p.,  Holywood. 
*Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  d.d.,  m.r.i.a. 

(Representatives  of),  Broughshane. 
Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a  ,  Glenburn  Park,  Cavehill  Road,  Belfast. 

Greer,  Thomas,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Seapark,  Carrickfergus. 

*HalI,  Frederick  H..  Waterford. 

Hamilton,  Rev.  Thos.,  d.d.,  President,  Queen's  College,  Belfast. 
♦Hamilton,  Hill,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Harland,  W.,  do. 

Henderson,  Miss  Anna  S.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Henderson,  Sir  James,  a.m.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Oakley,  Windsor 

Park,  do. 

Henderson,  Mrs.  Charlotte  (Reps,  of),  Clarges  Street,  London. 
Henry,  R.  M.,  m.a  ,  Royal  Academical  Institution,  Belfast. 

Herdman,  John,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Carricklee  House,  Strabane. 

*Herdman,  Robert  Ernest,  j.p.,  Rosavo,  Cultra. 

Heyn,  James  A.  M.,  Strandtown  House,  Belfast. 

Hind,  John,  junr.,  Clifton  Park  Avenue,  do. 

Hodges,  Miss,  Wellington  Place,  do. 

Hogg,  John,  Academy  Street,  do. 

Horner,  John,  m.i.m.e.,  Chelsea,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

*Houston,  John  Blakiston,  j.p.,  v.L.,  Orangefield,  do. 

•Hughes,  Edwin,  j.p.,  Dalchoolin,  Craigavad. 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  ll.d.,  Windsor,  Belfast. 


Inglis,  James,  j.p.,  Abbeyville, 


Whiteabbey. 


Shareholders.  8  5 

Jackson,  A.  T.,  c.e.,  Tighnabruaich,  Derryvolgie 

Avenue,  Belfast. 

Jaflfe,  Sir  Otto,  j.p..  Kin  Edar,  Strandtown,  do. 

Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  j.p.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey. 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  Amelia,  Dalguise,  Monkstown,  Dublin^ 

Kertland,  Edwin  H.,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Belfast. 

Kidd,  George,  j.p.,  Lisnatore,  Dunmurry. 

*Kinghan,  John  R.,  Altoona,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Kinnaird,  George  Y.,  Malone  Park,  do. 

Kyle,  Robert  Alexander,  Donegall  Place,  do. 


Lanyon,  Mrs.,  Lisbreen,  Fortwilliam  Park,  Belfast, 

Larmor,  Joseph,  m.a.,  f.r.s.,  St.  John's  College,        Cambridge. 
Leathem,  Dr.  R.R.,  Belgravia,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast. 

Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  j.p.,  Edgecumbe, 

Strandtown,  do. 

Lepper,  F.  R.,  j.p.,  Elsinore,  Carnalea,  Co.  Down. 

Letts,  Professor  E.A.,  ph.d.,  f.c.s.,  Shirley  Lodge,  Cultra. 

Lindsay,  Professor  James  A.,  m.a.,  m  d..  College  Square 

East,  Belfast. 

Lytle,  David  B.,  j.p.,  Bloomfield  House,  do. 

Lytle,  Joseph  H.,  j.p.,  Ashleigh,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Macassey,  L.  Livingstone,  b.l.,  m.i.c.e  ,  Stanley  House, 

Holywood. 
Mackenzie,  John,  c.e.,  Strathavon,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast. 

*Macrory,  A.  J.  (Representative  of),  do. 

Magill,  J.  E.,  Easton  Terrace,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Malcolm,  Bowman,  m.i.c.e.,  m.i.m.e.,  Ashley  Park, 

Antrim  Road,  do. 

Maxton,  James,  m.i.na.,  m.i.mar.e.,  Kirkliston  Drive, 

Bloomfield,  do. 

Maxwell,  David  A.,  College  Gardens,  Belfast. 

Milligan,  Seaton  Forest,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.,  Bangor. 

Mitchell,  Robert  A.,  ll.b.,  t.c.d.,  Marmont,  Strandtown. 

Montgomery,  Henry  C,  Bangor, 


86 


Shareholders. 


Montgomery,  H.  H.,  Knock,  Belfast. 
Montgomery,  Thomas,  j.p.,  d.t...  Ballydrain  House,  Dunmurry. 

Moore,  James,  The  Finaghy,  Belfast. 

Morton,  Professor  W.  B.,  m.a.,  NottinghiU,  do. 

Mullan,  William,  Lindisfarne,  Marlborough  Park,  Belfast. 

Murney,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p.,  Tudor  House,  Holywood. 

*Murphy,  Isaac  James  Armagh. 

•Murphy,  Joseph  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone,  Belfast. 

*Musgrave,  Henry,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 
Musgrave,  Sir  James,  Bart,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

MacAdam,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  do. 

•M' Bride,  Henry  James,  Hyde  Park,  ?v1allusk,  do. 

M'Bride,  Samuel,  Edgehill,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

*M'Calmont,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  London. 

*M'Cammon,  Lieut. -Col.  Thomas  A.,  Woodville,  Holywood. 
M'Cance,  H.  J.,  j.p.,  d.l.  (Representatives  of), 

Larkfield,  Dunmurry. 
M'Clure,  Sir  Thomas,  Bart.,  j.p.,  d.l.  (Reps,  cf), 

MacCoU,  Hector,  Kirkliston  Drive,  Bloomfield,  Belfast. 

MacCormac,  John,  m.d.,  Victoria  Place,  do. 

M'Cormick,  Hugh  M'Neile,  Ardmara,  Craigavad. 
*M'Cracken,  Francis  (Representatives  of), 

M'Gee,  James,  Woodville,  Holywood. 

M'Gee,  Samuel  Mackey,  University  Street,  Belfast. 

Macllwaine,  John  H.,  Bangor. 

M'Kisack,  H.  L.,  m.d..  College  Square  East,  Belfast. 

*MacLaine,  Alexander,  j.p..  Queen's  Elms,  do. 

M'Neill,  George,  Beechleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

M'Knight,  John  P.,  Nevara,  Chichester  Park,  do. 

Neill,  Sharman  D.,  Holywood. 

Nicholson,  Henry  J.,  College  Square  North,  Belfast. 


O'Neill,  James,  m  a..  College  Square  East, 
*0'Rorke,  Ambrose  Howard,  Dunratho, 


do. 
Craigavad. 


Shareholders.  87 

Park,  Rev.  Wm.,  m.a.,  Somerset  House,  University  St.,  Belfast. 
Patterson,  Edward  Forbes,  Bangor. 

Patterson,  Mrs.  Isabelle,  Bonn,  Germany, 

Patterson,  John,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast. 

Patterson,  Richard,  j.p.,  Kilmore,  Holywood. 

*Patterson,  Robert  Lloyd,  j  p.,  d.l.,  f.l  s..  Croft  House,  do. 
Patterson,  Robert,  m.b.o.u.,  Malone  Park,  Belfast. 

Patterson,  William  H.,  m.r.i.a,,  Garranard,  Strandtown. 

Patterson,  William  H.  F.,,Stalheim,  Knock,  Belfast. 

Pirn,  Edward  W.,  j.p.,  Elmwood  Terrace,  Belfast. 

Pirn,  Joshua,  Slieve-na-Failthe,  Whiteabbey. 

*Pirrie,  Elizabeth,  Newrastle-on-Tyne. 

Praeger,  R.  Lloyd,  b.e.,  m.r.i.a.,  National  Library,  Dublin. 

Purser,  Prof.  John,  ll.d.,  m.r.i.a.,  Queen's  College,         Belfast. 

Rea,  John  Henry,  m.d.,  University  Street,  do. 

Rea,  William  R.,  Gardha,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do, 

Reade,  Robert  H.  S.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Wilmont,  Dunmurry, 

Riddell,  Samuel,  Beechpark,  Belfast. 

Robertson,  William,  j.p.,  Netherleigh,  Strandtown,  do. 

Robinson,  John,  Sydenham  Road,  do. 

Scott,  R.  Taylor,  Richmond  Villa,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 
Sheldon,  Charles,  m.a.,  d.lit.,  b.sc.  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  do. 

Shilhngton,  Thomas  Foulkes,  j.p.,  Dromart,  Antrim  Road,  do. 
Simms,  Felix  Booth,  Queen  Street,  do. 

Sinclair,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  m.a..  j.p.,  d.l.,  Hopefield,  do. 
Sinclair,  Prof.  Thomas,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.  Eng.,  Howard  St.,  do. 
Smith,  John,  Castleton  Tetrace,  do. 

Smyth,  John,  m.a.,  c.e.,  Milltown,  Banbridge. 

Speers,  Adam,  b.sc,  Riversdale,  Holywood.' 

Steen,  William  C,  m.d.,  Windsor  Crescent,  Belfast. 

Steen,  William,  b.l..  Northern  Bank,  Victoria  Street,  do. 
Stelfox,  James,  Oakleigh,  Ormeau  Park,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do, 


88  Shareholders. 

*Tennent,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  Belfast. 

*Tennent,  Robert  James  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  do. 
Thompson,  S.  B.,  Short  Strand,  do. 

Torrens,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.  (Representatives  of),  Whiteabbey. 

*Turnley,  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast. 

Walkington,  Mrs.  (Representatives  of),  Thornhill,  Malone,  do. 
Walkington,  Thomas  R.,  Edenvale,  Strandtown,  do. 

Wallace,  John,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Ward,  PVancis  D.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ivydene,  Malone  Park,      do. 
Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Camden  Street,  do. 

Ward,  John,  j.p.,  f.s.a.,  Lennoxvale,  Malone  Road,  do. 

*Webb,  Richard  T.,  Knock,  do. 

Whitla,  Prof.  William,  m.d.,  j.p..  College  Sq.,  North,         do. 
Wilson,  James,  m.e.,  Oldforge,  Dunmurry, 

Wilson,  John  K.,  j.p.,  Donegall  Street,  Belfast. 

Wilson,  Walter  H.,  Belvoir  Park,  do. 

*Wilson,  W.  Perceval,  do. 

*WolfF,  G.  W.,  M.P.,  The  Den,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  Francis,  Drummena,  Bladon  Park,  do. 

Workman,  John,  j.p.,  Lismore,  Windsor,  do. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  ma.,  Rubane  House,  Glastry. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a..  The  Manse,  Newtownbreda. 
*Workman,  Thomas,  j.p.,  Craigdarrah  (Reps,  of),  Craigavad. 
Workman,  William,  Nottinghill,  Belfast. 

Wright,  James,  Lauriston,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Young,  Robert,  c.e.,  j.p.,  Rathvarna,  do. 

*Young,  Robert  Magill,  b  a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathvarna,        do. 


HONORARY  MEMBER- 

Duflferin  and  Ava,  k.p..  The  Marquis  of,  Clandeboye,  Co.  Down. 


Annual  Subscribers. 
HONORARY  ASSOCIATES. 


89 


Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Belfast. 

Stewart,  Samuel  Alex.,  f.b.s.  Edin.,  Belfast  Museum,         do. 
Swanston,  William,  f.g  s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Tate,  Prof.  Ralph,  f.g.s.,  f.l.s  ,  Adelaide,  South  Australia. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  Belfast. 


ANNUAL  SUBSCRIBERS  OF  TWO  GUINEAS. 

Belfast  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  Belfast. 

Northern  Banking  Co.,  Ltd.,  do. 

Ulster  Bank,  Ltd.,  do. 

York  Street  Spinning  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 


ANNUAL  SUBSCRIBERS  OF  ONE  GUINEA. 

Allan,  C.  E.,  Stormount  Castle,  Dundonald. 

Boyd,  John,  Cyprus  Gardens,  Bloomfield,  Belfast. 

Brown,  G.  Herbert,  j.p.,  Tordeevra,  Helen's  Bay. 

Bruce,  James,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast. 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Cleaver,  A.  S.,  b.a.,  Dunraven,  do. 

Davidson,  S.  C,  Sea  Court,  Bangor. 

Fulton,  G.  P.,  Howard  Street,  Belfast. 

Gamble,  James,  Royal  Terrace,  do'. 

Green,  Isaac,  Ann  Street,  do. 

Hanna,  J.  A.,  j.p..  Marietta,  Knock,  do. 

Hazelton,  W.  D.,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Higginbotham,  Granby,  Wellington  Park,  do. 


96  Annual  Subscribers. 

Hutton,  A.  W.   Chichester  Street,  Belfast. 

Jones,  R.  M.,  m.a..  Royal  Academical  Institution,  do. 

Kelly,  W.  Redfern,  m.i.c.h.,  f.r.a.s.,  Dalriada, 

Malone  Park,  do. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  Crumlin  Terrace.  do. 

Macassey,  Lyndon,  c.e.,  b.a.,  ll  b.,  Holywood. 

Malone,  John,  Brookvale  House,  Cliftonville,  Belfast. 

M'Laughlin,  W.  H.,  Brookville  House,  do. 


Redfern,  Prof.  Peter,  m.d.,  f,r.c.s.i..  Lower  Crescent, 


do. 


Scott,  Conway,  c.e.,  Annaville,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Stephens,  S.  Holywood. 

Swiney,  J.  H.  H.,  b.a.,  b.e.,  Bella,  Vista,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast. 


Tate,  Alexander,  c.e.,  Rantalard,  Whitehouse, 
Thompson,  John,  j.p..  Mount  Collyer, 
Turpin,  James,  Waring  Street, 


do. 
do. 
do. 


^i|U0i[t  and  pr04i|[|dmp 


BELB^,A.ST 


iTURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 


SESSionsr  iQoi-isoa. 


BELFAST: 

PRLNTED  BY  ALEXR.  MAYNE  &  BOYD,  2  CORPORATION  STREET 

(PRINTKRS    TO    QUKEn's    COLLEGE.) 


1902. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

Annual  Report               ...             ...             ...              ...              .               ...  1 

Balance  Sheet                  ..             ...             ...             ...  7 

Donations  to  Museum   ...             ...             ...             ...                .  8 

Books  Received              ...             ..              ...                            ...  '■> 

The  Belfast  Municipal  Institute:   Its  Aims  and  Aspirations — F.   C. 

Forth,  Assoc.  R.C.Sc.I.        ..                              ..              ...              .  18 

Respiration — Joseph   liarcroft,   M.A.            ...              ...              ...              ...  26 

Notes  on  I^ocal  Survivals  of  .Ancient  Harvest  Customs         .  32 
The  Northern  Blackwuter :    Its  Scenery,   .Antiquities  and  Battlefields  — 

John  J.    MarshaU.  ..                ..              ...               .                                ...  34 

The  Irish  Industrial  Awakening — Seaton   F.    Milligan,   M.R.I. A.       ..  36 
Report  of  Delegate  to  Corresponding  Societies'   Conference,   British 

Association  Meeting,    1901— J.    Drown,   F.K.S.                 ...              ...  36 

The  Mourne  Scheme  for  the  Supply  of  Water  to  the  City  of  Belfast — 

John  L.  Macassey,  C.E.                      ...               .               ...              ...  38 

List  of  Office  Bearers    ...             ...             ..              ...                              ..  39 

List  of  Shareholders  and  Subscribers                          ...              ..               ...  40 


Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society. 


EST.A.BLISI3:E1ID    1821. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

1  Share  in  the  Society  costs  £7. 

2  Shares  ,,  costs  £14. 

3  Shares  ,,  coats  £21. 


The  Proprietor  of  I  Share  pays  10s.  per  annum  :  the  proprietor  of  2 
Shares  pays  o  shillings  per  annum  ;  the  proprietor  of  3  or  more  Shares  stands 
exempt  from  further  payment. 

Shareholders  are  only  eligible  for  election  on  the  Council  of  Management. 

MEMBERS. 

There  are  two  classes — Ordinary  Members  who  are  expected  to  read 
Papers,  and  Visiting  Members  who  by  joining  under  the  latter  title,  are 
understood  to  intimate  that  they  do  not  wish  to  read  Papers.  The  Session  for 
Lectures  extends  from  November  in  one  year  till  May  in  succeeding  one. 
Members  Ordinary  or  Visiting,  pay  £1  Is.  per  annum,  due  1st  November  in 
eafh  year. 

Each  Shareholder  and  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  all 
meetings  of  the  Society,  and  of  admitting  a  friend  thereto ;  also  of  access  to 
the  Museum  and  Library  for  himself  and  family,  with  the  privilege  of  granting 
admission  orders  for  inspecting  the  collections  for  any  friend  not  residing  in 
Belfast. 

Any  further  information  can  be  obtained  by  application  to  the  Secretary 
It  is  requested  that  all  accounts  due  by  the  Society  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer. 


The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  from  10  till  4  o'clock. 
Admission  for  Strangers,  6d.  each.  The  Curator  is  in  constant  attendance,  and 
will  take  charge  of  any  Donation  kindly  left  for  the  Museum  or  Library. 


Belfast  Batural  Ibietor^  ant)  pbilosopbical 

Society. 


ANNUAL   REPORT,    1902. 


■:o:- 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  of  the  Society  was  held 
on  3rd  July,  in  the  Belfast  Museum,  College  Square  North. 
Mr.  John  Brown,  F.R.S.,  President,  occupied  the  chair,  and 
amongst  those  present  were — Messrs.  R.  Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.; 
R  Patterson,  F.Z.S.,  M.R.T.A.;  John  Horner,  M.I.M.E.;  Joseph 
Wrigh,  F.G.S.;  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S.;  S.  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I. A.; 
W.  Gray,  M.R.I.A.;  R.  Dod,  J.P.;  Conway  Scott,  C.E.;  J.  E. 
Magill,  A.  Kinnaird,  William  Faren,  Isaac  W.  Ward,  and 
Davys  Bowman. 

The  Hon.  Secretary  (Mr.  Robert  M.  Young,  B.A.)  read  the 
Annual  Report  which  contained  the  following  : — 

The  Winter  Session  was  opened  in  the  Museum  on  loth 
December,  1901,  when  an  address  was  kindly  given  by  Mr. 
Francis  C.  Forth,  Assoc.  R.C.Sc.L,  Principal  of  the  Municipal 
Technical  Institute,  Belfast;  subject — "  The  Municipal  Technical 
Institute,  its  Aims  and  Aspirations." 

The  Second  Meeting  was  held  on  6th  January,  1902,  when 
Mr.  Joseph  Barcroft,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  King's  College,  Cambridge, 
gave  a  lecture  on   "Respiration,"  illustrated  by  experiments. 

On  the  4th  February  the  Third  Meeting  was  held,  when  Mr. 
John  M'Kean  contributed  "  Notes  on  Local  Survivals  of 
Ancient  Harvest  Customs,''  with  specimens  ;    and  Mr.  John 


2  Annual  Meeting. 

J.  Marshall  lectured  on  "  The  Northern  Blackwater :  its 
Scenery,  Antiquities,  and  Battlefields,"  illustrated  by  special 
lantern  views. 

The  Fourth  Meeting  was  held  on  5th  March,  when  Mr. 
Seaton  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I. A.,  gave  a  popular  lecture,  fully 
illustrated  ;  subject — "  The  Irish  Industrial  Awakening."  The 
chair  was  occupied,  in  the  absence  of  the  President,  by  Sir  R. 
J.  M'Connell,  Bart.,  and  the  proceeds  were  devoted  to  the 
reduction  of  the  debt  owed  by  the  Causeway  Defence  Fund. 

The  Closing  Meeting  was  held  on  the  8th  April.  Mr^  John 
L.  Macassey,  C.E.,  read  a  paper  ;  subject — "  The  Mournc 
Scheme  for  the  Supply  of  Water  to  the  City  of  Belfast,"  illus- 
trated by  special  lantern  views. 

The  President  also  gave  an  account  of  the  meeting  of 
delegates  to  the  British  Association  in  Glasgow. 

The  meetings  were  less  in  number  than  usual,  mainly  owing 
to  the  renovation  of  the  Museum  building,  which  delayed  the 
opening  of  the  session.  There  was  a  satisfactory  attendance  of 
the  members  and  general  public  at  all  the  meetings,  and  several 
of  the  papers  submitted  were  subsequently  favourably  referred 
to  and  discussed  in  the  local  Press.  The  number  of  societies 
holding  their  meetings  in  the  Museum  shows  no  diminution. 
As  usual,  the  attendance  of  the  public  was  very  large  at  Easter, 
when  the  Museum  was  opened  at  a  nominal  charge. 

As  will  be  seen  from  the  Hon.  Treasurer's  Statement  01 
Accounts,  duly  audited  by  the  Local  Government  Board's 
Auditor,  a  reduction  of  balance  has  been  caused  by  the  special 
expenses  involved  in  renovating  the  Museum  premises.  This 
will,  however,  be  partially  met  by  subscriptions  given  by 
members  towards  this  purpose. 

Owing  largely  to  the  zealous  efforts  of  Mr.  Robert  Patterson, 
F.Z.S.,  M.B.O.U.,  a  considerable  sum  has  been  contributed  by 
friends  of  the  Society  with  a  view  to  place  the  collections  of 
objects  of  natural  history  on  a  satisfactory  footing.  Old  and 
worn-out  examples  in  the  Thompson  collection  of  Irish  birds 
will  be  replaced  by  new  specimens,  partly  presented  by  local 


Annual  Meeting.  3 

collectors,  and  the  balance  acquired  by  purchase.  Your  council 
have  arranged,  as  intimated  in  their  last  report,  for  the  renewal 
where  required,  of  other  collections,  including  local  geology, 
conchology,  and  antiquities.  Everything  will  be  completed  in 
time  for  the  meeting  of  the  British  Association  in  September 
next.  The  painting  of  the  interior  of  the  Museum  has  caused 
an  amount  of  extra  work  in  taking  down  such  specimens  as 
are  displayed  outside  the  cabinets,  and  cleaning  and  replacing 
them.  This  prevented,  to  some  extent,  attention  being  paid 
to  other  portions  of  the  collections,  not  only  during  the 
improvements,  but  for  some  time  after.  Subsequently  the 
revision  of  the  MacAdam  collection  of  local  fossils  has  been 
proceeded  with.  This  collection  is  an  extensive  one.  It  was 
accumulated  at  very  great  expense  and  labour  by  the  late  Mr. 
James  MacAdam,  F.G.S.,  and  contains  many  specimens  ot 
species  which  have  been  only  rarely  or  not  at  all  obtainable  by 
recent  geologists.  It  is  the  most  complete  collection  of  Irish 
cretaceous  fossils  ever  miade  by  one  individual.  Amongst 
many  other  good  things  the  type  specimen  of  Loricula  Alaca- 
dami  has  been  recovered.  As  far  as  can  be  ascertained  at 
present,  this  is  unique.  Your  Council  took  advantage  of  the 
inquiry  held  in  Belfast  by  the  Royal  Commission  on  University 
Education  in  Ireland  to  present  a  memorial  to  them  on  the  5th 
April,  setting  out  their  views  on  the  question  of  the  teaching 
of  natural  history  in  Queen's  College,  and  advocating  increased 
facilities  in  that  direction.  Your  Council  received  with  deep 
regret  the  announcement  of  the  death  of  the  Marquis  of 
DufFerin  and  Ava,  the  only  surviving  honorary  member  of  the 
Society.  Several  members  of  Council  represented  the  Society 
at  his  funeral. 

A  list  of  donations  to  the  Museum,  and  of  the  publications 
received  in  exchange  from  home  and  foreign  societies,  will  be 
printed  with  the  present  report. 

Your  council  desire  to  express  their  best  thanks  to  the  local 
Press  for  their  reports  of  the  various  meetings. 

The  following  members  retire  from  office,  and  offer  themselves 


4  Annual  Meeting. 

for  re-election  : — S.  F.  Milligan,  John  Brown,  Andrew  Gibson 
William  Swanston,  and  W.  H.  F.  Patterson. 

The  Hon.  Secretary  stated  that  he  had  received  a  letter  from 
the  Hon.  Treasurer,  who  apologised  for  his  inability  to  attend 
the  meeting.  The  Statement  of  Accounts  showed  a  balance  of 
£iG  i6s.  yd.  in  favour  of  the  account. 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the  report,  said 
perhaps  the  most  important  matter  contained  in  it  was  with 
regard  to  the  renovation  of  the  collections  and  the  painting  of 
the  Museam.  This  was  undertaken  with  the  object  of  making 
the  premises  as  presentable  as  possible  in  view  of  the  approach- 
ing visit  of  the  British  Association  to  Belfast.  Owing  to  the 
zealous  efforts  of  Mr.  Robert  Patterson  a  considerable  sum  of 
money  had  been  collected,  but  he  did  not  think  that  Mr. 
Patterson  was  yet  satisfied,  and  he  would  be  glad  to  receive 
further  donations.  They  would  see  that  a  beginning  of  the 
work  had  been  made  as  regards  the  collection  of  birds.  Un- 
fortunately Mr.  Robert  Patterson  was  not  on  the  council,  but 
especially  since  he  was  devoting  so  much  time  and  talent  to 
the  Museum  it  was  very  desirable  that  he  should  be  on  it, 
and  if  there  had  been  an  opportunity  they  would  have  been 
glad  to  have  co-opted  him.  There  was,  however,  still  an 
opportunity  of  electing  him,  and  they  thought  it  best  to  leave 
the  matter  to  that  meeting.  The  Statement  of  Accounts 
showed  that  the  balance  had  decreased,  but  indeed  he  was 
surprised  it  had  not  decreased  more,  because  of  the  expense 
incurred  in  the  renovations  already  mentioned. 

Mr.  John  Horner  seconded  the  adoption  of  the  report. 

Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Patterson,  drew  attention  to  the  paragraph  in 
the  report  in  which  there  was  an  allusion  to  the  renovation  of  the 
natural  history  collections.  This  was  partly  the  outcome  of  a 
report  which  he  and  his  nephew  Mr  Robert  Patterson,  were 
asked  to  make  a  year  ago.  They  had  reported  on  the 
specimens,  many  of  which  were  in  a  bad  condition,  and  some 
of  them  worthless.  After  some  little  time  the  usual  difficulty 
presented  itself  to  the  Council.      That  was  the  difficulty  about 


Anmcal  Meeting.  5 

funds,  as  it  was  only  with  the  most  rigid  economy  they  could 
keep  their  expenditure  within  their  income.  A  certain 
member  of  the  Society  offered  a  donation  of  £10  to  start  a 
substantial  fund  for  this  work,  and  his  nephew  took  up  the 
matter  energetically,  and  was  able  to  raise  a  sum  of  money  by 
which  the  collection  of  birds  would  be  entirely  renovated  and 
a  general  rearrangement  of  the  collections  made,  which  would 
bring  them  up  to  date,  so  that  by  the  avoidance  of  unnecessary 
duplications  a  large  amount  of  space  would  be  saved  and  room 
made  for  other  specimens.  He  thought  attention  should  be 
drawn  to  the  matter,  so  that,  in  view  of  the  approaching  visit  of 
the  British  Association,  they  should  have  the  place  in  as  good 
order  as  possible.  He  was  afraid  that  owing  to  the  generosity 
of  Sir  Wm.  Whitla,  who  was  defraying  the  cost  of  the  erection 
of  a  Medical  Institute,  they  would  lose  the  Medical  Society  as 
tenants,  and  consequently  they  would  lose  the  rents  which 
that  eminent  and  learned  body  had  up  to  now  paid  to  them. 
He  expressed  the  hope  that  there  would  be  a  general  "  beating 
up "  for  new  members  and  new  shareholders,  and  that  they 
would  not  experience  the  discomforts  of  a  diminished  income, 
which  at  the  present  moment  was  staring  them  in  the  face. 

The  report  was  unanimously  adopted. 

Mr.  Patterson  also  mentioned  a  suggestion  which  had  been 
made  to  him  as  to  the  desirability  of  holding  their  meetings  in 
the  afternoon  instead  of  in  the  evening.  This  practice  was 
followed  in  London  and  many  other  places. 

Several  members  spoke  against  such  a  change  being  made, 
and,  as  the  feeling  of  the  meeting  was  evidently  against  it,  the 
suggestion  was  not  adopted. 

Mr.  Wm.  Gray  proposed  that  Mr.  Robert  Patterson  be 
elected  on  the  Council.  He  said  that  Mr.  Robert  Patterson  was 
a  young  man,  who  had  inherited  the  traditions  of  his  family  in 
the  investigation  of  natural  history,  and  he  was  one  of  the 
most  active  and  successful,  as  well  as  most  modest,  member  of 
their  community. 

Mr.  R.  Young  seconded  the  proposition. 


6  Annual  Meeting. 

Mr.  George  Horner  proposed  that  the  five  retiring  members 
of  the  Council  be  re-elected. 

Mr.  R.  Young  seconded. 

A  ballot  having  been  taken,  the  Chairman  declared  that  the 
following  gentlemen  had  been  elected  on  the  Council  : — 
Messrs.  R.  Patterson,  John  Brown,  William  Swanston, 
W.  H.  F.  Patterson,  and  S.  F.  Milligan. 

Mr.  Conway  Scott  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chair- 
man for  presiding.  He  congratulated  him  on  being  elected  a 
Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,  and  hoped  he  would  be  elected 
president  of  that  body. 

Mr.  Wm.  Gray,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said  it  was  a  great 
honour  to  Belfast  when  an  amateur,  as  their  Chairman,  by  his 
original  research,  should  obtain  a  distinction  which  some  of 
their  biggest  Professors  did  not.  They  ought  to  be  proud  of 
their  President,  as  he  was  a  representative  of  the  traditions  of 
the  old  Natural  History  Society  of  Belfast,  which  was  the  first 
established  in  the  kingdom  seventy  years  ago. 

The  motion  having  been  unanimously  passed,  the  Chairman 
briefly  returned  thanks.  He  said  he  prized  very  nmch  the 
honour  which  had  been  conferred  upon  him,  and  it  was  made 
doubly  pleasing  by  the  many  kind  words  of  congratulation 
that  he  had  received,  none  of  which  he  valued  more  than 
those  offered  by  that  Society. 

The  election  of  Office-Bearers  for  the  ensuing  year  was  then 
proceeded  with  in  Committee.  The  following  were  elected  : — 
President,  John  Brown,  F.R.S. ;  Vice-Presidents,  Robert 
Young,  J. P.,  C.E.;  William  Swanston,  F.G.S. ;  R.  L.  Patterson, 
D.L.,  F.L.S.;  Rev.  T.  Hamilton,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  President 
Queen's  College  ;  Hon.  Secretary,  R.  M.  Young,  J.P.,  M.R.I. A.; 
Hon.  Treasurer,  W.  H.  F.  Patterson  ;  Librarian,  J.  H.  Davies. 


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DONATIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM,  1901-1902. 


From  Mr.  Granby  Higginbotham. 
Cast    of    a   fossil   brachiopod   shell   {Spirifer  disjunctd)    from 
Silurian  rocks  at  Tintagel,  Cornwall.     Similar  specimens 
are  sold  there  as  fossil  butterflies. 

From  Representatives  of  Mr.  J.  S.  Alexander,  D.L. 

A  singular  stone  implement  found  in  the  River  Bann,  at  Port- 
glenone. 

From  Miss  M.  E.  Reid. 
Three  butterflies  from  the  Argentine  Republic,  South  America. 

From  Miss  Duffin. 
A  cabinet  of  marine  and  freshwater  shells,  minerals,  etc.,  Native 
and  Foreign. 

From  Mr.  R.  Welch. 
A  series  of  shells  of  Limnea  peregra^  var.  lactistris,  from  the 
Bann   River    at   Toome,   also   specimen    of   the   coralline 
strand  at  Greatman's  Bay,  Co.  Galway. 

From  Mrs.  Coulter. 
A  collection  of  marine  shells  gathered  near  Bangor,  Co.  Down. 

From  Mr.  Victor  Coates,  D.L. 
A  Royal  seal  which  was  attached  to  a  patent. 

From  Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart,  F.B.S.,  Edin. 
A  number  of  Cretaceous  fossils  from  Chalk  and  Greensand  rocks 
of  Antrim  and  Derry. 


ADDITIONS   TO   THE   LIBRARY,   ist  MAY,  1901,  till 
:sT    MAY,    1902. 

Adelaide. — Transactions    of    the     Royal    Society    of    South 

Australia.     Vol.  25,  parts  i  and  2,  1901. 

The  Society. 
Basel. — Verhandlungen  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in 

Basel.     Vol.  13,  part  2,  1901,  and  Sachregister, 

1 875-1 900.  The  Society. 

Belfast. — Report  and  Proceedings  of  the  Belfast  Naturalists' 

Field  Club.     Ser.  2,  vol.  4,  part  7,  1902. 

The   Club. 
Bergen. — Bergens   Museums    Aarbog,    parts   i    and   2,    1901. 

Meresfauna,  part  i,   1901.      Aarsberetning  for 

1901  ;  and  Crustacea  of  Norway.     Vol.  4,  parts 

I  and  2,  1901,  and  3 — 6,  1902. 

Bergen  Museum. 
Berlin. — Verhandlungen   der   Gesellschaft   fiir   Erdkunde   zu 

BerHn.     Vol.  28,  parts,  4 — 10,  1901. 

The  Society. 
Bremen. — Abhandlungen  vom  Naturwissenschaftlichen  Verein 

zu  Bremen.      Vol.   15,  part  3,  1901,  and  vol. 

17,  part  I,  1 90 1.  The  Society. 

Breslau. — Zeitschrift  fiir  Entomologie  vom  Verein  fiir  Schjes- 

siche  Insektenkunde  zu  Breslau.     New  series, 

part  26,  1 90 1.  The  Society. 

Brighton. — Annual  Report  and  Abstracts  of  Papers  of  Brighton 

and  Hove  Natural  History  and  Philosophical 

Society,  1901.  The  Society.    • 

Brooklyn. — Science  Bulletin  of  the  Brooklyn  Institute  of  Arts 

and  Sciences.     Vol.  i,  No.  i,  1901. 

The  Institute. 
Brussels. — Annales  de  la  Societe  Entomologique  de  Belgique. 

Vol.  45,  1 90 1.  The  Society. 


lo  Books  Received. 

Brussels. — Annales  de  la  Societe  Royale  Malacologique  de 
Belgique.     Vol.  35,  1901.  The  Society. 

Buffalo. — Bulletin  of  the  Buffalo  Society  of  Natural  Sciences. 
Vol.  7,  No.  I,  1 90 1.  The  Society. 

Buenos  Ayres. — Comunicaciones  del  Museo  Nacional  de 
Buenos  Aires.     Vol.  i,  Nos.  8 — 10,  1901. 

The  Director. 

Calcutta. — Memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  India.  Vol. 
30,  parts,  3  and  4,  1901  ;  vol.  31,  parts,  i — 3, 
1901  ;  vol.  32,  parts  i  and  2,  1899  ;  vol.  33, 
part  2,  1 90 1,  and  vol.  34,  part  i,  1901.  Also, 
Palseontologia  Indica,  new  series  ;  vol.  i,  part 
3,   1901  ;  and  General  Report  for  year   1900- 

190 1.  2 he  Director  of  the  Survey. 

Cambridge. — Proceedings  of  the  Cambridge  Philosophical 
Society.     Vol.   11,   part  3,   1901,  and  part  4, 

1902.  The  Society. 
Cambridge,  Mass. — Bulletin  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative 

Zoology.  Vol.  36,  Nos.  7  and  8,  1901  ;  vol.  37, 
No.  3,  1901  ;  vol.  38,  4  Nos.,  1900-1902,  and 
vol.  39,  No.  I,  1 90 1.  Also  Report  of  the 
Keeper  for  the  year  1 900-1 901.  The  Keeper. 
Cassel. — Abhandlungen  und  Bericht  (46)  des  Vereins  fiir 
Naturkundezu  Kassel,  1901.        The  Society. 

Christiania. — Forhandlinger,  I.  Videnskabs  Selskabet  I. 
Christiania,  for  year  1900. 

The  Royal  Norske  Frederiks  University. 
Cincinnati. — Reproduction  Series,  Bulletin  No.  2  of  the  Lloyd 
Library,    1901.      Mycological    Scries,    No.    i, 
1902,  and  Mycological  Notes  by  C.  G.  Lloyd, 
No.  5,  1900,  and  Nos.  6 — 8,  1901. 

The  Messrs.  Lloyd. 

Colorada  Springs. — Colorado  College  Studies,  vol.  9,  1900. 
Colorado  College  Scientific  Society. 


Books  Received.  ii 

Columbus. — Bulletin  of  Ohio  State  University,  series  5,  No.  i, 
1900,  and  series  b,  No.  i,  1901. 

The  University. 

Dantzic. — Schriften  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in 
Danzig.  New  series,  vol.  10,  parts  2  and  3 
1 90 1-  The  Society. 

Dublin.— Transactions  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  series  2, 
vol.  7,  No.  8,  1900,  and  Nos.  9 — 13,  1901  ;  also 
Scientific  Proceedings.  New  series,  vol.  9, 
part  3,  1900,  and  part  4,  1901.      The  Society. 

,,  Report  of  the  Director  of  the  Institutions  of  Science 

and  Art.  1901  ;    also   Directory  of  the  Royal 
College  of  Science,  session  1901-1902. 

The  Technical  Instruction  Department. 
Edinburgh. — Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Physical  Society,  129th 
session,  1901.  The  Society. 

Emden. — Jahresbericht  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in 
Emden,  1899-1900.  The  Society. 

Genoa. — Rivista  Ligure  di  Scienze  Letture  ed  Art.  Anno  23, 
fasc.  2 — 5,  1901,  and  anno  24,  fasc.  i,  1902. 

The  Society. 

Glasgow. — Transactions  of  the  Geological  Society  of  Glasgow. 
Vol.  II,  part  2,  1900.  The  Society. 

„  Transactions  of  the    Natural  History   Society  of 

Glasgow.     New  series,  vol.  6,  part  i,  1901. 

The  Society. 
„  Proceedings  of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Glas- 

gow.    Vol.  32,  1 90 1.  The  Society. 

GoRLiTZ.— Abhandlungen  der   Naturforschenden   Gesellschaft 

zu  Gorlitz,  vol.  23,  1901.  The  Society. 

GoTHENBERG. — Gotcborg's  Kungl.  Vetenskaps  Och  Vitterhets 
Samhalles  Handlingar  for  1898 — 1901. 

The  Society. 


12  Books  Received. 

Hamburg. — Verhandlungen  [des  Naturwissenschaftlichen  Ver- 
eins  in  Hamburg.  Series  3,  vol.  8,  1901,  and 
vol.  9,  1902  ;  also  Abhandlungen,  vol.  16,  part 
2,  1 90 1.  The  Society. 

Iglo. — Jahrbuch  des  Ungarischen — Karpathen  Vereins,  28th 
year,  1901.  The  Society. 

Indianopolis. — Proceedings  of  the  Indiana  Academy  of  Science 
for  1 900.  The  Academy. 

Kharkow. — Proceedings  of  the  Societie  des  Sciences  Physico- 
Chimiques,  of  the  University  of  Kharkow. 
Part  27,  for  1899.  The  Society. 

Lausanne. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Vaudoise  des  Sciences 
Naturelles,  vol.  36,  No.  138,  1900,  and  vol.  37, 
Nos.  139  — 142,  1 901.  Also  Observationes 
Meteorologiques,  1901.  The  Society. 

Lawrence. — Bulletins  of  the  University  of  Kansas.  Vol.  Q, 
Nos.  3  and  4,  1900,  and  vol.  10,  Nos.  i  and  2, 
1 901.  The   U7iiversity. 

Leipsic. —  Mittheilungen  des  Vereins  fiir  Erdkunde  zu  Leipzig, 
for  1900  ;  also  Wissenschaftliche  Veroflfent- 
lichungen,  vol.  5  and  Atlas,  1901. 

The  Society. 
,,  Sitzungbeiichte   der  naturforschenden  Gesellschaft 

zu  Leipzig,  26th  and  27th  years,  1 899-1 900. 

The  Society. 

London. — Report  of  the  seventy-first  Meeting  of  the  British 
Association,  Glasgow,  1901. 

The  Association. 
,,  Quarterly  Journal  of  the  Geological  Society  of 
London.  Vol.  47,  parts  2 — 4,  1901,  and  vol. 
48,  part  T,  1902.  Also  Lists  of  Fellows  of  the 
Society,  and  of  the  Geological  Literature 
added  to  the  Library  in  1900.  The  Society. 
„  Journal  of  the  Royal  Microscopical  Society,  Nos.  142 
— 145,  1901,  and  146  and  147,  1902. 

The  Society. 


Books  Received.  13 

London. — Transactions  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London, 
vol.  16,  parts  2  and  3,  1901,  and  part  4,  1902  ; 
Also  Proceedings,  vol.  i,  parts  i  and  2,  1901, 
vol.  2,  part  I,  1 901,  and  part  2,  1902. 

The  Society. 

Madison. — Transactions  of  the  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Sciences, 
Arts  and  Letters.     Vol.  13,  part,  i,  1901, 

The  Academy. 
„  Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural  History  Survey. 

Bulletin  7,  part  i,  1901.  The  Director. 

Madras — Bulletin  of  the  Madras  Government  Museum.  Vol. 
3,  No.  3.  1 901,  and  vol.  4,  No.  2,  1901  ;  also 
Catalogue  of  Prehistoric  Antiquities.  1901,  and 
Administration  Report  for  1900-1901. 

The  Superintendent. 
Manchester. — Journal  of  the  Manchester  Geographical  Society. 
Vol.  16,  Nos.  10 — 12  ;  Vol.  17,  Nos.  i — 3,  1901  ; 
and  Supplement  to  vol.  13,  1901.    The  Society. 
„  Transactions    of    the    Manchester    Geological 

Society.     Vol.  27,  parts  i — 7,  1 901,  and  parts  8 
and  9,  1902.  The  Society. 

Marseilles. — Annales  de  la  Faculte  des  Sciences  de  Marseille. 
Vol.  II,  fasc.  I — 9,  n.d.  The  Librarian. 

Melbourne. — Proceedings  of  the   Royal  Society   of  Victoria. 
New  series,  vol.   13,  part  i,  1900,  and  part  2, 
1901  ;  also  vol.  14,  part,  i,  1901.  The  Society. 
Mexico. — Boletin    Mensual    del    Observatorio   Meteorologico 
Central  de  Mexico,  July,  1900 — July,  1901. 

The  Director. 
„  Boletin  del  Observatorio  Astronomico  Nacional  de 

Tacubaya.     Vol.  2,  No.  7,  1901  ;  and  Anuario 
22,1901.  The  Director. 

Milwaukee. — Bulletin  of  the  Wisconsin  Natural  History 
Society.     New  series,  vol.  i,  No.  4,  1901. 

The  Society. 


14  Books  Received. 

Minneapolis. — Bulletin  of  the  Minnesota  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences.    Vol.  3,  No.  3, 1901.    The  Academy. 

Missoula. — Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Montana.  Biological 
series,  No.  i,  1901.  The   University. 

Montevideo. — Anales  del  Museo  Nacional  de  Montevideo. 
Vol.  3,  parts  20  and  21,  1901,  and  vol.  4,  parts 
19 — 22,  1 90 1.  The  Director. 

Moscow. — Bulletin  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  Moscow. 
Nos.  3  and  4,  1900  ;  Nos.  i  and  2,  1901  ;  and 
Nos.  I  and  2,  1902.  The  Society. 

Nantes. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  des  Sciences  Naturelles  de 
I'Ouest  de  la  France.  Vol.  10,  parts  3  and  4, 
1900,  and  series  2,  vol.  i.  parts  i  and  2,  1901. 

The  Society. 

New  York. — Annals  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Vol.  13,  parts  2  and  3,  1901  ;  vol.  14,  part  i, 
1901  ;  and  Memoirs,  vol.  2,  part  3,  1901. 

The  Academy. 
,,  Bulletin  of  the  American  Geographical  Society. 

Vol.  23,  Nos.  2 — 5,  1 90 1.  The  Society. 

Nottingham. — Report  and  Transactions  of  the  Nottingham 
Naturalists' Society  for   1900  1 901. 

The  Society. 
Odessa. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  New  Russia. 
Vol.  23,  part  I,   1899,  and  part  2,   1900  ;  also 
Mathematical  Memoirs,  vol.  19,  part  2,  1899. 

The  Society. 

Osnabruck.— Fourteenth  Jahresbericht  des  Wissenschaftlichen 
Vereins  zu  Osnabruck,  1901.        The  Society. 

Ottawa. — Annual  Report  of  the  Geological  Survey  of 
Canada.  New  series,  vol.  11,  and  Maps. 
General  Index  to  the  Survey  Reports  from 
1863  to  1884.  Also  Canadian  Birds,  part  i, 
1900.  The  Director  of  the  Survey. 


Books  Received.  15 

Philadelphia. — Proceedings  of  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of 
Sciences.     Vol.  53,  parts  i  and  2,  1901. 

The  Academy. 
„  Proceedings     of     the     American      Philosophical 

Society.  Vol.  11,  Nos.  165  and  166,  1901  ;  also 
Memorial  Volume,  vol.  i,  1900.  The  Society. 
Pisa. — Atti  della  Societa  Toscana  di  Scienze  Naturali,  Pro- 
cessi  Verbali.  Vol.  12,  March — July,  1901, 
and  vol.  13,  November,  1901.  The  Society . 
Portland,  Maine. — Proceedings  of  the  Portland  Society  of 
Natural  History.     Vol.  2,  part  5,  190T. 

The  Society. 
Rochester,  N.Y. — Proceedings  of  the  Rochester  Academy  of 
Science.     Vol.  4,  pp.  1—64,  1891. 

The  Academy. 
Rome. — Atti  della  Reale  Accademia  dei  Lincei.  Vol.  q, 
semestre  2,  fasc.  4 — 6,  1900  ;  vol.  10,  semcstre 
I,  lasc.  7,  8,  9,  II,  12,  1901  ;  semestre  2,  fasc. 
I — 10  and  12,  1901  ;  vol.  11,  semestre  i,  fasc. 
I — 6,  1902  ;  also  Rendiconto  dell'  Adunanza 
Solenne  del,  June  2,  1901.  The  Academy. 
,,        Bolletino  della   Societa  Zoologica   Italiana,    series   2, 

vol.  2,  fasc.  1—6.  1 90 1.  The  Society. 

,,         Journal  of  the  British  and  American  Archaeological 
Society  of  Rome,  vol.  3,  No.  3,  1901. 

The  Society. 
San  Francisco. — Proceedings  of  the   California  Academy  of 
Sciences,  series  3,  Geology,  vol.  i,  No.  8,  1900, 
and  Zoology,  vol.  2,  Nos.  3  and  5,  1900. 

The  Academy. 
St.  Louis. — Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  the  Missoura  Botanical 

Garden,  1901.  The  Director. 

Stav ANGER. — Stavanger  Museum  Arsberetning  for  1900. 

The  Museum  Trustees. 
Stettin. — Bericht  der  Gesellschaft  fiir  Volker-u,  Erdkunde  zu 
Stettin,  1 90 1.  2 he  Society. 


1 6  Books  Received. 

Stirling. — Transactions  of  the  Stirling  Natural  History  Society, 
for  1 900- 1 901.  The  Society. 

Stockholm. — Handlingar  of  the  Royal  Swedish  Academy,  new- 
series,  vol.  33,  1900  ;  vol.  34,  1 901.  Bihang, 
vol.  26,  parts  I — 4,  1901.  Ofversigt,  vol.  37, 
1900,  and  Lefnadsteckningar,  vol.  4,  part  i, 
1899,  and  part  2,  1901.  The  Academy. 

Sydney. — Science  of  Man  (Journal  of  the  Royal  Anthropolo- 
gical Society  of  Australasia),  new  series,  vol.  4, 
Nos.  2 — 12,  I90i,and  vol.  5,  Nos.  1  and  2,  1902. 

The  Editor. 

Tokyo. — Mittheilungen  der  Deutschen  Gesellschaft  fiir  Natur 
und  Volkerunde  Ostasiens.     Supplement,  1901. 

The  Society. 

ToPEKA. — Transactions  of  the  Kansas  Academy  of  Science. 
Vol.  17,  1901  The  Academy. 

Toronto. — Transactions  of  the  Canadian  Institute.  Vol.  7, 
part  I,  No.  13,  1 901.  I'he  Institute. 

Upsala. — Bulletin  of  the  Geological  Institution  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Upsala.     Vol.  5,  part  i.  No.  9,  1901. 

The   University. 

Vienna. — Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich-Koniglichen  Geo- 
logischen  Reichsanstalt.  Nos.  4 — 18,  iqoi,and 
Nos.  I  and  2,  1902.  The  Society. 

„  Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich  Koniglichen  Zoo- 
logisch-Botanischen  Gesellschaft  in  Wien.  Vol. 
51,  1 901.  The  Society. 

Washington. — Annals  of  the  Astrophysical  Observatory  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution.     Vol.   i,  1900. 

The  Director. 

„  Year-book    of  the    United    States    Department 

of  Agriculture,    1900,   and    North    American 
Fauna,  Nos.  20  and  21,  190T. 

The  Secretary  0/  the  Department, 


Books  Received.  17 

Washington, — Seventeenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Bureau  of 

American     Ethnology,     part     I,     1898,     and 

Eighteenth  Annual  Report,  parts  i  and  2, 1899. 

The  Director  of  the  Bureau. 

,,  Twentieth  Annual  Report  of  the  United  States 

Geological  Survey,  parts  2,  3,  4,  5,  and  7,  1900, 

and    3,    4,    6    and    6    continued,    1901.      Also 

Monographs,  vols.  39  and  40,  1900,  and  volume 

of  Maps.     Bulletin  of  the  Survey,  Nos.  163 — 

176  ;    and    Preliminary  Report   on    the   Cape 

Nome  Gold  Region,  1900.         The  Director. 

„  American  Monthly  Microscopical  Journal.     Vol. 

22,  Nos.  1  —  7,  1 90 1.  The  Editor. 

„  Bulletin  of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Washing- 

ton. Vol.  13,  1900,  and  pp.  i — 178.  1900- 
1901-  The  Society. 

,  Second   Report   of  the   United  States   Board  on 

Geographic  Names,  1901  ;  and  Special  Report 
on  Philippine  Names,  1901.      The  Secretary. 
„  Annual  Report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  for 

1898-99.  Smithsonian  Miscellaneous  Collec- 
tions: vols.  42  and  43,  1901.  Annual  Reports 
of  the  United  States  Museum  for  1897,  1898, 
and  1899.  Proceedings  of  the  United  States 
National  Museum,  vol.  22,  190c  ;  and  Bulletin, 
No.  50,  part  I,  1 901. 

The  Smithsonian  Institution. 

Zurich. — Vierteljahrsschrift  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft 
in  Zurich,  parts  3  and  4,  1901  ;  also  Neujahres- 
blatt,  103  and  104,  1901  and  1902. 

From  Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S.— Journal  of 
the  Linnean  Society  (Botany).  Vol.  35,  No. 
243,  1901. 

From  Mr.  F.  B.  Simms. — A  bound  volume  of  the  Proceedings 
of  Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical 
Society,  and  seven  unbound  parts. 


NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 

SESSION,     1901-1902. 


^oth  December,  1901. 


Mr.  J.  Brown,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


THE  BELFAST  MUNICIPAL  TECHNICAL 

INSTITUTE  :     ITS    AIMS  AND   ASPIRATIONS. 

By  F.  C.  Forth,  Assoc.  R.C.Sc.I. 


{Abstract.) 


In  the  course  of  his  remarks,  Mr.  Forth  stated  that  as  early 
as  the  year  1807  a  meeting  was  held  in  Belfast  for  the 
furtherance  of  instruction  in  Science  and  Technology.  At  a 
more  recent  period,  viz.,  in  the  year  1883,  the  Royal  Commission 
on  Technical  Education  had  held  an  enquiry  in  Belfast  as  to 
the  facilities  provided  for  technical  instruction.  Extracts  read 
from  the  report  of  the  Commissioners  went  to  show  that  ihe 
educational  facilities  provided  in  the  city  were  at  that  period  in 
a  very  unsatisfactory  state. 


to 


CO 


Belfast  Municipal  Technical  Institute  :  1 0 

The  lecturer  then  reviewed  the  steps  which  had  led  up  to  the 
recent  revival  of  interest  in  technical  instruction,  beginning  by 
referring  to  the  labours  of  the  Recess  Committee.  He  then 
detailed  the  steps  that  had  been  taken  for  the  development  of 
the  Municipal  Technical  Institute  scheme,  and  stated  that  the 
classes  recentl)'  established  had  been  largely  availed  of,  and  that 
the  numbers  in  attendance  were  well  above  the  estimated 
numbers. 

Reference  was  then  made  to  the  imperfect  accommodation 
which  is  at  present  available  for  the  majority  of  the  classes,  and 
the  proposals  with  regard  to  the  new  Technical  Institute  were 
explained,  the  remarks  being  illustrated  by  reference  to  views 
of  the  proposed  new  building,  the  views  being  projected  on  the 
screen  by  means  of  the  optical  lantern.  The  perspective  view 
of  the  building  is  shown  in  fig.  i,  and  the  ground  plan  in  fig.  2. 
The  dual  character  of  the  Institution  was  dwelt  upon,  the 
explanation  being  given  that  there  would  be  a  Day  Department 
and  an  Evening  Department.  The  functions  of  these 
Departments  were  outlined,  and  explanations  supplied  as  to 
the  training  which  would  be  imparted  to  the  students  in  the 
respective  departments.  Special  emphasis  was  laid  on  the  fact 
that  it  was  necessary  to  adapt  the  courses  of  study  to  the 
industrial  requirements  of  the  City,  care  being  taken  that  as 
far  as  possible  the  instruction  should  be  well  balanced.  It  was 
explained  that  students  trained  in  this  way  would  be  fitted  to 
take  up  situations  as  foremen  and  managers,  and  to  fill  other 
like  positions  of  responsibility. 

It  was  stated  that  the  building  is  intended  to  be  erected 
on  a  site  bordered  by  College  Square  North  and  College  Square 
East.  Various  details  in  regard  to  the  areas  of  the  building, 
the  style  of  architecture,  the  position  of  the  entrance  hall, 
vestibule,  corridors,  classrooms,  and  the  departmental  accommo- 
dation were  then  supplied. 

Mr.  Forth  next  proceeded  to  discuss  the  question  of  the 
supply  of  suitably  prepared  students  for  the  Institution,  stating 


20 


Belfast  Municipal  Technical  Institute  : 


'VIDUALS 

30O 


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INDIVIDUALS 
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17 


KEY 


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MEN      ■ 


WOMEN 


'7/y^7y- 


13. 


ALL     COLUMMS    MCASCfPeo 
mOM    rue  BASC  LINE  . 


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n'^  '^  '-"^  17  '8  /9  2021  Z2Z3242S2ti7U23303/32 333* 

"AGES"     D/AORAM." 


VERHCAL     SCALE    =40  INOI\//DUALS  f>£fi   INCH. 
Fig.  3- 


Its  Aims  a}id  Aspirations.  21 

that  these  would  have  to  come  from  the  National  Schools  and 
Secondary  Schools.  He  drew  attention  to  the  inadequacy  of 
the  training  given  in  the  Primary  Schools,  and  offered  the 
opinion  that  some  facilities  should  be  provided  for  higher 
primary  instruction,  suggesting  that  four  or  five  schools  might 
be  established  in  special  districts  of  the  City  to  deal  with 
children  who  had  passed  beyond  the  sixth  standard  of  the 
ordinary  National  School.  He  explained  that  scholorships 
would  be  available,  giving  admission  to  the  Day  Department 
of  the  Technical  Institute,  and  stated  that  Free  Studentships 
admitting  to  the  Evening  Department  were  already  in 
operation. 

Referring  to  the  existing  Evening  Department  he  mentioned 
that  over  ■  three  thousand  *  tickets  for  evening  courses  of 
instruction  had  been  issued,  and  that  over  two  thousand  t 
tickets  had  been  issued  for  single  lectures. 

It  was  shown  by  means  of  a  diagram  (figure  3)  that  the 
students  were  not  of  immature  age,  as  was  sometimes 
imagined,  but  that  the  proportion  of  those  eighteen  years  of 
age  and  over,  to  those  under  eighteen  years  was  as  five  is  to 
two. 

He  spoke  of  the  fear  that  had  been  expressed  that  the 
Technical  Institute  might  prejudically  affect  some  of  the 
existing  institutions,  and  said  that,  in  his  opinion,  this  fear  was 
unfounded.  He  also  deprecated  the  unnecessary  duplication  of 
courses  of  study.  He  pointed  out  the  economy  resulting  from 
the  co-ordination  of  institutions  running  on  similar  lines 
instancing  the  various  institutions  which  had  been  recently 
merged  in  the  Technical  Instruction  Scheme.  The  lecturer 
stated  that  his  main  fear  was  not  that  overlapping  would  take  ' 
place,  but  that  the  chief  difficulty  would  be  found  in  filling  up 
the  hiatuses  in  the  present  education  system.     By  means  of   a 

*  Now  (April  1902)  over  4,000. 
■f  Now  (April  1902)  over  4.500. 


22 


Belfast  Municipal  Technical  Institute . 


f'. 


TICESHIP 

J 

EVENING    SCHOOLS    fOR     SCIENCE     ART 
COMMERCIAL  AMD    TECHNICAL     SUBJECTS 

CONDUCTED     «YTHS    TECHNICAl.    INSTRUCTION    COMMITIEC 
16  YEARS   AMO  UPWARDS 

—  t   ~" 

EVENING    CONTINUATION     SCHOOLS 

12   TO  16  YEARS 


^ 


ELEMENTARY   DAY  SCHOOLS 

6  TO  14  YEARS 


DIAGRAM    ILLUSTRATING   THE 
CORRELATION  or  EDUCATION 


Fig.  4. 


Its  Aims  and  Aspirations.  23 

diagram  (fig.  4)  projected  on  the  screen,  he  then  illustrated  an 
educational  programme  showing  a  direct  connection  between 
the  Primary  Schools  and  the  Municipal  Technical  Institute  and 
the  University. 

Mr.  R.  H.  S.  Reade  proposed  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr. 
Forth  for  his  very  able  lecture.  Although  Belfast  had  been 
slow  to  assimilate  the  idea  of  the  necessity  of  technical  in- 
struction, he  thought  from  what  they  had  heard  that  they 
might  be  satisfied  that  it  had  embarked  on  the  course  in  a 
right  spirit,  and  that  the  work  would  be  done  properly  under 
the  guidance  of  Mr.  Forth.  He  had  proved  that  evening  that 
he  had  grasped  the  whole  subject  of  education,  and  showed 
them  that  technical  education  was  only  a  part  of  the  great 
system  of  education  in  the  country,  which  ought  to  be  co- 
ordinated, and  that  technical  instruction  should  form  an 
outgrowth  from  it.  He  had  brought  under  their  survey  the 
whole  system  of  education,  which  he  (Mr.  Reade)  believed  was 
bound  to  be  taken  up  and  re-organised  if  they  were  to  hold 
their  place  with  the  other  nations  of  the  world. 

Professor  FitzGerald,  in  seconding  the  motion,  thought  the 
Technical  Instruction  Committee  was  to  be  congratulated  upon 
the  vanishing  cf  a  large  amount  of  obstruction  which  at  one 
time  existed  in  the  city — and  he  thought  in  the  Corporation— 
to  counting  many  of  those  subjects  as  technical  at  all.  It  was 
supposed  then  that  technical  instruction  must  necessarily  be 
confined  absolutely  to  trade  instruction,  without  teaching 
anything  in  the  matter  of  scientific  subjects.  With  regard  to 
Mr.  Forth's  remarks  in  regard  to  primary  schools,  he  did  not 
know  what  powers  the  Corporation  possessed  as  to  constituting 
themselves  managers  under  the  National  Board  of  any  model 
schools  which  might  be  established  in  the  city.  But  now  that 
the  Corporation  had  made  a  start  in  the  matter  of  technical 
education,  after  a  delay  of  seventeen  years,  they  would  have  to 
do  more.  He  had  long  ago  advocated  the  establishment  of  a 
system  of  evening  continuation  schools  by  the  Corporation,  and 


24  Belfast  Mnnicipal  Technical  Institute  : 

was  glad  to  find  that  it  seemed  likely  that  what  would  be,  in 
effect,  such  a  system,  was  now  under  consideration. 

Sir  James  Henderson  endorsed  all  that  had  been  said  by  Mr. 
Forth,  who,  he  thought,  had  hit  the  weak  spot  in  our 
educational  system.  Something  was  required  between  the 
national  school  and  the  higher  educational  establishments 
in  the  future.  With  regard  to  the  Technical  School  in 
Belfast,  the  large  sum  of  ;^85,ooo  would  be  necessary 
to  put  the  building  into  the  from  which  had  been  so 
admirably  described  by  Mr.  Forth,  therefore  the  Committee 
were  compelled  to  ask  the  ratepayers  for  id  in  the  £\,  which 
would  bring  them  ^^5,000.  At  the  present  time  this  sum, 
together  with  the  ;^io,ooo  which  they  were  receiving  from  the 
Department  of  Technical  Instruction  in  Dublin,  was  the  annual 
amount  available  for  technical  education  in  Belfast.  The 
Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society  was  deserving 
of  the  highest  praise  for  allowing  them  the  privilege  of  hearing 
that  lecture,  which  would  be  of  great  assistance  in  spreading 
technical  instruction  in  Belfast. 

Sir  Olto  Jaffe  considered  that  at  an  early  period  they  would 
see  a  fair  amount  of  progress  in  Belfast  as  a  result  of  their 
efforts.  The  Corporation  in  selecting  Mr.  Forth  as  the 
principal  of  the  new  school  had  got  one  of  the  best  officers  they 
could  have  obtained  for  this  department. 

Dr.  M'Keown  said  in  the  matter  of  primary  education  he 
saw  little  hope  of  any  great  improvement  so  long  as  they  had 
such  a  Board  of  National  Education  as  existed  at  the  present 
in  Dublin.  It  was  his  firm  conviction  that  until  the  people 
took  the  control  of  education  into  their  own  hands  it  would  never 
be  right.  They  wanted  in  a  city  like  Belfast  a  board  representing 
the  people  for  the  purpose  of  regulating  this  primary  education. 
Now,  many  of  the  schools  from  a  sanitary  point  were  unfit  for 
occupation  by  children.  He  believed  that  the  time  would 
come  when  the  Corporation  would  have  to  build  schools  of 
their  own,  and  not  allow  them  to  be  appendages  to  any  Church 
whatever.     A  teacher  in  a  primary  school  was  an  important 


Its  /!ms  nnd  Aspirations.  25 

individual,  and  until  his  position  was  elevated  and  he  was 
removed  from  being  the  slave  of  the  manager,  matters  never 
would  be  right.  Although  teachers  are  paid  by  the  State, 
many  of  them  were  slaves  to  the  managers,  which  should  not 
be  the  case.  They  wanted  a  proper  guiding  liand  to  undertake 
the  co-ordination  of  primary,  secondary,  and  university 
education.  Coming  to  the  matter  of  technical  education,  it 
was  well  to  point  out  that  at  the  present  time  there  was  a 
Commission  of  Inquiry  sitting  in  this  country  inquiring  into 
technical  education,  and  it  was  a  very  extraordinary  body. 
The  Irish  members  of  that  Commission,  who  sat  recently  in 
Dublin,  and  took  evidence  on  technical  education,  were 
excellent  men  in  their  own  way,  but  there  was  not  one 
of  them  who  was  fit  to  deal  with  technical  education,  and  only 
one  known  to  have  had  a  scientific  education.  That  solitary 
individual  was  a  pathologist,  not  likely  to  have  much  knowledge 
of  trade  and  industry.  He  would  not  like  to  say  much  about 
their  finding  on  technical  education,  but  he  did  know  a 
remarkable  fact,  that  two  gentlemen  who  could  have  given 
valuable  evidence,  and  who  tendered  it,  had  not  yet  been 
examined.  It  was  to  be  hoped  their  evidence  would  be  taken 
at  a  later  sitting. 

Mr.  William  Gray,  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  prospects 
were  exceedingly  encouraging,  judging  by  the  number  of 
pupils  who  were  coming  forward,  and  they  trusted  that  the 
anticipations  of  Mr.  Forth  would  be  fully  realised.  The  time 
had  come  when  they  ought  to  take  some  positive  steps  in 
Belfast  to  improve  the  primary  education  of  the  rising 
generation. 

Dr.  MacCormac  held  that  teaching  results  would  accrue 
mentally  to  those  attending  the  continuation  schools. 

The  Chairman  then  put  the  motion,  which  was  passed  by 
acclamation. 


r: 


26 


6///  January^  1902. 


Professor  Redfekn,  M.D.,   F.R.C.S.I.,  in  the  Chair. 


RESPIRATION. 
By  Joseph  BARCKor^T,  M.A. 


{Absiract.) 


Mr.  Barcroft  said  that  on  a  previous  occasion  he  had  the 
pleasure  of  addressing  the  Belfast  Natural  History  and 
Philosophical  Society  upon  a  subject  which,  among  physical 
phenomena,  has  always  been  of  peculiar  interest  to  himself — 
namely,  "  The  Properties  of  Liquid  Surfaces."  The  interest  of 
such  a  subject  as  that  seemed,  however,  to  fade  before  the 
fascination  possessed  by  even  the  simplest  process  of  living 
matter.  There  is  a  subtlety  about  the  secret  of  life,  an 
uncertainty  as  to  whether  the  chemical  changes  which  take 
place  in  living  matter  are  governed  by  the  laws  which  are 
enunciated  in  the  laboratory  that  make  the  study  of  the 
functions  of  living  matter  especially  alluring. 

On  occasions  the  physical  and  chemical  properties  of  living 
matter  seem  to  be  exactly  the  opposite  of  those  displayed  by 
that  which  is  inanimate.  He  would  take  two  examples. 
There  could  be  no  greater  travesty  of  their  ordinary  ideas  than 
that  water  should  flow  upwards,  yet  when  they  got  into  the 
domain  of  life  they  saw  trees  one  hundred,  two  hundred  feet 
high,  and  in  the  fine  tubes  composing  the  wood  of  those  trees 
they  knew  that  the  sap  is  continually  ascending. 

Drawing  attention  to  the  burning  of  a  match,  the  lecturer 
proceeded  to  say  that  the  wood  was  decomposing  with  evolution 


Respiration.  27 

of  heat,  and  the  soHd  material  was  being  oxidised  and  dissipated 
into  the  air  as  aqueous  vapour  and  carbonic  acid  gas  ;  but  could 
they,  he  asked,  reverse  the  process,  and,  by  supplying  the 
necessary  heat,  make  wood  out  of  carbonic  gas  and  water  ? 
That  would  be  like  expecting  water  to  flow  up  a  hill,  for  the 
laboratory  rule  is  that  chemical  changes  are  such  as  to  produce 
heat  and  do  not  take  place  in  the  opposite  direction.  Yet  this 
is  exactly  how  the  wood  has  been  made  ;  the  tree  has  silently 
absorbed  these  very  substances  and  built  them  up  into  wood. 

Of  the  ordinary  functions  which  living  bodies  perform,  the 
one  which  is  most  nearly  understood  is  respiration,  and  therefore 
he  had  chosen  it  for  the  subject  of  that  night's  lecture. 
Respiration  in  its  most  superficial  sense  means  the  breathing  in 
of  pure  air,  and  the  exhalation  of  impure  air.  But  they  might 
give  a  larger  meaning  to  the  word.  He  had  alluded  to  a 
burning  match,  and  said  that  the  wood  of  this  match  was  being 
oxidised  by  oxygen  drawn  from  the  air,  that  it  emitted  heat, 
and  that  the  substance  got  dissipated.  The  same  process,  he 
pointed  out,  is  taking  place  continually  in  every  part  of  the 
human  body.  When  he  moved  his  finger  some  oxygen  was 
used  up  and  some  carbonic  acid  gas  and  water  were  parted  with  ; 
the  oxygen  was  breathed  in  by  the  lungs,  the  carbonic  acid  and 
water  would  in  due  time  be  breathed  out  by  them.  The 
problem  was  to  investigate  the  processes  by  which  the  oxygen 
of  the  inspired  air  is  carried  to  the  hidden  recesses  of  the  body, 
and  those  by  which  the  carbonic  acid  is  carried  from  the  tissues 
to  be  cast  out  into  the  air  of  the  lung. 

They  would  observe  on  the  screen  a  slide  representing 
human  blood  ;  it  was  made  up  of  numerous  corpuscles  which 
float  in  a  clear  fluid.  Each  of  these  corpuscles  is  a  sort  of 
submarine  boat  plying  between  the  lungs  and  the  tissues,  and, 
at  every  journey  it  takes  in  a  cargo  of  oxygen  at  the  lungs, 
which  it  unloads  on  reaching  the  small  blood  vessels  of  a 
nmscle  or  other  tissue.  The  corpuscle  is  composed  largely  of  a 
red  material — haemoglobin — to  which  the  colour  of  the  blood 
is  tiue.     This  red  material  has  the  power  of  absorbing  oxygen 


(. 


28  Respiration. 

when  exposed  to  the  atmosphere.  There  are  other  substances 
such  as  pyrogaUic  acid  which  do  the  same,  but  the  red  substance 
of  the  blood  differs  from  pyrogallic  acid  in  the  fact  that  when  it 
is  exposed  to  an  atmosphere  devoid  of  oxygen  it  disgorges  all 
the  oxygen  which  it  has  previously  absorbed. 

The  lung  is  an  apparatus  for  exposing  an  immense  surface  of 
blood  to  the  air.  While  thus  exposed  each  corpuscle  takes  up 
its  cargo  of  oxygen,  and  then  gets  propelled  with  extreme 
rapidity  in  the  blood  stream  to  some  indigent  muscle  or  nerve 
which  has  used  up  all  the  oxygen  that  it  possesses.  Here,  not 
being  surrounded  by  oxygen,  the  corpuscle  gives  up  its  store  of 
that  gas  just  as  a  wet  sponge-rag  would  yield  up  its  store  of 
water  when  removed  from  a  damp  to  a  dry  atmosphere. 

It  was  formerly  a  matter  of  great  labour,  involving  the  use 
of  large  quantities  of  blood,  to  demonstrate  the  relative  amounts 
of  oxygen  in  blood  going  to  and  comiing  from  the  lungs,  but 
recent  researches  had  made  it  so  simple  that  he  could  easily 
show  them  how  much  oxygen  the  blood  loses  at  its  ports  of 
call. 

He  had  compared  the  colourless  fluid  portion  of  the  blood 
to  a  waterway,  and  he  could  press  the  comparison  a  stage 
further.  The  clear  fluid  part  is  more  than  a  medium  for  carry- 
ing the  corpuscles — it  serves  to  flush  out  every  piece  of  muscle 
and  nerve  and  bone.  Each  of  these  accumlates  its  little  store 
of  carbonic  acid  as  it  does  its  work,  but  this  gas  si  exceedingly 
soluble  in  water,  and  so  as  fast  as  it  is  produced  it  gets  caught 
up  in  the  colourless  part  of  the  blood  and  carried  to  the  lungs. 
A  pint  of  water  would  absorb  about  a  pint  of  carbonic  acid 
gas.  If  the  solution  be  shaken  up  with  air  the  water  would 
lose  carbonic  acid  till  both  the  air  and  the  water  contained  the 
same  percentage  of  the  carbonic  acid.  He  had  almost  said 
that  that  was  an  illustration  of  how  the  blood  lost  its  carbonic 
acid  in  the  lung  ;  that  an  immense  surface  of  blood  was  con- 
tinually circulating  through  the  lung  separated  only  by  the 
thinnest  of  membranes  from  the  air  in  that  organ  ;  that  it 
tended  always  to  share  its  carbonic  acid  equally  with  the  air, 


Respiration.  29 

but  that,  as  the  air  was  always  changing,  it  never  had  time  to 
obtain  as  much  carbonic  acid  as  the  blood  would  give  up,  and 
so  a  continual  stream  of  carbonic  acid  passed  from  the  blood 
to  the  air  in  the  lung. 

But  he  must  pause,  for  whilst  many  distinguished  physio- 
logists would  endorse  such  a  statement,  there  were  others  who 
considered  that  they  were  confronted  at  that  point  with  a 
paradox  of  life  such  as  he  had  already  mentioned;  that  in  the 
ordinary  way  after  the  blood  has  given  up  its  quotum  of 
carbonic  acid  the  living  wall  of  the  lung  exerts  an  influence  on 
the  blood  which  no  dead  membrane  could  exert,  and  makes  the 
blood  concede  yet  further  stores  of  carbonic  acid  to  the  air, 
thus  enormously  increasing  the  efficiency  of  the  respiratory 
apparatus.  The  point  is  one  of  great  interest  to  physiologists, 
and  it  is  one  on  which  much  careful  work  has  been  done. 
While  the  matter  remains  unsettled  it  would  ill  befit  him  to 
express  an  opinion  upon  il,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  some  of  the 
most  recent  and  telling  researches  on  the  subject  have  been 
those  of  Dr.  John  Haldane  and  Professor  Lorrain  Smith  in 
the  laboratory  of  Queen's  College,  Belfast. 

Professor  Lorrain  Smith  said  their  Secretary  had  asked  him 
to  move  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Barcroft  for  his  interesting 
lecture,  but  he  would  preface  his  remarks  by  a  promise  to  and 
no  more  details  to  the  many  facts  Mr.  Barcroft  had  put  before 
them.  He  himself  had  followed  the  lecture  with  the  greatest 
interest,  and  he  was  sure  this  had  also  been  done  by  everyone 
present.  As  one  whose  duty  it  was  to  lecture  and  experiment 
at  the  same  time,  Mr.  Barcroft  had  managed  to  get  through  a 
subject  which  was  perplexity  itself  with  wonderful  rapidity. 
The  success  with  which  he  had  carried  out  the  experiments  at 
the  end  of  the  bench,  where  he  had  been  engaged  analysing 
the  blood  from  oxygen,  was  remarkable.  It  was  not  so  very 
long  ago  since  it  took  a  large  part  of  a  day  to  carry  out  an 
experiment  of  that  sort,  but  Mr.  Barcroft  had  shown  them  that 
night  that  this  observation  can  now  be  carried  out  with  the 


30  Respiration. 

simplest  possible  apparatus  with  perfect  accuracy  and  great 
rapidity.  The  method  was  new,  and  the  easy  way  in  which  it 
could  be  carried  out  gave  rise  to  great  hopes  in  the  medical 
profession  that  they  would  be  able  to  apply  this  method  to  the 
human  body  both  in  health  and  disease.  He  had  great 
pleasure  in  moving  that  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Barcroft  for  his 
lecture. 

Professor  Thompson,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said  Mr. 
Barcroft  had  handled  an  exceedingly  difficult  subject  with 
great  skill.  He  came  to  Belfast  with  the  reputation  of  being 
a  neat  and  skilful  experimenter,  and  he  had  very  successfully 
maintained  that  reputation.  He  had  indeed  a  very  difficult 
subject  to  make  clear  to  them,  but  he  had  managed  to  make 
clear  to  everybody  in  the  room  what  the  essential  features  o^ 
respiration  are.  He  (Professor  Thompson)  had  great  pleasure 
in  seconding  the  motion. 

The  Chairman,  in  putting  the  motion  to  the  meeting 
said  they  had  come  there  that  night  to  learn  something  of 
respiration,  and  they  had  not  been  told  what  sort  of  process  it 
was,  but  they  had  been  made  to  see  it.  Every  step  of  the 
process  had  been  shown  them  most  successfully,  and  not  one 
tittle  of  the  experimental  truth  had  in  any  degree  failed.  As 
they  came  there  that  night  to  learn  something  of  respiration, 
he  would  advise  them  when  they  went  to  their  respective 
homes  to  take  a  sheet  of  paper  and  jot  down  the  particulars  of 
the  facts  shown  them,  and  in  that  way  they  would  remember, 
have  before  them,  an  account  of  respiration  such  as,  he 
ventured  to  say,  they  had  never  had  before,  and  were  not 
likely  to  get  again  for  a  long  time.  The  various  demonstrations 
had  been  most  admirable,  complete,  and  perfect.  It  was  rarely 
indeed  they  found  when  a  series  of  experiments  had  to  be 
performed  that  some  little  thing  did  not  go  wrong,  but 
nothing  of  the  sort  had  happened  that  night  from  start  to 
finish.  He  trusted  that  in  the  study  of  physiology,  which  is 
becoming  an  experimental  science  for  the  purpose  of  the 
investigation  of  the  process  of  life,  Mr.  Barcroft  would  not  only 


Respiration.  31 

have  a  happy  year,  but  that  he  would  continue  a  great  number 
of  years  to  teach  as  he  had  taught  them  that  evening. 

The  resolution  was  heartily  passed. 

Mr.  Barcroft,  in  acknowledging  the  compliment,  said  he 
wished  to  thank  the  mover  and  seconder  of  the  motion  for 
their  kind  words,  and  the  members  of  the  audience  for  the 
patient  way  in  which  they  had  listened  to  that  subject,  which, 
as  Professor  Lorrain  Smith  had  stated,  was  complicated.  He 
also  thanked  Professor  Thompson  for  having  put  his  laboratory 
at  his  disposal  for  the  purpose  of  having  the  experiments 
prepared. 


32 


a^th  February^  1902. 


Mr.  J.  Brown,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


NOTES    ON    LOCAL    SURVIVALS    OF    ANCIENT 

HARVEST    CUSTOMS. 

By  John  M'Kkan. 


The  Hare,  Churn  or  Collya. 


This  Harvest  custom  is  widely  spread  over  the  North-East 
corner  of  Ireland.  When  the  corn  is  being  cut  the  last  handful  is 
plaited  up  as  shown  in  this  specimen.  Then  the  harvesters  all 
gather  round  and  proceed  as  follows  : — 

They  either  stand  about  9  feet  off  and  throw  their  sickles  in 
turn  at  it  until  it  is  cut  down,  or  each  is  blindfolded  in  turn, 
advances  towards  it,  and  has  one  cut  at  it  with  a  scythe  till  it 
is  mown  down.  Or  again,  each  pulls  up  a  root  in  turn  till  all 
the  roots  are  pulled  up. 

Two  other  modes,  obviously  degenerate  forms  are  to  cut  it 
with  the  scythe  or  the  machine  without  any  ceremony. 

In  those  cases  where  the  ceremony  still  survives,  the 
harvester  who  cuts  the  ears  or  the  harvester  who  pulls  the  last 
root  is  honoured  in  different  ways.  Generally  he  gets  the  first 
drink  at  the  harvest-home,  which  is  everywhere  called  the 
''  churn."  Near  Glenarm,  he  or  she  hangs  the  "  hare,"  as  it  is 
there  called,  over  the  doorway  and  has  a  right  to  kiss  the  first 
person  of  the  opposite  sex  who  enters.     In  one  part  of  Armagh 


Local  Survivals  of  Ancient  Harvest  Customs,  33 

the  reaper's  hand  is  crossed  with  silver.  Near  Keady,  in  days 
gone  by,  the  successful  person  led  the  "  churn "  or  harvest 
dance. 

The  "  churn "  is  kept  for  the  whole  year  or  even  longer 
where  the  custom  still  lingers  strongly.  This  specimen  is  one 
of  three  got  at  one  farm,  but  more  usually  the  custom  has 
decayed  and  the  churn  is  kept  only  for  a  short  time.  In  one 
place  the  "  churn  "  is  said  to  guard  one's  store,  but  as  a  rule  the 
country  folk  give  no  reason  for  the  custom  except  sometimes  a 
vague  idea  that  it  is  lucky. 

The  three  names  which  I  have  given  are  not  all  used 
together.  The  name  "churn"  is  by  far  the  commonest,  the 
name  "  hare"  I  have  found  only  in  the  glens,  the  name  "collya  " 
only  in  Armagh.  It  is  worth  noticing  that  the  name  "  churn  " 
is  applied  to  the  harvest-home  even  in  places  where  the  queue 
of  oats  has  a  different  name. 

I  have  found  the  custom  both  in  the  extreme  north  and 
south  of  Antrim,  in  Down  about  Newtownards  and  perhaps 
near  Newcastle,  and  in  north  Armagh.  In  fact  I  have  found  it 
everywhere  where  I  have  been  able  to  search  for  it.  I  have 
also  heard  vague  accounts  of  such  a  custom  in  Tyrone  but  the 
accounts  are  not  accurate  enough  to  mention. 

The  "  churn  "  should  be  compared  with  customs  like  the 
English  "  Kernababy,"  and  the  Scotch  kern-maiden,  and  a  host 
of  other  examples  given  in  Mr.  J.  G.  Frazer's  "  Golden  Bough." 
The  same  authority,  vol.  ii,  p.  269  (second  edition),  mentions 
exactly  the  same  custom  in  Ayrshire  and  Galloway  where  the 
plait  is  called  the  Hare. 


34 


THE    NORTHERN    BLACKWATER  :    ITS    SCENERY, 

ANTIQUITIES  AND   BATTLEFIELDS. 

By  John  J.  Marshall. 

{Abstract.) 


AIr.  Marshall  introduced  his  subject  by  stating  thai  in  the 
history  of  all  countries  rivers  had  ever  played  an  important 
part,  whether  as  waterways  to  bear  the  argosies  of  commerce 
upon  their  breast  or  as  the  fitting  theatre  of  events  exercising 
a  decisive  influence  on  the  nation's  future.  The  rivers  of 
Europe  recalled  to  memory  many  historic  scenes  enacted  on 
their  banks,  and  to  Ulstermen  the  Blackwater  was  ever  associ- 
ated with  the  memories  of  the  brave  O'Neills,  and  in  later 
years  with  Charlemont  and  Grattan.  Though  the  stately 
ruins  of  no  cloistered  abbey  were  reflected  in  Blackwater's 
wave,  yet  sacred  legends  and  hallowed  associations  were  con- 
nected with  the  stream  from  the  dawn  of  Christianit}'  in  Erin, 
while  earlier  still  the  cairn  on  the  summit  of  Knockmany, 
overlooking  the  fort  of  Rathmore,  carried  them  back  to  Ireland's 
heroic  age.  Rathmore,  in  Magh-Lemna,  as  it  was  usually 
called,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Rathmore  in  County  Antrim, 
was  the  great  fort  situated  in  the  Palace  grounds  at  Clogher, 
and,  according  to  the  annalist,  was  dug  by  "  Baine,  daughter 
of  Seal,"  the  date  being  early  in  the  second  century.  The 
lady  was  buried  on  the  summit  of  the  adjoining  hill  of 
Knockmany;  hence  its  name.  There  was  also  in  this  district 
the  remains  of  Aughentaine,  another  interesting  Plantation 
castle,  noteworthy  as  the  birthplace  of  William  Montgomery, 
author  of  the  Montgomery  MSS.  The  next  important  place 
on  the  river  was  the  town  of  Aughnacloy,  founded  by  the 
Moore  family.  Here  Wolfe  Tone  passed  a  night  on  his  way  as 
a  prisoner  from  Derry  to  Dublin  in  1798.  Tynan,  so  long 
associated  with  the  name  of  Dr.  Reeves  and  also  famous  for  its 


Northern  Blackivater :  Its  Scenery^  Antiquities,  Battlefields.    35 

stone  crosses,  next  claimed  attention,  as  well  as  Tynan  Abbey, 
the  picturesque  residence  of  Sir  James  H.  Stronge  ;  while  on 
the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  stood  Caledon,  with  its  memories 
of  Sir  Phelim  O'Neill  and  the  days  of  1 641,  with  many  a 
stirring  tradition  of  fight  and  foray  in  still  earlier  times,  when 
it  was  a  residence  of  the  O'Neills.  Continuing  down  the  river, 
the  Battleford  Bridge  was  reached.  It  was  here  that  in  1646 
the  Scots'  army,  under  Munro,  was  defeated  by  Owen 
Roe  O'Neill,  and  driven  with  great  slaughter  across  the 
Blackwater.  One  of  the  most  important  places  in  Ulster 
during  the  latter  part  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign  was 
Porlmore,  or  the  Fort  of  Blackwater,  erected  as  a  curb  on 
the  power  and  independence  of  O'Neill.  It  was  taken 
and  retaken  several  times,  and  it  was  in  order  to  effect  its  relief 
that  the  celebrated  battle  of  the  Yellow  Ford  was  fought  in 
1598,  in  which  the  English  army  suffered  a  crushing  defeat  at 
the  hands  of  O'Neill  and  Red  Hugh  O'Donnell.  It  was  finally 
allowed  to  fall  into  decay  when  Charlemont  was  erected  by 
Lord  Deputy  Mountjoy,  the  modern  castellator  of  Ulster,  in 
what  he  considered  to  be  a  more  suitable  place.  From 
Charlemont  onward  the  river  flowed  through  fertile  pasture 
lands  unmarked  by  any  object  of  interest  until  it  discharged  its 
waters  into  Lough  Neagh,  some  seven  miles  farther  down,  at 
the  village  of  Maghery.  At  this  point  the  river  divided  into 
two  branches,  forming  a  delta  known  as  Derrywarrgh  Island. 
On  this  island,  if  so  it  might  be  termed,  there  stood  a  chimney 
and  part  of  a  gable,  being  the  only  remaining  portions  of  the 
Fort  of  Blackwater  at  the  river  foot,  which  was  planted  there 
during  the  rebellion  of  164 1  as  a  check  on  the  garrison  of 
Charlemont. 

The  lecture  was  illustrated  with  upwards  of  seventy  limelight 
views,  specially  taken  by  Mr.  Marshall,  and  shown  by  Mr. 
M'Gibney,  of  Messsrs.  Lizars. 

A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lecturer  brought  the  meeting 
to  a  close. 


36 


Ith  Marchy   1902. 


Sir  R.  J.  M'CoNNELL,  Bart.,  in  the  Chair. 


THE  IRISH  INDUSTRIAL  AWAKENING. 
By  Seaton  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I. A. 


A  POPULAR  lecture,  illustrated  by  Lantern  views  ;  the  proceeds 
were  devoted  to  the  reduction  of  debt  of  the  Causeway  Defence 
Committee. 


%th  April. 


Mr.  J.  Brown,  President,   in  the  Chair. 


REPORT     OF     DELEGATE     TO     CORRESPONDING 

SOCIETIES'     CONFERENCE,     BRITISH 

ASSOCIATION     MEETING,     1901. 

By  J.  Brown. 


As  your  delegate  I  attended  both  meetings  of  the  Corresponding 
Societies'  Conference,  and  now  beg  to  offer  a  very  brief  report 
referring  merely  to  the  chief  points  brought  forward,  and 
leaving  the  further  elucidation  of  even  these  to  be  looked  for 
in  the  full  report  issued  by  the  Association.  At  the  first 
meeting,   Mr.    F.   W.   Rudler,    F.G.S.,    presided,   and    m   his 


Report  of  Delegate^  ^c.  37 

address  dealt  chiefly  with  the  importance  of  the  Registration  of 
Type  Specimens  in  Local  Museums  in  order  that  reference  to 
such  specimens  might  be  readily  attainable  by  those  interested 
in  the  particular  domain  of  science  to  which  they  belonged. 

After  a  long  discussion,  the  Chairman  called  on  the 

Rev.  J.  O.  Bevan  to  open  the  subject  accepted  of  him  by  the 
Corresponding  Societies'  Committee  for  discussion  at  this 
Conference: — ''That  the  Committees  of  the  Corresponding 
Societies  be  invited  to  lay  before  their  members  the  necessity 
of  carrying  on  a  systematic  survey  of  their  counties  in  respect 
to  ethnology,  ethnography,  botany,  meteorology,  ornithology, 
archaeology,  folklore,  etc." 

The  discussion  resulted  in  the  appointment  of  a  small 
Committee,  whose  report,  as  follows,  was  adopted  at  the  second 
Conference. 

"  The  following  provisional  list  of  subjects,  together  with  the 
names  of  some  of  the  Societies  which  have  already  done  work 
in  connection  therewith,  and  the  names  of  persons  who  would 
be  willing  to  receive  communications  thereon  is  recommended 
by  the  Conference  of  Delegates  for  adoption  by  the  Correspond- 
ing Societies'  Committee  of  the  British  Association,  and  to  be 
issued  by  them  lo  the  Correspondmg  Societies  in  the  hope  that 
those  Societies  not  already  engaged  in  similar  work  may  take 
part  in  so  much  ot  it  as  comes  within  their  scope,  in  order 
that  the  work  may  be  extended  over  a  wide  area,  and  be  done 
as  far  as  possible  upon  a  uniform  system. 

"Registration  of  Type  Specimens,"  Dr.  A.  Smith  Woodward. 

"  Coast  Erosion,"  Mr.  W.  Whitaker. 

"  Record  of  Bore  Holes,  Wells,  and  Sections,"  North  of 
England  Institute  of  Mining  and  Mechanical  Engineers,  and 
Prof.  J.  H.  Merivale. 

"  Tracing  the  Course  of  Underground  Water,"  Yorkshire 
Geological  and  Polytechnic  Society,  and  Mr.  A.  R.  Dwerry- 
house. 

"Erratic  Blocks,"  Yorkshire  Naturalists'  Union,  and  Pro- 
fessor P.  F.  Kendall. 


38  Report  of  Delegate^  &c. 

"  Geological  Photographs,"  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club, 
and  Professor  W.  W.  Watts. 

"  Underground  Fauna,"  Rev.  T.  R.  R.  Stebbing. 

"  Variations  in  the  Course  of  Rivers  and  Shape  of  Lakes,'' 
Dr.  H.  R.  Mill. 

''  Archaeological  Survey  by  Counties  "  Woolhope  Field  Club, 
and  Rev.  J.  O.  Bevan. 

"  Ethnographical  Survey,"  Anthropological  Institute. 

*'  Botanical  Survey  by  Counties,"  Mr.  W.  G.  Smith. 

"  Photographic  Record  of  Plants,"  Mr.  A.  K.  Coomra- 
Swamy. 

Professor  H.  M'Leod,  on  behalf  of  Section  B,  said  they  had 
nominated  a  Committee  to  register  the  Scientific  Chemists  who 
are  at  work  in  Manufactories,  and  would  be  glad  of  assistance 
in  finding  out  the  names  of  such  persons. 

Section  C  (geology)  again  asks  for  Geological  Photographs 
and  information  regarding  erratic  blocks. 

Section  H  (Anthropology)  wants  records  of  the  survival  of 
primitive  customs,  industries,  appliances,  etc. 

Section  K  (Botany)  would  be  glad  to  receive  specimens  of 
blue-green  algae  of  various  conditions  for  examination,  also 
photographs  of  bctanical  interest. 


THE  MOURNE   SCHEME  FOR  THE  SUPPLY   OF 

WATER  TO  THE  CTfY  OF  BELFAST. 

By  John  L.  Macassey,  C.E. 


i^atural  Itstorg  &  pijilosapljical  Soctetg. 


Officers  and  Council  of  Management  for  1 902-1 903. 
■g'resibenf : 

JOHN  BROWN,  F.R.S 

"§)ice-"^rcsi6cnfs  : 

REV.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.u.,  ll.d.      i      WM.  SWANSTON,  f  g.s. 
R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  d.l.,  f.l.s.  |      ROBERT  YOUNG,  c.e.,  j  p. 

W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

^on.  gecrciarp  : 

ROBERT  M.  YOUNG,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i  a. 

Council : 

JOHN  BROWN,  F.R.S. 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

PROFESSOR  M.  F.  FITZGERALD,  b.a.,  m.i.m.e. 

REV.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.,  pkesidknt  g.c.b. 

JOHN  HORNER,  m.i.m.e. 

SIR  OTTO  JAFFE,  or.p. 

SEATON  F.  MILLIGAN,  m.r.i.a..  f.k.s.a. 

SIR  R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  d.l.,  j.p.,  f.l.s. 

W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

THOMAS  F.  SHILLINGTON,  j.p. 

WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 

JOSEPH  WRIGHT,  f.g.s. 

ROBERT  YOUNG,  j.p.,  c.e. 

R.    M.    YOUNG,    B.A.,    J.P.,    M.R.I.A. 

ROBERT  PATTERSON,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.v. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

[* Denotes  holders  of  three  or  more  Shares~\. 

*Alexander  Francis,  b.e,,  Belfast 

Allvvorthy,  Edward,  Ardgreenan,  Cavehill  Road,  do. 

♦Anderson,  John,  j.p.,  f.g.s.,  East  Hillbrook,  Holy  wood 
Andrew,  John  J.  l.d.s.,  r.c.s.  Eng.,  University  Square,       Belfast 

Andrews,  Miss  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Andrews,  George,  j.p.,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Armstrong,  Thomas,  jun.,  Donegall  Square  West,  do. 

Armstrong,  William,  Chichester  Gardens,  do. 

Baird,  Wm.,  Royal  Avenue,  do. 

Barbour,  James,  J.p.,  Ardville,  Marino,  Holywood 
Beattie,  Rev.  A.  H.  Hamilton,                                      Portglenone 

Bigger,  Francis,  J.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ardrie,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Bland,  Robert  H.,  j.p.,  Lisburn 

Bottomley,  Henry  H.,  Belfast 

Bowman,  Davys,  Upper  Arthur  Street,  do. 

Boyd,  William,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 

Boyd,  William  Sinclair,  Ravenscroft,  Bloomfield,  do. 

Braddell,  Edward,  Wilmington  Square,  Eastbourne 
Brett,  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,  Belfast 

Brett,  John  H.,  C.E.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Bristow,  James  R.,  Lismore,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Brown,  John,  Longhurst,  Dunmurry 

Brown,  William  K.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Bulloch,  Alexander,  Eversleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Burnett,  John  R.,  Elmwood  Avenue,  do. 

Byers,  Prof.  John  W.,  m.a.,  m.d..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 


Calwell,  Alex.  M'D.,  do. 

Calwell  William,  m.a.,  m.d..  College  Square  North,  do. 

*Campbell,  Miss  Anna  (Representatives  of),  do. 

CarHsle,  A.  M.,  Elmwood  House,  do. 


Shareholders. 


4' 


Carr,  A.  H.  R..  Warinpr  Street,  Belfast 

Carson,  John,  Walmer  Terrace,  Holywood 

*Charley,  Phineas  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor 

Christen,  Madame  Rodolphe,  Carnbinn,  Whitehouse 

Clark,  George  S.,  Dunlambert,  Belfast 

Clarke,  E.  H.,  Netting  Hill,  do. 

Coates,  Victor,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry 

Connor,  Charles  C,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  Belfast 

Combe,  George,  Cranethorpe,  Strandtown 

Crawford,  William,  Mount  Randal,  Belfast 

Crawford,  William,  Calendar  Street,  do. 

Craig,  Edwin  E.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown 
Cunningham,  Professor  Robert  O.,  m.d.,  f.l.s., 

F.G.S.,  Montpellier,  Malone  Road,  Belfast 

Davies,  John  H.,  Parkmount,  Lisburn 
*Deramore.  Lord,  d.l.  (Representatives  of) 

Dods,  Robert,  b.a.,  St.  Leonards,  Newcastle 

•Donegal,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 
*D()wnshire,  Marquis  of  (Reps,  of),  The  Castle,       Hillsborough 

Drennan,  W.  H.,  Wellington  Place,  Belfast 

Duflfin,  Adam,  ll.d.,  Dunowen,  Cliftonville  do. 
Dunleath,  Lord,   Ballywalter   Park 

(Representatives  of). 


Ballywalter 

Belfast 
Lisburn 


Ewart,  G.  Herbert,  m.a.,  Firmount,  Antrim  Road, 

Ewart,  Fred  W.,  Derryvolgie, 

Ewart,  Sir  Wm.  Quartus,  Bart.,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Glen- 

machan  House,  Belfast 

Faren,  Wm.,  Mountcharles,  do. 

*Fenton,  Francis  G.,  Paris 

Ferguson,  Godfrey  W.,  c.e.,  Donegall  Park,  Belfast 

Finlay,  Fred  W.,  j.p.  Wolfhill  House,  Lio-oniel 

Finlay,  Robert  H.  F.,  Cavehill  Road,  Belfast 
Finnegan,  John,  b.a.,  b.sc,  Kelvin  House,  Botanic 

Avenue,  Belfast 
FitzGerald,  Professor  Maurice  F.,  b.a.,  m.lm.fj.,  Assoc. 

M.I.C.E.,  Eglantine  Avenue,  do. 


42 


Shareholders. 


Foster,  Nevin  Harkness,  Hillsborough.  Co.  Down 

*Getty,  Edmund  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Gibson,  Andrew,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Girdwood,  Catherine,  Mountplcasant,  do. 

Gordon,  Robert  W.,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  Bangor 

Graham,  Thomas,  j.p.,  Holywood 

*Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  d.d.,m.r.i.a. 

(Representatives  of;  Broughshane 

Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Cavehill  Road,  Belfast 

Greer,  Thomas,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Seapark,  Carrickfergus 

*Hall,  Frederick  H.,  Waterford 

Hamilton.  Rev.  Thos.,  d.d..  President,  Queen's  College,  Belfast 
*Hamilton,  Hill,  j.p.  (Representatives  of), 
Harland,  W., 

Henderson,  Miss  Anna  S.,  (Representatives  of), 
Henderson,  Sir  James,  a.m.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Oakley,  Windsor 
Park, 

Henderson,  Mrs.  Charlotte  (Reps,  of)  Clarges  Street, 

Henry,  R.  M.,  m.a., 

Herdman,  John,  j.p.,  d.l  ,  Carricklee  House, 

*Herdman  Robert  Ernest,  j.p.,  Rosavo, 

Heyn,  James  A.  M.,  Strandtown  House, 

Hind,  John,  junr.,  Clifton  Park  Avenue, 

Hodges,  Miss 

Hogg,  John,  Academy  Street, 

Horner,  John,  m.i.m.e.,  Chelsea,  Antrim  Road, 

*Houston,  John  Blakiston,  j.p.,  v.l.,  Orangcfield, 

*Hughes,  Edwin,  j.p.,  Dalchoolin, 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  l.l.d.,  Windsor 


do. 
do. 
do. 


do. 
London 
Belfast 
Strabane 
C  ultra 
Belfast 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
Craigavad 
Belfast 


Inglis,  James,  j.p.,  Abbeyville, 


Whiteabbey 


Jackson,  A.  T.,  c.e.,  Tighnabruaich,  Derryvolgie 

Avenue,  Belfast 

Jaffe,  Sir  Otto,  j.p.,  Kin  Edar,  Strandtown,  do. 

Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  j.p.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey 


Shareholders. 


43 


Kennedy,  Mrs.  Amelia,  Dalgaise,  Monkstown,  Dublin 

Kertland,  Edwin  H.,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Belfast 

Kidd,  George,  j.p.,  Lisnatore,  Dunmurry 

*Kinghan,  John  R..  Altoona,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 

Kinnaird,  George  Y.,  Malone  Park,  do. 

Kyle,  Robert  Alexander,  Donegall  Place,  do. 

Lanyon,  Mrs.,  Lisbreen,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Larmor,  Joseph,  m.a.,  Sec.  r.s.,  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge 

Leathem,  Dr.  R.  R.,  Belgravia,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast 
Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  j.p.,  Edgecumbe, 

Strandtown,  do. 
Lepper,  F.  R.,  j.p.,  Elsinore,                           Carnalea,  Co.  Down 

Letts.  Professor  E.  A.,  PH.D.,  f.c.s.,  Shirley  Lodge,  Cultra 
Lindsay,  Professor  James  A.,  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Square 

East,  Belfast 

Lytle,  David  B.,  j.p.,  Bloomfield  House,  do. 

Lytle,  Joseph  H.,  j.p.,  Ashleigh,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 


Macassey,  L.  Livingstone,  b.l.,  m.i.c.e.,  Stanley  House, 

Holywood 
Mackenzie,  John,  c.e.,  Strathavon,  Lisburn  Road, 
*Macrory,  A.  J.,  (Representative  of), 
Magill,  J.  E.,  Easton  Terrace,  Cliftonville, 
Malcom,  Bowman,  m.i.c.e.,  m.i.m.e.,  Ashley  Park, 

Antrim  Road^ 
Maxton,  James,  m.i.n.a.,  m.i.mar.e.,  Kirkliston  Drive, 

Bloomfield, 
Maxwell,  David  A.,  College  Gardens, 
Mayes,  William,  5  Mount  Pleasant, 
Milligan,  Seaton  Forest,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a., 
Mitchell,  Robert  A.,  ll.b.,  t.c.d.,  Marmont, 
Montgomery,  Henry  C, 
Montgomery,  H.  H.,  Strandtown, 
Montgomery,  Thomas,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Ballydrain  House,  Dunmurry 
Moore,  James,  The  Finaghy,  Belfast 


Belfast 
do. 
do. 

do. 


do. 
do. 

do. 

Bangor 

Strandtown 

Bangor 

Belfast 


44 


Shareholders. 


Morton,  Professor,  m.a.,  Nottinghill,  Belfast 

Mullen,  William,  Lindisfarne,  Marlborough  Park  do. 

Murney,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p.,  Tudor  House,  Holywood 

*Murphy,  Isaac  James,  Armagh 

*Murphy,  Joseph  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone  do. 

*Musgrave,  Henry,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 
Musgrave,  Sir  James,  Bart.,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

MacAdam,  Robert  (Representatives  of)  do. 

M'Bride,  Henry  James,  Hyde  Park,  Mallusk,  do. 

M'Bride,  Samuel,  Edgehill,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

*M'Calmont,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  London 
*,VI'Cammon,  Lieut. -Col.  Thomas  A.  (Representatives 

of)  Woodville,  Holywood 

M'Cance,  Miss  Charlotte  Gcorgianna,  Larkfield,  Dunmurry 
M'Clure,  Sir  Thomas,  Bart,    j.p.,  d.l.  (Representatives 

of) 

MacColl,  Hector,  Kirkliston  Drive,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 

MacCoimac,  John,  m.d.,  Victoria  Place,  do. 

M'Cormick,  Hugh  M'Neile,  Cultra  House,  Holywood 
*M'Cracken,  Francis  (Representatives  of) 

M'Gee,  James,  Woodville,  Holywood 

M'Gee,  Samuel  Mackey,  University  Street,  Belfast 

Macllwaine,  John  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor 

M'Kisack,  H.  L.,  m.d..  College  Square  East,  Belfast 

M 'Knight,  John  P.,  Nevara,  Chichester  Park,  do. 

*MacLaine,  Alexander,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms  do. 

M'Neill,  George,  Beechleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Neill,  Sharman  D.,  Holywood 

Nicholson,  Henry  J.,  College  Square  North  Belfast 

O'Neill,  James,  m.a.,  College  Square  East  do. 
O'Rorke,  Ambrose  Howard  (Representatives  of) 

Dunratho  Craigavad 

Orr,  Hugh  L.,  Woodstock  Road,  Belfast 

Park,  Rev.  Wm.,  m.a.,  Somerset  House,  University  St.,  Belfast 


Shareholders.  45 

Patterson,  Edward  Ferrar,  Bangor 

Patterson,  Mrs.  Isabella,  Bonn,  Germany 

Patterson,  John,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 

Patterson,  Richard,  j.p.,  Kilmore,  Holy  wood 

*Patterson,  Robert  Lloyd,  j.p.,  d.l.,  f.ls..  Croft  House,      do. 
Patterson,  Robert,  m.r.i  a.,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.u.,  Malone  Park,  Belfast 
Patterson,  William  H.,  m.r.i. a.,  Garranard,  Strandtown 

Patterson,  William  H.  F.,  Stalheim,  Knock,  Belfast 

Pirn,  Edward  W.,  j.p.,  Elmwood  Terrace,  do 

Pim,  Joshua,  Slieve-na-Failthe,  Whiteabbey 

*Pirrie,  Elizabeth,  Newcastle-on-Tyne 

Praeger,  R.  Lloyd,  b.e.,  m.r.i. a.,  National  I-ibrary,  Dublin 

Purser,  Prof.  John,  ll.d.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathmines  Castle,         do. 

Rea,  John  Henry,  m.d.,  University  Street,  Belfast 

Rea,  William  R,,  Gardha,  Fnrtwilliam  Park,  do. 

Reade,  Robert  H.  S  ,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Wilmont,  Dunmurry 

Riddell,  Samuel,  Beechpark,  Belfast 

Robertson,  William,  j.p.,  Netherleigh,  Strandtown  do. 

Robinson,  John,  Sydenham  Road,  do. 

Scott,  R.  Taylor,  Richmond  Villa,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 
Sheldon,  Charles,  m.a.,  d.lit.,  b.sc,  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  do. 

Shillington,  Thos.  Foulkes,  j.p.,  Droinart,  Antrim  Road,  do. 
Simms,  Felix  Booth,  Queen  Street,  do. 

Sinclair,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Hopefield,  do. 
Sinclair,  Prof.  Thomas,  m.d.,  f.r  c.s.  Eng.,  Howard  St.,  do. 
Smith,  John,  Castleton  Terrace,  do. 

Smyth,  John,  m.a.,  c.e.,  Milltown,  Banbridge 

Speers,  Adam,  b.sc,  Riversdale,  Holywood 

Steen,  William  C,  m.d.,  Windsor  Crescent,  Belfast 

Stcen,  William,  b.l..  Northern  Bank,  Victoria  Street,  do. 
Stelfox,  James,  Oakleigh,  Ormeau  Park,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

*Tennent,  Robert  (Representative  of),  Rushpark.  do. 


46  Shareholders. 

*Tennent,  Robert  James  (Reorescntatives  of),  Rush- 
park,  Belfast 
Thompson,  S.  B.,  Short  Strand,  do. 
Torrens,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.  (Representatives  of),            Whiteabbey 
*Turnley,  John  (Representatives  of),                                   Belfast 

Walkington,  Miss  Jane  A.,  Wolsley  Villas,  Malone  Park,  do. 
Walkington,  Thomas  R.,  Edeiivale,  Strandtown,  do. 

Wallace,  John,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Ward,  Francis  D.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ivydene,  Malone  Park,       do. 
Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Camden  Street,  do. 

Ward,  John,  j.p.,  f.s.a.,  Lennoxvale,  Malone  Road,  do. 

*Webb,  Richard  T.,  Knock,  do. 

Whitla,  Prof.,  Sir  William,  m.d.,  j.p.,  College  Sq.,  North,    do. 
Wilson,  James,  m.e.,  Oldforge,  Dunmurry 

Wilson,  John  K.,  j.p.,  Donegall  Street,  Belfast 

Wilson,  Walter  H.,  Belvoir  Park,  do. 

*Wilson,  W.  Perceval,  do. 

*WolfT,  G.  W.,  M.P.,  The  Den,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  Francis,  Drummena,  Bladon  Park,  do. 

Workman,  John,  j.p.,  Lismore,  Windsor,  do. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  ma.,  Rubane  House,  Glastry 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a.,  b.d.,  The  Manse,  Newtownbreda 
♦Workman,  Thomas,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  Craig- 

darragh,  Craigavad 

Workman,  William,  Nottinghill,  Belfast 

Wright,  James  Lauriston  (Representatives  of),  Derry- 

volgie  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  F.G.S.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Young,  Robert,  c.e.,  j.p.,  Rathvarna,  do. 

*Young,  Robert  Magill,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathvarna,         do. 


Annual  Subscribers. 


47 


HONORARY    ASSOCIATES. 

Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Belfast 
Stewart,  Samuel  Alex.,  f.b.s.  Edin.,  Belfast  Museum,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 


ANNUAL    SUBSCRIBERS     OF     TWO     GUINEAS. 


Belfast  Banking  Company,  Ltd., 
Northern  Banking  Co.,  Ltd., 
Ulster  Bank,  Ltd., 
York  Street  Spinning  Company,  Ltd., 


Belfast 
do. 
do. 
do. 


ANNUAL    SUBSCRIBERS    OF    ONE    GUINEA. 


Allan,  C.  E.  Stormont  Castle,  Dundonald 

Boyd,  John,  Cyprus  Gardens,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 

Brown,  G.  Herbert,  j.p.,  Tordeevra,  Helen's  Bay 

Bruce,  James,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Cleaver,  A.  S.,  b.a.,  Dunraven,  do. 

Davidson,  S.  C,  Sea  Court,  Bangor 

Fulton,  G.  F.,  Howard  Street,  Belfast 

Gamble,  James,  Royal  Terrace,  do. 

Green,  Isaac,  Ann  Street,  do. 

Hanna,  J.  A.,  j.p..  Marietta,  Knock,  do. 


48  Annual  Suhscrihers. 

Hazelton,  W.  D.,  Cliftonville,  Belfast 

Higginbotham,  Granby,  Wellington  Park  do. 

Hutton,  A.  W.,  Chichester  Street,  do. 

Jones,  R.  M.,  m.a.,  Royal  Academical  Institution,  do. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  Crumlin  Terrace,  do. 

Macassey,  Lyndon,  c.E.,  b.a.,  ll.b.,  Holywood 

Malone,  John,  Brookvale  House,  Cliftonville,  Belfast 

M'Laughlin,  W.  H.,  Brnokville  House,  do. 

Redfern,  Prof.  Peter,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.l,  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Scott,  Conway,  c.E.,  Annaville,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Stephens,  S.,  Holywood 

Storrar,  W.  Morrison,  l.r.c.p.,  Mountcharles,  Belfast 
Swiney,  J.  H.  H.,  b.a.,  b.e.,  Bella  Vista,  Antrim  Road,      do. 

Tate,  Alexander,  c.e.,  Rantalard,  Whitehouse,  do. 

Thompson,  John,  j.p.,  Mount  Collyer,  do. 

Turpin,  James,  Waring  Street,  do. 


c|l0rt  Mil  lr0r^^^injgs 


BBLF^^ST 


NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 


SESSIOnsr    1902-1903. 


BELB^AST  : 

PRINTED  BY  ALEXR.  MAYNE  &  BOYD,  2  CORPORATION  STREET 

(printers  to  quekn's  college.) 

1903. 


CONTENTS. 


Annual  Report 

Balance  Sheet 

Donations  to  Musaum   ... 

Books  Eeceived 

The  Liquefaction  of  Gases — J.  Brown,  F.R.S. 

Recent  Fishery  Research — Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  .D.Sc 

Evidence  of  the  Caves — R.  J.  Ussher,  J. P. 

Heredity  in  its  Relation  to  the  Nervous  System — John  M.  MacCormac 

M.D.,  L.R.C.P.  &S.  Edin.  ... 
The  Micro-Fauna  of  the  Boulder  Clay— Joseph  Wright,  F.G.S. 
Notes  on  Some  Igneous  Rocks  in  Down  and  Antrim — Miss  Mary  K 

Andrews  ... 
Note  on  Some  Experiments  on  Irish  Stone  for  Street  Paving — H.  Gullan 
The  Armada  Wrecks  on  the  Irish  Coast — Rev.  W.  S.  Green,  M.A. 
Note  on  Some  Effects  of  the  Cyclone  of  February  27 — R.  Welch 
A  Lost  Principle  in  Art — George  Coffey,  M.A.,  M.R.I. A. 
List  of  Office  Bearers    ... 
List  of  Shareholders 


1 

8 
9 
12 
21 
30 
35 

41 
47 

51 

57 
59 
63 
64 
68 
69 


Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society. 


EST-A-BLISHEID        1821. 


CONSTITUTION. 

The  membership  of  the  Society  consists  of  Shareholders  in  the  Museum, 
Annual  Subscribers  (Associates),  Honorary  Members  and  Honorary  Associates. 

Shares  in  the  Museum  cost  £7  each.  A  holder  of  one  Share  paj-s  an 
annual  contribution  of  ten  shillings  ;  a  holder  of  two  Shares  (in  one  certificate) 
an  annual  contribution  of  five  shillings  ;  while  a  holder  of  three  or  more  Shares 
(in  one  certificate)  is  exempt  from  annual  payments.  Shares  on  which  the 
annual  payments  as  above  are  in  arrear  are  liable  to  forfeiture.  The  Council 
retain  the  right  to  decline  to  consolidate  two  or  more  share  certificates  into  one 
certificate. 

Annual  Subscribers  (Associates)  pay  £1  Is.  (one  guinea)  due  1st  November 
in  each  year  in  advance. 

A  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  in  the  Museum  is  held  annually  in 
May  or  June,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  convenient,  to  receive  the  Report  of  the 
Council  and  the  Statements  of  Accounts  for  the  preceding  year,  to  elect 
members  of  Council  to  replace  those  retiring  by  rotation  or  from  other  reasons, 
and  to  transact  any  other  business  incidental  to  an  annual  meeting.  Share, 
holders  only  are  eligible  for  election  on  the  Council. 

The  Council  elect,  from  among  their  own  number,  a  President  and  other 
officers  of  the  Society. 

Each  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  the  ordinary  lectures 
of  the  Society,  and  has  the  privilege  of  introducing  two  friends  for  admission  to 
such  ;  and  he  has  also  the  right  of  access  to  the  Museum  and  Library  for 
himself  and  family  residing  under  his  roof,  with  the  privilege  of  granting 
admission  ciders  for  inspecting  the  collections  in  the  Museum  to  any  person  not 
residing  in  Belfast  or  within  five  miles  thereof.  The  session  for  lectures 
extends  from  November  till  May. 

The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  for  the  admission  of 
visitois,  for  such  hours  as  the  Council  may  from  time  to  time  decide  ;  tl^e 
charge  for  admission  to  non-members  is  sixpence  each.  The  Curator  is  in 
constant  attendance,  and  will  take  charge  of  any  donation  kindly  presented  to 
the  Museum  or  Library. 

Any  further  information  required  may  he  obtained  from  the  Honorary 
Secretary. 


Belfa6t  Natural  Ibistor^  anb  pbilosopbical 

Society. 

:o: 

ANNUAL   REPORT,    1902-3. 


■:o:- 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Shareholders  of  this  Society  was 
held  on  31  d  July,  1903,  in  the  Belfast  Museum,  College  Square 
North.  The  chair  was  occupied  by  Mr.  John  Brown,  F.K.S. 
(President),  and  there  were  also  present — Sir  Robert  Lloyd 
Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S.;  Professor  Johnson  Syminjjton,  M.D., 
F.R.S.;  Rev.  Lamont  Orr,  Dr.  John  MacCormac  ;  Messrs. 
George  Kidd,  J.P.;  Robert  Young,  J.P.;  R.  M.  Young,  J. P., 
M.R.I.A.,  Hon.  Secretary  ;  Joseph  R.  Fisher,  B.L.;  W.  Gray 
M.R.I. A.;  R.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  F.Z.S.;  John  Smyth,  M.A 
Nevin  H.  Foster,  John  Horner,  Isaac  W.  Ward,  W  H.  F. 
Patterson,  Hon.  Treasurer. 

The  Hon.  Secretary  having  read  the  notice  convening  the 
Meeting,  submitted  the  Annual  Report  as  follows  : — 

"The  Council  of  the  Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophica 
Society  desire  to  submit  their  Report  of  the  working  of  the 
Society  during  the  past  year.  The  Winter  Session  was  opened 
in  the  Museum,  on  the  5th  November,  1902,  when  the 
President,  Mr.  John  Brown,  F.R.S.,  gave  an  opening  address 
taking  a^  his  subject  '  The  Liquefaction  of  Gases,'  illustrated 
by  numerous  experiments.  The  Second  Meeting  was  held  on 
2nd  December,  when  Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  D.Sc,  kindly 
delivered  an  address  on  '  Recent  Fishery  Research,'  illustrated 
by  special  lantern  slides.  The  Third  Meeting  (a  special  one) 
>vas  held  on  17th  December.     On  this  occasion  xMr.  Richard  J 


2  Anntial  Meeting. 

Ussher,  M.R.I.A.,  Waterford,  gave  a  lecture,  subject  '  Evidence 
of  the  Caves,'  illustrated  by  lantern  views.  On  the  6th  January) 
1903,  the  Fourth  Meeting  was  held,  when  Dr.  John  MacCormac 
lectured  on  the  subject  of  '  Heredity  in  its  Relation  to  the 
Nervous  S3^stem,'  illustrated  by  specially  prepared  lantern 
slides.  The  Fifth  Meeting  took  place  on  the  3rd  February, 
when  two  papers  were  read.  i.  'The  Micro-fauna  of  the 
Boulder  Clay,  with  some  Remarks  on  the  Movement  of  Glaciers, 
illustrated  with  tables,  diagrams,  and  lantern  slides,  by  Mr. 
Joseph  Wright,  F.G.S.  II.  '  Notes  on  Some  Igneous  Rocks  in 
Down  and  Antrim,'  illustrated  by  specimens,  slides,  and 
microscopic  sections,  by  Miss  Mary  K.  Andrews.  The  Sixth 
Meeting  was  held  on  the  3rd  March,  when  Rev.  W.  Spotswood 
Green,  M.A.,  kindly  gave  an  illustrated  lecture,  subject  '  The 
Armada  Wrecks  on  the  Irish  Coast.'  The  Seventh  Meeting 
took  place  on  the  7th  April,  when  Mr.  George  Coffey,  M.A., 
M.R.I. A,,  kindly  lectured  on  '  A  Lost  Principle  in  Art,' 
illustrated  by  a  special  series  of  lantern  views  of  ancient  and 
mediaeval  buildings.  At  all  these  meetings  the  attendance  of 
members  and  of  the  general  public  showed  no  diminution,  and 
several  of  the  lectures  were  the  subject  of  reference  and 
discussitin  in  the  Press. 

Owing  to  the  erection  of  the  new  Medical  Institute,  our 
Society  has  lost  the  Ulster  Medical  Society  as  tenants.  This 
is  to  be  especially  regretted,  as  the  relations  between  the  two 
Societies  have  been  uniformly  harmonious.  The  room  which 
was  occupied  by  them  has  been  taken  by  the  Belfast  Naturalist 
Field  Club  for  the  purpose  of  a  library  and  meeting  place  for 
members.  The  other  societies  holding  their  meetings  in  the 
Museum  continue  to  do  so. 

The  attendance  of  the  general  public  has  been,  as  usual, 
very  large  at  the  Easter  holidays,  when  the  Museum  was 
opened  at  a  nominal  charge,  and  no  damage  was  done  to  the 
collections. 

As  will  be  seen  by  the  Hon.  Treasurer's  Statement  of 
Accounts,   duly   audited   by   the   Local   Government   Board's 


Annual  Meeting.  3 

Auditor,  a  satisfactory  balance  remains  after  paying  all  expenses. 
This,  however,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  results  from  the 
thoughtful  generosity  of  the  local  committee  of  the  British 
Association,  who  decided  to  pay  to  the  Society  the  balance  of 
the  general  fund  raised  for  last  year's  meeting. 

Mainly  as  a  result  of  the  suggestions  made  by  Professor 
Gregg  Wilson  in  his  lecture  on  '  Recent  Fishery  Research  '  on 
2nd  December,  a  meeting  of  representatives  of  our  own  Society, 
the  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club,  and  the  Queen's  College 
was  convened  by  your  Secretary  on  the  i6th  December  to 
consider  the  advisability  of  the  establishment  of  a  marine 
biological  laboratory.  As  a  result  the  Ldster  Fisheries  and 
Biology  Association  has  been  established,  with  Mr.  Robert 
Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  F.Z.S.,  as  its  Honorary  Secretary  and 
Treasurer.  Already  good  work  has  been  done,  and  much 
interest  aroused  for  its  future  welfare. 

The  natural  history  collections  in  the  Museum  have  received 
a  great  amount  of  attention  during  the  year,  and  the  much- 
needed  work  of  revision  and  rearrangement  has  to  a  large 
extent  been  carried  out  by  a  number  of  volunteer  experts. 
The  Irish  fossils,  which  form  a  large  and  valuable  series,  have 
been  taken  off  the  old  tablets  and  remounted  on  a  new  system 
by  Mr.  W.  Svvanston,  and  now  make  a  most  effective  display. 
The  important  set  of  County  Down  graptolites  is  not  yet  in 
place,  but  is  being  renamed  and  classified  by  Professor  Lapworth 
and  will  then  form  a  standard  collection  of  the  Irish  species  of 
these  ancient  fossils. 

The  collections  representing  Irish  vertebrate  zoology  have 
been  taken  in  hand  effectively  by  Mr.  Robert  Patterson.  Old 
and  imperfect  specimens  have  been  replaced,  and  those  retained 
carefully  cleaned,  adding  much  to  the  brightness  and  attractive- 
ness of  the  rooms.  Seven  drawers  of  bitds'  eggs  have  been' 
classified  and  mounted  on  the  modern  system  by  Messrs.  Nevin 
H.  Foster  and  John  Cottney.  Many  clutches  of  eggs,  hitherto 
absent  or  imperfectly  represented,  have  been  added,  and  there 
is  now  a  complete  series  of  the  eggs  of  Irish  nebting  birds. 


4  Annual  Meeting. 

The  Rev.  W.  F.  Johnston  and  Mr.  H.  Lamont  Orr  have 
done  much  work  in  supplying,  arranging,  classifying,  and 
mounting  the  collections  of  native  insects.  Some  of  the 
groups  are  fairly  well  represented,  especially  coleoptera,  but 
large  gaps  still  remain.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  some  of  these 
will  ere  long  be  closed  up. 

xMr.  Joseph  Wright,  F.G.S.,  took  up  the  arrangement  of  the 
Foraminifera.  A  large  number  of  specimens  were  added  by 
him  to  the  existing  collection.  All  were  re-mounted  on  the 
most  effective  system  known,  and  by  Mr.  Wright's  kindness 
the  Museum  now  possesses  a  series  of  Irish  Foraminifera,  both 
recent  and  fossil,  more  complete  than  that  of  any  other 
institution  in  the  country. 

There  have  been  many  valuable  recent  additions  to  the 
Museum  collections.  The  specimen  of  golden  eagle  from 
County  Donegal,  presented  by  Sir  James  Musgrave,  is  note- 
worthy by  reason  of  the  ever-increasing  scarcity  of  this  bird  in 
Ireland.  Two  case^  of  salmon,  pictorially  mounted,  presented 
by  Mr.  Robert  Patterson,  are  also  specially  attractive  additions- 
The  collections  generally  have  been  removed  from  the  cabinets 
cleaned,  and  replaced,  and  the  relabelling  of  the  objects  is  now 
being  carried  out  by  the  assistant  curator.  Dr.  A.  Harris,  of 
Stewartstown,  has  kindly  placed  in  the  Museum  on  loan  his 
very  valuable  collection  of  Naga  weapons  and  personal 
ornaments  of  the  hill  tribes  of  India.  These  while  they  remain 
will  form  an  interesting  and  attractive  exhibit.  A  list  of 
donations  to  the  Museum  and  of  the  publications  received 
during  the  Session  from  the  various  societies  with  whom  we 
are  in  correspondence  will  be  printed  with  the  present  report. 
Five  members  of  the  Council  retire  from  office  as  usual,  of 
whom  four  are  eligible  for  re-election. 

The  Hon.  Treasurer  read  the  Statement  of  Accounts,  which 
showed  that  the  year  had  commenced  with  a  balance  of 
£\^  1 6s.  7d.,  the  total  receipts  being  ^361  17s.  5d.  The  tw^o 
principal  items  were  bequests  and  donations,  ^136  is.,  and 
subscriptions,    -£\\i    ids.       The    expenditure    for    the    year 


Anmcal  Meeting.  5 

amounted  to  ^^303  4s.  5d.,  the  balance  in  Treasurer's  hands 
being  ^58  13s.,  while  ^400  worth  of  the  York  Street  Spinning 
Company's  Debenture  Stock  is  still  held  by  the  Shareholders. 

Professor  Symington  said  that  he  had  much  pleasure  in 
moving  the  adoption  of  the  Report  and  Statement  of  Accounts. 
He  need  not  say  much,  because  it  appeared  to  him  that  Report 
generally  was  of  a  very  satisfactory  nature.  During  last  winter 
they  certainly  had  a  very  excellent  series  of  lectures,  and  he 
was  glad  to  hear  that  the  valuable  collection  in  the  possession 
of  the  Society  was  being  taken  good  care  of,  and  in  many 
respects  rearranged  and  brought  up  to  modern  requirements. 

Sir  Robert  Lloyd  Patterson  expressed  his  pleasure  in 
seconding  the  resolution.  He  need  not  take  up  much  of  their 
time,  for  in  every  way  they  considered  the  Rtport  satisfactory. 
He  wished,  however,  to  point  out  that  but  for  the  fortunate 
circumstances  of  receiving  a  cousiderable  sum  from  the  local 
committee  of  the  British  Association  their  finances  would  not 
have  been  in  the  satisfactory  condition  they  were.  They  could 
not  expect  that  item  to  arise  again,  and  he  would  urge,  as  he 
had  done  often  before  in  that  room,  the  importance  of  that 
Society  and  the  claims  it  has  on  public  support,  which  claims, 
he  was  sorry  to  say,  were  not  recognized  as  the  members  felt 
they  ought  to  be. 

The  President  said  he  ought  to  take  this  opportunity  of 
expressing  the  great  regret  which  he  was  sure  they  all  felt  at 
hearing  of  the  death  of  one  of  their  oldest  members,  Mr.  Isaac 
J.  Murphy.  At  one  time  he  was  a  very  frequent  attender  at 
their  meetings,  and  gave  many  interesting  lectures,  while  he 
also  presented  to  the  Society  considerable  apparatus.  They  all 
regretted  very  much  that  he  had  passed  away. 

In  speaking  of  the  Report,  one  of  the  things  he  was  happy 
to  notice  was  the  great  preponderance  of  natural  history  papers. 
Although  he  was  not  a  naturalist  himself,  that  was  a  naturalists' 
society,  and  it  was  many  years  since  they  had  so  many,  and  so 
good,  papers  on  the  subject.  In  former  years  it  was  left  to  the 
engineers  and  other  such  people  to  save  the  Society  from  utter 


6  Annnal  Meeting. 

extinction,  so  far  as  the  reading  of  papers  was  concerned,  by 
bringing  forward  subjects  in  which  they  were  interested. 

A  very  important  event  in  the  past  Session  was  the 
nauguration  of  the  Ulster  Fishery  and  Biological  Association, 
which  had  largely  emanated  from  Professor  Gregg  Wilson's 
lecture  on  '  Fishery  Research.' 

It  was  satisfactory  to  see  that  donations  still  flowed  in,  and 
almost  seemed  to  increase  through  the  kindness  of  the  people 
named  in  the  Report.  He  was  pleased  to  note  also  that  others 
had  been  kind  enough  to  help  them  to  rearrange  the  collection, 
which  was  now  in  a  much  better  state  than  it  had  been  for  a 
long  time  ;  the  balance  in  hands  was  satisfactory,  and  altogether 
he  thought  they  might  be  congratulated  upon  having  had  a 
prosperous  year. 

The  Report  and  Statement  of  Accounts  were  then  passed. 

Mr.  Robert  Young  suggested  that  it  would  be  desirable  to 
send  a  letter  of  condolence  to  the  family  of  the  late  Mr.  Isaac 
Murphy. 

Sir  R.  Lloyd  Patterson  seconded,  and  the  suggestion  was 
unanimously  approved  of. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  elected  to  the  Council  of 
Management  for  the  ensuing  year  : — Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton 
(President,  Queen's  College),  Professor  Symington,  F.R.S., 
Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  Mr.  R.  M.  Young,  J. P.  ;  and  Mr.  T.  F. 
Shillington,  J.P. 

Mr.  Joseph  K.  Fisher  said  he  had  pleasure  in  rising  to  move 
a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  President  for  his  conduct  in  the  chair 
during  his  term  of  office.  As  a  new  member,  he  was  not  in  a 
position  to  speak  with  any  amount  of  experience  of  Mr. 
Brown's  services  in  that  particular  capacity,  but  generally  his 
great  scientific  attainments  and  knowledge  of  business  had 
fitted  him  to  carry  on  the  invaluable  work  of  that  Society. 
He  (the  speaker)  would  simply  move  that  the  best  thanks  of 
the  Society  be  given  to  Mr.  Brown  for  his  presidency  during 
the  last  three  years. 

Mr.  William  Gray,  in  seconding,  said  he  thought  it  ought  to 


Annual  Meeting.  7 

be  a  great  satisfaction  to  the  citizens  of  Belfast  to  have  amongst 
th;;m  a  gentleman  of  Atr.  Brown's  attainments,  and  whose 
family  was  connected  with  the  material  progress  of  the  city  ; 
one  who  had  distinguished  himself  by  his  original  research. 
As  members  of  that  Society,  he  thought  they  ought  to  be  very 
grateful  indeed  to  him  for  applying  his  high  attainments  in 
promoting  the  best  interests  of  the  Society. 

The  vote  of  thanks  was  heartily  accorded. 

Mr.  Brown,  in  response,  said  that  he  was  very  much  obliged 
to  the  members  for  their  kindness.  Any  work  he  had  done  for 
the  Society  had  been  a  labour  of  love,  and  he  had  only  been 
anxious  that  it  should  be  on  the  right  track,  and  productive  of 
good  results.  Although  he  was  retiring  from  the  office  of 
President,  his  interest  in  the  Society  would  be  just  the  same  as 
ever,  and  he  hoped  to  do  what  he  could  for  it  in  the  future  as 
in  the  past. 

The  public  meeting  then  terminated. 

The  following  Officers  of  the  Society  for  the  year  1903-4 
were  elected  at  this  and  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Council: — 
President — Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.  ; 
Vice-Presidents— Sir  Robert  Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.,J.P.,F.L.S.  ; 
Wm.  Swanston,  F.G.S.  ;  Rev.  T.Hamilton,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  M.A., 
and  Robert  Young,  J.P.,  C.E.  Hon. Treasurer— W.  H.F.Patter- 
son. Hon.  Librarian— J.  H.  Davies.  Hon.  Secretary— Robert 
M.  Young,  J.P.,  M.R.LA. 


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9 
DONATIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM,  1 902-1903. 


From  Mrs.  Carroll. 
A  mounted  specimen  of  the  Gannet  {Sula  alba). 

From  Mr.  Robert  Bell. 
A  fine  specimen  of  Natrolite  from  Trap  rock  at  Whitewell. 

From  Sir  James  Musgrave,  D.L. 
A  mounted  specimen  of  the  Golden  Eagle  [Aqiiila  chryscetos) 
shot  in  County  Donegal. 

From  Sir  R.  Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S. 
A  mounted  specimen  of  the  Crane  {Grus  cinerea). 

From  Mr.  Robert  Young,  J.P. 
Two   vertebral  joints   of  an  Icthyosaiiriis   from    the   Lias   at 
Woodburn,  County  Antrim. 

From  The  Egypt  Exploration  Fund. 
Numerous   specimens   of   ancient   pottery    and    other   objects 
obtained  by  recent  researches  and  excavations  at  Abydos. 

From  Mr.  Robert  Patterson,  M.R.LA.,  F.Z.S. 
Two  large  specimens  of  Salmon  {Sahno  salar)  from  Glenarm 
River,  pictorially  mounted  in  glazed  cases  ;  also  many 
specimens  of  Irish  birds,  including  the  Common  Buzzard 
[Btiteo  vulgaris)^  Redbreasted  Merganser  {Mergits  serrator)^ 
and  a  Velvet  Scoter  [QZdemia  fiisca)  shot  in  Belfast 
Lough. 

From  Mr.  George  A.  CARRUTHiiRS,  Weymouth. 
Stem  of  a  Cycad  from  the  "  Dirt  Bed  "  at  Portland,  Dorset. 
Portion  of  fossil  tree  stem  from  the  Oolitic  limestone  of 
Portland.  Three  gigantic  Ammonites.  Casts  of  oysters, 
and  of  Trigonia,  and  of  Cerithmm  portlandicum  from  the 
same  bed.  Two  fossil  oysters  from  the  Oxford  clay  at 
Weymouth,  also  specimen  of  crystallised  carbonate  of 
lime. 


10  Donations  to  the  Museum. 

From  Messrs.  J.  P.  Corry  &  Co. 
Two  planks  of  elm  in  which  a  stake  of  ash  is  included.     The 
stake  had  been  fastened  by  pegs  to  the  young  elm  tree, 
and  the  elm  has  grown  around  the  ash  stake  and  completely 
enfolded  it. 

From  Mr.  W.  D.  Barrett. 
A  specimen  of  lead  ore  {Galena)  from  Co.  Kerry. 

Fro7n  Mr.  R.  M.  Patterson. 
A  specimen  of  the  gi-int  puff  bull  {Lycoperdon  giganteum). 

From  Mr.  Charles  Halliday,  Banbridge. 
One  of  the  old  six-barrelled  revolver  pistols. 

From  Mr.  Victor  Coates,  D.L. 
The  Skin  of  a    Vulture  {Gypcetos  mcridinnalis)   from  South 
Africa. 

From  Mr.  H.  Marshall,  Newry. 
Preseived  specimens  of  Otter,  Woodpecker,  Water  Rail,  etc. 

From  Mr.  F.  B.  Simms. 
Eggs  of  Gannet  from  the  Bass  Rock,  and  Eggs  of  Tern  from 
Copeland  Islands. 

From  Mr.  Wm.  R.  Sinclair. 
Skin  of  a  reptile  {Iguana  ?)  from  South  Africa. 

From  Mr.  James  Sloan. 
The  upper  stone  of  a  Quern. 

From  Miss  Rea. 
A  large  collection  of  geological  specimens. 

From  Miss  M.  K.  Andrews. 
A  framed  photograph  of  coast  erosian  at  Cultra. 

From  Mr.  Robert  Welch. 
A   specimen  of  the  curiously  perforated  limestone  at  Lough 
Corrib. 


Donations  to  the  Miiseiitn.  ti 

From  Mh.  William  Swanston,  F.G.S. 
A  numerous  series  of  fossil  specimens. 

From  Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart,  F.B.S 
Glaciated  lim.estone  from  Castle  Espie,  and  a  number  of  fossils. 

From  Messrs.  R.  J.  Ussher,  Nevin  Foster, 
AND  John  Cottney. 
A  large  number  of  eggs  of  Irish  birds. 

From  Mr.  Joseph  Wright,  F.G.S. 
A  large  number  of  mounted  specimens  of  Irish  Foraminifera. 

From  Mr.  Granby  Higginbotham. 
Specimen  of  a  fossil  plant  from  the  Coal  Measures, 


12 


ADDITIONS   TO   THE   LIBRARY,  ist  MAY,  1901,  till 
1ST  MAY,  1902. 


Received  from 

Adelaide. — Memoirs  of  the  Royal  Society  of  South  Australia. 

Vol.   2,   part   I,   1902.     Transactions,  vol.   26, 

parts  I  and  2,  1902. 

Presented  by  the  Society. 
Basel. — Verhandlungen  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in 

Basel.     Vol.  13,  part  i,  1901,  and  part  2,  1902  ; 

vol.  14,  1901  ;  and  vol.  15,  part  i,   1903  ;  also 

Zur  Erinnerung  an  Tycho  Brahe,  1901. 

The  Society. 
Belfast. — Catalogue  of  Early  Belfast  Printed  Books,  second 

supplement  to  third  edition. 

The  Linen  Hall  Library. 
Bergen. — Bergens  Museums  Aarbog  for  1902,  parts  1   and  2, 

1902,    and    part    3,    1903  ;    also   Crustacea    of 

Norway,  vol.  4,  parts  7 — 12,  1902,  and  parts  13 

and  14,  1903.  Bergen  Alnseum. 

Birmingham. — Proceedings  of  the  Birmingham  Natural  History 

and   Philosophical    Society.     Vol.    11,   part   2, 

1902.  The  Society. 

Boston,  U.S. — Proceedings  of  the  Boston  Society  of  Natural 

History.     Vol.  29,  No.  15,  1900,  Nos.   16 — 18, 

1901,  and  vol.  30,  Nos.  i  and  2,   1901  ;    also 

Occasional  Papers,  No.  6,  1901. 

The   Society. 
Boulder,  Colorado. — College  Studies.     Vol.  i,  Nos.  i  and  2, 

1902  ;    and  Quarto  Centennial  Celebration  of 

Colorado  Tfniversity,  1902. 

Colorado  University. 


Books  Received.  13 

Bremen. — Abhandlungen  vom  Natarwissenschaftlichen  Verein 
zu  Bremen.     Vol.  17,  part  2,  1903. 

The   Society. 

Brrslau. — Zeitschrift  fiir  Entomologie  vom  Verein  fiir  Sclesiche 
Insektenkunde  zu  Breblau.  New  series,  part 
27,  IQ02.  The  Society. 

Brighton. — Annual  Report  and  Abstract  of  Papers  of  Brighton 
and  Hove  Natural  History  and  Philosophical 
Society,  1902.  The  Society. 

Brussels. — Anales  de  la  Societe  Royale  Malacologique  de 
Belgique.     Vol.  36,  1902.  The  Society. 

BuHNOS  Ayres. — Annales  de  Museo  Nacional  de  Buenos  Aires. 
Ser.  2,  vol.  7,  1902.  The  Director. 

Calcutta. — Memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  India.  Vol. 
33,  part  3,  1902  ;  vol.  34,  part  2,  1902  ;  vol.  35, 
part  1,  1902.  Palaeontologia  Indica,  ser.  16, 
vol.  2,  parts  I — 3,  1902  ;  and  General  Report 
for  1 901 -1 902.     The  Direct jr  of  the  Survey. 

Cambridge. — Proceedings  of  the  Cambridge  Philosophical 
Society.  Vol.  11,  parts  5 — 7,  1902  ;  and  vol. 
12,  parts  I  and  2,  1903.  The  Society. 

Cambridge,  Mass. — Bulletin  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative 
Zoology  at  Harvard.  Vol.  38,  No.  7,  1902  ; 
vol.  39,  Nos.  2 — 5,  1902;  vol.  40,  Nos.  1—3, 
1902  ;  and  Nos.  4  and  5,  1903  ;  also  Annual 
Report,  1902.        7 he  Keeper  of  the  Mtiseinn. 

Cassel. — Abhandlungen  und  Bericht  (47)  des  Vereins  fii 
Naturkunde  zu  Kassel,  1902.        The  Society. 

Cherbukg. — Memoires  de  la  Societe  Nationale  des  Sciences 
Naturelles  et  Mathematiques  de  Cherbourg. 
Ser.  4,  vol.  33,  fasc.  3,  1902.  The  Society. 

Chicago. — Bulletin  of  the  Chicago  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Vol.  2,  Nos.  3  and  4,  1900.        The  Academy. 

Christiania. — Forhandlinger  i  Videnskabs  Selskabet  i  Chris- 
tiania  for  year  1901. 

The  Royal  Norske  Frederiks  University. 


14  Books  Received. 

Cincinnati. — Bulletin  of  the  Lloyd  Library.     Nos.  4  and  5, 

1902.  The  Messrs.  Lloyd. 

Dantzic. — Schriften     der    Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft    in 

Danzig.     New  series,  vol.  10,  part  4,  1902. 

The  Society. 
Davenport,  Iowa. — Proceedings  of  the  Davenport  Academy 

of  Sciences.     Vol.  8,  1901.        The  Academy. 
Di;blix.— Scientific  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society. 

Series    2,  vol.   7,  parts    14 — i6,   1902  ;    vol.  8, 

part   I,   iqo2  ;    and  vol.  9,  part  5,   1903  ;    also 

Economic  Proceedings,  vol.  i,  part  3,  1902. 

The  Society. 
Edinburgh. — Pioceedings    of    the    Royal    Physical    Society. 

Vol.  14,  part  4,  1901.  The  Socety. 

Ei.BERFELD. — Jahresbcricht des  Naturvvissenschaftlichen  Vereins 

in  Elberfeld.     Part  10,  1903.        The  Society. 
Emden. — Jahresbcricht   der  Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft  in 

Emden  for  1900-1901.  The  Society. 

Genoa. — Rivista  Ligure  di   Scienze  Lettere  ed   Arti.      Ease. 

2 — 6.  1902,  and  fasc.  i,  1903. 

The  Society  di  Lctture  e  Conversazioni  ed  Art. 
GiESSEN. — Thirty-third  Bericht  der  Oberhessichen  Gesellschaft 

fiir  Natur  und  Heilkunde,  1902. 

Ihe  Society. 
Glasgow. — Transactions   of  the  Natural   History  Society  of 

Glasgow.     New  series,  vol.  6,  part  2,  1902. 

The  Society. 
,,  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Philosophical  Society  of 

Glasgow.     Vol.  33,  1902.  The  Society. 

Gothenburg. — Goteborg's  Kungl  Vetenskaps  Och  Vitterhets" 

samhalles  Handlingar.     Part  4,  1898. 

The  Society. 
Hamburg. — Abhandlungen  aus  dem  Gebiete  der  Naturwissen- 

schaften.     Herausgegeben    vom    Naturwissen- 

schaftlichen    Verein    in    Hamburg.      Vol.    17, 

1902]  The  Society. 


Books  Received.  15 

Iglo. — Jahrbuch  des  Ungarischen — Karpathen  Vereins.  29th 
year,  1902.  The  Society. 

KiEW. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  Kiew.  Vol. 
17,  part  I,  1901  ;  and  part  2,  1902. 

The  Society. 

Lausanne. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Vaudoise  des  Sciences 
Naturelles.  Vol.  38,  Nos.  143 — 145,  1902  ; 
also  Observationes  Meteorologiques,  1902. 

The  Society. 

Lawrence. — Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Kansas,  Science. 
Vol.  I,  Nos.  I — 4,  1902.  The  University. 

Leeds. — Eighty-second  Annual  Report  of  Leeds  Philosophical 
and  Literary  Society,  1902.  The  Society. 

Leipsic. — Mitteilungen  des  Vereins  fiir  Erdkunde  zu  Leipzig, 
1 90 1.  The  Society. 

Lima. — Boletin  del  Cuerpo  de  Ingenieros  de  Minas  dei  Peru. 
Nos.  I  and  2,  1902.  The  Director. 

London. — Quarterly   Journal   of    the    Geological    Society    of 
London.     Vol.  58,  parts  2 — 4,  1902  ;  and  vol. 
59,  part    I,   1903  ;    also    List   of  Fellows,  and 
Geological  Literature,  1902.         The  Society. 
,  Series  of  British   Museum  Guide  Books  as  under. 

Guide  to  Mammalia  ;  to  Reptiles  and  Fishes  ; 
to  British  Echinoderms  ;  to  Shells  and  Starfish  ; 
to  Sowerby's  Models  of  Fungi  ;  to  the  M}'Ce- 
tozoa;  to  Coral  Gallery  ;  to  Fossil  Reptiles  and 
Fishes  ;  to  Fossil  Invertebrata  and  Plants 
(2  parts) ;  Introduction  to  Study  of  Meteorites  ; 
to  Study  of  Rocks  ;  to  Study  of  Minerals  ; 
Guide  to  Mineral  Gallery,  and  Students'  Index 
to  the  Minerals  ;  also  ten  pamphlets  of  Direc- 
tions for  Collectors.  The  Director. 
Journal  of  the  Royal  Microscopical  Society.  Parts 
148 — 151,  1902  ;  and  152  and  153,  1903. 

The  Society. 


1 6  Books  Received. 

London. — Transactions  of  the  Zoological  Society  of  London- 
Vol.  1 6,  parts  5 — 7,  1902.  Proceedings  for 
1901,  vol.  2,  part  I  ;  and  1902,  vol.  i,  parts  i 
and  2  ;  vol.  2,  part  i  ;  also  Index  for  1 891 -1900. 

The  Society. 

Madras. — Administration  Report  of  the  Government  Museum 
and  Public  Library,  T901-1902. 
The  Superintendent  of  the  Central  Mnseum. 
Manchester. — Journal  of  Manchester  Geographical  Society. 
Vol.  17,  Nos.  7 — 12,  and  Supplement,  1901  ; 
vol.  18,  Nos.  I — 3,  1902,  and  Supplement  for 
1896.  The  Society. 

,,  Transactions  of  Manchester  Geological  Society. 

Vol.  27,  parts  10,  II,  12,  13,  and  17,  1902. 

The  Society. 
„  Annual  Report  and  Transactions  of  Manchester 

Microscopical  Society,  1 900-1 901. 

The  Society. 
Marseilles. — Anales  de  la  Facultc  des  Sciences  de  Marseille- 

Vol.  12,  1902.  The  Librarian. 

Melbourne. — Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Victoria. 
New  series,  vol.  14,  part  2,  1902  ;  vol.  15,  part 
I,  1902  ;  and  part  2,  1903.  The  Society. 

Mexico. — Boletin  del  Instituto  Geologico  de  Mexico.  No.  15, 
iqo2,  and  No.  16,  1902.  The  Institute. 

„  Boletin  Mensual  del  Observatorio  Meteorologico 
Central  di  Mexico.  August  till  November, 
1 901,  and  January,  1902.  Informe  (text  and 
atlas)  1901-1902.     Anuario,  No.  23,  1902. 

The  Director. 
Milwaukee. — Bulletin  of  Wisconsin  Natural  History  Society. 
New  series,  vol.  2,  No.  4,  1902. 

2  he  Society. 
Montevideo. — Anales   del    Museo   Nacional   de   Montevideo. 
Vol.  4,  part  I,  1902.  Ihe  Director, 


Books  Received.  17 

Moscow. —  Bulletin  of  the  Imperial  Society  of  Naturalists  of 
Moscow.     Nos.  3  and  4,  1902,  and  No.  3,  1903. 

77/1?  Society. 
Nantes. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  des  Sciences  Naturelles   de 
rOuest  de  la  France.     Scries  2,  vol.  i,  parts  3 
and  4,  1 901  ;  vol.  2,  parts  i   and  2,  1902  ;  also 
Table  des  Matieres  de  la  Premiere  serie,  189 1 
1900.  The  Society. 

New  York. — Annals  of  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences, 
Vol.  14,  part  2,  1902.  The  Academy. 

„  Bulletin  of  the  American  Geographical  Society. 

Vol.  24,  Nos.  I — 5,  1902,  and  vol.  25,  No.  i, 
1903.  The  Society. 

Nottingham.  —  Report  and  Transactions  of  Nottingham 
Naturalists'  Society,  1901-1902. 

The  Society. 
Odessa. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  New  Russia. 

Vol.  24,  part  I,  1901.  The  Society. 

Ottawa. — Contributions  to  Canadian  Palaeontology.  Vol.  2, 
part  2  (Fossil  insects),  1900  ;  vol.  4,  part  2 
(Palaeozoic  Corals),  1901  ;  and  vol.  3  (quarto), 
1902  ;  also  Catalogue  of  the  .Vlarine  Invertebrata 
of  Eastern  Canada,  1901. 

The  Director  of  the  Survey. 
Padua. — Atti  della  Societa  Veneto  Trentina  di  Scienze  Naturali. 

Series  2,  vol.  4,  fasc.  2,  1902.        The  Society. 
Philadelphia. — Proceedings    of    Philadelphia    Academy    of 
Natural  Science.     Vol.  54,  part  i,  1902. 

The  Academy. 
„  Proceedings   of  the  American    Philosophical 

Society.     Vol.  41,  Nos.  168 — 170,  1902. 

The  Society. 
„  Ressources  Vegetales  des  Colonies  Francaises, 

by  Gustavo  Niederlein,  Chef  de  Department 
Scientifique  des  Philadelphia  Museums. 

The  Author, 
k 


i8  Books  Received. 

Pisa. — Atti  della  SocietaToscana  di  Scienze  Naturali,  Processa 
Verbali.  Vol.  13,  January,  iqoz — January, 
1903.  The  Society. 

Rome. — Atti  della  Reale  Accademia  dei  Lincei.  Vol.  11, 
semestre  i,  fasc.  7 — 12,  1902  ;  semestre  2,  fasc. 
I — 12,  1902  ;  vol.  12,  semestre  T,  fasc.  i  —  6, 
1903  ;  and  Rendiconto  dell'  Adunanza  Solenne 
di  1st  Guigno,  1902.  The  Academy. 

,,  Bollettino  della  Societa  Zoologico  Italiana.     Series    2, 

vol.  3,  fasc.  I — 3,  1902.  The  Society. 

San  Francisco. — Occasional  Papers  of  California  Academy  of 
Sciences,  No.  8,  1901.  Proceedings  (Zoology), 
vol.  2,  Nos.  7 — IT,  1901  ;  and  vol.  3,  Nos.  i — 4, 
1901-1902.  The  Academy. 

St.  Louis — Thirteenth  Annual  Report  of  Missouri  Botanical 
Garden,  1902.  The  Director. 

Stavangfr. — Stavanger  Museum  Aarshefte  for  1891. 

The  Museum  Trustees. 

Stettin. — Bericht  der  Gesellschaft  fiir  Volker  und  Erdkunde 
zu  Stettin,  1902.  The  Society. 

Stirling. — Transactions  of  Stirling  Natural  History  and 
Archxlogical  Society,  1902.  The  Society. 

Stockholm. — Handlingar  of  the  Royal  Swedish  Academy. 
Vol.  35,  1902.  Bihang,  vol.  27,  parts  i — 4, 
iqo2.  Ofversigt,  No.  58,  1901,  and  No.  59, 
1902.  The  Academy. 

Sydney — Science  of  Man  (Journal  of  the  Royal  Anthropological 
Society  of  Australasia).  New  series,  vol.  5,  Nos. 
3 — 12,1901-1902.  The  Editor. 

Tokyo. — Mittheilungen  der  Gesellschaft  fiir  Natur — und  Vol- 
kerunde  Ostasiens.  Vol.  8,  part  3,  1902  ;  and 
vol.  9,  part  I,  1902  ;  also  Supplement,  No.  i, 
1902,  and  Festschrift,  1902.  The  Society. 

Toronto. — Transactions  of   the  Canadian  Institute.     Vol.  7, 
part  2,   1902,  and  Proceedings,  vol.  2,  part  5 
1902.  The  Institute. 


Books  Received.  19 

Upsala. — Bulletin  of  the  Geological  Institution  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Upsala.     Vol.  5,  part  2,  No.  10,  1901. 

The  University. 

Vienna. — Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich-Koniglichen  Zoo- 
logisch-Botanischen  Gesellschaft  in  Wien.  Vol. 
52,  1902.  The  Society. 

„  Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich-Koniglichen  Geo- 
logischen  Reichsanstalt.  Nos.  3—18,  1902, 
and  Nos.  i — 4,  1903.  The  Society. 

Washington. — Year-book  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture, 
1901,   and    North   American    Fauna,    No.    22, 
190-. 
The  Secretary  of  the  U.S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture . 

,,  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Ethnology.     No.  26, 

1 90 1.  The  Director  of  the  Bureau. 

„  Twenty-first    Annual    Report    of    the    United 

States  Geological  Survey,  parts  5  and  7,  and 
Atlas,  1899-1900.  Monographs,  No.  41,  1902. 
Bulletin  of  the  Survey,  Nos.  177 — 190,  1901- 
19C2,  and  Nos.  192 — 194,  1902.  Mineral 
Resources  of  the  United  States,  1902.  Recon- 
naissances in  Cape  Nome  Region,  Alaska,  1901. 
Also  Geology  and  Mineral  Resources  of  Copper 
River  District,  Alaska,  1901. 

The  Director  of  the  Survey. 

„  Annual  Reports  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution 

for  1900  and  190T.  Smithsonian  Contributions 
to  Knowledge,  No.  1309,  1901.  Smithsonian 
Miscellaneous  Collections,  Nos.  1312 — 1314, 
1902  ;  also  1174  and  1259,  1902. 

The  Smithsonian  Institution. 

,,  The  American  Monthly  Microscopical  Journal. 

Vol.  22,  Nos.  8,  9,  10,  and  12,  1901,  and  vol.  23, 
Nos.  I — 4,  1902.  The  Publisher, 


20  Books  Received. 

Washington. — Bulletin  of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Washing- 
ton.    Vol.  14,  pp.  179—204,  1902. 

The  Society, 
York. — Annual  Report  of  the  Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society 

for  1902.  The  Society. 

Zurich. — Vierteljahrsschrift  der  Natursforschenden  Gesellschaft 
in  Zurich.     Parts  i  and  2,  1902. 

The  Society. 


NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 

SESSION     1902-190  3. 


5//?  November^  1902. 

THE    LIQUEFACTION    OF   GASES. 

Inaugural  Address  by  the  President,  J.  Brown,  F.R.S. 


{Abstract.) 


Before  taking  up  the  subject  proper  of  my  address,  will  you 
permit  me  to  express  my  very  grateful  appreciation  of  the 
honour  conferred  upon  my  unworthiness  by  your  Council  in 
electing  me  as  your  President  for  a  third  term  ?  There  is  no 
honour  which  I  value  more  highly,  nor  any  commendations 
which  appeal  to  me  more  than  such  as  come  from  our  own 
Society,  in  which  I  have  for  the  last  twenty  years  or  more 
taken  a  lively  interest  and  an  active  part. 

In  dealing  with  the  subject  generally  of  liquefied  gases  in, 
this  place  I  feel  that  I  have  the  privilege  of  entering  on  a  field 
made  famous  by  the  work  of  one  of  our  own  citizens  in  our 
own  town.  I  think  it  was  my  friend  Professor  Fitzgerald  who 
remarked  that  if  the  name  of  our  city  were  to  be  mentioned 
in  any  university  in  the  civilised  world  the  name  of  one  man, 


21  Mr.  /.  Broivn  on 

and  one  only,  would  be  recalled  by  the  word  "  Belfast."  It 
would  not  be  a  name  connected  with  our  boasted  manufactures, 
our  great  political  lights,  or  our  popular  celebrities  of  any  kind. 
It  would  be  the  name  of  Thomas  Andrews,  the  fame  of  whose 
work  on  the  continuity  of  the  liquid  and  gaseous  states  is  of 
course  world-wide. 

Before  Andrews's  time,  we  find  that  in  1823  Faraday  had 
succeeded  in  liquefying  chlorine,  sulphuric  acid,  and  some 
other  gases.  Faraday,  however,  did  not  succeed  in  liquefying 
oxygen,  hydrogen,  nitrogen,  &c. 

In  1861  Andrews  subjected  these  intractable  gases  to  very 
great  pressure,  also  without  success,  but  on  more  easily  con- 
densible  gases  his  subsequent  work  had  a  value  far  exceeding 
this  in  scientific  interest. 

In  order  to  fix  our  ideas  as  to  the  conditions  necessary  for 
the  liquefaction  of  gases  let  me  point  as  an  illustration  to  the 
homely  matter  of  water  boiling  under  ordinary  conditions. 
Evidently  heat  is  required.  It  is  the  tendency  of  heat  to 
produce  vapour  or  gas  from  liquid.  Conversely  we  may 
conclude  it  Is  a  tendency  of  cooling  to  produce  liquid  from  a 
gas  or  vapour  like  steam.  Here,  however,  is  only  half  the 
matter.  When  water  boils  in  ordinary  conditions  it  is  under 
the  atmospheric  pressure  of  151b.  per  square  inch  on  its  surface, 
and  the  vapour  rising  from  it  has  to  lift  this  151b.  off  before  il 
can  form.  As  a  matter  of  experiment  we  know  that  it  will  not 
lift  this  pressure  till  the  temperature  is  raised  to  100  degrees  C. 
It  would  be  natural  to  expect,  however,  that  if  we  lift  this 
atmospheric  pressure  off  by  other  means  a  less  temperature 
would  suffice  for  converting  the  liquid  into  gas.  We  shall 
therefore  not  be  very  much  surprised  to  see  water  boiling  and 
freezing  at  the  same  time.  Having  exhausted  the  air  from 
above  the  water  in  a  glass  vessel,  you  see  it  boiling  violently, 
although  quite  cold  enough  to  form  ice,  which  is  presently  seen 
on  its  surface. 

From  this  experiment  we  draw  the  conclusion  that  the 
essening   of    pressure   tends   to   form   gas   from    liquid,    and 


The  Liquefaction  of  Gases.  23 

conversely  that  increase  of  pressure  would  tend  to  form  liquid 
from  gas.  We  also  note  incidentally  that  evaporation  is  here 
also  attended  bv  loss  of  heat,  producing  in  this  case  actual 
freezing  of  the  liquid.  Thus  we  see  that  the  two  conditions 
tending  towards  liquefaction  of  gases  are  pressure  and  cold. 

Before  Andrews's  time  it  was  tacitly  assumed  that  any  defect 
in  one  of  these  could  be  made  up  for  by  increasing  the  other. 
If  too  little  cold,  more  pressure  would  cause  liquefaction. 
Andrews,  however,  discovered  that  for  each  gas  there  was  a 
certain  temperature  above  which  no  amount  of  pressure  would 
liquefy  that  gas.  This  temperature  he  called  the  critical 
temperature  for  that  particular  gas.  Below  that  temperature 
and  at  a  sufficient  pressure,  called  the  critical  pressure,  the  gas 
would  liquefy  with  a  decrease  of  volume.  Above  it  no 
liquefaction  could  be  observed  ;  yet  when  not  much  above  it 
there  was  as  the  pressure  increased  a  somewhat  more  rapid 
decrease  in  volume,  than  would  correspond  with  the  behaviour 
of  what  is  called  a  perfect  gas.  Yet,  again,  when  above  the 
critical  point,  and  therefore  in  a  gaseous  state,  the  gas,  when 
reduced  to  about  the  volume  which  it  would  have  occupied 
when  liquefied  at  a  lower  temperature,  yielded  only  slightly  to 
further  pressure.  As  regards  its  elasticity,  it  behaved  then  as 
a  liquid.  These  researches  were  carried  out  with  carbonic  acid 
as  an  experimental  agent,  and  in  them  is  illustrated  what 
Andrews  aptly  called  the  continuity  of  the  gaseous  and  liquid 
states  of  matter.  As  he  says,  "  From  carbonic  acid  as  a  perfect 
gas  to  carbonic  acid  as  a  perfect  liquid  the  transition  may  be 
accomplished  by  a  continuous  process." 

Andrews,  who  began  with  an  attempt,  unsuccessful  as  it  waS) 
to  merely  liquefy  the  most  refractory  gases — oxygen,  hydrogen, 
nitrogen,  etc. — was  thus  led  aside  to  a  path  rich  in  scientific 
interest — perhaps  richer  even  than  that  which  he  set  out  to 
pursue.     This  was  left  to  later  investigators. 

In  1877  Pictet  achieved  the  liquefaction  of  oxygen  by 
combined  pressure  and  cold,  produced  by  elaborate  and  costly 
machinery.     A  few  days  only  after  Pictet's  success  Cailletet 


^4  ^'^'f'-  !•   Brown  on 

announced  a  similar  achievement.  Following  oxygen,  all  the 
other  senses  known  at  that  period  soon  yielded  likewise.  About 
the  case  of  hydrogen  it  is  true  doubts  and  difficulties  seem  to 
hang.  At  all  events  six  years  elapsed  before  Wroblewski  and 
Olszewski  obtained  hydrogen  in  the  form  of  a  static  liquid, 
and  to  collect  liquid  hydrogen  in  some  quantity,  as  Professor 
Dewar  remarks,  has  taken  twenty  years  from  the  date  of 
Pictet's  experiments. 

Though  Siemens  had  suggested  the  principle  earlier,  it  was 
about  1895  that  Linde,  and  also  Hampson,  devised  perfect  and 
simple  apparatus.  It  is  true  that  others  in  the  meantime  were 
approaching  perfection,  Dewar,  for  instance,  having  described 
in  1886  an  apparatus  embodying  this  principle.  The  chief 
difficulty  is  the  production  of  a  sufficient  degree  of  cold. 
Lowering  of  temperature  is,  in  modern  apparatus,  attained  by  a 
device  which  I  shall  try  to  explain  in  a  simple  way.  In  the 
antique  apparatus  for  obtainmg  fire  known  as  the  fire  syringe 
(a  specimen  of  which  has  been  kindly  lent  us  by  Mr.  Robert 
May,  whose  interesting  collection  of  antique  candlesticks  is  at 
present  on  view  in  the  Free  Library)  heat  is  obtained  by  the 
compression  of  air.  The  syringe  consists  of  a  strong  brass 
tube  with  an  airtight  plunger  reaching  nearly  to  the  bottom  of 
the  tube.  On  driving  the  plunger  rapidly  down,  the  air 
beneath  is  so  heated  as  to  set  fire  to  a  piece  of  touch  cotton 
(cotton  wool  treated  with  saltpetre  and  sulphur  or  with  solution 
of  phosphorous),  which  has  previously  been  attached  to  the 
end  of  the  plunger.  When  the  plunger  is  withdrawn  the  air, 
which  has  been  hot  enough  to  set  fire  to  our  cotton  wool,  cools 
again.  To  do  so  it  absorbs  heat.  From  this  simple  experiment 
we  conclude  generally  that  air  in  expanding  cools  itself.  Thus 
by  the  device  of  first  compressing  air,  and,  as  it  were,  squeezing 
some  of  its  heat  out,  and  then  allowing  it  to  expand  again,  we 
cool  it  below  the  temperature  at  which  we  started. 

This  is  the  first  process  in  the  air  liquefying  apparatus.  Air 
is  compressed  in  water-cooled  pumps  to  120  atmospheres,  say 
i,70olb.  per  square  inch,  further  cooled  by  passing  through 


The  Liquefaction  of  Gases.  2^ 

coils  of  tube  immersed  in  water,  and  finally  allowed  to  escape 
through  a  specially  constructed  valve,  whereby  in  expanding  it 
cools  itself  further,  though  not  enough  tor  the  purposes  of  lique- 
faction. For  this  there  is  necessary  the  so-called  self-intensive 
principle.  Just  before  the  air  escapes  by  the  valve  it  has  to 
pass  through  a  coil  containing  very  many  turns  of  tube 
contained  in  a  non-conducting  casing.  Through  this  casing 
and  among  the  coils  of  tube  the  recently  escaped  and  therefore 
cold  air  circulates,  imparting  its  cold  to  the  coils,  and  therefore 
to  the  compressed  air  circulating  in  them.  We  have  thus  a 
continuous  interacting  process  of  cooling,  by  which  in  a  short 
time  the  air  in  the  coils  is  reduced  to  a  liquefying  temperature. 
This  is  the  self-intensive  principle  used  by  Linde,  Dewar, 
Hampson,  etc.,  for  liquefaction  of  air,  and  finally  by  Travers  for 
liquefaction  of  hydrogen,  a  much  more  difficult  matter. 

It  would  be  quite  impracticable  to  keep  liquid  air  in  closed 
vessels  because  of  the  enormous  pressure  that  would  result  when 
the  liquid,  by  absorbing  heat  from  the  surrounding  atmosphere 
through  the  walls  of  the  vessel,  would  evaporate  and  regain  its 
gaseous  form.  In  an  ordinary  open  glass  vessel  it  evaporates  in 
time,  of  course  ;  but  if  we  reduce  the  influx  of  heat  by  surround- 
ing the  vessel  with  a  non-conducting  envelope  we  may  retard  this 
evaporation.  The  best  non  conducting  envelope  known  is  a 
vacuous  or  highly-exhausted  space,  consequently  what  are 
called  vacuum  jacketed  vessels  are  employed — i.e.,  the  glass 
tube  or  flask  containing  the  liquid  is  surrounded  by  a  second 
larger  glass  tube  or  flask,  sealed  on  so  that  the  interspace  can 
be  exhausted  of  air.  Through  this  space  conduction  of  heat  is 
very  slight.  Radiation  of  heat  into  the  vessel  is  prevented  by 
silvering  the  interior  between  the  two  vessels,  and  so  reflecting 
the  heat  rays  that  strike  upon  it.  The  invention  of  these 
vessels  is  claimed  by  Professor  Dewar. 

For  the  opportunity  of  seeing  and  experimenting  with 
liquefied  air  we  are  indebted  to  the  very  great  kindness  of  Mr. 
Richard  J.  Moss,  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  who  with  the 
greatest  cordiaUty  acceded  to  a  request  from  me  for  a  supply  of 


26  Mr  /.  Broivn  on 

the  liqi.id.  On  a  former  occasion  when  sending  me  a  supply 
for  use  in  my  own  laboratory,  Mr.  Moss  expressed  a  doubt  if 
the  Dublin  atmosphere  would  suit  Belfast,  but  on  this  occasion 
he  expressed  the  conviction  that  an  abundant  supply  of  some 
cooling  medium  will  not  be  out  of  place  on  Guy  Fawk.es  Day 
in  the  North.  May  I  assure  Mr.  Moss,  on  your  authority,  that 
it  is  not  by  any  means  out  of  place,  and  that  we  tender  our 
warmest  thanks  for  this  coldest  of  gifts  ? 

Liquid  air  is  a  clear,  transparent  fluid.  The  boiling  point  is 
about  1 90°  to  200°  under  atmospheric  pressure.  The  experi- 
ments that  can  be  performed  with  liquid  air  depend  chiefly  on 
the  effects  produced  by  this  very  low  temperature.  Poured 
upon  water,  liquid  air  floats,  forming  a  cup  of  ice,  in  which  it 
boils.  Immersed  in  liquid  air,  mercur}'  may  be  frozen,  and 
forms  a  mercury  casting,  which  can  be  forged  cold  into  a  hook, 
on  which  we  may  suspend  a  weight,  till  the  warmth  of  the 
surrounding  atmosphere  melts  it  into  liquid  drops,  when  the 
weight  of  course  fails.  Alcohol  may  be  frozen,  ice  hardened 
till  it  is  said  to  cut  glass,  and  indiarubber  becomes  brittle  like  a 
pipe  stem.  Sulphur,  vermilion,  and  a  solution  of  cobalt 
chloride  in  alcohol  lose  their  colours.  The  electric  resistance 
of  metals  is  decreased  manifold.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
nitrogen  in  air  is  more  volatile  than  the  oxygen,  it  evaporates 
first,  and  in  liquid  air  which  has  been  standing  some  time  the 
residue  is  chiefly  oxygen.  On  this  account  a  process  of  obtain- 
ing oxygen  sufficiently  pure  for  many  purposes  has  been  pro- 
posed. To  illustrate  this  a  shaving  splinter  of  wood  burns  up 
brightly  over  such  stale  liquid  air.  Felt  or  cotton  wool  soaked 
in  the  liquid  burns  with  explosive  violence.  A  jet  of  hydrogen 
will  burn  under  the  surface  of  liquid  oxygen.  Liquid  air  has 
been  proposed  as  a  carrier  of  power  by  using  it  to  drive  motors 
of  the  steam  engine  type.  Here  is  an  illustration  where  a  tube 
of  liquid  air  enclosed  in  an  appropriate  closed  vessel  gives  off 
air  at  sufficient  pressure  to  drive  the  model  engine,  and  on  the 
screen  is  a  slide  of  a  motor  so  driven.  Here  however  con- 
venient in  some  respects  the  process  might  be,  the  question  of 


The  Liquefaction  of  Gases.  i"] 

economy  comes  in.  On  this  point  Dr.  Hampson  states  that 
lib.  liquid  air  at  id.  will  expand  to  800  volumes  at  atmospheric 
pressure  ;  lib.  steam  to  1,700  volumes.  One  pound  steam  can 
be  made  under  good  conditions  by  the  combustion  of  i-iolb.  of 
coal,  or  at  a  cost  of  i -120  of  a  penny,  putting  coal  at  15s  per 
ton.  Therefore  the  power  contained  in  lib  of  liquid  air  at  id 
is,  roughly  speaking,  equal  to  that  contained  in  -^Ib.  of  steam  at 
i-240ths  of  a  penny.  Of  course  if  liquid  air  could  be  produced 
at  i-240ths  of  its  present  cost,  allowing  for  loss  in  carrying 
about,  it  could  very  favourably  compete  with  steam. 

Some  years  ago  a  Mr.  Tripper,  of  the  United  States,  claimed 
that  he  could  make  it  for  less  than  nothing.  We  have  heard 
nothing  of  Mr.  Tripper  lately. 

Liquid  air  has  also  been  proposed  as  a  cooling  agent.  Much 
tall  talk  was  indulged  in  by  the  American  Press  in  this 
connection  also.  Hampson  points  out  that  liquid  air  would 
have  only  i-ioth  the  cooling  power  of  ice  weight  for  weight, 
and;  as  ice  is  usually  less  than  id.  per  pound,  the  price  of  liquid 
air,  the  inefficiency  is  so  much  the  more  evident.  Liquid  air 
or  oxygen  as  an  explosive  has  been  proposed.  When  mixed 
with  petroleum  and  infusorial  earth  it  explodes  violently. 
Probably  the  difficulty  of  transporting  it  comes  in  the  way  here. 

Liquid  hydrogen  in  sufficient  quantity  to  be  properly 
observed  and  investigated  seems  to  have  been  first  obtained  by 
Professor  Dewar  in  1898.  It  is  a  clear,  colourless  liquid,  per- 
fectly transparent,  and  about  i-ioth  the  specific  gravity  of 
water.  It  boils  at  — 250  deg.  C,  under  atmospheric  pressure, 
or  within  23  deg.  of  absolute  zero.  As  a  cooling  agent,  it  will 
lower  temperature  to  within  13  deg.  to  15  deg.  of  absolute 
zero.  Its  critical  temperature  is  — 240  deg.,  and  critical 
pressure  13*3  atmrspheres.  Professor  Dewar  considers  the 
step  from  the  liquefaction  of  air  to  that  of  hydrogen  is  re- 
latively as  great  in  the  thermo-dynamic  sense  as  that  from 
chlorine  to  liquid  air.  Some  idea  of  the  difficulty  of  its 
production  may  thereby  appear.  The  solidification  of  the 
gases  is  the  next  step  beyond  liquefaction.     Atmospheric  air 


zS  Mr.  J.  Brown  on 

was  frozen  by  Professor  Dewar  in  1893.  A  litre  of  liquid  air 
subjected  to  exhaustion  in  a  silvered  vacuum  vessel  yielded 
about  half  a  litre  of  a  colourless,  transparent  solid,  consisting  of 
a  nitrogen  jelly  containing  liquid  oxygen.  Solid  oxygen  is 
obtained  by  subjecting  liquid  oxygen  to  cooling  by  immersion 
of  the  tube  containing  it  in  boiling  hydrogen.  It  is  clear  blue 
ice.  Solid  hydrogen  has  been  produced  by  the  same  kind  01 
process.     It  is  a  transparent  ice. 

The  really  important  uses  of  liquefied  gases  are  comprised  in 
their  application  to  low  temperature  research,  providing  as 
they  do  a  means  of  cooling  other  bodies  hitherto  unattainable. 
We  may  glance  at  a  general  view  of  this  part  of  the  subject. 
It  was  at  first  supposed  from  the  change  in  the  electric 
resistance  of  metals  produced  at  this  temperature  that  all 
metals  would  become  perfect  conductors  at  absolute  zero. 
Further  cooling  by  liquid  hydrogen  showed,  however,  that  a 
certain  amount  of  resistance  would  still  exist  at  0  deg.  absolute. 
Phosphorescence  is  much  increased  by  the  cold  of  liquid  air, 
and  much  more  by  that  of  liquid  hydrogen.  Chemical  affinity 
is  almost  abolished  by  cold.  Potassium,  which  bursts  into 
flame  on  water,  remains  inert  on  liquid  air  or  oxygen. 

Fractionation  by  distillation  at  these  low  temperatures  has 
been  effectively  employed  by  Professor  Ramsay  and  Dr.  Travers 
in  1S98  for  the  extraction  from  the  atmosphere  of  the  new 
gases,  krypton,  neon,  and  xenon,  following  on  the  discovery  of 
argon  in  1895  by  Lord  Rayleigh,  and  helium  later. 

In  connection  with  the  last  mentioned,  it  is  interesting  to 
recall  how  the  name  arose.  In  the  spectroscopic  examination 
of  the  sun  one  line  was  observed  which  could  not  be  detected 
in  any  terrestrial  substance.  It  was  therefore  supposed  to  be 
peculiar  to  the  sun,  and  so  called  the  helium  line.  Subsequently, 
however,  it  was  proved  to  be  like  the  other  constituents  of  the 
sun,  terrestrial  also,  a  gas  more  volatile  than  hydrogen,  and 
which  has  not  yet  been  liquefied  and  solidified. 

The  influence  of  very  low  temperatures  an  the  vital  force  of 
living  organisms  has  also  been  examined.    The  cold  of  liquid  a;r 


The  Liquefaction  cf  Gases.  29 

has  no  apparent  effect  on  bacteria.  After  twenty  hours  at  — 1 90 
deg.  no  diminution  in  any  of  their  powers  was  perceptible. 
Phosphorescent  organisms  under  alternate  cooUng  and  thawing 
showed  a  remarkable  instance  of  suspension  and  renewal  of 
vital  processes.  Cooled  down  by  liquid  air,  they  became  non- 
luminous,  but  phosphorescence  began  again  with  its  usual 
strength  when  removed  into  ordinary  conditions.  In  a  paper 
communicated  to  the  Royal  Society  last  August  Dr.  M'Fadyen 
states  that  several  forms  of  bacteria,  including  typhoid  bacillus, 
survived  perfectly  an  exposure  to  — 190  deg.  C.  for  six  months. 
Even  at  the  temperature  of  liquid  hydrogen  ( — 252  deg.)  these 
much-enduring  though  minute  organisms  suffered  no  injury. 

Professor  Fitzgerald  moved  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
President  who,  he  said,  had  given  them  a  most  profitable 
evening,  and  whose  experiments  with  liquid  air  they  had  all 
witnessed  with  wonder  and  delight.  They  all  appreciated,  too 
Mr.  Brown's  tribute  to  Professor  Andrews  and  his  work.  To 
Dr.  Moss,  of  Dublin,  and  to  Mr.  Brown's  son  who  had  acted  so 
efficiently  as  his  assistant,  their  best  thanks  were  also  due. 

Mr.  R.  M.  Jones,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said  Mr.  Brown, 
in  addition  to  being  an  eminent  scientist,  was  one  of  the  most 
public-spirited  men  in  Belfast.  He  had  introduced  them  to 
many  new  and  interesting  discoveries,  including  the  motor-car, 
wireless  telegraphy,  and  that  very  ingenious  invention  of  his 
own  for  the  improvement  of  our  roads.  That  evening  he  had 
introduced  them  to  liquid  air,  and  shown  them  some  of  its 
marvellous  properties,  in  addition  to  giving  them  a  wonderfully 
able  and  concise  history  of  modern  research  in  connection  with 
the  liquefaction  of  gases. 

The  vote  was  passed  by  acclamation,  and  briefly  replied  to 
by  the  President. 


On  the  motion  of  Mr.  W.  S.  Swanston,  seconded  by  Mr. 
Robert  Patterson,  authority  was  given  to  dispose  of  some 
duplicate  specimens  in  the  Museum. 


30 


2nd  December^   1902. 


PuoFiiSSOR  Redfern,  M.D.,  F.R.C.S.I.,  in  the  Chair. 


RECENT    FISHERY     RESEARCH, 
By  Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  D.Sc. 


{Abstract.) 


Professor  Wilson  said  the  subject  of  sea  fisheries  ought  to 
be  an  interesting  one  to  every  member  of  a  British  audience. 
He  wanted  to  remind  them  that  the  British  fisheries  were 
worth  a  great  deal  of  money.  They  yielded  the  fishermen 
something  like  _;^io,ooo,ooo  a  year.  He  was  sorry  a  very  small 
part  of  that  money  was  gained  by  Irish  fishermen — some 
^^300, 000  or  ;^400,ooo.  He  ventured  to  hope  that  the  fisheries 
were  worth  a  great  deal  more  than  ^io,coo,ooo  to  the  con- 
sumers. He  wished  to  call  their  attention  to  the  work  done  by 
scientific  men  in  recent  years  in  connection  with  preserving 
and  improving  the  fisheries. 

First,  he  wanted  them  to  grasp  very  firmly  that  their  fish 
area  was  a  small  one.  The  great  bulk  of  the  ocean  was  deeper 
than  2,000  metres,  or  yards.  For  a  long  time  it  was  believed 
that  there  was  no  life  in  the  deep  seas,  in  the  waters  beyond 
about  100  fathoms.  One  of  the  most  prominent  professors  of 
last  century  maintained  that  fact,  but  that  idea  was  got  rid  off. 
It  was  first  really  proved  by  the  electric  cables  that  had  been 


Recent  bishery  Research.  31 

laid  in  deep  water.  They  were  lifted  after  a  time  for  repairs, 
and  were  found  to  be  covered  with  marine  organisms.  This 
proved  the  fact  that  there  was  life  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean, 
and  in  this  connection  he  could  not  refrain  from  referring  to 
the  magnificent  work  that  was  done  by  Sir  W.  Thompson,  a 
former  professor  of  Queen's  College,  who  carried  out  work  on 
the  Challenger,  the  results  of  which  had  been  given  to  the 
world  in  many  volumes. 

He  was  particularly  anxious  that  they  should  grasp  the  fact 
that  deep-sea  life  was  not  the  kind  of  life  that  was  any  use  to 
them.  The  lecturer  then  called  attention  to  characteristics  of 
some  of  the  curious  looking  creatures  that  they  found  in  the 
deep  sea.  He  showed  that  some  of  these  were  provided  with 
luminous  organs,  as  the  water  beneath  100  fathoms  is  com- 
pletely dark,  and  he  also  pointed  out  that  they  were  so  formed 
as  to  be  able  to  exist  under  the  great  pressure  to  which  they 
were  subjected  so  far  beneath  the  surface.  Those  physical 
conditions  prevented  fish  living  in  the  higher  waters  migrating 
to  the  lower,  and  vice  versa.  Fish  taken  from  those  deep 
waters  practically  exploded  by  being  brought  to  the  surface 
and  relieved  of  the  pressure  which  they  were  formed  to  resist. 
The  ordinary  fishtrman  in  the  North  Sea  knew  how  to  mini- 
mise the  effects  of  slight  change  of  pressure.  When  they  took 
a  cod  out  of  even  twenty  fathoms  of  water,  and  wishei  to  keep 
it  alive,  they  resorted  to  the  precaution — at  least  they  used  to 
— of  running  a  needle  into  the  bladder  and  letting  out  some  of 
the  gas  or  air,  so  that  the  bulk  of  the  fish  might  diminish 
rapidly  and  accommodate  its  size  to  the  lesser  pressure  of  sur- 
face water.  Another  preventative  from  the  passage  of  fish  from 
higher  to  lower  waters,  and  lower  to  higher,  was  the  diffe*-- 
erce  in  temperature.  They  had  found  that  the  temperature 
in  those  deep  waters  was  very  little  above  freezing  point. 

After  alluding  to  figures  which  showed  a  decline  in  some  6f 
our  fisheries,  especially  those  for  turbot  and  soles,  the  lecturer 
said  that  fall  in  the  fisheries  took  place  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
there  was  an  enormous  increase  of  fishing  apparatus  at  work. 


32  Professor  Gregg   Wilson  on 

Their  great  steam  trawlers  went  further  afield  than  they  did  a 
few  years  ago.  They  were  managing  to  take  about  the  same 
quantity  of  fish  out  of  the  water  by  fishing  with  an  enormous 
amount  of  apparatus.  They  had  got  to  face  the  fact  that  there 
was  at  least  the  danger  of  a  very  serious  decline  in  their 
fisheries.  On  the  recognition  of  that  fact  there  was  a  sudden 
impulse  to  study  the  question  of  their  fisheries.  The  Ameri- 
cans, Canadians,  Norwegians,  Danes,  the  British,  especially  the 
Scotch,  had  been  engaged  on  that  question,  and  he  would  like 
to  indicate  to  them  the  sort  of  work  that  had  been  going  on 
amongst  scientific  men  who  had  put  themselves  to  consider  the 
fishery  question,  and  he  hoped  that  sooner  or  later  they  would 
do  some  fishery  work  in  this  district.  In  the  first  place,  they 
had  been  studying  fish  eggs  and  the  spawning  of  fish. 

The  most  important  fact  discovered  about  the  spawning 
habits  offish  was  discovered  in  1864.  That  was  the  fact  that 
most  of  their  food-fishes  produce  eggs  that  float.  Why  was  it 
that  they  did  not  see  them  ?  Because  they  were  like  little 
beads  of  glass,  they  were  so  transparent.  A  false  idea  existed 
that  the  spawn  of  most  fish  was  produced  near  the  shore, 
Avhereas  many  of  the  best  spawning  grounds  were  far  from  the 
shore,  and  legislation  to  protect  the  same  would  require  to 
take  that  fact  into  consideration. 

He  advocated  the  provision  of  fish  hatcheries  in  certain  cir- 
cumstances only,  and  more  especially  in  fresh  waters,  when 
spawning  ground  was  deficient.  The  Americans  as  early  as 
1 87 1  went  in  for  hatching.  He  instanced  what  they  had  done 
in  shad  hatching  as  an  example  of  its  success.  They  carried 
the  shad  across  to  the  Pacific  waters.  In  the  case  of  salmon 
and  trout,  river  hatching  had  been  an  enormous  success. 
Where  they  had  too  little  spawning  ground  and  plenty  feeding 
ground  hatching  was  an  advantage. 

Naturalists  were  also  studying  the  young  of  fish.  There  was 
the  question  of  the  destruction  of  young  fish  by  trawlers  and 
others,  and  associated  with  that  question  was  the  study  of  what 
he  might  call  fish  nurseries.      The   latter   were  places  where 


Recent  P-shcry  Research.  33 

young  fish  were  crowded  together,  and  where  there  were  com- 
paratively few  old  fish.  Trawlers  were  more  successful  in  . 
catching  the  young  fish  than  the  old  fish.  All  he  had  to  say 
was,  if  they  emptied  the  nursery  he  took  it  for  granted  that  the 
drawing-room  would  not  be  full  in  a  little  time.  In  Lancashire 
this  matter  was  being  considered,  and  they  were  regulating  the 
size  of  the  mesh  of  fishing  nets. 

Naturalists  had  also  been  considering  the  food  of  fish  and 
their  feeding  habits.  A  popular  belief  was  that  the  larger  fish 
fed  on  the  smaller,  and  so  on,  but  ultimately  they  found  their 
fishes  were  dependent  on  plant  life  It  was  the  plants  that 
made  organic  stuff. 

Dealing  with  the  question  of  artificial  baits,  the  lecturer  said 
some  fish  distinguished  their  food  by  smell  almost,  others  by 
sight  almost  entirely. 

The  lecturer  then  referred  to  the  enemies  of  our  food  fishes, 
and  pointed  out  that  naturalists  were  principally  engaged  on 
how  to  get  rid  of  them  by  encouraging  the  enemies  of  the 
enemies  of  our  food  fish.  'J"he  question  arose  could  men  over- 
fish the  seas  ?  Professor  Huxley  had  been  of  opiiuon  that 
this  was  impossible,  and  that  the  damage  done  by  man  was 
infinitesimal  compared  with  what  was  done  by  other  enemies. 
It  was  the  last  straw  that  broke  the  camel's  back,  and  if  they 
put  en  that  last  straw  it  made  all  the  difference,  and  he 
thought  man  could  play  the  part  of  the  last  straw.  There  was 
a  great  deal  of  injury  which  might  be  prevented,  and  it  was 
with  that  he  wished  to  interfere. 

In  conclusion  reference  was  made  to  the  importance  of 
properly  equipped  marine  stations  for  ihe  study  of  all  questions 
relating  to  the  fisheries,  and  a  hope  was  expressed  that  before 
long  such  a  station  might  be  instituted  near  Belfast. 

Professor  Symington  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Professor  ' 
Gregg  Wilson  for  his  lecture.     He  thought  it  was  appropriate 
that  they  should  consider  on  that  occasion  what  could  be  done 
in  connection  with  their  own  fisheries.     With  the  exception  of 
what  was  beingdone  by  Mr.  Holt,  under  the  Agricultural  Depart- 


34      Professor  Gregg  Wilson  on  Recent  Fishery  Research. 

ment,  on  the  Western-Southern  Coasts  there  were  absolutely 
no  scientific  investigations  being  conducted  in  any  part  of 
Ireland  with  regard  to  that  question.  In  connection  with  that 
Society  something  might  be  done  on  the  North-East  Coast. 
There  was  no  difficulty  in  getting  a  suitable  site  for  starting 
a  modest  modern  laboiatory.  Professor  Wilson  spoke  to  them 
that  evening  as  an  expert,  and  he  was  sure  he  would  be  only 
too  anxious  and  willing  to  assist  any  of  them  that  wished  to 
take  up  that  department  of  the  work. 

Rev.  D.  A.  Purves,  in  seconding  the  motion,  as  an  outsider, 
was  sure  that  in  Professor  Gregg  Wilson  not  only  Queen's 
College,  but  the  city  of  Belfast,  had  received  a  great  acquisition. 
While  he  had  given  them  a  scientific  lecture,  they  would 
all  agree  that  he  had  been  perfectly  lucid.  He  concurred 
with  the  suggestion  that  had  been  thrown  out  that  the  services 
of  a  man  like  Professor  Gregg  Wilson  should  be  in  some  way 
secured  to  that  neighbourhood,  and  he  did  trust  that  the  out- 
come of  that  meeting  would  be  that  steps  would  be  taken  to 
instal  a  modern  laboratory  in  the  region  of  Belfast. 

The  motion  was  carried  and  suitably  conveyed  by  the 
Chairman,  who  referred  to  the  time  when  many  of  the  most 
eminent  naturalists  of  Great  Britain  belonged  to  the  North  of 
Ireland. 

A  similar  compliment  was  paid  to  Professor  Redfern,  on  the 
motion  of  Mr.  J.  J.  Andrews,  seconded  by  Mr.  William  Shuw. 


i']th  December,   1902. 


Mr.  Robert  Young,  J. P.,  in  the  Chair. 


EVIDENCE     OF    THE     CAVES. 
By  R.  J.  UssHER,  J.P. 


[Abstract.) 


Kent's  Cavern,  in  Devonshire,  is  very  extensive,  and  cdntains 
many  chambers  and  passages.  On  the  top  of  its  deposits  were 
blocks  and  masses  of  limestone  that  had  fallen  from  the  roof, 
and  the  uppermost  deposit,  a  black  mould,  lay  between  these. 
It  was  largely  formed  of  leaves  blown  into  the  cave,  and  con- 
tained miscellaneous  relics,  from  the  soda-water  bottle  of  the 
modern  tourist  to  relics  of  mediaeval,  Roman,  and  pre-Roman 
times — bronze  articles,  spindle-whorls, broken  pottery,  including 
Samian  ware ;  ancient  bone  implements,  amber  beads,  and 
charred  wood  ;  also  human  bones,  bones  of  brown  bear,  red 
deer,  and  of  domestic  animals,  such  as  dog,  pig,  ox,  and  sheep. 
Beneath  the  black  mould  no  remains  of  sheep  occurred.  None 
of  these  relics  carry  us  back  beyond  historic  times. 

The  second  deposit  was  a  floor  of  granular  stalagmite  varying, 
from  a  mere  film  to  five  feet  in  thickness. 

The  third  deposit  was  confined  to  one  part  of  the  cavern, 
and  was  called  the  black  band.  It  was  composed  of  little  bits 
of  charred  wood,  the  hearthplace  of  the  palaeolithic  cave  men. 
Three  hundred  and  sixty  flint  weapons  or  tools  were  found  here, 


6  Mr.  R.  J.   Lssher  on 


with  bones  that  had  been  roasted,  and  bone  tools,  an  awl,  a 
harpoon,  a  fish-spear,  and  a  needle  of  bone.  With  these  were 
bones  of  hysena,  rhinoceros,  horse,  ox,  and  deer.  Here  was  the 
home  of  those  ancient  hunters  who  lived  in  England  with  the 
hysena,  the  mammoth,  and  the  rhinoceros,  and  who  used  flint 
weapons,  which  they  manufactured  round  this  fireplace. 

The  next  deposit,  which  extended  throughout  the  cave,  was 
a  reddish  cave  earth,  and  it  yielded  the  greatest  store  of  animal 
remains.  They  represented  hyaena,  horse,  Avoolly  rhinoceros, 
mammoth  or  woolly  elephant,  Irish  elk,  reindeer,  red  deer, 
lion,  and  other  animals,  some  of  which  exist  at  the  present  da}-, 
while  others  are  long  since  extinct.  Among  the  relics  of  the 
latter  were  some  teeth  of  the  machairodus,  or  sabre-toothed 
lion,  whose  upper  canine  teeth  were  of  enormous  size  and 
serrated.  It  was  a  very  ancient  and  pliocene  animal.  Hyaenas 
appear  from  their  numerous  bones  to  have  been  very  abundant, 
and  some  of  the  others,  as  the  reindeer,  were  suited  for  life  in 
Arctic  countries.  But,  besides  the  beasts  of  prey,  human  in- 
habitants— doubtless  a  race  of  hunters — lived  there  at  times. 
They  probably  lighted  large  fires  near  the  cave's  mouth,  where 
the  black  band  occurred,  to  keep  out  the  wild  beasts  during 
their  stay.  The  objects  these  hunters  left  behind  them  were 
chiefly  spear  heads  of  flint,  carefully  chippedinto  shape  with  great 
labour,  as  is  still  done  by  some  savage  nations.  Carved  bone 
harpoons  were  also  found  in  the  cave  earth,  and  a  bone  pin, 
which  was  in  contact  with  the  tooth  of  a  rhinoceros. 

But  there  was  an  older  chapter  still  in  the  history  of  Kent's 
cave.  Another  stalagmite  floor  lay  beneath  the  cave  earth, 
crystalline  in  structure,  which  showed  its  greater  age,  and  it 
attained  in  places  twelve  feet  in  thickness. 

The  lowest  deposit,  which  lay  under  the  crystalline  stalagmite, 
was  a  dark-red  sandy  paste  in  places,  but  was  often  found  in 
masses  of  rocklike  hardnes?,  and  was  called  the  Breccia.  It 
was  largely  composed,  not  of  limestone  fragments,  but  of  pieces 
of  red  grit,  a  rock  which  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  cavern  hill, 
but  in  hills  now  separated  from  it  by  a  valley  seventy  feet  deep 


Evidence  of  the   Caves.  37 

below  the  cave  level.  Therefore  this  red  grit  must  have  here 
drifted  into  the  cave  before  this  deep  valley  had  been  gradually 
scooped  out  by  rains  and  streams.  The  Breccia  contained 
numbers  of  bones,  but  they  were  all  of  the  greit  cave  bear, 
except  two  jaws  of  lion  and  another  of  fox,  and  none  of  these 
bones  had  been  gnawed  by  hyaenas,  like  those  in  the  cave  earth 
above.  Even  here,  however,  human  implements  of  flint  were 
found,  not  so  finely  wrought  as  those  in  the  cave  earth  above, 
but  unmistakably  the  work  of  rnen.  No  one  can  assign  a  date 
to  these  things,  but,  ancient  as  must  have  been  the  men  of  the 
cave  earth  who  lived  when  mammoths  and  their  companions 
existed,  the  people  who  made  the  weapons  found  in  the  Breccia 
were  vastly  older.  We  can  only  say  that  they  represented  a 
very  far-off  age,  as  when  one  sees  the  snowy  peaks  of  lofty 
mountains  rising  against  a  clear  sky  he  is  sure  they  are  further 
than  any  other  visible  object,  but  cannot  say  how  great  their 
distance  is. 

In  1858  quarrymen  working  on  the  site  of  an  ancient  cave  at 
Shandon,  near  Dungarvan,  in  County  Waterford,  found  the 
remains  of  a  mammoth  with  those  of  reindeer.  They  were 
brought  to  light  by  the  late  Mr.  E.  Brenan,  of  Dungarvan,  and 
are  now  in  the  Science  and  Art  Museum,  Dublin.  Bones  of 
horse,  bear,  and  other  animals  were  also  found  in  Shandon 
Cave  by  Professor  Leith  Adams,  who  had  done  cave  exploration 
work  in  Malta. 

In  company  with  him  in  1879  I  opened  up  a  small  cave  half- 
a-mile  south  of  the  Cappagh  Station,  in  the  townland  of  Bally- 
namintra.  It  was  nearly  filled  with  deposits  ;  but,  now  that  it 
is  cleared,  it  forms  a  tunnel  about  eight  feet  wide  When  we 
began  to  dis  we  found  in  the  brown  earth  which  lay  uppermost 
many  bones  of  domestic  animals — as  cows,  sheep,  pigs  and  dogs 
— with  some  human  bones  ;  but  as  we  dug  deeper  we  came  to' 
a  grey  earth  that  contained  more  ancient-looking  blackened 
bones  of  a  larger  size.  These  were  fragmentary,  but  when  we 
came  upon  pieces  ot  palmated  antlers  my  friend  pronounced 
them   without  doubt  to  belong  to  the  Irish  elk.     Its  remains. 


38  Mr.   R.  J.    Ussher  on 

though  frequently  found  in  bogs,  had  never  been  discovered 
before  in  a  cave  in  Ireland,  nor  associated  here  with  evidences 
ot  man  ;  but  no  sooner  did  Dr.  Leith  Adams  find  the  bones  of 
this  gigantic  deer  in  the  same  bed  with  charcoal  and  other 
relics  of  man  than  he  freely  confessed  we  had  found  proof  that 
the  Irish  elk  had  existed  in  the  human  period  in  this  country. 
In  England  Irish  elk  had  been  found  with  man  in  Kent's 
cavern.  The  gigantic  size  of  the  stately  and  beautiful  animal 
may  be  judged  by  the  skeletons  and  antlers  in  our  museums. 
Though  found  in  other  countries  it  has  nowhere  been  found  so 
abundantly  as  in  Ireland,  where  it  had  probably  had  fewer 
enemies,  as  there  were  not  so  many  species  of  beasts  of  prey, 
and  it  certainly  multiplied  and  flourished  largely  throughout 
this  island,  where  its  remains  are  often  found  in,  or  rathei 
under,  bogs,  most  commonly  in  the  shell-marl.  At  Cappagh 
luy  father  found  the  bones  and  antlers  of  at  least  sixteen,  and  in 
Ballybetagh  Bog,  County  Dublin,  no  fewer  than  one  hundred 
and  thirty  individuals  were  discovered.  It  is  chiefly  the  males 
that  are  thus  found,  probably  owing  to  the  enormous  weight  of 
their  antlers  having  made  them  more  likely  to  be  drowned  or 
bogged. 

But  to  return  to  the  Ballynamintra  cave,  we  found  in  the 
earth  of  the  second  stratum  or  in  crevices  of  the  rocky  walls 
many  bones  of  the  Irish  elk.  They  were  split  and  broken,  the 
ends  of  the  narrow  bones  being  invariably  knocked  off,  as  used 
to  be  done  by  all  ancient  peoples  to  the  bones  of  an  ox  and 
other  beasts.  Moi cover,  the  pieces  of  Irish  elks'  antlers  could 
hardly  have  been  brought  into  that  small  cave  except  by  man, 
the  animal  being  too  large  to  enter  it  alive.  These  facts  of 
themselves  show  that  we  had  found  the  retreat  of  an  early 
people  who  had  hunted  the  Irish  elk,  of  which  at  least  five 
individuals  were  represented  by  their  remains.  In  the  same 
stratum  that  contained  them  were  quantities  of  burned  wood, 
and  this  charcoal,  which  formed  a  seam  in  the  midst  of  the 
grey  earth,  marked  an  ancient  floor  or  hearth,  and  proved  that 
the  bed  had  not  been  disturbed.     There  were  aho  sea  shells  in 


Evidence  oj  the   Caves.  39 

it,  brought  bv  the  human  inhabitants,  and  a  number  of  stones 
suitable  for  taking  in  the  hand  and  striking  with,  which  were 
chipped  along  their  edges  in  a  way  that  leaves  no  doubt  they 
had  been  used  to  break  the  bones  with.  Beneath  the  grey 
earth  were  remains  of  a  great  stalagmite  floor,  four  feet  thick  in 
places,  which  had  crystallised.  In  the  lower  part  of  this, 
which  lay  upon  a  bed  of  gravel,  were  found  embedded  the 
teeth  and  bones  of  a  huge  bear,  pronounced  by  Professor  Busk 
to  have  been  the  grisly  bear,  now  confined  to  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains of  North  America.  The  deposits  of  this  cave  also  con- 
tained some  teeth  and  bones  of  reindeer.  Thus  the  Ballyna- 
niintra  Cave  yielded  relics  of  three  distinct  ages — the  neolithic, 
with  its  polished  stone  axe  and  domestic  animals  ;  then  the  age 
of  the  elk-hunters ;  and  before  that  the  time  of  the  grisly  bear. 

Within  the  last  two  years  good  work  has  been  done  in  other 
Irish  caves  by  a  Committee  appointed  by  the  British  Associa- 
tion, under  Dr.  Scharff,  who  has  organised  the  movement,  and 
assigned  to  me  the  execution  of  the  excavations.  In  1901  we 
worked  in  caves  in  Keish  Corran  Mountain,  County  Sligo,  in 
which  were  found  two  distinct  strata — the  uppermost  of  grey 
earth,  containing  a  stone  celt,  bronze  pins  and  objects  of  iron, 
abundance  of  charcoal,  bones  of  domestic  animals,  and  some 
oyster  and  mussell  shells.  Bones  of  bear  were  also  found,  and 
a  shin  bone  of  reindeer,  beneath  which  charcoal  occurred,  in  the 
same  stratum.  This  was  fair  evidence  that  the  reindeer  had 
been  contemporaneous  with  man  in  Ireland.  The  second 
stratum  was  a  clay  in  which  the  characteristic  animal  was  the 
brown  bear  ;  but  in  these  caves  the  jaws  and  bones  of  the  Arctic 
lemming  were  found  in  abundance.  This  was  the  first  dis- 
covery ot  it  in  Ireland,  and  the  species  differs  from  the  lemming 
of  Norway,  and  is  not  found  nearer  than  Greenland  at  the 
present  day. 

During  the  summer  of  1901  two  groups  of  caves  have 
been  excavated  at  Edenvale,  in  County  Clare.  In  these  the 
upper  stratum  has,  as  usual,  yielded  in  profusion  charcoal,  bones 
of  domestic  animals,   many  human  bones,  and  other  relics  of 


40  Mr.   R.  J.    Ussher  on  Evidence  of  the   Caves. 

ancient  art,  knives  of  iron,  objects  of  bronze,  bracelets  of  metal, 
an  amber  bead,  pins  or  awls  of  bone  ;  but  besides  these,  chiefly 
in  the  second  stratum,  we  found  great  numbers  of  bones  and 
teeth  of  reindeer  and  bear,  and  some  of  the  latter  of  enormous 
size,  whose  species  remains  to  be  determined.  Some  relics  of 
the  Irish  elk  also  have  occurred  in  the  Edenvale  caves,  which 
are  very  complicated  and  extensive,  and  are  by  no  means  dug 
out. 

In  the  chalky  limestone  of  the  Antrim  cliffs  numerous  caves 
occur,  and  during  the  formation  of  the  new  walk  at  the  Gobbins 
last  summer  by  the  Belfast  and  Northern  Counties  Railway 
Company  a  large  cavern  was  found,  closed  by  a  slipped  piece  of 
the  cliff,  and  full  of  the  shingle  of  an  old  raised  beach.  In  this 
Mr.  Welch  has  found  many  bones  of  domestic  and  wild 
animals,  and  some  portions  of  red  deer's  antler  of  large  size, 
which  are  exhibited.  It  is  hoped  that  further  researches  of 
various  parts  of  Ireland  will  lead  to  a  much  fuller  knowledge  of 
its  prehistoric  past. 

Mr.  John  M.  Dickson  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lecturer. 

Professor  J.  Symington,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said, 
though  Mr.  Ussher  was  a  well-known  ornithologist,  in  recent 
years  he  had  become  possibly  better  known  as  a  cave  explorer. 
He  believed  interesting  investigations  could  be  made  on  the 
Northern  coast  as  regarded  cave  exploration. 

iMr.  William  Gray,  from  personal  research,  believed  that  in- 
teresting results  would  reward  the  proper  investigation  cf  the 
caves  along  the  North  coast  of  Antrim,  from  White  Park  Bay 
to  Carrick-a-Rede.  A  cave  near  Pulbraddan  was  well  worth 
exploring. 

Mr.  R.  Knowles  thought  the  question  was  deserving  of  the 
consideration  of  the  Field  Club. 

The  motion  was  passed. 


41 


']th  January,   1 903. 


Mk.  J.  Brown,  F.R.S.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 


HEREDITY   IN  ITS   RELATION   TO  THE  NERVOUS 

SYSTEM. 

By  John  M.  MacCormac,  M.D.,  L.R.C.P.  k.  S.Edin. 


(^Abstract.) 


In  assuming  that  the  mind  of  a  child  is  devoid  of  character  or 
ideas,  Locke  attributed  nothing  to  heredity.  Man  enters  this 
world  as  a  stranger,  it  is  true,  but  he  can  investigate  and 
explore,  and  his  mind  is  ever  active  to  receive  various  per- 
ceptions, and  it  is  a  matter  of  common  observation  that  the 
same  objects  produce  different  effects  upon  different  minds.  A 
poet,  painter  or  geologist  looks  at  a  landscape  with  entirely 
different  ideas.  While  the  country  lad  knows  every  bird  song 
and  the  intricacies  of  every  glade,  the  town-bred  boy  revels 
in  bricks  and  mortar  and  despises  the  dirty  lanes.  In  all  there 
is  a  special  quality,  which  responds  to  external  perceptions,  and 
which  is  due  to  heredity. 

The  broadest  principle  of  heredity  is,  that  like  produces  like, 
that  all  the  physiological  and  psychological  characteristics  of 
the  parent  are  transmitted  to  the  child.  Hence  Darwin's 
theory  of  Pangenesis,  which  supposes  that  every  cell  gives  off 
gemmules   or  germs,  which  permeating  the  whole  body,  and 


42  Mr.  John  M.  MacCormac  on 

becoming  collected  in  the  generative  cells,  can  reproduce  the 
whole  organism.  This  theory  was  too  complex  to  commend 
itself  to  physiologists. 

Sanson  defines  heredity  as  the  transmission  of  natural  or 
acquired  qualities  from  predecessor  to  descendants.  Professor 
Weisman  founds  a  theory  of  heredity,  which  assumes  that 
acquired  characters  cannot  be  transmitted,  while  many  consider 
that  they  can  be  inherited.  It  is  clear  that  acquired  characters, 
such  as  mutilations,  e.g.,  the  clipping  of  dogs'  ears  and  tails, 
the  piercing  of  women's  ears,  the  deformity  of  the  feet  of 
Chinese  women,  affect  the  individual  only.  Dr.  Archdall  Reid 
remarks  that  there  are  two  classes  of  characters,  inborn  and 
acquired,  and  the  question  of  the  transmission  of  the  latter 
has  been  warmly  debated.  This  diff'erence  of  opinion  arises 
from  the  difficulty  of  deciding  what  is  due  to  heredity,  and 
what  to  environment.  It  is  commonly  saii  that  all  theories  of 
heredity  are  in  essence  theories  of  evolution,  but  theories  of 
evolution  depend  directly  upon  environment,  while  theories  of 
heredity  are  closely  associated  with  the  nervous  system. 
Professor  Titchencr  maintains  that  every  child  is  born  with 
certain  tendencies,  which  differ  according  as  the  child  takes 
after  this  or  that  predecessor.  The  nervous  system  of  each  is 
the  product  of  a  long  course  of  development,  and  all  sorts  of 
influences  have  combined  to  aff"ect  it.  Hence  the  different 
mental  characteristics. 

But  are  physiological  and  psychological  heredity  mutually 
dependent  or  not  ?  Science  cannot  settle  this,  unless  we  are 
prepared  for  materialism,  and  to  deny  the  existence  of  the  soul. 
This  must  be  considered.  The  ancients  believed  that  souls 
migrated  from  men  to  animals  and  vice  versa,  and  this  belief, 
finding  its  way  into  the  early  church,  gave  rise  to  different 
theories  of  the  soul's  existence.  Later  arose  the  question 
whether  the  soul  was  not  generated  at  the  same  time  as  the 
body,  and  the  theory  "  Traducianism,"  arising  out  of  this,  was 
adopted  by  many  of  the  early  Fathers.  Lactaniius  asked  from 
which    parent   the    soul    sprang,   and    exploded    the    theory. 


Heredity  in  its  Relation  to  the  Nervoiis  System.         43 

A  later  theory  "  Creationism  "  suggested  that  the  Creator  is 
perpetually  creating  souls,  and  infusing  them  into  bodies. 
This  subjects  the  work  of  the  Almighty  to  the  will  of  human 
beings.  A  third  theory  teaches  that  the  Creator,  at  the 
beginning,  imparted  to  man  a  spiritual  element,  which  should, 
in  due  course,  develop  into  a  force,  controlling  the  body,  and 
becoming  fitted  for  a  continuous  existence.  Thus  may  be 
understood  the  possibility  of  a  permanent  physiological  state, 
producing  or  developing  a  permanent  psychological  state 
corresponding  with  it.  To  admit  psychological  heredity 
therefore  follows  the  admission  of  the  principle  of  physiological 
heredity,  and  establishes  the  direct  influence  of  the  nervous 
system  upon  mental  processes.  We  therefore  hold  with 
Spencer  that  Consciousness  is  a  continuous  adjustment  of 
internal  with  external  relations,  that  every  psychical  pheno- 
menon is  inherent  in  some  organ,  and  that  mental  and  physical 
tendencies  are  alike  transmitted. 

Evolution,  to  which  reference  must  be  made,  depends  upon 
external  influences  or  environment,  and  influences  both  the 
physical  and  mental  characteristics.  This  influence  can  be  so 
directed  as  to  considerably  affect  earlier  hereditary  traits,  and 
produce  variation  within  the  species.  Illustrations  of  this  fact 
are  well  known.  The  modified  theory  of  evolution  of  Monsieur 
Naudin  is  that  its  object  is  to  produce  a  definitive  species,  since 
in  the  earliest  period  living  creatures  had  a  more  plastic  and 
variable  habit  than  now,  and  that  this  plastic  character  is  an 
evidence  of  design.  It  is  however  for  Science  yet  to  confirm 
this,  as  well  as  the  Darwinian  theory  of  the  variability  of  species. 
No  evidence  can  be  found  of  the  transformation  of  species, 
while  the  weak  as  well  as  the  strong  find  room  for  existence. 
Moreover  palaeontology  establishes  the  identity  of  seeds,  plants 
and  species  with  those  of  ages  far  remote,  while  another  strong 
objection  to  the  transformation  theory  is  the  uniform  sterility  of 
hybrids.  It  must  also  be  observed  that  as  soon  as  the  operation 
of  environment  ceases,  there  is  a  gradual  return  to  the 
primitive  type.     As   Professor   Drummond  pointed  out,  choice 


44  Mr.  John  M.  MncCormac  on 

roses,  strawberries,  raspberries,  and  fruit  trees,  if  left  untended, 
without  culture,  return  to  the  briar,  the  wild  fruit  of  the 
woods,  the  bramble,  and  the  useless  undergrowth.  Similarly 
fancy  pigeons  soon  revert  to  the  plain,  uniform  colour  of  the 
original  type.  The  same  is  observable  in  human  beings,  who 
neglect  themselves,  and  are  removed  from  beneficial  and 
improving  influences.  These  considerations  show  how  closely 
interwoven  are  the  laws  of  heredity  and  evolution,  and  afford 
striking  evidence  of  design.  One  of  the  greatest  of  naturalists. 
Professor  Agassiz  maintains  this,  when  he  says  : — "  Nothing  in 
the  organic  kingdom  is  calculated  to  impress  us  so  strongly  as 
the  unity  of  plan,  which  is  apparent  in  the  structure  of  the  most 
various  types."  And  after  pointing  out  the  wonderful  relations 
and  admirable  harmony,  he  says  : — "  If  all  these  relations  are 
beyond  man's  intellectual  power  to  grasp,  if  man  himself  is  but 
a  part  or  fragment  of  the  whole  system,  how  could  this  system 
have  been  called  into  being  it  there  were  not  a  supreme 
intelligence  the  author  of  all  things  ?"  Monsieur  Ribot  raises 
the  ascertained  fact  of  the  physiological  and  psychological 
transmission  of  general  specific  characters  to  the  dignity  of  a 
law,  with  the  necessary  reservation,  that  heredity  is  twofold 
and  that  the  operation  of  the  law  must  be  in  favourable 
circumstances,  otherwise  the  blind  fatality  of  its  laws  might 
make  decadence  the  rule.  But  as  universal  life  develops  in  the 
direction  of  progress,  heredity  is  not  abandoned  to  a  blind 
fatality.  There  must  be  a  presiding  directing  power.  So 
Darwin  has  taught  us  that  the  laws  of  evolution  point  to  a 
supreme  intelligence.  His  theory,  however,  like  those  of 
Haeckel  and  Spencer,  is  intensely  materialistic.  While 
enforcing  his  law  ol  the  persistence  of  force,  Spencer  had  to 
admit  the  possible  existence  of  an  intelligent  causation  ;  but 
Haeckel  recognised  only  the  materialistic  principle,  starting 
with  the  theory  of  spontaneous  generation.  Professor  Tyndall 
and  Dr.  Dallinger  have  however  disproved  this  theory  by 
showing  that  life  can  only  come  from  the  touch  of  life.  Dr. 
Archdall  Reid  asks  us  to  consider  the  vast  complexity,  physical 


Heredity  in  its  Relation  to  the  Nervous  System.         45 

and  mental,  of  man,  to  think  of  our  futile  microscopes  and  our 
infantile  chemical  analyses,  and  so  to  gather  some  idea  of  the 
vanity  of  attempting  to  pry  into  the  how  of  the  inheritance  of 
either  inborn  or  acquired  trails.  The  law  exists,  and  from  a 
physiological  standpoint  argues  in  favour  of  determinism.  But 
psychology  must  also  be  considered,  and  hence  the  influence  of 
the  nervous  system.  If  the  mind  is  merely  a  physical  outcome 
of  the  brain,  then  psychological  and  physiological  phenomena 
cannot  be  distinguished,  but  the  theory  of  the  soul's  existence 
is  an  important  factor  here.  Luys  and  Vfaudsley  both  hold  that 
the  physical  operations  of  the  brain  constitute  intellectual  and 
moral  life,  and  that  by  means  of  these,  it  feels,  remembers,  and 
re-acts.  This  materialistic  doctrine,  which  asserts  the  identity 
of  brain  and  thought,  sets  aside  all  idea  of  free  will.  It 
maintains  that  "  The  organism  is  the  man  himself,"  that 
"  intelligence  is  the  result  of  organic  phenomena,"  that 
"  thought  is  only  a  functic  n  of  the  nervous  centres."  But  is 
this  so  ?  Internal  phenomena  can  only  be  perceived  b)'  one 
faculty — consciousness,  and  Maudsley  himself  admits  that  they 
are  incapable  of  experimental  demonstration.  The  moral  and 
physical  are  not  identical,  for  the  mind,  conscious  of  motion,  is 
also  conscious  of  itself.  It  is  an  "  ego"  and  cannot  be  produced 
by  a  material  organ.  The  brain  is  the  organ  of  thought,  as  the 
eye  is  the  organ  of  vision,  and  as  perfect  vision  depends  up..n  a 
perfect  eye,  so  perfect  thought  depends  upon  a  perfect  brain. 
Now  the  nervous  system  has  certain  leanings  in  a  definite 
direction,  and  what  that  direction  is,  is  determined  by  influence, 
which  even  afl'ected  remote  ancestors.  But  it  is  in  youth  easil}'' 
moulded.  Hence  the  great  problem  of  Education  for  habit 
becomes  second  nature. 

Psychologically  "apperception"  is  defined  as  a  psychical 
activity  by  which  individual  perceptions  are  brought  into 
relation  to  our  previous  intellectual  and  emotional  life, 
assimilated  with  it,  and  raised  to  greater  clearness  and 
significance.  It  thus  indicates  the  intimate  relationship  between 
Heredity  and  the  Nervous  System,  and  may  be  considered  the 


46         Heredity  in  its  Relation  to  the  Nervous  System. 

connecting  link  between  physiological  and  psychological 
developments.  This  common  ground  presupposes  a  mental 
bias,  but  what  that  bias  is  we  cannot  predict,  we  can  only  learn 
by  experience.  That  this  bias  can  be  altered  or  modified  by 
attention,  an  act  of  volition,  to  other  influences,  is  a  matter  of 
daily  observation  and  experience.  We  cannot  therefore  but 
conclude  that  the  nervous  system  is  seriously  affected  by 
environment,  habit  and  volition,  and  that  there  is  an  influence 
directly  transmitted  from  one  generation  to  another.  How  far 
this  influence  may  be  directed  or  counteracted  by  the  will  is  a 
question  to  be  determined.  If  to-day  we  are  the  subjects  of  it, 
this  arises  from  the  freedom  of  yesterday.  Our  good  or  ill  may 
be  referred  to  the  free  acts  of  our  predecessors,  so  we,  by  the 
ferce  of  our  own  will,  are  the  parents  of  our  own  acts,  and  may 
influence  the  acts  of  others.  Our  consciousness  convinces  us 
that,  while  we  have  acted  in  a  certain  way,  it  was  m  our  own 
power  to  have  acted  otherwise.  The  great  past  is  the  outcome 
of  human  freedom,  and  it  is  to  that  freedom  we  must  look  for 
the  improvement  or  depreciation  of  the  influences  affecting 
future  genetations. 

Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Dr. 
MacCormac  for  his  lecture,  said  he  was  not  going  to  say  very 
much,  because  after  considering  such  grave  matters  as  those 
treated  in  the  lecture  one  was  more  in  a  condition  to  think  than 
to  talk.  He  believed  Dr.  MacCormac  would  have  the  effect  of 
stimulating  a  great  deal  of  thought  and  controversy  amongst 
his  audience. 

Mr.  Robert  Patterson  seconded  the  vote  of  thanks,  which  was 
uuanimously  passed. 

Dr.  MacCormac  briefly  replied  in  acknowlegement  of  the 
vote. 


47 


'^rd  February^   I903- 


Mr.  Robert  Young,  J.P,,  in  the  Chair. 


THE  MICRO-FAUNA  OF  THE  BOULDER  CLAY, 
WITH  SOME  REMARKS  ON  THE  MOVEMENT 
OF  GLACIERS, 

By  Joseph  Wright,  F.G.S. 


(Abstract.) 


Boulder  Clay  is  a  stiff  compact  clay,  containing  numerous 
boulders  as  well  as  smaller  stones,  the  greater  portion  of  which 
are  more  or  less  rounded,  their  surfaces  being  often  striated  and 
scored.  It  formed  the  subsoil  of  the  greater  part  of  this 
country — it  occurred  at  all  elevations,  from  the  sea  level  to  a 
height  of  upwards  of  1,500  feet  above  the  sea.  Foraminifera 
have  been  found  at  many  places  in  the  clay.  I  have  examined 
samples  of  it  from  134  localities — from  Ireland,  England, 
Wales,  Scotland,  Isle  of  Man,  Canada,  and  Novaia  Zemlia.  and 
in  105  of  these  Foraminifera  had  been  found.  In  some  places 
they  were  very  rare,  in  others  they  were  abundant,  but  their 
presence  was  demonstrated  in  three-fourths  of  the  instances. 
With  one  or  two  exceptions  all  the  species  found  in  the  clay 
occurred  recently  off  our  coast,  the  fossil  specimens  havino- 
usually  the  fresh  lustrous  appearance  of  specimens  brought  up 
by  the  dredge.  Ten  of  the  samples  were  obtained  from  alti- 
tudes of  500  to  1350  feet,  all  of  which,  with  one  exception, 
contained  Foraminifera. 


48  Air.  Joseph   Wnght  on 

With  the  exception  of  sixteen  samples  received  from  Novaia 
Zemlia  which,  on  account  of  the  smallness  of  their  size,  had  to 
be  examined  in  detail  under  the  microscope,  floatings  from  the 
clays  were  alone  examined.  To  ascertain  how  far  the  process 
of  floating  could  be  relied  on  for  giving  conclusive  results,  one 
ounce  troy  of  the  boulder  clay  from  Woodburn,  Carrickfergus, 
was  examined  with  great  care.  The  first  floating  contained 
1,400  specimens,  this  process  having  to  be  repeated  twenty-four 
times  before  specimens  ceased  to  come  up.  What  remained 
of  the  clay  was  then  examined  under  the  microscope,  and 
sixty-seven  additional  specimens  were  got  from  it.  Upwards  of 
2,100  specimens  were  obtained  from  this  ounce  of  clay.  This  ex- 
perimentclearlydemonstrated  that  the  process  of  floating  cannot 
be  relied  on  for  proving  the  non-existence  of  Foraminifera  in 
Boulder  Clay. 

The  micro-fauna  of  the  Boulder  clay  is  a  peculiar  one, 
more  than  half  of  the  entire  specimens  found  being  referable  to 
Nonioniiia  depressula^  whilst  Cassidtdina  crassa^  though  some- 
what rare  as  a  recent  British  species,  is  often  plentiful.  The 
Porcellanous  forms  are  usually  very  rare,  whilst  the  Arenacca 
are  represented  only  by  the  species  Haplophra^miinn 
canariense. 

The  marine  fauna  in  a  climate  so  rigorous  as  must  have  pre- 
vailed during  the  glacial  period  could  not  fail  but  be  a  poor 
one.  .VTr.  S.  A.  Stewart,  in  his  "  Alollusca  of  the  Boulder  Clay 
of  the  North  East  of  Ireland, "says  : — "  MoUuscan  shells  occuring 
in  the  Boulder  clay  are  not  numerous.  In  most  cases  they  are 
only  got  by  patient  searching,  and  then  only  in  a  fragmentary 
condition  ;  but  in  a  few  instances  they  are  less  rare,  and  include 
specimens  in  a  perfect  state.  The  presence  of  perfect  shells  of 
Lcda  was  known  long  since  to  General  Portlock,  and  forced 
him  to  the  same  conclusion  as  arrived  at  by  the  author,  that 
the  Boulder  clay  is  a  marine  sedimentary  deposit."* 

No  dovibt  many  of  the  shells  in  boulder  clay  were  transported 

*Pi-oc.  Belfast  Nat.  Field  Club.     App.  1879S0. 


The  Micro-Fauna  of  the  Boulder   Clav,   &e.  49 

by  icebergs  with  stones  and  rock  fragments,  but  some  of  them 
certainly  lived  at  the  places  where  they  are  now  found,  and 
with  some  few  exceptions,  all  the  Foraminitera  must  have  done 
so,  as  these  microzoa  are  usually  as  perfect  and  as  fresh  looking 
a?  recent  specimens  brought  up  by  the  dredge.  There  were  in 
glacial  times  both  elevation  and  subsidence.  First  glacial 
striation,  then  depression,  boulder  clay,  and  marine  organisms- 
At  Woodburn  and  Knock  Glen,  Leda  pygmcea  and  L. 
inimita  are  frequently  found  with  their  valves  united,  here  also 
Foraminifera  occur  in  the  very  greatest  profusion,  100  species 
having  been  found  at  Woodburn  and  79  at  Knock  Glen. 
Foraminifera  in  boulder  clay  are  usually  much  smaller  in  size 
than  recent  British  species,  but  many  of  the  specimens  at  these 
two  localities  are  fairly  large  in  size,  the  following  are  the  most 
notable  in  this  respect  : — M-iUoUna  semimihim,  Nomonina 
orbicularis  and  FolystomcUa  arctica.  Three  of  the  species 
found  at  Woodburn  and  five  of  those  from  Knock  Glen  are 
only  known  as  recent  British  species  from  gatherings  taken  off 
the  West  Coast  of  Ireland,  two  of  them  also  occurring  off  the 
West  Coast  of  Scotland.  Some  of  these  West  of  Ireland 
species  have  also  been  found  in  boulder  clay  at  other  places. 
Lagciia  fimhriata  was  got  at  five  other  localities,  one  of  them 
being  Larch  Hill,  Co.  Dublin,  650  feet  above  the  sea,  and 
Polystomella  subnodosa  was  got  at  Deppel  Burn,  Ayrshire,  at 
106 1  feet  elevation.  The  presence  of  these  West  of  Ireland 
Foraminifera  in  the  boulder  clay  of  Woodburn,  Knock  Glen, 
and  some  other  places,  would  lead  us  to  infer  that  when  these 
clays  were  deposited  the  land  stcod  at  a  much  lower  level  than 
new,  and  when  the  marine  conditions  were  somewhat  similar  to 
what  now  prevails  off  the  West  Coast  of  Ireland.  The  fineness 
of  the  clay  at  these  two  localities,  and  their  freedom  from  stones, 
the  perfect  condition  of  some  of  the  Leda  shells,  the  profusion 
of  Foraminifera,  and  the  large  size  of  some  of  the  specimens, 
would  support  the  view  that  the  clay  at  these  two  localities 
was  deposited  in  deep  and  quiet  water,  and  below  the  disturb- 
ing influence  of  ice  action.     Boulder  clay  with  many  stones  in 

d 


50     Mr.  Wright  on  The  Micro- Fauna  of  the  Boulder  Clay,  &c. 

it  usvially  contains  few  Foraminifera,  and  would  be  characteristic 
of  deposits  formed  near  exposed  sea  coasts,  as  such  situations 
are  not  favourable  for  marine  forms  of  life. 

Reference  may  be  made  to  the  slow  downward  movement  of 
glaciers  by  gravity,  and  that  when  they  terminated  in  the  sea, 
as  they  frequently  did  in  the  Arctic  regions,  they  sooner  or 
later  broke  off  into  large  masses,  floating  away  as  icebergs, 
carrying  with  them  any  stones  or  other  material  which  they 
had  accumulated  in  their  course.  As  ice  when  submerged 
beneath  the  sea  diminishes  far  more  rapidly  than  when  in  air, 
so  the  bergs  quickly  melted  away,  depositing  their  burden  over 
the  floor  of  the  ocean  ;  and  to  tl^.is  cause,  as  also  to  the  action 
of  shore  ice,  may  be  largely  attributed  the  formation  of  boulder 
clay. 

Should  at  any  future  time  the  sea  bed  between  Labrador  and 
Greenland  be  raised  above  the  sea,  one  can  readily  imagine 
such  a  place  to  present  a  very  similar  appearance  to  that  which 
we  now  find  in  boulder  clay.  There  would  be  rock  fragments 
and  stones  striated  and  scored  by  ice  action,  with  shells  more  or 
less  broken,  and  other  material  whicli  had  been  dropped  there 
by  bergs  floating  southward  from  Arctic  places.  With  these 
would  be  found  associated  mud  and  stones  from  the  wearing  of 
rocks  in  the  vicinity,  and  also  marine  organisms  that  lived 
at  the  place. 


PLATE    I. 
JCTNCnON  OF    GEAXITE  AND  SILURIAN  ROCK,  GLEN  lUVER,  NEWCASTLE,  CO.  DOWN. 

To  the  left  a  lamprophyre  dyke,  cut  off  by  the  granite.       0— Granite;    S— Silurian  shale; 
D— Dyke  of  Diorilic  lamprophyre.  (From  a  photograph  by  Miss  M.  K.  Andrews  :   copyright). 


51 


NOTES  ON  SOME    IGNEOUS   ROCKS   IN    DOWN 
AND,  ANTRIM.* 

By  Miss  Mary  K.  Andrews. 


{Abstract.] 


Thf,  following  brief  notes  refer  to  rocks  exposed  in  the  bed  of 
the  Glen  River  at  Newcastle,  Co.  Down,  to  certain  dykes  on 
the  Mourne  Coast,  north  of  Glasdrumman  Port,  to  a  few  of  the 
rhyolites  of  Co.  Antrim,  and  to  one  or  two  points  of  interest 
connected  with  its  Basaltic  Plateau. 

Beginning  with  the  granite  of  the  Mourne  Mountains, 
attention  may  be  drawn  to  its  well  known  resemblance  in 
miarolitic  structure  and  other  characteristics  to  some  of  the 
granite  of  Arran,  and  to  the  probability  that  both  are  of 
Tertiary  age.  Direct  evidence  is  still  wanting,  but  one  of  the 
many  points  that  support  this  inference,  is  that  in  its  intrusion 
into  the  surrounding  grits  and  shales,  the  Mourne  granite  has 
cut  off  a  number  of  basic  dykes,  possibly  belonging  to  the 
Tertiary  "  Lower  Basalts,"  and  is  itself  penetrated  by  a  less 
numerous  later  series,  probably  representative  of  the  "  Upper 
Basalts."  In  the  first  lantern  slide  (reproduced  in  Plate  I.), 
one  of  these  older  dykes  is  seen  cut  off  by  the  granite.  This 
very  interesting  section  occurs  at  an  approximate  height  of  550 
feet  above  sea  level,  and  about  300  yards  from  the  second  stone 
bridge  in  Donard  Lodge  Park.  The  photograph  shows  the 
junction  of  the  granite  and  Silurian  rock  in  the  bed  of  the 
Glen    River.       The    head   of  the    hammer    is   on   the    line    of 

*  The  paper  was  mostly  illustrated  by  lantern  slides  from  the  author's  geological 
photographs,  and  bv  microscopic  sections  of  specimens  she  had  collected. 


52  Miss  M.  K.  Andrews  en 

junction,  where  the  two  rocks  are  united  into  so  hard  a  mass, 
it  was  difficult  to  obtain  specimens.  Towards  the  middle  of 
the  river  granite  veins  penetrate  the  sedimentary  rock,  whose 
normal  colour  becomes  lighter  in  its  vicinity.  Microscopic 
sections  of  the  granite  obtained  at  and  above  this  junction 
show  beautiful  examples  of  the  micrographic  intergrowth  of 
quartz  and  felspar  characteristic  of  granophyres.  At  the  left 
side  of  the  photograph,  close  to  the  rieht  bank  of  the  river,  a 
dyke  of  dioritic  lamproph\re  is  seen  traversing  the  Silurian 
rock  in  a  N.N.W.  direction,  and  is  cut  off  by  the  granite.  The 
shale  in  contact  is  greatly  indurated,  and  so  similar  in  colour 
to  the  dyke,  that  it  was  not  easy  to  trace  the  exact  line  of 
demarcation.  In  microscopic  section,  the  intermingling  of  the 
green  hornblende  bands,  probably  of  igneous  origin,  with  the 
brown  clastic  patches  cf  the  sedimentary  rock  is  very  striking.* 
(Plate  2.)  When  the  river  is  exceptionally  low  a  continuatioVi 
of  one  of  the  granophyric  veins  already  referred  to,  can  be  seen 
crossing  the  dyke. 

Donard  Tunnel  passes  close  to  this  junction,  and  there  are 
large  specimens  from  it  on  the  table — baked  sedimentary  rock, 
penetrated  by  eurite  bands.  In  the  course  of  its  construction, 
I  had  in  September,  1897,  an  opportunity  of  seeing  dykes  of 
the  later  series.  A  very  interesting  section  was  then  tem- 
poral ily  exposed  in  the  "  cut  and  cover  "  to  this  tunnel,  about 
a  quarter  cf  a  mile  south  of  the  Bloody  Bridge  River.  The 
normal  granite  of  the  district  was  here  seen  to  about  six  feet  in 
depth,  capped  b}^  four  feet  of  drift  deposit.  Two  basalt  dykes 
traversed  the  granite  at  an  interval  of  fort\^  yards  from  each 

*  This  microscopic  section,  with  one  of  the  dyke  itself,  was  submitted  to  Professor 
Cole,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  the  following  interesting  remarks.  "Your  'dioritic 
lamprophyre  '  is  a  curious  rock,  with  its  sparse  triclinic  felspars,  and  its  groundwork  of 
biotite  and  green  hornblende.  It  looks  as  if  a  magma  capable  of  making  biotite 
and  pyroxene  had  remained  as  a  groundwork  after  the  felspar  had  developed, 
and  then  this  magma  crystallised  out,  the  pyroxenic  matter  finally  passing  into  granular 
ampKibole.  But  the  Silurian  contact-rock  fhows  similar  patches  of  granular  horn- 
blende, and  an  abundance  of  the  same  brown  mica.  Is  this  rock  permeated  by  the 
igneous  one  in  intimate  streaks,  or  does  the  igneous  one  owe  some  of  its  matter  to 
absorption  of  the  adjacent  sediment  ?     The  former  view  looks  to  me  more  probable." 


Photo  and  Process  Block  by  Bemrose  d:  Sons,  Limited,  Derby. 


/PLATE    II. 

MICROSCOPIC  SECTION  showing  junclion  of  Dioritic  lamprophyre  dyke,  with 
indurated  Silui'ian  shale.  The  lamprophyre  is  at  the  top.  Intermingling  of  igneous  and 
sedimentary  rock  below.  The  hornblendic  bands  are  the  darkest.  The  lighter  parts  arc 
sedimentary,  traversed  by  short  dark  bands  composed  of  biotite    (X4S  \ 


Some  Ig)ieous  Rocks  in  Down  and  Antrim.  53 

other,  and  thirty  yards  further  south,  it  was  also  traversed  by  a 
conspicuous  greenish  granite  band  about  five  feet  wide.  A 
microscopic  section  of  the  more  southern  basic  dyke  shows 
it  to  be  a  true  basalt.  Newer  thun  the  granite  which  it 
penetrates,  it  probably  represents  the  Tertiary  "Upper  Basalts." 
The  greenish  granite  is  a  handsome  rock,  with  fairly  large 
crystals  of  quartz  and  felspar,  coarser  in  texture  than  the 
normal  granite,  but  the  difference  microscopically  is  not  very 
great. 

The  next  slides  show  dykes  on  the  sea  coast,  and  in  connec- 
tion with  these,  I  may  refer  to  Major  Patrickson's  paper  read 
before  the  Geological  Society  of  Dublin  in  1835,  entitled,  "A 
descriptive  list  ot  the  dykes  appearing  on  the  shore  which 
skirts  the  Mourne  Mountains."  His  list  includes  76  dykes. 
One  of  these,  No.  48,  he  mentions  as  a  porphyritic  dyke, 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  North  of  Mullartown,  and  describes  Nos.  47 
and  49  as  hornblende  dykes  in  parallel  contact  with  it.  These 
have  been  identified  by  Professor  Cole  with  the  now  well  known 
composite  dyke  at  Glasdrumman  Port,  minutely  described  by 
him  in  a  paper  "  On  derived  crystals  in  the  Basaltic  Andesite  of 
Glasdrumman  Port,"  *  in  which  he  shows  that  "  crystals  may  be 
floated  away  into  a  pre-existing  rock  of  a  low  degree  of 
fusibility  from  one  of  a  higher  degree  which  has  intruded  into 
it."  The  igneous  contact  described  by  Professor  Cole  is 
illustrated  by  the  next  two  lantern  slides,  from  Mr.  Welch's 
scries  of  "  Irish  Geological  Views."  Hand  specimens  from  this 
interesting  dyke  are  on  the  table. 

Passing  on  to  Dunmore  Head  it  may  be  of  interest  to  note 
that  this  is  one  of  the  few  localities  in  the  British  Islands  where 
variolite  has  been  found,  and  with  specimens  of  the  Dunmore 
variolite,  there  are  others  from  Annalong,  Anglesey,  and 
Australia,  the  latter  particularly  interesting  as  being  tlie  fii'st 
variolite  discovered  there.  It  was  found  in  the  bed  of  the 
Saltwater  River,  near  Sydenham,  upon  an  excursion,  conducted 

*  Trans.  Roy.  Dublin  Soc.      Vol.  V.,  Scr.  11.,  Aug.  1894. 


54  il^m  M.  K.  Andrews  on 

in  April,  1902,  by  Dr.  Gregory.  For  this  specimen  1  am 
indebted  to  Mr.  Chapman,  Palaeontologist  of  the  National 
Museum,  Melbourne. 

The  next  slide  shows  the  position  of  a  large  porphyrite 
(altered  andesite)  dyke,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of 
Green  Harbour,  apparently  No.  23  of  Major  Patrickson's  list. 
In  the  mam  central  part  of  the  dyke  there  are  very  numerous 
and  large  crystals  of  labradorite,  and  in  microscopic  section,  the 
schillerization  of  the  labradorite,  and  the  "  strain  shadows " 
have  a  very  beautiful  effect. 

In  the  little  creek,  called  ''Goat's  Cove,"  shown  in  the  next 
slide,  there  is  a  small  composite  dyke  I  have  not  seen  noted 
elsewhere.  The  quartz-porphyry  in  the  centre  has  an  average 
width  of  three  feet,  and  is  bounded  on  both  sides  by  a  basic  dyke 
into  which  the  acid  rock  has  probably  intruded.  A  few  dark 
inclusions  are  found  in  the  quartz-porphyry,  which  in  micro- 
scopic section  appear  to  be  altered  shale.  The  position  of  this 
creek  is  a  little  south  of  Bloody  Bridge,  almost  immediately 
below  the  interesting  old  ruin  of  Ballaghanery  church, 
popularly  known  as  St.  Mary's.  Another  composite  dyke 
occurs  at  Dullisk  Cove,  just  north  of  this  creek. 

The  next  two  views  show  parts  of  a  very  interesting  dyke  on 
the  sea  coast,  a  little  north  of  Bloody  Bridge,  in  front  of  a  low 
hill  known  as  Rock-a-bill.  It  travel ses  Silurian  strata  in  a 
north  and  south  direction,  and  at  the  northern  end,  consider- 
able patches  of  the  Silurian  beds  are  seen  at  the  surface.  The 
rock  appeared  at  first  sight  to  be  a  typical  quartz-felsite,  but 
microscopic  examination  of  the  first  slide  made,  revealed  certain 
characteristics  of  rhyolites,  which  indicate  the  intermediate 
position  it  holds  between  these  well  marked  types.  Dr.  Cullis, 
to  whom  it  was  shown,  described  it  as  a  "  stony  rhyolite 
approaching  quartz-felsite."  *  Other  microscopic  sections  show 
the  base  in  various  stages  of  devitrification.     This  dyke  cuts 

S  {*  Mr.  H.  J.  Seymour  asked  for  the  loan  of  this  microscopic  section  to  exhibit  before 
the  Dublin  Microscopical  Club,  and  the  details  he  then  gave  are  published  in  "The 
Irish  Naturalist,"  Sept.,  1897,  p.  24-8 


Some  Ignco2is  Rocks  in  Down  and  Antrim.  55 

through  one  of  basalt,  which  may  be  seen  in  the  bottom  of  a 
deep  gully.  Between  this  and  Newcastle  there  are  several 
basic  dykes,  one  large  one  occurring  just  below  the  houses 
known  as  the  "  Widow's  Row." 

As  the  granite  of  ihe  Mourne  Mountains  is  now  regarded 
as  probably  contemporaneous  with  the  riiyolites  of  Co.  Antrim, 
I  have  selected  for  the  first  two  views  in  that  county  slides 
showing  the  rhyolite  at  the  east  and  west  ends  of  the  quarry 
at  Templepatrick  Railway  Station.  It  was  here  that  Mr. 
M'Henry  obtained  the  interesting  evidence  which  led  him  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  rhyolite  had  intruded  in  the  form  of  a 
laccolite  into  the  Lower  Basalt  series,  now  regarded  as  of  Eocene 
age,  while  further  evidence  obtained  at  Ballypaladyand  Gleuarm, 
showed  it  to  be  older  than  the  Upper  Basalt  sheets,  or,  so  to 
speak,  of  mid-basaltic  age.*  It  is  interesting  to  note  that,  in 
this  respect,  these  later  observations  bear  out  the  view  of  Sir 
Richard  Griffith,  who  in  his  address  to  the  Geological  Society 
of  Dublin  in  1836,  placed  the  relative  age  of  the  "  Sandy  Brae 
Porphyry  "  between  that  of  the  "Lower"  and  "  Upper  tabular 
trap.'' 

The  chiei  locahties  in  Co.  Antrim  for  rhyolites,  besides 
Templepatrick,  are  Tardree,  Sandy  Braes,  and  Ballymena. 
Specimens  from  these  districts  are  on  the  table,  for  several  of 
which  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Robert  Bell,  whose  fine  collections 
of  fossils  and  rock  specimens  are  well  known. 

The  next  lantern  slide  shows  an  exposure  of  beautifully 
banded  rhyolite  in  a  quarry  between  Tardree  and  Sandy  Braes 
and  it  will  be  followed  by  two  slides  showing  a  small  protrusion 
of  rhyolite  at  Clough water.  /'  The  whole  mass,"  Professor 
Cole  writes,  ''  is  so  small,  that  it  might  possibly  be  a  displaced 
portion  of  a  lava-stream,  as  it  stands  we  must  regard  it  as 
representing  a  volcanic  neck."  | 

*  "  On  the  Age  of  the  Trachytic  Rocks  of  Antrim,"  by  A.  M'Henry,  M.R.I. A. 
Geol.  Mag.,  Dec.  4,  Vol.  2,  p.  260. 

t  The  RhyoUtes  of  the  Co.  of  Antrim.      By  Grenville  A.  J.  Cole,   M.R  I  A 
F.G.S.     Sc.  Trans.  Roy.  Dublin  Soc,  vol.  VI.,  Ser.  II.,  p.  112. 


56  Miss  M.  K.  Andreivs  on 

The  second  view  of  this  rhyohte  boss  includes  the  moorland 
behind,  and  Slemish,  the  finest  example  in  our  district  of  a 
volcanic  neck,  in  the  extreme  distance. 

In  connection  with  the  dolerite  of  which  Slemish  is 
composed,  I  may  mention  that  it  was  in  this  rock  that  my 
father,  Dr.  Andrews,  by  a  magneto-chemical  process,  discovered 
native  iron  widely  diffused  in  microscopic  particles.  The 
observation  was  unexpected,  as  except  in  meteorites,  native 
iron  is  of  very  rare  occurrence.  Dr.  Andrews  detected  it  also 
in  various  basalts,  in  the  induiated  lias  ofPortrush,  and  in  a 
trachyte  from  Auvergne,  but  the  largest  indications  were 
obtained  from  the  olivine  dolerite  of  Slemish. 

The  next  lantern  slides  show  views  of  Kenbaan,  one  of  the 
most  striking  headlands  of  our  coast.  The  intrusion  of  basalt 
below  the  chalk  anticline  is  of  special  interest  in  connection 
with  the  well  known  controversy  between  "  Neptunists  "  and 
"  Vulcanists "  in  regard  to  the  origin  of  basalt  and  other 
igneous  rocks. 

My  last  slide  is  of  Scrabo  Hill,  which  although  in  Co. 
Down,  is  regarded  as  an  outlier  of  the  Antrim  Ba&altic  Plateau. 
It  affords  very  fine  examples  of  sills  and  dykes,  exposed  in  its 
large  quarries  of  Triassic  sandstone.  The  sandstone  has  been 
protected  on  the  top  by  a  cappmg  of  dolerite,  and  the  lantern 
slide  shows  a  typical  section  v/ith  intrussive  sills,  cut  through 
by  a  vertical  dyke  of  later  age. 

The  economic  importance  of  the  igneous  rocks  of  Antrim 
and  Down  is  well  known,  and  in  regard  to  this  it  is  suflScient 
to  note  the  employment  of  Castlewellan  granite  in  the  Albert 
Memorial,  Hyde  Park,  and  to  refer  to  the  important  inquiries, 
instituted  by  Mr.  Wilkinson,  into  the  qualities  of  the  various 
kinds  of  stones  used  for  building  purposes  in  Ireland.  The 
results  of  his  experiments  are  given  in  his  work,  entitled, 
"Practical  Geology,  and  Ancient  Architecture  of  Ireland," 
published  in  1845. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  tests,  I  wish  to  draw  attention  to 
the    great  value  of  microscopic  sections   in    determining   the 


Some  Tgneotis  Rocks  in   Down  ana   Antrim.  57 

qualities  of  building  stones,  and  in  this  connection  the  following 
quotation  from  a  letter  just  received  from  the  eninent  geologist 
Professor  Judd,  is  of  much  interest.  "Microscopic  sections" 
Professor  Judd  writes,  *'  are  not  infrequently  employed  to  dis- 
criminate between  the  hardness  and  durability  of  different 
kinds  of  building  materials,  and  of  other  rocks  used  for 
economic  purposes. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  observations  that  can  be  made,  ist, 
as  to  the  nature  of  the  cement  between  the  grains  of  a  rock  ; 
2nd,  as  to  the  amount  of  incipient  decomposition  the  particles 
of  a  rock  have  undergone." 

I  have  only  now,  in  conclusion,  to  add — we  are  all  justly 
proud  of  our  coast  scener)^,  do  not  let  quarrying  operations 
mar  its  beauty  nor  accelerate  its  erosion.  On  the  other  hand, 
geology  may  be  largely  aided  by  quarrying,  and  may  we  not 
hope  that,  especially  in  the  inland  rhyolite  districts,  further 
sections,  as  interesting  as  the  classic  section  at  Templepatrick, 
may  yet  be  revealed. 


Note  on  some  Experiments  on  Irish  Stone  for  Street 
Paving  hy  H.   Gullan. 


Mr.  H.  Gullan,  Superintendent  of  Works  to  the  Corporation, 
referring  to  the  use  of  Irish  stone  for  street  paving,  informed  , 
the  members  present  that  the  Works  Department  were  about 
to  lay  down  a  series  uf  lengths  of  sett  paving  in  Corporation 
Street  with  stone  from  several  Irish  quarries,  with  a  view  of 
testing  the  quality  of  the  various  stone  for  the  purpose  of 
street  paving.     He  also  mentioned  that  a  similar  experiment 


58     Mr.  H.  Gullan  on  Some  Experiments  on  Irish  Stone^  &c. 

was  being  carried  out  iu  connection  witli  road  metal  in  Upper 
Townsend  Street. 

These  experiments,  he  pointed  out,  would  be  of  great  value 
in  determining  the  relative  qualities  of  the  stones,  and  he 
also  trusted  would  result  in  the  further  development  of  Irish 
quarries. 

Professor  Redfern  moved,  and  Mr.  R.  Patterson,  seconded,  a 
vote  of  thanks    to   the  lecturers,  which   was  heartily  passed. 


59 


2)rd  March ^   1903- 


Mr.  J.  Brown,  F.R.3.,  President  in  the  Chair 


THE  ARMADA  WRECKS  ON  THE  IRISH  COAST. 
Bt  Rev.  W.  S.  Green,  M.A. 


{Abstract.) 


Rev.  W.  S.  Green  said  that  during  the  last  dozen  years  a 
great  deal  of  his  life  had  been  spent  in  the  West  Coast  of 
Ireland.  In  the  early  part  of  that  time  he  had  to  make  a 
survey  of  the  fishing  grounds  when  Mr.  Arthur  Balfour  was 
Chief  Secretary  for  Ireland.  It  was  natural  that  his  interest 
should  be  awakened  in  the  history  of  the  past.  There  were  a 
great  many  periods  pressed  on  their  attention  when  they  were 
wandering  round  those  places  and  had  time  to  think,  and  there 
was  no  time  more  remarkable  or  striking  when  they  tried  to 
picture  it  than  those  days  when  the  galleons  of  the  great 
Spanish  Armada  were  drifting  ashore  on  all  the  bays  of  the 
West  of  Ireland.  «■ 

At  first  it  was  difficult  to  get  at  any  history  on  that  point, 
but  all  the  time  he  had  been  wandering  in  the  West  a  good 
deal  ot  publishing  had  been  going  on,  publishing  of  the  State 
papers  not  only  British,  but  Spanish  and  Venetian,  and  all 
those  documents  had  been  made  accessible  by  order  of  the 
Master  of  the  Rolls.  Anyone  who  took  the  trouble  could  find 
out  in  those  pages  the  facts  he  would  tell  them,  though  a  good 
deal  of  digging  was  required  to  get  at  the  ore. 

From  days  long  before  the  dawn  of  history  traffic  appeared 
to  have  existed  between  the  Iberian  Peninsula  and  Ireland.  It 
mighc  have  commenced  when  the  Phoenician  colonists  were 
exploring  the  Western  ocean.  When  history  opened  they 
found    trade    with    Spain    thoroughly    established.      Several 


6o  Rev.    W.   S.    Green  on 

incidents  in  the  histories  of  Galway  and  of  Watertord  formed 
good  illustrations  of  this,  as  Spanish  ships  bearing  wine  and 
other  commodities  were  constantly  coming,  and  taking  back 
hides,  tallow,  and  fish.  The  fishing  banks  of  the  Irish  coast 
were  annually  visited  by  Spaniards,  who  had  permanent 
establishments  in  the  harbours  and  creeks.  In  the  early  days 
of  Oueen  Elizabeth  as  many  as  600  Spanish  fishing  vessels  were 
reported  on  the  Irish  coast  in  a  single  year,  and  Spaniards  had 
permanent  curing  establishments. 

Turning  from  peace  to  war,  they  read  of  a  great  sea  fight  in 
the  Harbour  of  Kinsale  in  the  year  1380,  when  Spanish  and 
French  galleys  were  attacked,  and  destroyed  by  English  and 
Irish.  Later  on,  when  Europe  was  convulsed  by  the  wars 
resulting  from  the  Reformation  and  the  breaking  up  of  the 
great  empire  of  Charles  V.,  Ireland  came  in  for  her  share  of 
disturbance,  but  In  those  times  Spanish  experiences  in  Ireland 
were  almost  a  series  of  terrible  disasters.  The  first  act  of 
invasion  was  followed  by  the  massacre  at  Fort  Del  Ore  in  1580, 
in  Smerwick  Harbour,  in  Kerry. 

This,  however,  paled  into  insignificance  when  compared  with 
the  loss  of  the  ships  of  the  great  Armada,  which  took  place 
eight  years  after.  In  Connaught  alone  Sir  Richard  Bingham 
reported  between  6,000  and  7,000  men  drowned,  and  that  he 
had  executed  1,100  wretches  who  had  escaped  from  the  sea, 
many  of  them  being  notable  grandees  of  Spain.  Besides  these 
losses  thousands  were  drowned  or  slain  in  Ulster,  while  others 
perished  on  the  coast  of  Kerry. 

Though  they  had  read  long  ago  in  their  story  books  that  the 
English  fleet  which  went  to  attack  the  Armada  was  a  small 
fleet,  and  that  the  vessels  were  small,  yet  when  they  came  to 
look  up  the  State  papers  they  found  that  the  vessels  were  fairly 
matched,  and  at  least  in  the  battle  fought  at  Calais  the  English 
fleet  outnumbered  the  Spanish  considerably.  There  were  about 
100  Spanish  vessels  engaged  against  140  ordinary  English 
ships,  with  9,000  English  sailors.  The  Spaniards  had  7,000 
seamen.     The  largest  guns  in  those  days  were  the  42-pounders, 


The  Armada    Wrecks  on  the  Irish   Coast.  6i 

and  the  Enslish  had  a  gieat  many  more  cf  those  heavy  guns 
in  that  fight.  The  Spaniards  ahvays  wished  to  come  into  close 
quarters,  but  the  English  kept  them  at  arm's  length. 

When  the  Spaniards  were  beaten  they  had  to  retreat  round 
the  North  of  Scotland  and  down  the  West  of  Ireland  back  to 
Spain,  which  the  remainder  of  them  reached  starving,  sick,  and 
in  a  miserable  plight. 

The  largest  ship  in  the  Armada  was  1,300  tons,  and  carried 
about  40  guns.  The  largest  English  ship  was  about  i,too  tons, 
so  that  there  was  only  about  100  tons  difference  in  size.  The 
poops  of  the  Spanish  vessels  were  very  high  ;  the  English  cut 
their  ships  lower,  and  had  an  advantage  in  sailing.  The 
English  ships  had  been  greatly  improved  in  rigging.  They 
were  able  to  sail  within  five  points  of  the  wind  ;  the  Spanish 
ships  could  only  sail  within  six  points  of  the  wind.  There  was 
about  one  point  of  difference,  and  it  made  all  the  difference  in 
the  world.  It  enabled  the  English  ships  to  keep  the  Spaniards 
to  leeward.  The  reason  why  the  English  ships  sailed  closer  to 
the  wind  was  described  in  a  book  by  Sir  Walter  Raleigh.  The 
Spanish  and  English  vessels  carried  big  sails,  and  the  English 
adopted  bowlines,  which  were  a  great  invention  of  that  day, 
and  enabled  the  English  to  sail  roimd  the  Spaniards. 

Some  of  the  Spanish  vessels,  the  lecturer  pointed  out,  were 
propelled  by  three  hundred  rowers  each,  the  idea  being  that 
they  should  be  able  to  attack  when  they  liked,  and  in  the  calm 
weather  that  no  vessel  could  stand  an  attack  from  them.  Un- 
fortunate! v  there  was  very  little  calm  weather.  The  galleys, 
with  hundreds  of  slavcs  chained  to  the  oars,  were  always 
worsted. 

The  lecturer  then  gave  an  account  of  the  battle  aiid  the 
retreat  of  the  Spaniards  up  the  North  Sea  and  down  the  West 
Coast  of  Scotland  and  Ireland.  Out  of  131  vessels  only  65' 
returned.  Large  numbers  of  the  vessels  perished  on  the  Irish 
coasts.  He  gave  a  resume  of  what  had  been  learned  of  the 
adventures  of  the  following  vessels,  illustrating  his  discourse  by 
old  maps,  charts,  and  photographs,  for  the  most  part  taken  by 


62  Rev.    W.   S.   Green  on 

himself,  on  the  Irish  coast  :— The  Gerona,  lost  at  the  mouth  of 
the  River  Bush,  in  Antrim  ;  the  Valencera,  in  Glenagivney 
Bay  ;  the  Duquesa  Santa  Ana,  in  Louohrosmore  ;  the  Juliana 
and  La  Via,  also  in  Donegal  ;  the  San  Juan  de  Sicilia,  on  the 
Sligo  coast  ;  the  Rata  Encoronada,  in  Blacksod  Bay  ;  El 
Gran  Grin,  on  Clare  Island  ;  the  Falco  Blanco  Mediano,  in 
Connemara  ;  and  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Rosa,  in  the  Blasket 
Sound,  County  Kerry.  The  lecturer  devoted  special  attention 
to  the  story  of  the  Rata  and  to  the  adventures  of  Captain 
Cuellar,  whose  letter,  recently  translated  from  the  Spanish,  has 
proved  so  interesting  to  Irish  readers. 

So  far  as  the  literature  of  the  subject  was  concerned,  he 
referred  specially  to  Mr.  Froude,  Professor  Lawton.  Major 
Hume,  Mr.  Allingham,and  to  the  British,  Spanish,  and  Venetian 
State  papers.  In  relating  Captain  Cuellar's  adventures  after 
his  miraculous  escape  from  drowning  in  the  wreck  of  the 
Spanish  galleon  on  which  he  sailed,  he  told  the  story  of  his 
wanderings  through  the  country.  He  made  himself  very 
agreeable  to  the  people,  and  stopped  for  some  time  with 
a  certain  M'Clancy.  One  day  when  sitting  in  the  sun 
M'Clancy's  M'ife  asked  him  to  tell  her  fortune.  He  stated  that 
be  manufactured  ten  thousand  falsehoods,  which  pleased  her  so 
much  that  all  the  country  round  were  coming  to  him,  and  a 
special  guard  had  to  be  appointed  to  protect  him  from  these 
people.  M'Clancy  was  so  delighted  with  him  that  he  insisted 
upon  him  marrying  his  sister,  but  that  was  too  much  for  the 
Spanish  grandee,  and  he  asked  to  be  shown  the  shortest  way 
to  Donegal.  Eventually  he  managed  to  get  to  Scotland  and 
round  home. 

The  lecturer,  having  referred  to  some  relics  oi  the  Armada, 
hoped  in  conclusion  that  he  bad  been  able  to  give  them  some 
points  that  would  make  the  reading  of  that  very  interesting 
time  in  Irish  history  a  little  bit  more  interesting. 

Professor  Boas  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lecturer.  He 
said  that  the  admirable  address  to  which  they  had  listened  that 
evenino"  was  a  most  interesting  exhibition  of  what  he  might 


The  Armada    Wr-ecks  07i  the  Irish   Coast.  63 

call  the  new  historical  method.  The  older  school  of  historians 
had  been  content  to  base  their  narratives  on  the  literary  records 
of  the  past.  But  the  newer  school,  while  not  neglecting  these, 
drew  upon  two  additional  sources  of  information.  Firstly  they 
went  to  the  State  papers,  and  other  first-hand  documents.  It 
was  plain  from  his  lecture  that  Mr.  Green  had  made  abundant 
use  of  these — not  only  of  the  English  State  papers  bearing  on 
the  Elizabethan  period,  bu:  of  those  belonging  to  foreign 
countries.  Secondly,  the  new  school  of  historians,  headed  in 
this  respect  by  J.  R.  Green,  called  topography  into  their 
service,  and  were  not  content  without  surveying,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  actual  localities  of  the  events  which  they  described. 
The  value  of  this  method  had  been  illustrated  in  the  clearest 
possible  way  by  the  lecture  that  evening.  Mr.  Spctswood 
Green  had  gone  carefully  over  all  the  localities  associated  with 
the  wrecks  of  the  Armada,  and  had  used  his  camera  to  the  best 
advantage.  He  had  thus  been  able  to  fill  in  with  vivid  detail 
the  narrative  of  events  which  they  all  knew  in  outline,  and  no 
one  could  come  away  from  the  lecture  without  a  heightened 
historical  sense,  and  a  fuller  grasp  than  before  of  the  tragic 
story  of  the  Armada. 

Professor  Fitzgerald  seconded  the  motion,  which  was  heartily 
carried,  conveyed  by  the  President,  and  suitably  acknowledged 
by  the  reader  of  the  paper. 


Note  on  some  Effects  of  the  Cyclo7ie  of  Fehruary, 
27th,  by  R.    Welch. 


Photographs  illustrating  the  effects  of  the  cyclone  of  February 
27th,  at  the  Eastern  intake  at  Limavady  Junction  were  shown, 
by  Mr.  R.  Welch.  The  intake  was  flooded  to  the  depth  of  eight 
feet  in  some  places  as  the  result  cf  the  embankment  giving 
way,  the  railway  line  being  submerged  also  three  feet  at  each 
high  tide. 


64 


7///  April ^  1903. 
Mr.  J.  Bi-ioWN,  F.R.S.,  President  in  the  Chair. 


A  LOST  PRINCIPLE  IN  ART. 
By    George    Coffry,    M.A.,    MR.I.A. 


{Abstract.) 


Mr.  George  Coffey  said  the  actual  subject  of  the  lecture  was 
really  certain  requirements,  optical  and  artistic,  which  were 
practised  by  old  artists,  and  which  h".d  actually  perished  out  of 
art.  Those  discoveries,  the  great  majority  of  them,  were  chiefly 
due  to  Mr  Good)  ear,  curator  of  Brooklyn  Fine  Art  Institution, 
who  had  made  a  toui  in  the  North  of  Italy  examining 
mediccval  architecture,  and  he  reported  certain  refinements. 
He  had  met  Mr.  Goodyear  in  England,  and  was  in  the  position 
of  being  able  to  show  them  that  evening  a  number  of  vievi's  of 
those  buildings,  many  of  which  would  be  seen  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic  foi  the  first  time. 

English  architects  had  pooh-poohed  those  discoveries,  but  he 
was  glad  to  say,  because  he  believed  in  those  theories,  that  on 
the  Continent  those  views  were  rapidly  extending,  and  in 
America  they  were  being  put  into  practical  operation,  so  that 
he  h;d  no  doubt  that  in  a  very  short  time  they  would  have 
extended  to  this  side  of  the  waler.  They  knew  the  ordinary 
Greek  temple.  Taking  the  Parthenon,  it  had  been  supposed 
that  the  columns  were  perpendicular,  that  lines  which  appeared 
horizontal  were  horizontal,  and  that  it  was  laid  out  mathe- 
matically correct,  and  it  had  been  assumed  that  the  intervals 
between  the  columns  were  equal.     Mr.  Penrose,  who  died  a 


A  Lost  Principle  in  Art.  65 

few  years  ago,  discovered  that  it  was  filled  with  the  most 
wonderful  refinements.  The  columns,  which  appeared  to  be 
erect,  leaned  in  slightly.  The  platform  on  which  the  temple 
was  built,  instead  of  being  flat,  was  delicately  curved.  A 
delicate  rhythm  was  given  through  the  whole  of  the  spacing  of 
the  columns.  There  were  a  number  of  other  refinements.  A 
sense  of  touch  was  given  to  the  whole  building,  and  every  line 
of  it  was  considered  with  a  view  to  its  effect. 

The  curves  were  first  discovered  by  an  Englishman  named 
Pennythorn,  and  the  general  idea  was  that  the  curved  line  was 
to  give  a  greater  appearance  of  strength.  Since  Penrose's  time 
it  had  been  discovered  that  every  Greek  temple  had  its  refine- 
ments, and  Goodyear's  discoveries  went  to  show  that  not  only 
did  Egyptians  and  Greeks  employ  those  refinements,  but  that 
they  passed  on  to  Roman  and  came  down  to  mediaeval  times. 
The  principle  was  called  assymmetry,  and  he  thought  they 
would  find  that  the  principle  of  symmetry  was  death  and  the 
principle  of  assymmetry  life. 

Repetition  was  part  of  a  tendency  in  the  world  towards 
uniformity,  and  there  could  be  no  manifestation  of  power 
except  there  was  difference,  and  unless  there  was  something 
vital  and  human  in  art  there  could  be  not  relation  between  art 
and  them.  In  those  commercial  days,  when  they  turned  out 
prints  mechanically,  commercial  men  had  actually  found  it 
necessary  to  devise  machines  with  eccentricities  to  try  and 
imitate  the  life  that  was  not  in  them. 

In  conclusion,  he  wanted  to  say  let  them  not  imagine  this 
was  an  artistic  age.  They  had  for  the  present  done  with  art. 
It  died  about  1600.  But  let  them  not  imagine  that  by 
crowding  their  rooms  by  a  whole  lot  of  manufactured  art  that 
they  were  adding  to  the  pleasure  of  life.  Let  them  have  plain 
and  comfortable  rooms,  and  let  them  purchase  at  least  if  they 
could  one  work  of  art. 

The  Chairman  thought  that,  except  in  a  few  cases,  they 
could  not  call  the  architecture  of  Belfast  art.  It  was 
rather  of  the  nature  of  a  hereditary  utilitarianism. 


66  Mr.  George  Cojfey  on 

Sir  Otto  Jaffe  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lecturer,  and 
believed  if  they  should  have  the  good  fortune  to  visit  any  of 
the  places  touched  upon  they  would  be  able  to  recall  the 
instruction  they  had  received  that  night  with  particular 
pleasure. 

Mr.  Gray  said  that  variety  was  an  element  of  beauty  in 
architecture,  as  it  was  in  nature.  In  his  opinion  the  departures 
from  perpendicular,  horizontal,  and  straight  lines  detected  in 
the  ruins  ot  ancient  Grecian  and  other  buildings,  were  the 
result  of  pressure,  heat,  and  natural  decay,  and  not  to  the 
intentional  design  of  the  architect.  Symmetry  and  not 
assymmetry  seem  to  have  been  the  rule  with  the  Greeks. 

Mr.  W.  J.  Fennell  offered  his  tribute  of  thanks  to  the 
lecturer  for  his  valuable  paper.  He  took  exception  to  the 
praise  bestowed  on  the  irregular  designs  of  Pisa,  and  considered 
the  attempt  of  its  builders  to  enhance  the  perspective  defeated 
its  object,  and  compared  its  "crossing"  and  heavy  looking 
dome  to  that  of  Ely,  considered  that  the  latter  was  immeasur- 
ably superior,  and  without  laboured  attempts  at  perspective. 
He  also  considered  chat  the  irregular  arcading  of  Pisa  had  not 
the  same  good  effect  as  the  more  regular  design  of  Gloucester. 
That  the  art  was  not  altogether  "  lost  "  he  instanced  that  the 
modern  classic  columns  always  bore  evidence  of  the  "  swelling" 
required  for  the  perfect  harmony  that  the  eye  demanded. 

Mr.  R.  May  said  that  it  was  a  well  known  rule  and  principle 
in  all  good  carving  shops  in  the  executing  of  freize  ornament 
or  good  panels,  where  it  was  desired  that  the  ground  should 
appear  fiat,  a  fulness  of  over  a  sixteenth  of  an  inch  to  the  foot 
was  left  in  the  centre,  where,  had  the  ground  been  finished 
quite  fiat,  a  weak  or  hollow  appearance  is  the  result.  This 
principle  must  have  been  handed  down  from  very  early  times. 

Mr.  R.  A.  Dawson  desired  to  add  a  word  of  thanks  to  the 
lecturer  for  coming  amongst  them,  and  pointing  out  the  various 
refinements  in  architecture  which  were  so  easily  neglected. 
With  the  lecturer  he  believed  in  the  unity  of  the  arts,  and  that 
all  the  arts  clustered  round  architecture.    He  was  glad  that  this 


A  Lost  Principle  in  Art,  67 

was  being  more  and  more  recognised  in  our  schools  of  art. 
In  their  own  school  at  Belfast  chey  had  special  classes  for 
architecture,  and  in  order  to  get  this  unity  in  art  work 
architectural  students  were  encouraged  to  study  other  branches 
of  work,  and  students  in  other  classes  were  encouraged  to 
study  architecture,  so  as  to  see  its  bearing  on  their  own  special 
craft.  No  doubt  we  lived  in  a  mechanical  and  material  age, 
tending  to  a  loss  of  refinement,  and  the  stamping  out  of 
humanity  and  life  in  art.  What  we  wanted  nowadays  to  bring 
back  the  refinement  mentioned  by  Mr.  Coffey,  was  more 
recognition  of  the  human  element  in  art  work,  as  against  the 
merely  mechanical  ;  more  hand  work  as  against  machine  wcrk; 
more  work  in  situ  as  opposed  to  that  worked  out  entirely 
in  the  studio  or  office,  and  more  craftsmen  who  were  also 
designers,  and  not  mechanical  copyists  of  designs  by  other 
men,  with  which  they  had  no  sympathy.  He  had  pleasure  in 
supporting  the  vote  of  thanks. 

The  motion  was  heartily  passed,  and  the  lecturer,  in  replying, 
said  he  had  only  been  able  to  touch  the  fringe  of  the  subject, 
and  he  referred  those  who  would  like  to  study  the  subject  to 
the  Brooklyn  Institute  of  Fine  Arts'  memoirs  on  the  subject, 
which  they  would  probably  find  in  the  library. 


i^atutal  list0rg  &  IBIjilasopIjical  Smttv. 


Officers  and  Cou?icil  of  Maftagetnetit  for  ig>oj-ig04. 

■^resibeiti : 

PEOFESSOR  JOHNSON  SYMINGTON,  M.D.,  F.E.S. 

■^ice-"g*tresibcttfs : 

REV.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  il.d.    I      WiM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 
SIR  R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  d.l.  1      ROBERT  YOUNG,  c.e.,  j.p. 

F.L.S. 

/aon.  ■treasurer : 
W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

<^on.  (£ibratrian: 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

/»on.  gccrefarg. 

ROBERT  M.  Y'OUNG,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a. 

JOHN  BROWN,  F.E.S.,  a.m.i.e.e. 

JOHN  H.  DAYIES. 

KEY.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.,   prfsident  q.c.b. 

JOHN  HORNER,  m.i.m.e. 

SEATON  F.  MILLIGAN.  m.r.i.a.,  f.k.s.a. 

SIR  R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  d.l.,  j.p.,  e.l.s. 

ROBERT  PATTERSON,  m.r.i.a.,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.u. 

W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

THOMAS  F.  SIIILLINGTOX,  j.p. 

WM.  SWANSTON,  r.c.s. 

PROFESSOR  JOHNSON  SYMINGTON,  m.d.,  f.r.s. 

PROFESSOR  GREGG  WILSON,  d.sc. 

JOSEPH  WRIGHT,  f.g.s. 

ROBERT  YOUNG,  j.p.,  c.e. 

R.    M.    Y'OUNG,    B.A.,    J. p.,    M.R.I.A, 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

\^ Denotes  holders  of  three  or  more  Sharcs?\ 

*Alexarider,  Francis,  b.k.,  Belfast 

Allworthy,  S.  W.,  m.d.,  Manor  House,  Antrim  Road.  do. 

*Anderson,  John  j.p.,  f.g.s.,  East  Hillbrook,  Holyvvood 

Andrew,  John  J.,  l.d.s.,  r.c.s.  Eng.,  University  Square,   Belfast 
Andrews,  Miss  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Andrews,  George,  j.p.,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Armstrong,  Thomas,  jun.,  Donegall  Square  West,  do. 

Armstrong,  William,  Chichester  Gardens,  do. 

Baird,  Wm.,  Royal  Avenue,  do. 

Barbour,  James,  j.p.,  Ardville,  Marino  Holywood 

Beattie,  Rev.  A.  H.  Hamilton,  Portglenone 

Bigger,  Francis  J.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ardrie,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Bland,  Robert  H.,  j.p.,  Lisburn 

Bottomley,  Henry  H.,  Belfast 

Bowman,  Davys,  Holyrood,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Boyd,  William,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 

Boyd,  William  Sinclair,  Ravenscroft,  Bloomfield,  do. 

*Boyd,  J.  Sinclair,  m.d.,  Chatsworth,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Braddc-11,  Edward,  Wilmington  Square,  Eastbourne 

Brett,  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,      Belfast 
Brett,  John  H.,  c.e.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Bristow,  James  R.,  Lismore,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Brown,  John,  f.r.s.,  a.m.i.e.e.,  Longhurst,  Dunmurry 

Brown,  William  K.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Bulloch,  Alexander,  Kversleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Burrowes,  W.  B.,  Ballynafeigh  House,  do. 

Byers,  Prof.  John  W.,  m.a.,  m.d..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Calwell,  Alex.  M'D.,  do. 

Calwell,  William,  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Square  North,  do. 

*Campbell,  Miss  Anna  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Carr,  A.  H.  R.,  Waring  Street,  Belfast 


70 


Shareholders. 


Carson,  John,  Walmer  Terrace,  Holywood 

*Charley,  Phineas  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor 

*Chrislen,  Madame  Rodolphe,  Carnbinn,  Whitehouse 

Clark,  George  S.,  Dunlambert,  Belfast 

Clarke,  E.  H.,  Netting  Hill,  do. 

Coates,  Victor,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry 

Connor,  Charles  C,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  Belfast 

Combe,  George,  Cranethorpe,  Strandtown 

Crawford,  William,  Mount  Randal,  Belfast 

Crawford,  William,  Calendar  Street,  do. 

Craig,  Edwin  E.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown 

Davies,  John  H.,  Lenaderg  House,  Banbridge 
*Deramore,  Lord,  d.l.  (Representatives  of) 

Dixon,  Professor,  Almora,  Myrtlefield  Park,  Belfast 

Dods,  Robert,  b.a.,  St.  Leonards,  Newcastle 

^Donegal,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 
*Downshire,  Marquis  of  (Reps,  of).  The  Castle,       Hillsborough 

Duffin,  Adam,  ll.d.,  Dunowen,  Cliftonville,  Belfast 
Dunleath,  Lord,  Ballywalter  Park 

(Representatives  of),  Ballywalter 

Ewart,  G.  Herbert,  m.a.,  Firmount,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Ewart,  Fred  W.,  m.a.,  b.l.,  Derryvolgie,  Lisburn 
Ewart,  Sir  Wm.  Quartus,  Bart.,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Glen- 

machan  House,  Belfast 

Faren,  Wm.,  Mountcharles,  do. 

*Fenton,  Francis  G.,  Paris 

Ferguson,  Godfrey  W.,  C.E.,  Donegall  Park,  Belfast 

Finlay,  Fred  W.,  j.p..  Wolf  hill  House,  Ligoniel 

Finlay,  Robert  H.  F.,  Cavehill  Road,  Belfast 
Finnegan,  John,  b.a.,  b.sc,  Kelvin  House,  Botanic 

Avenue  Belfast 
FitzGerald,  Professor  Maurice  F.,  b.a.,  m.lm.e.,  Assoc. 

M.LC.E.,  Eglantine  Avenue, 


Foster,  Nevin  Harkness,  Hillsborough, 


do. 
Co.  Down 


Shareholders. 


V 


*Getty.  Edmund  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Gibson,  Andrew,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Girdwood,  Miss,  Mountpleasant,  do. 

Gordon,  M.,  Hilden,  Lisburn 

*Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  D.n  ,  m.r.i.a., 

(Representatives  of)  Broughshane 
Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Cavehill  Road,  Belfast 

Greer,  Thomas,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Seapark,  Carrickfergus 

*Ha]I,  Frederick  H.,  Waterford 

Hamilton,  Rev.  Thos.,  d.d..  President,  Queen's  College,  Belfast 
*Hami]ton,  Hill,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Harland,  W.,  3  Crescent  Gardens,  University  Road,  do. 

Henderson,  Miss  Anna  S.,  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Henderson,  Sir  James,  a.m.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Oakley,  Windsor 

Park,  do. 


Henderson,  Mrs.  Charlotte  (Reps,  of),  Clarges  Street,     London 

Henry,  R.  M.,  m.a,, 

Herdman,  John,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Carricklee  House, 

*Herdman,  Robert  Ernest,  j.p.,  Rosavo, 

Heyn,  James  A.  M.,  Strandtown  House, 

Hind,  John,  junr.,  Clifton  Park  Avenue, 

Hodges,  Miss 

Hogg,  John,  Academy  Street, 

Horner,  John,  m.i.m.f..,  Chelsea,  Antrim  Read, 

*Houston,  John  Blakiston,  j.p.,  v.l.,  Orangefield, 

*Hughes,  Edwin,  j.p.,  Dalchoolin, 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  ll.d.,  Windsor, 


Inglis,  James,  j.p.,  Abbeyville, 


Belfast 

Strabane 

Cultra 

Belfast 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 
Craigavad 
Belfast 

Whiteabbey 


Jackson,  A.  T.,  c.e.,  Tighnabruaich,  Derryvolgie 

Avenue,  Belfast' 

Jaffe,  Sir  Otto,  j.p..  Kin  Edar,  Strandtown,  do. 

Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  j.p.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey 


Kennedy,  Mrs.  Amelia,  Dalguise,  Monkstown, 


Dublin 


72  ShareJinlders. 

Kertland,  Edwin  H.,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Belfast 

Kidd,  George,  j.p.,  Lisnatore,  Dunmurry 

*Kinghan,  John  R.,  Altoona,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 

Kinnaird,  George  Y.,  Malone  Park,  do. 

Kyle,  Robert  Alexander,  Donegall  Place,  do. 


Lanyon,  Mrs.,  Lisbreen,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 
Larmor,  Joseph,  m.a  ,  d.sc,  ll  d,  f.r.a.s  ,  f.r.u.i.. 

Sec.  R.S.,  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge 

Leathern,  R.  R.,  m.d.,  Belgravia,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast 
Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  j.p.,  Edgecumbe, 

Strandtown,  do. 
Lepper,  F.  R.,  j.p  ,  Elsinore,                           Carnalea,  Co.  Down 

Letts,  Professor  E.  A.,  ph.d.,  f.c.s.,  Shirley  Lodge,  Cultra 
Lindsay,  Professor  James  A.,  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Square 

East  Belfast 

Lytle,  David  B.,  j.p.,  Bloomfield  House,  do. 

Lytle,  Joseph  H.,  j.p.,  Ashleigh,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Macassey,  L.  Livingstone,  b.t,.,  m.i.c.e.,  Dunmurry 

Mackenzie,  John,  c.E.,  Strathavon,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast 

*Macrory,  A.  J.,  (Representative  of),  do. 

Magill,  J.  E.,  Easton  Terrace,  Cliftonville,  do. 
Malcolm,  Bowman,  m.i.c.e.,  m.i.m.e.,  Ashley  Park, 

Antrim  Road,  do. 
Maxton,  James,  m.i.n.a.,  m.i.mar.r.,  Kirkliston  Drive, 

Bloomfield,  do. 

Maxwell,  David  A.,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Mayes,  William,  5  Mount  Pleasant,  do. 

Milligan,  Seaton  Forest,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.,  Bangor 

Mitchell,  Robert  A.,  ll.b  ,  t.c.d.,  Marmont,  Strandtown 

Montgomery,  Henry  C,  Bangor 

Montgomery,  H.  H.,  Strandtown,  Belfast 

Montgomery,  Thomas,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Ballydrain  House.  Dunmurr}' 

Moore,  James,  The  Finaghy,  Belfast 

Morton,  Professor  W.  B.,  m.a.,  Nottinghill,  do. 


Shareholders. 


73 


Mullen,  William,  Lindistarne,  Marlborough  Park, 
Murney,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p..  Tudor  House, 
*Murphy,  Isaac  James, 

*Murphy,  Joseph  John  (Representatives  of), 
Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone, 
*Musgrave,  Henrv,  Drumglass,  Malone, 


Belfast 

Holywood 

Armagh 

Belfast 

do. 

do. 


Musgrave,  Sir  James,  Bart.,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Drumglass,  Malone,    do. 

MacAdam,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  do. 

M'Bride,  Henry  James,  Hyde  Park,  Mallusk,  do, 

M'Bride,  Samuel,  Edgehill,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

*'Vl'Calmont,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  London 

*M'Cammon,  Thos.  Plaisted,  Woodville,  Holywood 

M'Cance,  Miss  Charlotte  Georgianna,  Larkfield,  Dunmurry 
M'Clure,  Sir  Thomas,  Bart.,  j.p.,  d.l.  (Representatives 

of) 

MacColl,  Hector,  Kirkliston  Drive,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 

MacCormac,  John  M.,  m.d..  Victoria  Place,  do. 

MacCormac,  Hugh  M'Neile,  Cultra  House,  Holywood 
*M'Cracken.  Francis  (Representatives  of) 

M'Gee,  James,  Woodville,  Holywood 

Macllwaine,  John  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor 

M'Kisack,  H.  L.,  m.d..  College  Square  East,  Belfast 

M'Knight,  John  P.,  Nevara,  Chichester  Park,  do. 

*MacLaine,  Alexander,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  do. 

M'Neill,  George,  Beechleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Neill,  Sharman  D.,  Holywood 

Nicholson,  Henry  J.,  College  Square  North,  Belfast 

O'Neill,  James,  m.a.,  College  Square  East,  do. 

O'Rorke,  Mrs.,  Dunratho,  Craigavad 

Orr,  Hugh  L.,  Woodstock  Road,  Belfast 

Park,  Rev.  Wm.,  m.a.,  Somerset  House,  University  St.,  Belfast 

Patterson,  Edward  Ferrar,  Ballyholme  Road,  Bangor 

Patterson,  Mrs.  Isabella,  Bonn,  Germany 

Patterson,  John,  Dunallan,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 


74  Shareholders. 

Patterson,  Richard,  j.f.,  Kilmore,  Holj^wood 

*Patterson,  Sir,  Robert  Lloyd,  j.p.,  d.l...  f.l.s.,  Croft  House   do. 
Patterson,  Robert,  m.r.i.a.,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.u.,  Malone  Park,  Belfast 
Patterson,  William  H.,  m.r.i.a.,  Garranard,  Strandtown 

Patterson,  William  H.  F.,  Stalheim,  Knock,  Belfast 

Pim,  Edward  W.,  j.p.,  Elm  wood  Terrace,  do. 

Pim,  Joshua,  Slieve-na-Failthe,  Whiteabbey 

Praeger,  R.  Lloyd,  b.e.,  m.r.i.a.,  National  Library,  Dublin 

Rae,  John  Henry,  m.d.,  University  Street,  Belfast 

Rae,  William  R.,  Gardha,  Fortwiiliam  Park,  do. 

Reade,  Robert,  H.  S.  j.p.,  d.l.,  Wilmont,  Dunmurry 

Riddell,  Samuel,  Beechpark  Belfast 

Robertson,  William,  j.p.,  Netherleigh,  Strandtown  do. 

Robinson   John,  Sydenham  Road,  do. 

Scott,  R.  Taylor,  Richmond  Villa,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 
Sheldon,  Charles,  m.a.,  d.lit.,  b.sc.  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  do. 

Shillington,  Thos.  Foulkes,  j.p.,  Dromart,  Antrim  Road,  do. 
Simms,  Felix  Booth,  Queen  Street,  do. 

Sinclair,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  m.a.,  T-P-j  r).L.,  Hopefield,  do. 
Sinclair,  Prof.  Thomas,  M.i;.,  f.r.c.s.  Eng.,  Howard  St.,  do. 
Smith,  John,  Castleton  Terrace,  do. 

Smyth,  John,  m.a.,  c.e.,  Miletown,  Banbridge 

Speers,  Adam,  b.sc,  Riversdale,  Holywocd 

Steen,  William  C,  m.d.,  Windsor  Crescent,  Belfast 

Steen,  William,  b.l..  Northern  Bank,  Victoria  Street,  do. 
Stelfox,  James.  Oaklcigh,  Ormeau  Park,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Symington,  Prof.  Johnson,  m.d.,  f.r.s.,  Queen's  College,     d®. 

*Tennent,  Robert  (Representative  of),  Rushpark,  do. 
*Tennent,  Robert  James  (Representative  of).  Rush- 
park,  Belfast 
Thompson,  S.  B.,  Short  Strand,                                            do. 


Shareholders,  75 

Torrens,  Mrs.  Sarah  H.  (Representative  of),  Whiteabbey 

*TurnIey.  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Walkington,  Miss  Jane  A.    Wolsley  Villas,  Malonc  Park,  do. 
Walkington,    Thomas  R.,  Edenvale,  Strandtown,  do. 

Wallace,  John,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Camden  Street,  do. 

Ward,  John,  J.P.,  f.s.a.,  Lennoxvale,  Malone  Road,  do. 

*Webb,  Richard,  T.,  Shandon  Park,  Knock,  do. 

Whitla,  Prof.  Sir  William,  m.d.,  j.p.,  College  Sq.,  North,     do. 
Wilson,  James,  m.e,  Oldforge,  Dunmurry 

Wilson,  John.  K.,  j.p.,  Donegall  Street,  Belfast 

*Wilson,  Walter,  H.  Belvoir  Park,  do. 

*Wilson   W.  Perceval,  do. 

*Wolflr,  G.  W.,  J. p.,  M.p.,  The  Den,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  Francis,  Drummena,  Bladon  Park,  do. 

Workman,  John,  j.p.,  Lismore,  Windsor,  do. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a.,  Rubane  House,  Glastry 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert  m.a.,  B.n.,  The  Manse,   Newtownbreda 
*  Workman,  Thomas,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  Craig- 

darragh,  Craigavad 

Workman,  William,  Nottinghill,  Belfast 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Young,  Robert,  c.e.,  j.p.,  Rathvarna,  do. 

*Young,  Robert  Magill,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathvarna,        do. 


76 


Animal  Subscribers. 
HONORARY     ASSOCIATES. 


Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Belfast 
Stewart  Samuel  Alex.,  f.b.s.,  Edin.,  Belfast  Museum,         do. 
Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Clittonville  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 


ANNUAL     SUBSCRIBERS     OF     TWO  GUINEAS. 

Belfast  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  Belfast 

Northern  Banking  Co.,  Ltd.,  do. 

Ulster  Bank,  Ltd.,  do. 

York  Street  Spinning  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 


ANNUAL    SUBSCRIBERS     OF     ONE     GUINEA. 

Allan,  C.  E.  Stormont  Castle,  Dundonald 

Boyd,  John,  Cyprus  Gardens,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 

Brown,  G.  Herbert.,  j.p.,  Tordeevra,  Helen's  Bay 

Bruce,  James,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Cleaver,  A.S.,  b.a.,  Dunraven,  do. 

Davidson,  S.  C,  Sea  Court,  Bangor 

Fulton,  G.  F.,  Howard  Street,  Belfast 

Gamble,  James,  Royal  Terrace.  do. 

Green.  Isaac,  Ann  Street,  do. 

Hanna,  J.  A.,  j.p.,  Marietta,  Knock,  do. 

Hazelton,  W.  D.,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Higginbotham,  Granby,  Wellington  Park,  do. 

Hutton,  A.  W.,  Chichester  Street,  do. 

Jones,  R.  M.,  m.a.,  Royal  Academical  Institution,  do. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  Crumlin  Terrace,  do. 


Aiuiual  Subscribers.  77 

Macassey,  Lyndon,  c.e.,  b.a.,  ll.b.,  London 

Malone,  John,  Brookvale  House,  Cliftonville,  Belfast 

Morrow,  W.  A.  G.,  Clifton  Street,  do. 

M'Laughlin,  W.  H.,  Macedon,  do. 

Parr,  William,  St.  Marks,  Ballysillan,  do. 

Redfern,  Prof.  Peter,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.i..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Pullman,  S.  H.,  Claremont,  Knock,  do. 

Scott,  Conway,  c.e.,  Annaville,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Storrar,  W.  Morrison,  l.r.c.p.,  Mountcharles,  do. 
Swiney,  J.  H.  H.,  b.a.,  b.e.,  Bella  Vista,  Antrim  Road,      do. 

Tate,  Alexander,  c.e.,  Rantalard,  Whitehouse,  do. 

Thompson,  John,  j.p..  Mount  CoUyer,  do. 

Turpin,  James,  Waring  Street,  do. 


I 


epijt  ami  irorceiiitflH 


BBLB^.A.ST 


NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIEiy 


SESSIOlSr     1903-1904:. 


BELFAST  : 

PRINTED  BY  ALEX.  MAYNE  &  BOYD,  2  CORPORATION  STREET. 

(printers  to  queen's  college.) 

1904. 


CONTENTS. 


Annual  Report 

Balance  Sheet 

Donations  to  Museum    .. 

Additions  to  Library 

John   Grattan :    A  Sketch  of   his    Work    as   a   Craniologist — Professor 

Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E 
Sayings,  Proverbs,  and  Humours  of  Ulster — Professor  Byers,  M.A.,  M.D. 
Radium — John  Finnegan,  B.A.,  B.Sc 
A   Historic   Trial :    The   1  imavady    Gold   Ornaments    Case— R.   Lloyd 

Praeger,  B.A.,  B.E.,  M.R.I.A 
Around  Youghal  and  the  Blackwater— Seaton  F.   Milligan,  M.R.LA., 

F.R. S.A.I. 
Presentation  to  Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart,  A.L.S.,  F.B.S. 

The  National  Expenditure  on  the  Maintenance  of  Gulls— J.  Brown,  F.R.S. 
Blinking  or  111- wishing— E.  J.  M'Kean,  B. A.  (Oxon.) 
Report  of   Delegate   to   British   Association — Professor  Gregg  Wilson, 

M.A.,  Ph.D.,  D.Sc,  M.R.I.A. 
List  of  OtBce- Bearers     ... 
List  of  Shareholders 


PAGE 

1 

9 

10 

11 

19 

41 
44 

50 

53 
59 
63 
70 

74 
76 

77 


i 


Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society. 


EST-A^BLISiaiEID     18121. 


CONSTITUTION. 

The  membership  of  the  Society  consists  of  Shareholders  in  the  Museum, 
Annual  Subscribers  (Associates),  Honorary  Members  and  Honorarj'  Associates. 

Shares  in  the  Museum  cost  £7  each.  A  holder  of  one  Share  pays  an 
annual  contribution  of  ten  shillings  ;  a  holder  of  two  Shares  (in  one  certificate) 
an  annual  contribution  of  five  shillings  ;  while  a  holder  of  three  or  more  Shares 
(in  one  certificate)  is  exempt  from  annual  payments.  Shares  en  which  the 
annual  payments  as  above  are  in  arrear  are  liable  to  forfeiture.  The  Council 
retain  the  right  to  decline  to  consolidate  two  or  more  share  certificates  into  one 
certificate. 

Annual  Subscribers  (Associates)  pay  £1  Is.  (one  guinea)  due  1st  November 
in  each  year  in  advance. 

A  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  in  the  Museum  is  held  annually  in 
May  or  June,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  convenient,  to  receive  the  Report  of  the 
Council  and  the  Statements  of  Accounts  for  the  preceding  year,  to  elect 
members  of  Council  to  replace  those  retiring  by  rotation  or  from  other  reasons, 
and  to  transact  any  other  business  incidental  to  an  annual  meeting.  Share- 
holders only  are  eligible  for  election  on  the  Council. 

The  Council  elect,  from  among  their  own  number,  a  President  and  other 
officers  of  the  Society. 

Each  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  the  ordinary  lectures 
of  the  Society,  and  has  the  privilege  of  introducing  two  friends  for  admission 
to  such  ;  and  he  has  also  the  right  of  access  to  the  Museum  and  Library  for 
himself  and  family  residing  under  his  roof,  with  the  privilege  of  granting 
admission  orders  for  inspecting  the  collections  in  the  Museum  to  any  person  not 
residing  in  Belfast  or  within  five  miles  thereof.  The  session  for  lectures 
extends  from  November  till  May. 

The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  for  the  admission  of 
visitors,  for  such  hours  as  the  Council  may  from  time  to  time  decide  ;  the 
charge  fur  admission  to  non-members  is  sixpence  each.  The  Curator  is  in 
constant  attendance,  and  will  take  charge  of  any  donation  kindly  presented  to 
the  Museum  or  Library. 

Any  further  information  required  may  be  obtained  from  the  Honorary 
Secretary. 


ifiSelfast  IRatural  1bi5torv>  an^  jpbilosopbical 

Society. 


ANNUAL    REPORT,    1903-4. 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Shareholders  was  held  on  20th  June, 
1904,  in  the  Museum,  College  Square  North.  Professor  Symington, 
M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E.,  President,  occupied  the  chair,  and  amongst 
those  present  were — Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton  (President  Queen's  Col- 
lege) ;  Dr.  John  MacCormac ;  Messrs.  John  Ward,  J. P.,  F.S.A.  ; 
Geo.  Kidd,  J.P.  ;  R.  M.  Young,  J.P.  (Hon.  Secretary)  ;  John 
Horner,  J.P.;  J.  H.  M'llwaine,  John  Carson,  Robert  Patterson, 
M.R.I.A.  ;  W.  Gray,  M.R.I.A.;  W.  H.  F.  Patterson,  R.  A.  Kyle, 
W.  Swanston,  F.G.S.;  J.  E.  Magill,  and  H.  C.  Montgomery. 

The  Hon.  Secretary,  Mr.  Robert  M.  Young,  M.R.I.A.,  J.P., 
read  the  Annual  Report,  which  was  as  follows  : — 

The  Winter  Session  was  opened  in  the  Museum  on  the  3rd 
November,  1903,  when  the  President,  Professor  Johnson  Symington, 
M.D.,  F.R.S.,  gave  an  inaugural  address,  subject,  "John  Grattan  : 
an  Appreciation  of  his  Scientific  Work,"  with  illustrations.  The 
second  meeting  was  held  on  the  ist  December,  when  Professor 
J.  W.  Byers,  M.A.,  M.D.,  delivered  a  lecture,  subject,  "  Sayings,. 
Proverbs,  and  Humour  of  Ulster."  The  third  meeting  took  place 
on  the  28th  of  January,  1904,  when  Mr.  John  M.  Finnegan,  B.A'., 
B.Sc,  gave  a  lecture  on  "  Radium,"  illustrated  by  experiments, 
&c.  The  fourth  meeting  was  held  on  17th  February,  when  a 
lecture  was  kindly  given  by  Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger,  B.A.,  B.E., 


2  Annual  Meetiftg. 

M.R.I.A.,  subject,  "  A  Historic  Trial  :  the  Limavady  Gold 
Ornaments  Case."  Fac-similes  of  the  gold  objects  were  exhibited. 
Mr.  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S.,  Vice-President,  occupied  the  chair  in 
the  unavoidable  absence  of  the  President.  The  fifth  meeting 
took  place  on  the  22nd  March,  when  Mr.  Seaton  F.  Milligan, 
M.R.I.A.,  delivered  a  lecture,  subject,  "  Around  Youghal  and  the 
Blackwater  with  the  Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries,"  illustrated  with 
a  special  series  of  lantern  views.  The  closing  meeting  was  held 
on  26th  April,  when  two  papers  were  read — i.  "The  National 
Expenditure  on  the  Maintenance  of  Gulls,"  by  Mr.  John  Brown, 
F.R.S.  2.  "  BHnking  or  Ill-wishing,"  by  Mr.  John  M'Kean,  B.A. 
(Oxon.).  Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  D.Sc,  then  gave  an  account 
of  the  work  done  as  our  delegate  of  the  allied  societies  at  the  last 
British  Association  meeting. 

The  attendance  of  members  and  of  the  general  public  at  all 
these  meetings  was  good.  The  various  societies  holding  their 
meetings  in  the  Museum  continue  to  do  so,  and  the  Ulster 
Amateur  Photographic  Society  have  taken  over  the  rooms  on 
ground  floor  formerly  occupied  by  the  Naturalists'  Field  Club. 

At  the  Easter  holidays  the  Museum  was  opened  as  usual  at  a 
nominal  charge  and  the  attendance  was  fully  as  numerous  as  in 
recent  years. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  Royal  Visit  to  Belfast  in  last  July  your 
Council  prepared  a  loyal  address,  which  was  presented  to  their 
Majesties,  King  Edward  VII.  and  Queen  Alexandra,  by  Sir  R. 
Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.,  and  the  Honorary  Secretary,  on  behalf  of 
the  Society,  and  was  graciously  acknowledged.* 

Since  the  last  Annual  Meeting  the  Society  has  to  deplore  the 
loss  of  several  of  its  oldest  members.  Sir  James  Musgrave,  Bart., 
was  a  warm  friend  of  the  Society  and  his  time  and  purse  were 
always  at  its  disposal  when  required.  Messrs.  D.  B.  Lytle  and 
Walter  H.  Wilson  also  took  a  lively  interest  in  its  welfare.  Dr. 
John  Purser,  a  former  president  and  for  many  years  on  the 
Council,   will  also  be  much   regretted,  as  until  his   removal   to 

*  The  text  of  this  address  is  appended  below. 


Annual  Meeting.  3 

Dublin  he  took  much  interest  in  the  work  of  the  Society.  Mr. 
James  O'Neill,  M.A.,  and  Mr.  H.  H.  Bottomley,  who  passed  away 
during  the  year,  were  both  valued  members  of  long  standing, 
while  Mr.  Davys  Bowman  had  more  recently  joined  the  Society. 
The  death  of  Mrs.  Bryce,  in  August  last,  severed  another  link 
with  the  past  history  of  the  Society,  as  her  husband.  Dr.  James 
Bryce,  was  one  of  the  early  members  and  a  former  secretary.  His 
portrait  was  presented  by  his  wndow  to  the  Museum  some  years 
ago. 

Your  Council  were  much  gratified  to  know  that  your  Curator's 
scientific  researches  have  received  well-merited  recognition  from 
the  Linnean  Society  of  London,  of  which  he  has  been  elected  an 
Associate.  Advantage  was  taken  of  the  occasion  by  some  members 
of  your  Society  and  of  the  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club  to 
present  Mr.  Stewart  with  a  testimonial  at  the  last  meeting  on  26th 
April. 

During  the  year  a  good  number  of  plants  have  been  mounted 
for  the  local  herbarium.  Many  of  these  are  to  replace  unsatisfactory 
specimens  already  in  the  collection,  but  many  are  of  the  rarer 
Irish  species,  including  the  set  recently  presented  by  Mr.  R.  Lloyd 
Praeger.  These  were  collected  lately  in  Antrim  and  Down,  and 
are  additions  to  the  lists  of  those  counties.  Some  progress  has 
been  made  in  remounting  and  labelling  the  large  collection  of 
foreign  mollusca  and  echinodermata,  and  a  considerable  amount 
of  time  has  been  occupied  in  replacing  the  labels  in  the  different 
rooms  of  the  Museum. 

Amongst  the  donations  to  the  Society  of  special  interest  are  two 
fragments  of  papyrus  from  Oxyrhynchus  presented  by  the  Egyptian 
Exploration  Fund,  through  the  good  offices  of  Mr.  John  W^ard, 

J-P- 

In  accordance  with  the  constitution  of  the  Society,  five  members 
of  Council  now  retire  from  office,  four  of  whom  are  eligible  for 
re-election. 

Mr.  W.  H.  F.  Patterson,  Honorary  Treasurer,  submitted  the 
financial  statement,  which  showed  that  the  accounts  for  the  year 


4  Annual  Meeting. 

ending  30th  April,  1904,  had  been  closed  with  a  balance  on  hand 
of  £^^   3S.  3d. 

Mr.  John  Ward,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the  Report  and 
Statement  of  Accounts,  said  that  on  his  recent  visit  to  Egypt  he 
was  requested  by  Professor  Maspero  to  obtain  photographs  of  any 
existing  portraits  of  the  late  Dr.  Edward  Hincks,  the  great 
Egyptologist,  in  order  that  a  distinguished  sculptor  might  be 
employed  to  make  a  bronze  bust  which  would  be  erected  along 
with  those  of  Mariette  and  Champollion  in  the  Museum  at  Cairo. 
Professor  Maspero  said  that  as  Hincks  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
the  knowledge  of  Egyptology  he  considered  it  right  that  his  bust 
should  be  enshrined  in  the  greatest  Egyptian  museum  in  the 
world.  As  Dr.  Hincks  was  one  of  the  founders  of  that  Society, 
and  as  their  Museum  was  full  of  his  works,  especially  the  translation 
of  the  inscriptions  upon  the  Egyptian  mummy,  he  (Mr.  Ward) 
thought  this  information  must  be  very  interesting  to  his  admirers 
in  his  native  town. 

The  President  of  Queen's  College,  who  seconded,  said  it  seemed 
to  him  it  was  very  important  that  Belfast  should  have  a  society 
like  that,  for  it  provided  for  men  who  were  engaged  in  different 
pursuits  in  natural  history,  philosophy,  and  other  departments  of 
science,  an  excellent  medium  for  the  promulgation  and  discussion 
of  their  views.  The  Society  had  now  been  in  existence  for  a  great 
many  years,  and  had  had  connected  with  it  not  a  few  distinguished 
men.  The  reports  laid  before  them  that  day  show  that,  although 
it  was  getting  older  it  was  still  bringing  forth  fruit  in  its  old  age. 
Indeed  the  proceedings  of  last  session  could  scarcely  have  been 
other  than  successful.  On  the  bridge  of  the  vessel  they  had  a 
most  excellent  commander  in  Professor  Symington,  and  in  the 
Secretary  they  had  a  most  experienced  and  capable  man  at  the 
wheel.  They  all  lamented  that  day  that  they  had  lost  by  death 
so  many  old  and  respected  members.  Their  removal  had  been 
referred  to  from  time  to  time  at  the  winter  meetings  ;  but  he 
thought  they  ought  again  that  day  to  pay  another  passing  tribute 
to  their  memorv.     Thev  wo  ild  not  see  their  familiar  faces  again, 


Annual  Meeting.  5 

but  he  could  not  help  expressing  the  hope  that  their  places  would 
be  supplied  by  others,  able  and  willing  to  do  something  for  the 
advancement  of  science.  The  financial  position  of  the  Society 
seemed  to  be  fairly  satisfactory,  although  the  balance  was  rather 
less  than  last  year.  He  was  perfectly  certain  they  were  all  delighted 
at  the  mention  in  the  Report  of  their  old  friend  Mr.  S.  Stewart, 
a  man  whose  modesty  prevented  him  from  being  as  well  known 
as  he  deserved  to  be.  In  his  knowledge  of  botany  he  was 
unsurpassed  by  anyone  in  the  North  of  Ireland.  Indeed,  he  was 
entitled  to  be  classed  among  the  most  eminent  botanists  in  the 
United  Kingdom.  He  happened  to  know  that  in  a  few  days 
there  would  be  made  known  another  well-deserved  honour  which 
was  to  be  bestowed  on  Mr.  Stewart,  but  of  that  he  was  not  at 
present  at  liberty  to  say  more.  He  was  sure  they  would  all 
congratulate  their  old  and  esteemed  friend  on  the  well-deserved 
distinction  he  had  achieved  during  the  past  winter,  and  they 
sincerely  hoped  he  might  long  be  spared  to  help  forward  the  work 
of  the  Society  and  of  the  Museum. 

The  motion  was  carried. 

The  Secretary  then  said  there  were  five  vacancies  on  the 
Council  of  Management,  and  the  following  gentlemen,  who  were 
retiring  members,  were  eligible  for  re-election : — Sir  R.  L.  Patterson; 
Messrs.  J.  H.  Davies,  John  Horner,  and  R.  Young.  The  other 
vacancy  was  caused  by  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Joseph  Wright,  who 
did  not  seek  re-election,  and  in  his  place  the  Council  had 
nominated  Professor  Morton,  who  had  been  a  very  warm  friend  of 
the  Society,  and  had  given  one  or  two  lectures,  which  were  much 
appreciated. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Gray,  seconded  by  Mr.  George  Kidd, 
these  gentlemen  were  unanimously  elected. 

The  Secretary  said  since  the  last  meeting  the  Society  had 
received  gifts  as  follow  : — From  Mr.  Robert  Bell,  a  specimen  of 
the  rare  mineral  dopplerite,  recently  discovered  by  the  donor  at 
Randalstown  ;  a  large  fossil  nautilus  from  the  lias  at  Waterloo, 
near  Larne  ;  and  a  very  fcssiliferous  block  of  lias  limestone  from 


6  Annual  Meeting. 

the  same  place.  From  Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger,  M.R.I.  A.,  a  number 
of  the  rare  plants  recently  found  by  the  donor,  mainly  in  Down 
and  Antrim.  From  Mr.  T.  S.  Hall,  M.A.,  Melbourne  University, 
a  number  of  Australian  marine  shells.  From  Mr.  J.  R.  Bristow, 
a  number  of  geological  specimens. 

Mr.  W.  Gray,  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  to  these  gentlemen, 
said  the  principal  gifts  to  the  Society  in  former  times  had  come 
from  intelligent  citizens  who  had  travelled  abroad,  and  he  was 
glad  that  the  practice  still  survived,  as  was  evidenced  by  the 
travels  of  their  old  friend,  Mr.  John  ^^'ard,  who  had  been  in 
Egypt,  where  he  had  done  good  work.  Mr.  Ward  had  remembered 
the  Society  in  his  travels,  and  had  been  the  means  of  obtaining 
very  valuable  contributions,  for  which  they  were  much  obliged. 

Mr.  J.  H.  M'llwaine  seconded,  and  said  if  it  were  better  known 
that  such  donations  were  acceptable  they  might  get  more  of  them. 
He  would  undertake  to  give  a  tomtit's  nest  built  in  an  elm  tree, 
which,  judging  from  the  marks,  had  been  there  for  twelve  years. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

Dr.  MacCormac  next  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chairman, 
who,  he  said,  had  done  much  in  the  cause  of  science,  and  was  an 
honour  to  the  Society.  He  need  not  attempt  to  give  expression 
to  any  feelings  of  his  own  concerning  Professor  Symington's 
merits,  as  they  were  known  to  all  of  them,  and  he  would  therefore 
content  himself  by  moving  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  him  for  the 
manner  in  which  he  had  discharged  his  duties  during  the  year. 

The  motion,  seconded  by  Mr.  John  Horner,  was  carried  with 
acclamation,  and,  in  responding. 

The  President  said  he  did  not  propose  to  detain  them  at  any 
length  by  reviewing  the  present  condition  or  the  future  prospects 
of  the  Society.  He  thought  their  presence  there  was  an  evidence 
that  it  was  doing  a  good  and  useful  work,  and  was  worthy  of  their 
support.  It  behoved  all  of  them,  however,  to  endeavour  to  secure 
for  the  Society  a  greater  amount  of  support  than  it  had  yet 
received.  Practically  that  was  the  only  Society  of  the  kind  which 
they  had  in  Belfast,  and  it  certainly  ought  to  receive  from  the 


Annual  Meeting.  7 

inhabitants  of  the  city  a  very  much  larger  measure  of  assistance. 
There  were  various  duties  devolving  on  the  Society,  such,  for 
instance,  as  the  maintenance  of  the  Museum  and  the  diffusion  of 
general  information  with  regard  to  scientific  progress.  No  one 
could  be  at  all  familiar  with  the  character  of  museums  in  other 
towns  without  feeling  that  they  really  required,  not  exactly  to  put 
their  house  in  order — a  considerable  part  of  it  was  already  in 
order — but  undoubtedly  they  still  wanted  more  means  to  furtiier 
improve  the  character  of  the  Museum.  That  institution  must 
form  a  very  interesting  record  of  the  conditions  of  nature  and  the 
social  state  of  the  people  in  future  times.  It  would  undoubtedly 
some  day  or  other  form  the  nucleus  of  a  very  large  and  important 
museum,  and  if  the  specimens  there  were  not  taken  proper  care  of 
their  loss  would  be  irreparable.  It  would  be  quite  impossible  to 
replace  many  of  the  existing  specimens.  He  would  like  to  direct 
their  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Museum  was  threatened  with 
some  damage  owing  to  the  erection  of  the  municipal  building  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  road.  They  all  recognised  the  importance 
of  that  institution,  and  wished  it  all  success,  but  they  trusted  that 
they  would  receive  some  compensation  from  the  city  for  any 
injury  that  the  Museum  might  suffer  by  its  construction.  Another 
matter  he  might  refer  to  was  the  noise  caused  by  passing  vehicles 
on  the  street.  He  thought  that  if  wood  pavement  were  laid  down 
it  would  do  a  great  deal  to  do  away  with  the  present  cause  of 
complaint.  Personally  he  could  only  thank  them  for  the  honour 
they  had  done  him  in  electing  him  as  their  President,  and  for  the 
support  they  had  given  to  him  during  his  term  of  office. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Council  Mr.  W.  H.  F.  Patterson 
resigned  his  office  as  Hon,  Treasurer,  and  Mr.  John  Horner,  J. P. 
was  appointed  to  succeed  him.  Professor  Symington,  M.D.,F.R.S., 
F.R.S.E.,  was  re-elected  President,  and  the  following  Vice-Presi- 
dents were  also  chosen  for  another  term  : — Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton, 
M.A.,  D.D.,  LL.D.  (President  of  Queen's  College),  Sir  R.  L. 
Patterson,  D.L.,  J.P.,  F.L.S.,  Mr.  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S.,  and  Mi. 
Robert  M.  Young,  J. P.,  C.E.     For  the  position  of  Hon.  Librarian, 


8  Anmial  Meeting. 

Mr.  J.  H.  Davies  was  selected,  and  for  Hon.  Secretary  Mr.  R.  M. 
Young,  B.A.,  J.P.,  M.R.I. A. 


To  their  Most  Gracious  Majesties  Edward  VII.,  by  the  grace  of 
God  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
King,  and  Queen  Alexandra. 
May  it  please  your  Majesties — In  the  name  and  on  behalf  of 
the  Belfast  Natural   History  and   Philosophical   Society,   we,  the 
members  of  Council,  desire  to  express  the  pleasure  and  .satisfaction 
we  so  cordially  feel  at  your  Majesties'  visit  to  Ulster,  and  to  offer 
our  most  respectful  and  sincere  welcome  to  the  city  of  Belfast. 
We   fully   recognise   the   importance   of    your    Majesties'    Royal 
progress  through  Ireland,  and  entertain  the  most  sincere  conviction 
that  it  will  be  productive  of  much  permanent  good  to  our  country. 
Our  Society  was  formed  in  182 1  for  the  cultivation  of  geology, 
botany,  and  mineralogy  in  all  their  branches,  more  especially  the 
investigation  of  the  natural  history  and  antiquities  of  Ireland.     In 
later  years  our  efforts   have  been  more  especially  directed  to  the 
advance   of   science   and   the    spread    of   knowledge    among    the 
people.       We   cannot    but    feel    encouraged   to   greater   zeal   by 
observing  the  practical  interest  your  Majesties  take  in  the  social 
and  intellectual  improvement  of  your  subjects,  and  the  encourage- 
ment your  Majesties  accord  to  the  progress  of  scientific  research 
at  home  and  abroad.     In  conclusion,  we  would  again  assiu'e  your 
Majesties  of  our  devotion  to  your  Majesties  and  to  all  the  members 
of  the  Royal  family.     Wishing  your  Majesties  long  life  and  every 
prosperity,   we  have  the  honour  to  remain  your  Majesties'  most 
humble,  lo3'al,  and  devoted  servants. 

(Signed  on  behalf  of  the  Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philo- 
sophical Society.) 

Johnson  Symington,  President. 
Robert  M.  Young,  Secretary. 


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DONATIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM,   1903-1904. 


From  Mr.   R.  Lloyd  Praeger,  M.R  I.A. 
A  number  of  rare  plants  found  in  the  North  of  Ireland. 

From  The  Egyptian  Exploration  Fund. 
Second  Century  Document,  and  Homeric  Fragment  ;  also  carving 
in  limestone,  and  various  specimens  from  the  recent  excava- 
tions at  Abydos,  Egypt. 

Fro7n  Mr.  J.  R.  Bristow. 
Vegetable  Ivory,  and  Geological  specimens. 

From  Mr.  Henry  Craig. 
Specimen  of  Sphinx  convolvuli  captured  in  a  house  in  Belfast. 

From  Mr.  Lionel  L.  Fletcher,  Caterham,  Surrey. 
Plaster-cast   of  an    Irish    token,    the    "  Belfast   Ticket,"   in   the 
possession  of  Mr.  L.  L.  Fletcher. 

Fro7n  Mr.  Robert  Welch. 
A  number  of  the  rarer  recent  Irish  shells. 

From  Mr.  Robert  Patterson,  M.R.I.A. 
Contents  of  a  Pellet,  cast  up  by  a  Herring  Gull. 

From  Lord  Shaftesbury. 
Ancient  Leaden  Trunkhead  of  a  Spout,  from  John  M'Cracken's 
Cotton  Mill,  Donegall  Street. 

From  Mr.  Robert  Bell, 
Specimen  of  the    mineral   Dopplerite,   from  Sluggan   Bog,    near 
Randalstown.     Specimen  of  a  fossil  Nautilus,  from  the  Lias, 
at  Larne,  also  a  fossiliferous  block  of  Lias  Limestone  from 
Carr's  Glen,  Belfast. 


II 


ADDITIONS  TO  THE  LIBRARY,   ist  May,   1903,  till 
1ST  May,   1904. 


Adelaide. — -Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society  of  South  AustraHa. 
Vol.  27,  parts  I  and  2,  1903. 

From  the  Society. 
Albany. — Fifty-fourth    Annual  Report   of  the   New   York    State 
Museum.      Vols,   i — 4,  1900,  and   55th  Annual 
Report,  1 901  ;  also  Index  to  Publications,  1903. 

The  Director. 
Austin. — Transactions  of  Texas  Academy  Science.     Vol.  3,  1900^ 
and  vol.  4,  part  i,  Nos.  i — 8,  1900-1901. 

The  Academy. 
Basel. — Verhandlungen    der    Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft   in 

Basel.     Vol.  15,  part  2,  1904.  The  Society. 

Belfast. — Report  and  Proceedings  of  the  Belfast  Naturalists' 
Field  Club.     Ser.  2,  vol.  5,  parts  i  and  2,  1904. 

The  Club. 
Berkeley. — University  of  California  Publications.     Vol.   i,  part 

I,  1902.  The   University. 

Bergen. — Bergens  Museum  Aarsberetning  for  1902,  and  Aarbog 
for  1903,  parts  i — 3,  1903-1904  ;  also  Crustacea 
of  Norway.     Vol.  5,  parts  i  and  2,  1903. 

The  Aluseuvi  Director. 
Birmingham. — Records  of  Meteorological  Observations  for  1902 
and   1903,   by  A.   Cresswell,   Curator  of  the  Ob- 
servatory. Birmingham  Institute. 

Boston. — Memoirs  of  the  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History. 
Vol.  5,  No.  8,  1902,  and  No.  9,  1903.  Proceed- 
ings, vol,  3,  Nos.  3  and  7,  1902,  and  No.  i,  1903, 

The  Society. 


12  Books  Received. 

Boulder. — University  of  Colorado  College  Studies.     Vol.  i,  Nos. 

3  and  4,   1903.  The   University. 

Bremen. — Abhandlungen  herausgegeben  vom  Naturwissenschaft- 

lichen  Verein  zu  Bremen.     Vol.  17,  part  3,  1903. 

The  Society. 
Breslau. — Zeitschrift  fiir  Entomologie  vom  Verein  fiir  Sclessiche 

Insektenkunde  zu  Breslau.     New  series,  part  28, 

1903.  The  Society. 

Brighton. — Report  of  Brighton  and  Hove  Natural  History  and 

Philosophical  Society,  1903.  The  Society. 

Brooklyn. — Science  Bulletin  of  the  Brooklyn  Institute  of  Arts 

and  Sciences,   No.   2,  1902,  and  Monographs,    i 

and  2,  1903.  The  Institute. 

Brussels. — Annales  de  la  Societe  Royale  Malacologique  de  Bel- 

gique.     Vol.  37,  1902.  The  Society. 

,,  Annales  de  la  Societe  Entomologique  de    Belgique. 

Vol.  46,  1902.  The  Society. 

Buenos  Ayres. — Anales  del  Museo  Nacional  de  Buenos  Aires. 

Ser.  3,  vol.  I,  parts  i  and  2,  1902. 

The  Director. 

Buffalo. — Bulletin  of  Buffalo  Society  of  Natural  Sciences.  Vol. 
8,  Nos.  I — 3,  1903.  The  Society. 

Calcutta. — Memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  India.  Vol. 
34,  part  3,  and  vol.  35,  part  2,  also  General 
Report  and  Index,  1903.  Palceontologia  Indica, 
ser.  9,  vol.  3,  part  2,  No.  i,  and  ser.  15,  vol.  i, 
part  5,  1903.  The  Director  of  the  Survey. 

Cambridge. — Proceedings  of  the  Cambridge  Philosophical  Society. 
Vol.  12,  part  3,  1903,  and  parts  4  and  5,  1904  ; 
also  List  of  Fellows,  1903.  TJie  Society. 

Cambridge,  Mass. — Bulletin  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative 
Anatomy.  Vol.  39,  Nos.  6 — 8,  1903  ;  vol.  40, 
Nos.  6 — 7,  1903  ;  vol.  41,  No.  2,  1904  ;  vol.  42, 
Nos.  I — 4,  1903,  and  No.  5,  1904;  vol.  43,  No. 
I,  1904,  and  vol.  45,  No.  i,  1904;  also  Annual 
Report,  1903.  The  Keeper  of  the  Museum. 


Books  Received.  13 

Cardiff. — Transactions  of  Cardiff  Naturalists'  Society.  Vol.  34, 
1902,  and  vol.  35,  1903.  The  Society. 

Cassel. — Abhandlungen  und  Bericht  der  Vereins  fiir  Naturkunde 
zu  Kassel.     Vol.  48,  1903.  The  Society. 

Christiania. — Forhandlinger  i  Videnskabs  Selskabet  i  Christiania, 
1902. 

T]ie  Royal  Norske  Trederiks   University. 

Cincinnati. — Bulletin  of  the  Lloyd  Library,  No.  6,  1903  ;  also 
Mycological  Notes,  Nos.  10 — 12,  1902,  and  Nos. 
13  and  14,  1903.  The  Messrs.  L,loyd. 

Colorado  Springs. — Colorado  College  Studies,  1903. 

Colorado  College  Scietitific  Society. 

Dublin. — Scientific  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society. 
Ser.  2,  vol.  8,  Nos.  2 — 4,  1903.  Scientific  Pro- 
ceedings. New  Series,  vol.  10,  part  i,  and 
Economic  Proceedings.     Vol.  i,  part  4,  1903. 

The  Society. 

Edinburgh. — Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh. 
Vol.  22,  1 889-1 90 1.  The  Society. 

„  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Physical  Society.    Session 

1901  1902.  The  Society. 

Emden. — Jahresbericht    der     Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft    in 

Emden,  1903.  The  Society. 

Genoa. — Rivista  Ligure  di  Scienze,  Littera  ed  xA,rti.      Anno  25, 
fasc.  2 — 6,  1903,  and  Anno  26,  fasc.  i,  1904. 
Societa   Letture  e  Conversazione  Scientifiche. 
Glasgow. — Proceedings    of  the    Royal  Philosophical  Society  of 

Glasgow.     Vol.  34,  1903.  The  Society. 

Gothenburg. — Goteborg's  Kungl  Vetenskaps  Och  Vitterhets 
Samhalles  Handlingar.     Parts  5  and  6,  1898. 

The  Society.  ' 
Halifax. — Proceediiigs  and  Transactions   of  the  Nova  Scotian 
Institute  of  Science.     Vol.  10,  parts  3,  1902,  and 
4,  1903.  The  histitute. 


14  Books  Received. 

Hamburg. — Abhandlungen  aus   dem    Gebiete   der   Naturwissen- 

schaften    herausgegeben    vom    Naturwissen shaft - 

lichen  Verein  in  Hamburg.     Vol.  i8,  1903  ;  also 

Verhandlungen,  190304.  The  Society. 

Iglo. — Jahrbuch  des  Ungarischen-Karpathen  Vereines,  30th  year, 

1903.  The  Society. 

Indianopolis. — Proceedings  of  the  Indiana  Academy  of  Science, 

1 90 1.  The  Acadej?iy. 

Kharkow. — Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  Physico-Chimiques  of 

Kharkow  University.     Nos.  25 — 31,  1 901-1903. 

The  Society. 
Lausanne. — Bulletin    de     la    Societe     Vaudoise    des    Sciences 

Naturelles.     Ser.  4,  vol.  39,  Nos.  146 — 148,  1903. 

The  Society. 
Lawrence. — Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Kansas.     Vol.  3,  Nos. 

6 — 8,  1901-02.  The   University. 

Leicester. — Thirteenth   Report   of   Leicester   Museum  and  Art 

Gallery,  1902.  Tlie  T>irector. 

Leipsic. — Mitteilungen    des    Vereins    fiir    Erdkunde  zu    Leipzig, 

1902  ;  also  Wissenschaftliche  Veroffentlichungen. 

Vol.  6,  1904.  The  Society. 

Lima. — Boletin  del  Cuerpo  de  Ingenieros  de  Minas  del  Peru,  No. 

2,  1902,  and  Nos.  3  and  4,  1903. 

The  Director. 
London. — Report   of  the    British    Association    Seventy   Second 

Meeting,  Belfast,  1902.  The  Association. 

,,  Quarterly  Journal  of  the  Geological  Society  of  London. 

Vol.   59,   Nos.   2 — 4,    1903,  and  vol.  60,  No.  i, 

1904;  also  List  of  Fellows,  1903     The  Society. 
,,  Journal  of  the    Royal    Microscopical    Society.     Parts 

3 — 6,  1903,  and  parts  i  and  2,  1904. 

The  Society. 

„  Transactions   of  the   Zoological    Society   of  London. 

Vol.  16,  part  8,  and  vol.  17,  parts  i  and  2,  1903. 
Proceedings  for  1902,  vol.  2,  part  2,  and  vols,  i 
and  2,  1903  ;  also  List  of  Fellows,  1903. 

The  Society. 


Books  Received.  15 

Madison, — Bulletin  of  Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural  History 
Survey.  Economic  Series,  Nos.  5  and  6,  1903, 
and  Educational  Series,  No.  2,  1902. 

The  Director. 
Madras. — Bulletin   of  Madras   Government   Museum.       Vol.   4, 
No.    3,    1903,    and    Administration    Report    for 
year,  1 902-1 903.  The  Snperintendetit. 

Manchester. — Journal  of  the  Manchester  Geographical  Society. 
Vol.  18,  Nos.  4 — 12,  1902,  and  vol.  19,  Nos. 
I — 3,  1903.  The  Society. 

,,  Transactions     of     the     Manchester     Geological 

Society.     Vol.  28,  parts  4 — 8,  1903,  and  parts  9 — • 
12,  1904.  The  Society. 

Marseilles. — Annales  de  la  Faculte  des  Sciences  de   Marseille. 

Vol.  13,  1903.  The  Librarian. 

Melbourne. — Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Victoria.  Vol. 
16,  part  I,  1903,  and  part  2,  1904. 

The  Society. 
Mexico. — Boletin  Mensual  del  Observatorio  Meteorologico  Mag- 
netico  Central  de  Mexico.      3   parts,  1902  ;  also 
Informe,   Obs.  Astronomical,    i   part,    1903,  and 
Anuario  for  1904.  The  Director. 

„  Instituto  Geologico  de  Mexico,   Parergones.      Vol.   i. 

No.  I,  1903.  77/1?  Institute. 

Milwaukee. — Bulletin  of  the  Wisconsin  Natural  History  Society. 
Vol.  3,  Nos.  I — 3,  1901  ;  also  Annual  Report  of 
the  Public  Museum,  1903.  The  Society. 

Missoula. — Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Montana.  Biological 
Series,  No.  3,  1902  and  Nos.  5  and  6,  1903. 
Geological  Series  No.  i,  1903,  and  President's 
Report  for  1902-03.  The   University. 

Montevideo. — Anales  del  Museo  Nacional  de  Montevideo.  Vol. 
2,  part  I,  1903,  and  vol.  4,  parts  i  and  2,  1903. 

The  Director. 


1 6  Books  Received. 

Moscow.^ — Bulletin  of  the  Imperial  Society  of  Naturalists  of 
Moscow,  No.  4,  1902,  and  Nos.  i — 3,  1903. 

The  Society. 

Nantes. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  des  Sciences  Naturelles  de 
rOuest  de  la  France.  Ser.  2,  vol.  2,  parts  3  and 
4,  1902,  and  vol.  3,  parts  i  and  2,  1903. 

The  Society. 

New  York. — Annals  of  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences.  Vol. 
14,  part  3,  and  vol.  15,  part  i,  1903. 

The  Academy. 
,,  Bulletin    of  the   American    Geographical   Society. 

Vol.  35,   Nos.   2 — 5,   1903,  and  vol.  36,  Nos.  i 
and  2,  1904.  The  Society. 

Nottingham. — Report  and  Transactions  of  Nottingham  Naturalists 
Society  for  1902-03.  The  Society. 

Odessa. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  New  Russia. 
Vol.  24,  part  2,  1902,  and  Memoirs  of  the 
Mathematical  Section,  vol.  20,  1902. 

The  Society. 

OsNADRUCK. — Jahresbericht  des  Naturwissenschaftlichen  Vereins 
zu  Osnabruck,  1903.  The  Society. 

Ottawa. — Annual  Report  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Canada. 
New  series,  vol.  12,  1902,  and  Maps  of  Alberta ; 
also  Altitudes  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  and 
Catalogue  of  Canadian  Birds.     Part  2,  1903. 
The  Director  of  the  Survey. 

Philadelphia. — Proceedings  of  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of 
Natural  vSciences.  Vol.  53,  part  i,  1901,  vol.  54, 
parts  2  and  3,  1902,  and  vol.  55,  parts  i  and  2, 
1903.  The  Academy. 

„  Proceedings    of    the     American    Philosophical 

Society.     Vol.  41,  1900,  and  vol.  42,  parts  2  and 
3,  1903.  The  Society. 

Pisa. — Atti  della  Societa  Toscana  di  Scienze  Naturali,  Processa 
Verbali,  1903-04.  The  Society. 


Books  Received.  17 

Rochester,  N.Y. — Proceedings  of  the  Rochester  Academy  of 
Science.     Vol.  4,  6  parts,  1902-03. 

The  Academy. 

Rome. — Atti  della  Reale  Accademia  dei  Lincei.  Ser.  5,  Vol.  12, 
semestre  i,  fasc.  7 — 12,  1903;  semestre  2,  fasc. 
I — 12,  1903;  vol.  13,  semestre  i,  fasc.  i — 6, 
1904;  also  Rendiconto  dell'  Adnnanza  Solenne, 
June,  1903.  The  Academy. 

,,         Bulletin  del  Societa  Zoologica  Italiana,  Anno,  11,  fasc. 
4^ — 6,  1902,  and  Anno  12,  fasc.  i — 6,  1903. 

The  Society. 

San  Francisco. — Proceedings  of  the  California  Academy  of 
Sciences.  Ser.  3,  vol.  2,  No.  i,  1900,  and  vol.  3, 
Nos.  5  and  6.  The  Academy. 

St.  Louis. Fourteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Missouri  Bot- 
anical Garden,  1903.  The  Director. 

Stavanger. — Stavanger  Museums  Aarshefte  for  1902. 

The  Museum  Trustees. 

Sydney. — Science  of  Man.  New  Series,  vol.  6,  Nos.  2,  4,  5,  6, 
10,  I  r,  12,  1903,  and  vol.  7,  Nos.  i  and  2,  1904. 

The  Editor. 

Tokyo. — Mitteilungen  der  Deutschen  Gesellschaft  fiir  Natur. 
und  Volkerunde  Ostasiens.  Vol.  9,  parts  2  and 
3,  1903.  The  Society. 

ToPEKA. — Transactions  of  Kansas  Academy  of  Science.     Vol.  18, 

1903.  The  Academy. 

Vienna. — VerhandlungenderKaiserlich-KoniglichenGeologischen 
Reichsanstalt,  Nos.  5 — 18,  1903,  and  i — 4,  1904. 

The  Society. 
„  Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich-Koniglichen  Zoologisch- 

Botanischen  Gesellschaft  in  Wien.    Vol.  43,  1903. 

The  Sofiety. 
Washington. — Annual    Report    of    the    American    Bureau    of 
Ethnology  for  1897-98,  parts  i  and  2,  1900  ;  also 
Bulletin  25,  1903,  and  27,  1902. 

The  Director  of  the  Bureau. 


1 8  Books  Received. 

Washington. — Twenty-Second  Annual  Report  of  the  United 
States  Geological  Survey.  Parts  i  and  2,  1901, 
parts  3  and  4,  1902,  and  23rd  Report,  1902  ;  also 
Monographs,  42 — 45,  1903,  and  Atlas.  Bulletin 
No.  191,  and  195 — 204,  1902,  205 — 207,  209 — 
217,  1903.  Professional  Papers,  Nos.  i — 8, 
1902.  Water  Supply  and  Irrigation  Papers, 
several  numbers.  Mineral  Resources  of  the 
United  States,  1902. 

The  Director  of  the  Survey. 
„  Annual  Report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  for 

1901-02.  Annual  Report  of  the  United  States 
National  Museum  for  1900,  1901,  and  1902. 
Proceedings  of  the  United  States  National 
Museum.  Vol.  23,  i9oi,vol.  24,  1902,  and  vols. 
25  and  26,  1903.  Bulletin  of  the  United  States 
National  Museum,  Nos.  50 — 52,  1902.  Directions 
for  Collecting  and   Preserving,   8  Nos.,    1895 — 

1 90 1.  Smithsonian  Contributions  to  Knowledge, 
Nos.  1373  and  141 3,  1903.  Smithsonian  Mis- 
cellaneous Collections,  No.  1372,  1902,  and  No. 
1376,  1903.  The  Smithsoniati  Institution. 

„  Bulletin  of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Washing- 

ton.    Vol.  14,  2  Nos.,  1903.  The  Society. 

York. — Annual  Report  of  Yorkshire  Philosophical    Society    for 

1902.  The  Society. 
Zurich. — Vierteljahrsschrift    der    Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft 

in  Zurich.  Parts  3  and  4,  1903,  and  parts  i — 4, 
1903-04;   also  Neujahrsblatt,   1903. 

The  Society. 
From  Mr.  \\\  J.  Knowles. — Irish  Flint  Arrow  and  Spear-Heads, 
1894. 


BELFAST 

NATURAL  HISTORY  &  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 

SESSION     1903-4. 


3rd  November^  1903- 


ADDRESS  BY  THE  PRESIDENT, 
Professor   Johnson    Symington,    M.D.,   F.R.S.,   F.R.S.E. 

JOHN    GRA ITAN  :    A   SKETCH    OF    HIS    WORK    AS    A 
CRANIOLOGIST. 


Ladies  and  Gentlemen, — My  first  dut}'  is  to  offer  my  warmest 
thanks  to  the  Council  for  the  honour  they  have  conferred  upon 
me  in  electing  me  President  of  this  Society.  It  is  certainly  an 
honour  to  be  identified  with  the  government  of  an  Institution 
which  has  existed  for  more  than  80  years  without  state  aid  or 
municipal  support,  whose  object  is  the  extension  of  a  knowledge 
of  nature  and  of  art,  and  the  encouragement  of  learning  and 
research,  and  which  during  this  period  has  received  not  only  the 
sympathy,  but  the  active  support,  of  such  men  as  Thomas  Andrews, 
^^'illiam  Thompson,  Robert  Patterson  and  \\''yville  Thomson.  I 
am  fully  aware  that  I  have  done  but  little  to  deserve  this  honour, 
and  that  the  invitation  so  cordially  extended  to  me  was  intended 
(juite  as  much  as  a  compliment  to  the  College  which  I  have  the 
honour  to  serve,  as  to  myself  personalh'.  Indeed,  it  was  the 
consciousness  of  this  fact  that  led  me  to  accept  a  position  for 
which  my  other  duties  leave  me  but  little  time  to  discharge  as  I 
should  wish. 

Many  of  those  who  have  contributed  to  our  proceedings  havp 
been  engaged  in  some  industrial  or  professional  occupation,  but 
have  found  a  change  of  thought  and  a  relaxation  from  their  ordinary 
work  in  the  study  of  some  department  of  the  physical,  or  of  the 
biological  sciences.  They  have  been  the  fortunate  possessors  of 
a  scientific  hobby,  which  they  followed  without  any  idea  or  hope 


Jo/ni    Grattan  : 
20  -' 

of  material  gain.  Fortunately  for  the  progress  of  science,  and  the 
prospects  of  a  general  recognition  of  the  intellectual  and  material 
value  of  scientific  research,  such  men  have  always  existed  in  our 
midst,  and  this  Society  is  justly  proud  of  having  enrolled  amongst 
its  members  not  a  few  who  have  made  important  and  \aluable 
contributions  to  the  sum  of  human  knowledge.  During  its  earlier 
history  our  Society  was  singularly  fortunate  in  this  respect.  The 
work  of  some  of  these  pioneers  is  well  known  locally,  and  has 
received  general  recognition  in  scientific  circles,  while  the  labours 
of  others  have  not  only  failed  to  gain  that  amount  of  credit  to 
which  they  are  justly  entitled,  but  are  even  in  danger  of  being 
entirely  ignored.  Amongst  the  latter  I  would  ])lace  the  investiga- 
tions of  John  Cirattan,  and  I  desire  to  take  this  opportunity  of 
attempting  an  appreciation  of  his  scientific  work.  I  do  so  with 
the  more  confidence,  since  it  involves  questions  to  which  I  have 
personally  devoted  some  attention. 

John  Grattan  was  born  in  1800  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Dublin 
and  he  obtained  the  diploma  of  the  Apothecaries'  Hall  about 
1823. 

The  reasons,  given  to  me  on  excellent  authority,  for  his  starting 
business  in  Belfast  may  be  of  interest  to  some,  although  not 
entirely  creditable  to  the  state  of  pharmaceutical  science  at  that 
time  in  this  city.  It  appears  that  Grattan  had  decided  to  settle 
in  some  provincial  town  in  Ireland,  and  with  this  object  in  view 
he  visited  various  places  accompanied  by  his  employer's  son.  In 
the  course  of  their  travels  these  young  men  came  to  Belfast  and 
going  into  a  druggist's  shop  in  the  centre  of  the  town  one  of  them 
asked  for  a  pennyworth  of  Epsom's  salts.  The  attendant  took 
down  a  bottle  from  one  of  the  shelves,  extracted  a  handful  of  the 
salt  which  he  placed  on  a  fragment  of  a  newspaper  and  secured 
by  gathering  up  the  edges  of  the  paper  and  twisting  them  round 
one  another.  As  soon  as  they  left  the  shop  Grattan's  companion 
(-urned  to  him  and  said  "  Belfast  is  the  place  for  you." 

Grattan  came  here  in  1825,  and  at  that  time  there  were,  of 
course,  no  railways  to  the  town,  while  the  population  was  only 
about  one-tenth   of  what  it  is  now.     According  to  tradition   he 


.'/  Skt'/r/i  of  his   Work  as  a  C/yr///o/oi^7.s'/. 

arrived  on  a  stage-coach  with  a  large  buttle,  .similar  to  thos'::  still 
shown  in  many  chemists  windows,  between  his  legs.  Grattan  was 
not  only  the  founder  of  the  well-known  firm  which  still  bears  his 
name,  but  he  also  started  the  manufacture  of  the  now  celebrated 
Belfast  aerated  waters,  which  for  many  years  were  exclusively 
manufactured  by  his  firm.  I  mention  these  facts  to  show  that  his 
scientific  tastes  and  pursuits  did  not  prevent  him  from  conducting 
his  business  with  marked  ability,  enterprise  and  success. 

During  his  long  residence  here,  Grattan  took  an  active  interest 
in  the  existing  literary  and  scientific  societies.  Thus  he  was 
President  of  the  Belfast  Literary  Society  during  the  session  1843-4, 
and  read  two  papers  on  phrenology — one  on  the  2nd  May,  1842, 
entitled,  "Phrenological  Ethics,"  and  the  other  on  12th  February, 
1844,  "Phrenological  observations  on  the  treatment  of  criminals.' 
P\:)r  many  years  he  was  an  office-bearer  in  our  Society,  to  which  he 
contributed  three  pajJers.  His  first  communication  "On  the 
importance,  to  the  Archaeologist  and  Ethncjlogist,  of  an  accurate 
mode  of  measuring  human  crania  and  of  recording  the  results, — ■ 
with  the  description  of  a  new  Craniometer,"  was  read  on  the  6th 
April,  1853,  and  was  published  in  the  Ulster  Jour )ial  of  ArcJic?- 
ology,  Vol.  i.,  1853,  illustrated  by  5  plates.  Again,  on  the  20th 
January,  1858,  he  read  a  paper  "On  some  ancient  Irish  skulls, 
and  on  an  exact  method  of  taking  and  recording  cranial  measure- 
ments." Part  of  this  communication  was  published  in  the  Ulster 
Journal  of  Archceology,  Vol.  ^•i.,  1858,  with  3  plates,  under  the 
title,  "Notes  on  the  human  remains  discovered  within  the  Round 
Towers  of  Ulster,  with  some  additional  contributions  towards  a 
Crania  Hibernica."  This  appears  to  have  been  his  last  contribu- 
tions to  Craniology  at  our  meetings,  but  in  i860  he  gave  an 
interesting  demonstration  on  the  oxy-hydrogen  light  and  its  uses 
for  illuminating  the  microscope  and  throwing  pictures  upon  a  screen. 

AVe  have  just  seen  that  his  last  published  paper  on  craniol6gy 
appeared  in  1858;  but  after  that  date  he  was  engaged  in  the 
preparation  of  another  contribution  to  this  subject.  He  went  so 
far  as  to  print  16  pages  of  letterpress  and  to  prepare  a  number  of 
plates.     After  his  death  his  daughters,  the  Misses  Grattan,  bound 


2  2  foliji    Crafta)!  : 

into  a  single  volume  the  various  portions  of  his  unfinished  work, 
along  with  "  Notices  of  the  Round  Towers  of  Ulster,"  by  Edmund 
Gett}',  M  R.I. A.,  and  presented  copies  to  a  number  of  his  friends. 
It  was  a  specimen  of  this  volume,  which  I  obtained  from  a  second- 
hand bookseller,  that  first  directed  my  attention  to  his  methods  of 
skull  measurement.  On  enquiry  I  found  that  Grattan's  work  was 
unknown  to  many  of  our  leading  anatomists  and  to  others  interested 
in  physical  anthropology,  as  it  had  previously  been  to  myself- 
The  cause  of  this  is  easily  explained.  The  earlier  part  of  Grattan's 
investigations  appeared  in  a  journal  which  is  not  readily  accessible 
to,  and  is  rarely  consulted  by,  the  great  majority  of  those  interested 
in  craniology,  while  the  later  unpublished  portion,  issued  privately, 
was  still  less  likely  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  such  workers. 

Before  proceeding  to  discuss  the  nature  and  ^alue  of  Grattan's 
scientific  work  it  is  advisable  that  I  should  explain,  as  briefly  as 
po.ssible,  the  circumstances  that  led  him  into  this  line  of  research 
and  the  problems  that  were  then  engaging  the  attention  of  anthro" 
pologists  and  ethnologists. 

About  the  tune  when  Grattan  came  to  Belfast,  phrenology  was 
at  the  zenith  of  its  popularity.  It  is  evident  from  his  writings  that 
he  was  a  convert  to  the  theories  of  Gall  and  Spurzheim,  and  indeed 
he  ai)pears  to  have  been  personally  acquainted  with  the  latter. 
He  collected  a  large  number  of  skulls  and  casts  of  heads,  and 
naturally  became  interested  in  the  variations  in  their  form. 

Further,  the  long  period  during  which  Grattan  pursued  his 
craniological  investigations  witnessed  the  rise  of  a  scientific 
ethnology. 

Anthropologists  began  to  collect  material  from  barrows,  caves 
and  other  ancient  burial  grounds  to  determine  the  physical 
characteristics  of  their  remote  ancestors ;  and  to  procure  specimens 
and  make  observations  in  all  parts  of  the  world  to  ascertain  the 
structural  peculiarities  of  existing  races.  It  soon  became  evident 
that  for  anthropological  purposes  the  skull  was  the  most  important 
part  of  the  skeleton,  and  attempts  were  made  to  utilise  certain 
differences  in  the  form  of  the  skull  for  purposes  of  racial 
classification. 


A  SA'c/c'//  oj  his   ]\'ork  as  a  Craniologist.  23 

Towards  the  end  of  the  i8th  century  Blumenbach  had  drawn 
attention  to  the  significance  of  variations  in  the  form  of  the  skull 
in  different  races,  but  it  was  reserved  for  Anders  Retzius  to  place 
this  subject  upon  a  scientific  basis.  In  1840  he  made  his  first 
communication  to  the  Academy  of  Science  of  Stockholm. 
Blumenbach  had  attached  special  importance  to  the  shape  of  the 
anterior  part  of  the  skull,  such  as  the  forehead  and  jaws,  but 
Retzius  showed  that  it  was  even  more  important  to  examine  the 
cranium,  or  that  part  of  the  skull  which  contains  the  brain.  It  is 
to  him  that  we  are  indebted  for  the  division  of  skulls  into  long,  or 
dolichocephalic,  and  short,  or  brachycephalic,  according  to  their 
relative  length  and  breadth.  He  maintained  that  the  Caucasian 
race  of  Blumenbach  was  a  mixed  one,  since  it  consisted  of  both 
short  and  long-headed  people,  the  proportion  between  these  two 
varying  in  different  places  according  to  the  degree  to  which  the 
primitive  stock  had  been  invaded,  or  replaced,  by  a  foreign 
element.  Anders  Retzius  devoted  himself  with  great  energy  to 
the  determination  of  the  distribution  throughout  Europe,  both 
amongst  the  living  races  and  prehistoric  remains,  of  these  two 
types  of  heads.  His  work  slowly,  but  surely,  gained  general 
recognition,  and  before  his  sudden  death  in  i860  craniology  was 
engaging  the  attention  of  many  distinguished  workers.  Several 
events  which  happened  about  this  time  tended  to  create  a  more 
general  interest  in  this  subject.  Thus  the  discovery  in  1857  in  a 
limestone  cave  in  the  Neanderthal  of  the  remains  of  an  extinct 
race  whose  skulls  had  a  very  remarkable  form,  and  in  some  respects 
ape-like  appearance,  raised  a  keen  discussion  as  to  the  significance 
of  certain  cranial  characters,  while  the  publication  two  years  later 
of  Charles  Darwin's  work  "On  the  origin  of  species  by  means  of 
natural  selection,"  inevitably  turned  men's  attention  to  all  biological 
problems  with  wider  interest  and  renewed  energy. 

Grattan's  work  was  almost  cotemporaneous  with  that  of  Anders 
Retzius,  and  nearly  all  of  it  was  done  before  the  German  and 
French  Schools  had  elaborated  their  schemes  of  skull  measurements. 

The  general  plan  which  he  devised  for  this  purpose  is  given  in 
his  paper  published  in  1853,  and  it  is  not  essentially  altered,  but 


24 


John   Grattan 


only  more  fully  elaborated  in  his  subsequent  contributions  lo  the 
subject. 

The  spirit  and  aims  of  Grattan's  work  are  so  admirably  expressed 
in  a  paper  he  published  in  the  Ulster  Journal  of  Archceology 
for  1858  that  I  cannot  refrain  from  quoting  it.  .Vfter  discussing 
the  craniological  methods  then  in  vogue  he  wrote  as  follows  : — 

"  So  far,  we  look  in  vain,  therefore,  for  that  uniformity  of 
method  and  that  numerical  precision,  without  which  no  scientific 
investigation  requiring  the  cooperation  of  numerous  observers  can 
be  successfully  prosecuted.  The  mode  of  procedure  hitherto 
adopted  furnishes  to  the  mind  at  best  nothing  but  ^■ague  gene- 
ralities which  it  cannot  by  any  intellectual  effort  reduce  into 
general  shape  and  form  ;  and  until  we  can  accomplish  something 
more  than  this — until  we  can  record  with  something  approaching 
towards  accuracy  the  proportional  development  of  the  great  sub- 
divisions of  the  brain,  as  indicated  by  its  bony  covering,  and  by 
our  figures  convey  to  the  mind  determinate  ideas  of  the  relation 
they  bear  towards  each  other  we  shall  not  be  in  a  position  to  do 
justice  to  our  materials,  or  to  interpret  faithfully  or  profitably  the 
natural  hieroglyphs  thus  submitted  to  our  examination.  "What  we 
specially  stand  in  need  of  is  some  method  of  measuring  cranial 
forms  and  magnitudes  which  by  combining  perfect  simplicity  and 
facility  of  application  with  rigid  scientific  accuracy  shall  command 
our  confidence  ;  so  that  the  ethnologist  may  be  able  to  record  his 
own  observations,  and  to  profit  by  the  recorded  observations  of 
others  without  the  risk  of  misinterpretation,  and  the  phrenologist 
possesses  a  sound  numerical  foundation  u})on  which  to  base  his 
special  measurements.  But  although  an  improved  method  of 
taking  and  recording  cranial  measurements  would  admittedly  be 
of  great  importance  to  the  phrenologist,  to  the  ethnologist  it  is 
absolutely  indispensible.  The  phrenologist  can  pursue  many  of 
his  enquiries  and  test  the  soundness  of  most  of  his  inferences,  by 
the  aid  of  detached  or  isolated  specimens,  each  head  itself 
affording  the  necessary  data  by  which  its  mental  capabilities  may 
be  -determined.  But  the  ethnologist  has  to  deal  with  tribes  and 
nations.     He  stands  somewhat  in  the  position  of  the  artuary  Avho 


25 

A  Sketch  (I I  /lis   II  ork  as  a  Cra/iiologist. 

has  to  deduce  congruous  and  general  laws  from  an  extensive 
collection  of  apparently  incongruous  and  heterogeneous  facts. 
In  every  age,  and  amongst  all  races,  special  individuality  of 
character  must  necessarily  have  been  accompanied  by  considerable 
modifications  of  typical  form  so  that  no  single  cranium  can,  per 
se,  be  taken  to  represent  the  true  average  characteristics  of  the 
variety  from  which  it  may  be  derived.  It  is  only  from  a  large 
deduction  that  the  ethnologist  can  venture  to  pronounce  with 
confidence  upon  the  normal  type  of  any  race,  or  reasonably 
expect  to  attain  in  his  craniological  investigations  that  measure  of 
completeness  necessary  to  rescue  them  from  their  present  objectless 
character,  and  to  impart  to  his  conclusions  scientific  definiteness 
and  value.  If  an  improved  method  of  measurement  be  thus 
desirable  when  treating  of  existing  races  whose  crania  form  but 
one,  though  by  no  means  tlie  least  important,  element  for 
determining  the  influences  that  may  have  contributed  to  their 
development  and  progress,  still  more  necessary  does  it  become 
when  we  endeavour  to  investigate  the  moral,  social  and  intellectual 
condition  of  our  remote  predecessors,  of  whom  we  possess  few,  if 
any,  records,  save  such  as  remain  to  us  in  their  rude  structures 
and  works  of  art,  and.  in  their  own  osseous  remains.  These 
latter  are,  necessarily,  few  in  number,  widely  scattered,  singularly 
frail  and  perishable,  and  are,  day  by  day,  irretrievably  disappearing 
before  the  unavoidable  encroachments  of  extending  ci\"ilization. 
If  we  are  to  indulge,  therefore,  in  any  well-grounded  expectation 
of  our  being  able  to  render  the  fleeting  records  of  the  past 
available  for  contrast  with  the  more  accessible  materials  of  the 
present,  it  is  of  the  first  importance  that  our  description  of  such 
should  be  as  accurate  and  as  free  from  ambiguity  as  the  nature  of 
the  subject  will  permit — the  paucity  of  (jur  material  affording  but 
little  prospect  of  our  accumulating  the  necessary  data,  unless  we 
can  succeed  in  concentrating  upon  some  recognized  scientific  plan 
the  detached  labours  of  every  competent  observer." 

Grattan's  attention  to  these  questions  appears  to  have  been  due 
to  the  action  of  his  friend  Edmund  Getty  who  had  collected  a 
considerable  number  of  skulls  during  his  well-known  researches 


2^  Jo  Jul    Graf  fan  : 

on  the  Round  Towers  of  Ulster.  At  Getty's  request  Grattan 
agreed  to  describe  these  skulls,  but  like  the  most  of  us  he  found 
it  easier  to  promise  than  to  perform.  As  we  have  just  heard, 
Grattan  was  convinced  that  the  various  methods  of  measuring 
skulls  then  in  vogue  were  too  indefinite  and  incomplete  to  admit 
of  a  thorough  and  scientific  description  of  individual  specimens, 
or  of  a  comparison  of  groups  of  skulls  with  one  another. 
Accordingly  he  set  to  work  to  frame  a  new  plan  of  skull  measure- 
ments, and  in  so  doing  he  found  it  necessary  to  construct  a 
suitable  instrument  with  which  to  take  these  measurements.  For 
a  number  of  years  Grattan  worked  at  this  subject,  modifying  his 
methods  and  improving  his  instrument,  until  they  were  not  onl\- 
greatly  in  advance  of  those  then  in  use,  but  in  many  respects  will 
bear  favourable  comparison  with  those  now  generally  employed. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Professor  Haddon  I  am  able  to  show 
you  what  I  believe  was  the  latest  and  most  improved  form  of 
Grattan's  Craniometer.  No  account  of  this  instrument  has  been 
published,  although  Grattan  prepared  a  fine  illustration  and  wrote 
an  excellent  description  of  it  for  a  paper  which  was  not  completed 
at  his  death.  He  appears  to  have  used  this  instrument  in  the 
preparation  of  his  "  Notes  on  the  Round  Towers  of  Ulster,  with 
some  additional  observations  towards  a  Crania  Hibernica,"  which 
appeared  in  the  Ulsfer  Journal  of  Archaoiogy  in  1858,  and  it  was 
probably  shown  before  the  Society  on  the  20th  of  January  of  the 
same  year.  An  instrument  constructed  on  much  the  same  principle 
as  the  one  before  you,  but  differing  considerably  from  it  in  ap- 
pearance, was  described  and  figured  in  the  Ulsfer  Journal  of 
Archceology  for  1853. 

I  will  now  endeavour  to  explain,  in  a  manner  as  simple  and  as 
free  from  technicalities  as  possible,  the  problem  with  which 
Grattan  had  to  deal  and  the  main  peculiarities  of  his  methods  and 
instrument. 

.'\s  the  cranium  is  an  irregular  ovoid  box  we  can  obtain  data 
for  a  rough  estimate  of  its  size  and  general  form  by  measuring  its 
greatest  length,  breadth  and  height.  Further,  by  taking  its  length 
as  100  we  can  express  the  proportions  of  length  to  breadth  and  of 


A  Sketch  of  his   JJ'or/c  as  a  Cranioh)gist.  ^7 

length  to  height  by  indices.  This  plan  is  adopted  in  distinguishing 
between  round  and  long,  or  flat  and  high  heads.  Such  a  method 
is  simple,  and  in  ])ractice  has  been  found  useful  in  classifying 
skulls  and  in  distinguishing  races.  It  is  obvious,  however,  that 
two  skulls  differing  considerably  from  one  another  both  in  capacity 
and  shape  might  have  the  same  length-breadth  and  length-height 
indices.  If  we  examine  the  median  longitudinal  arc  of  the 
vaulted  portion  of  the  skull  we  find  that  it  passes  from  the  root 
of  the  nose  upwards  and  backwards  to  the  vertex  forming  two 
curves,  with  their  convexities  directed  forwards  and  upwards,  it 
then  turns  downwards  and  backwards  to  the  most  posterior  part 
of  the  skull,  and  finally  forwards  and  downwards  to  end  at  the 
posterior  margin  of  the  large  hole  at  the  base  of  the  skull  through 
which  the  brain  becomes  continuous  with  the  spinal  cord.  Now, 
the  form  of  these  curves  from  the  nose  to  the  vertex,  and  from  the 
vertex  to  the  back  of  the  head,  may  differ  greatly  in  two  skulls 
which  have  the  same  length  and  height.  Thus,  in  one  the  fore- 
head may  be  high  and  protruding,  the  roof  of  the  skull  be  directed 
nearly  horizontally  for  a  considerable  distance  and  then  descend 
abruptly  to  the  occiput,  while  in  the  other  the  forehead  may  be 
low  and  retreating,  and  the  longitudinal  arc  only  gain  the  same 
height  as  the  other  skull  for  a  very  short  distance  before  it  begins 
to  descend  again.  The  problem  was,  and  indeed  still  is,  How  can 
we  best  give  numerical  expression  to  these  differences  ?  The  plan 
often  adopted  of  measuring  the  length  of  the  three  portions  of  this 
arc,  viz.,  frontal,  parietal,  and  occipital,  gives  the  respective  share 
the  bones  so  named  take  in  the  formation  of  the  arc,  and  hence 
may  be  supposed  to  show  the  relative  development  of  the  anterior, 
middle  and  posterior  parts  of  the  vault  of  the  skull.  In  some  skulls, 
however,  owing  to  irregularity  in,  or  disappearance  of,  the  lines  of 
union  b-:ftween  these  bones,  their  respective  lengths  cannot  ,be 
definitely  ascertained,  and  in  any  case  such  measurements  do  not 
show  the  contour  of  the  arch.  For  this  purpose  I  believe  that  the 
best  method  yet  devised  is  that  of  Grattan's.  By  means  of  his 
craniometer  the  skull  is  firmly  fixed  in  position  by  passing  two  pegs 
into  the  external  openings  of  the  ears  and  pressing  another  screw 


28 

Jo/in    G?-affa/i  : 

against  the  base  of  the  skull.  The  skull  can  then  be  rotated  along 
with  the  stage  to  which  it  is  fixed,  round  an  axis  passing  through 
the  external  auditory  oi)enings,  or  it  can  be  rotated  along  with  its 
stage  round  an  axis  perpendicular  to  the  first.  In  each  case  the 
exact  amount  of  rotation  is  indicated  by  a  dial.  The  instrument 
has  a  brass  carriage,  a  brass  slide  and  a  curved  tracer,  all  suitably 
adjusted,  so  that  the  distance  of  any  part  of  the  median  line  of  the 
skull  from  the  point  where  the  axis  passing  from  the  centre  of  one 
ear-opening  to  the  other  crosses  the  median  plane,  can  be  read  on 
a  graduated  scale  marked  in  inches  and  tenths  of  inches.  Grattan 
selected  as  his  starting-point,  or  zero,  the  distance  from  this  point 
on  the  auditory  axis  to  the  nasion,  or  depression  just  above  the 
root  of  the  nose.  After  this  is  ascertained  the  brass  slide  is  with- 
drawn, the  skull  rotated  io°,  the  brass  slide  carrying  the  pointer 
again  pushed  towards  the  skull  and  the  distance  measured  in  the 
same  way  as  from  the  nasion.  This  process  of  skull  rotatiou 
through  lo'^  and  of  measurement  is  repeated  along  the  entire 
extent  of  the  arc.  From  such  a  series  of  measurements  a  profile 
drawing  of  the  skull  can  be  made  showing  the  position  of  the 
external  auditory  meatus  and  the  contour  of  the  vault  at  intervals 
which,  in  an  ordinary  skull,  are  less  than  an  inch  apart.  If  necessary, 
the  skull  can  be  measured  at  shorter  intervals  by  rotating  the  skull 
between  each  measurement  a  smaller  number  of  degrees.  By 
other  adjustments  the  same  instrument  can  be  used  to  make  a 
tracing  on  paper  of  the  external  contour  of  this  arc.  After  the 
vault  has  been  measured  the  rotation  of  the  skull  can  be  continued 
so  as  to  determine  the  amount  of  projection  of  the  nose,  jaws,  and 
teeth  below  and  in  front  of  the  cranium.  Grattan  measured  a 
number  of  skulls  in  this  wa}'  and  compared  them  with  one  another 
in  a  series  of  tables  showing  the  proportion  of  the  radial  diameters 
at  lo'  interval  from  zero  to  i8o°  with  the  length  of  the  skull 
estimated  at  100*^. 

It  is  difficult  to  imagine  a  more  ingenious  and  accurate  method 
of  measuring  this  part  of  the  skull. 

The  length-breadth  index  expressed  by  comparing  the  greatest 
length  of  the  cranium  with  its  greatest  breadth  is  open  to  the 


29 

A  Sketch  of  Jin  JI  ork  as  a  Craniologist. 

same  objection  as  the  length-height  index  which  we  have  just 
discussed.  Thus,  in  some  skulls  the  greatest  transverse  diameter 
is  high  up  on  the  parietal  Ixjnes,  this  means  that  the  sides  of  the 
skull  have  a  slight  inclination  outwards  from  the  base  until  near 
the  top;  in  other  specimens  the  lateral  walls  begin  to  slope  inwards 
from  near  the  base,  so  that  the  greatest  transverse  diameter  is 
much  lower.  Further,  the  maximum  tran.sverse  diameter  may  be 
the  same  in  two  skulls,  but  towards  the  anterior  or  smaller  end  of 
the  oval  one  of  these  skulls  may  be  much  narrower  than  the  other. 
To  correct  these  sources  of  fallacy  the  transverse  diameter  is  often 
taken  in  the  frontal  as  well  as  the  parietal  regions,  and  the  level  of 
the  greatest  transverse  diameter  is  roughly  indicated  by  stating 
whether  this  occurs  high  up  between  the  parietals,  or  nearer  the 
base  between  the  temporals.  It  is  interesting  to  see  how  Grattan 
recorded  these  variations  of  the  transverse  diameter  at  different 
points  from  before  backwards  and  from  below  upwards.  A\'ith  his 
craniometer  lines  are  drawn  on  the  skull  from  one  external  ear, 
opening  to  the  other,  opposite  selected  angular  intervals  from  the 
nasion.  The  cranium  is  thus  blocked  out  into  a  series  of  wedges, 
each  having  a  convex  base  on  the  \-aulted  part  of  the  skull  and  a 
sharp  straight  edge  at  the  auditory  axis  at  the  base  of  the  skull. 
The  arched  lines  over  the  surface  of  the  skull  from  one  ear  opening 
to  the  other  he  called  coronal  arcs,  and  he  selected  for  special 
examination  the  arcs  at  intervals  of  io°,  30°,  60°,  90",  120°  and 
150°  from  the  ear-nasion  arc.  He  divided  each  of  these  arcs  into 
three  parts  of  e(]ual  vertical  elevation,  by  two  lines  parallel  to  their 
bases,  and  the  extremities  of  these  lines  and  the  base  line  furnished 
so  many  fixed  points  between  which  the  transverse  diameters  could 
be  taken. 

I  must  admit  that  this  part  of  Grattan's  method  looks  somewhat 
complicated,  but  it  is  not  so  laborious  in  actual  practice  as  it  might 
at  first  sight  appear.  Grattan's  own  remarks  on  this  point  are 
very  characteristic.  He  writes  as  follows  : — "  It  may  possibly  be 
objected  to  this  method  that  it  involves  too  large  an  array  of 
arithmetical  figures  and  demands  too  great  an  expenditure  of 
labour  ;  but  v^■hat  was  c'\'er  yet  accomplished,  of  any  \'alue,  without 


30  John    Gnftian  : 

some  labour?  And  if  it  be  desirable  to  furnish  measurements  at 
all  (and  from  the  fact  that  almost  every  writer  upon  the  subject 
gives  them  after  some  fashion  this  is  manifestly  the  case),  surely 
it  is  of  some  importance  that  they  should  be  adequate  to  accomplish 
the  object  in  view,  and  at  least  be  so  taken  and  recorded  as  to 
convey  truthful  and  intelligible  impressions  to  the  mind." — 
Ulster  Journal  of  Archceology,   Vol.   vi.,   p.    35. 

An  examination  of  present-day  craniological  methods  will  show- 
that  various  attempts  are  made  to  amplify  and  check  the  data 
afforded  by  the  greatest  length,  breadth  and  height  measurements 
of  the  cranium.  Thus,  the  transverse  diameter  is  taken  between 
several  different  points,  the  chords  of  the  frontal,  parietal  and 
occipital  arcs  are  measured,  and  the  lengths  of  radii  drawn  from  a 
point  on  the  base  of  the  skull  to  various  spots  on  the  median 
longitudinal  arc  of  the  vault  are  recorded.  The  points  selected  in 
many  cases  correspond  to  the  union  of  certain  of  the  skull  bones. 
These,  however,  may  vary  without  affecting  the  general  shape  and 
dimensions  of  the  skull,  and  have  not  the  mathematical  precision 
of  Grattan's  points.  On  the  whole,  it  appears  to  me  that  fo"" 
completeness  and  accuracy,  and  for  facility  in  making  a  thorough 
comparison  between  the  external  form  of  different  skulls,  Grattan's 
method,  devised  about  50  years  ago,  when  craniology  was  in  its 
infancy,  can  hold  its  own  against  any  scheme  yet  formulated- 
Curiously  enough  he  made  no  attempt  to  measure  the  diameters  of 
the  cranial  cavity,  or  to  ascertain  how  far  the  inequalities  of  the 
outer  surface  of  the  skull  correspond  to  those  on  its  inner  aspect. 
Possibly  his  phrenological  view  led  him  to  suppose  that  this 
question  had  been  settled. 

There  is  one  feature  in  Grattan's  method  to  which  I  must 
allude,  viz.,  his  selection  of  the  middle  of  the  auditory  axis  as  a 
starting  point  from  which  to  measure  the  various  radii  and 
diameters  of  the  cranial  vault.  The  point  usually  selected  for 
this  purpose  is  the  anterior  edge  of  the  foramen  magnum  and  on 
morphological  grounds  there  is  much  to  be  said  in  its  favour.  It 
represents,  as  Huxley  long  ago  })ointed  out,  the  posterior  end  of 
the  true  base  of  the  skull,  and  he  used  this  point  from  which  to 


./  S/.r/i//  of  //is   ll'ork  <is  a  Craiiiol():^isl.  3^ 

start  in  measuring  the  length  of  the  basi-cranial  axis  and  com- 
paring it  with  the  vaulted  portion  of  the  cranium.  At  certain 
times,  however,  craniologists  have  recognised  the  fact  that  the 
external  auditory  opening  presented  certain  advantages  over  the 
anterior  edge  of  the  foramen  magnum  as  a  basal  point  from  which 
to  measure  the  cranial  vault,  and  curiously  enough  this  view  was 
adopted  very  strongly  by  the  late  General  Pitt-Rivers,  who  in  the 
last  volume  of  his  celebrated  "  Excavations  in  Cranborne  Chase" 
wrote  as  follows  in  discussing  this  question  : — 

"  There  are  other  considerations  which  may  perhaps  operate  in 
ultimately  bringing  about  a  change  of  system.  Mr.  Busk,  F.R.S., 
was  a  strong  advocate  for  measuring  from  the  meatus  auditorius 
and  contrived  an  instrument  for  this  purpose,  but  it  was  somewhat 
clumsy  in  use  and  was  not  generally  adopted  on  that  account. 
His  method,  however,  was  sound  in  principle.  No  comparison 
between  the  skull  and  the  living  head  can  be  made  by  an)- 
measurements  other  than  those  taken  from  the  meatus.  Three 
profils  of  living  heads  taken  by  my  instrument  are  given  in  Plates 
290  and  292  and  they  are  recognised  as  striking  likenesses  of  the 
originals.  This  instrument  is  made  of  aluminium  and  the  legs 
are  movable  so  as  to  be  light  enough  for  use  with  a  living  head. 
The  profile  can  be  taken  much  more  cjuickly  than  with  Mr.  Busk's 
instrument.  There  is  also  this  great  objection  to  the  anterior 
margin  of  the  foramen  magnum  as  a  base  for  measurement  that 
in  ancient  skulls  which  have  been  buried  for  ages  it  is  one  of  the 
first  parts  of  the  skull  to  decay,  whereas  the  meatus  auditorius  is 
much  more  frec^uently  preserved  and  a  larger  number  of  skulls 
can  be  measured  by  this  methcxl,  a  point  of  great  importance 
when  it  is  considered  what  a  small  number  of  the  ancient  skulls 
found  in  tumuli  and  other  places  are  sufficiently  perfect  to  be 
available  for  measurement." 

I  have  been  assured  by  an  old  friend  of  Grattan  that  he  had  a 
remarkable  aptitude  for  the  construction  of  mechanical  instru- 
ments, and  his  craniometer  affords  ample  proof  of  the  correctness 
of  this  opinion.  Grattan  endeavoured  to  base  his  measurements 
upon  mathematical  principles  and  to  avoid  as  far  as  possible  the 


fohii   Grattaii  : 

selection,  as  points  between  which  to  measure,  tliose  liable  to 
vary  from  irregularities  in  the  sutures  on  the  vault  of  the  skull. 
Thus  in  taking  the  height  he  did  not  choose  the  spot  where  the 
frontal  and  the  two  parietal  bones  join,  but  one  on  the  vault  60° 
from  the  nasion.  His  preference  for  definite  angular  intervals  is 
again  shown  by  the  fact  that  he  took  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  cranium  at  a  horizontal  plane  passing  anteriorly  10°  and 
posteriorly  150°  from  the  nasio-auditory  plane  as  zero.  He  found 
such  a  section  usually  intersected  the  cranium  at  its  longest  and 
broadest  diameters. 

The  capacity  of  the  cavity  of  the  cranium  is  obviously  of  im- 
portance as  an  index  of  the  size  of  the  brain,  but  the  determination 
of  its  amount  is  subject  to  various  fallacies.  The  cavity  is  filled 
with  some  material  made  up  of  small  solid  particles,  and  the 
quantity  needed  for  this  purpose  is  then  measured.  Many  of  the 
earlier  estimates  of  cranial  capacities  are  \ery  inaccurate  owing  to 
the  use  of  unsuitable  substance  and  the  absence  of  proper  pre- 
cautions when  filling  the  cranial  cavity  and  the  measures.  Grattan's 
remarks  on  this  subject  show  the  care  and  thoroughness  with  which 
he  pursued  his  investigations.  Thus,  he  states  that  he  tried  sand, 
sago,  and  mustard  seed,  but  they  all  gave  unsatisfactory  results, 
since  none  of  these  indicated  the  same  capacity  when  the  same 
experiment  was  repeated.  He  found,  however,  that  small  round 
shot  gave  reliable  results,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  tliis  is 
the  material  now  generally  used.  Davis  tS:  Thurnam,  in  the  first 
jiart  of  their  great  work,  entitled  Cra/z/a  Brifaiuiica,  published  in 
1856,  state  that  they  employed  sand.  Grattan  refers  to  this  fact, 
and  expresses  his  regret  that  they  did  not  use  a  more  reliable 
material. 

In  addition  to  devising  instruments  and  methods  for  taking 
skull  measurements  he  employed  them  in  the  study  of  numerous 
Irish  skulls.  Thus,  in  the  Ulster  /ournal  of  Archeology,  "S'ol.  i., 
1853,  he  had  a  "Notice  of  an  Ancient  Sepulchural  Mound." 
From  this  Mound  which  \\as  apparently  a  pre-christian  burial 
place,  he  obtained  8  skulls  sutificiently  well  preserved  to  admit  of 
satisfactory    measurements.      These   specimens  were  probalily  all 


A  S/cr/r//  ,>/'  //is   U.'ork  as  a  Cnun'i>/oisisf. 

interred  al)()ut  the  same  time,  and  yet  they  exhibit  considerable 
variations  in  cranial  form.  Again,  in  the  same  Journal,  Vol.  vi.,  i  S58, 
p.  241,  he  gives  a  chronological  classification  of  104  skulls  from 
various  Irish  sources  which  he  had  measured.  P>om  an  examina- 
tion of  some  prehistoric  Irish  skulls  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  they  were  divisible  into  two  distinct  groups.  The  majority 
were  long-headed  like  the  majority  of  the  existing  inhabitants, 
and  he  considers  them  Celtic.  The  minority  were  round-headed, 
and  Grattan  agrees  with  Retzius  in  holding  that  these  were  of 
"  Turanic  "  origin,  had  preceded  the  Celtic  population,  and  have 
their  living  representatives  in  the  Fins  or  Laplanders.  He  further 
concluded  from  the  cranial  testimony  that  the  Celtic  population  of 
Ireland,  no  matter  by  how  many  immigrations  introduced,  must 
be  originally  from  one  part  stock. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Grattan  belonged  to  that  group  of 
scientific  investigators  who  have  endeavoured  to  ascertain  the 
physical  characteristics  of  the  prehistoric  races  of  this  country 
and  that  his  own  researches  and  inventions  were  calculated  to  aid 
in  the  accurate  determination  of  the  differences  between  the 
various  races  of  mankind  and  the  zoological  position  of  man 
himself. 

Grattan  was  an  acti\e  member  and  an  important  contributor  to 
the  Proceedings  of  this  Society  about  half  a  century  ago,  and  his 
researches  may  serve  as  a  typical  illustration  of  the  general 
character  of  the  work  of  some  of  its  early  supporters. 

This  Society  was  not  founded  upon  any  narrow  and  merely 
utilitarian  basis  and  has  not  limited  itself  to  any  one  department 
of  scientific  work.  It  has  welcomed  contributions  from  those 
interested  in  any  of  the  physical  or  biological  sciences,  and  while 
glad  to  receive  contributions  illustrating  the  practical  application 
of  scientific  discoveries  to  the  improvements  of  our  arts  and 
manufactures  it  has  shown  an  equal  appreciation  for  observations 
and  experiments  tending  to  increase  our  knowledge  of  nature  and 
its  workings,  irrespective  of  whether  or  not  they  were  likelv  to 
increase  our  wealth  or  contribute  to  our  material  comfort. 

Natural    History,   Botany,   Geology  and   Ethnology  have   been 


34  John   Graf  fan  : 

fovoLirite  departments  of  study  amongst  our  members.  The 
gradual  accumulation  of  carefully  recorded  facts  by  a  multitude  of 
humble  workers  in  these  subjects,  no  less  than  the  capacity  for 
broad  generalisations  possessed  by  a  few  brilliant  minds,  have 
taught  us  the  great  antiquity  of  this  earth  and  the  gradual 
evolution  of  its  organic  life.  Darwin's  work  on  board  the 
"  Beagle  ''  and  his  studies  amongst  his  flowers  and  his  domestic 
animals  must  have  appeared  to  many  as  a  useless,  if  harmless, 
amusement,  and  yet  what  department  of  human  thought  and 
activitv  has  not  been  influenced  by  them. 

It  not  unfrequently  happens  that  in  the  attempts  to  solve  a 
difficult  and  complicated  scientific  problem  a  frontal  attack  is  as 
ineffectual,  if  not  as  disastrous,  as  our  Generals  found  it  to  be  at 
Colenso.  The  foundations  of  the  science  of  bacteriology  were 
laid  by  botanists  who  probably  never  dreamed  that  in  the  hands 
of  such  men  as  Pasteur  it  was  destined  to  create  a  re^"olution  in 
the  treatment  of  many  diseases  and  in  our  views  of  sanitation  and 
preventative  medicine. 

In  these  times  when  the  steam  engine  is  disappearing  to  be 
replaced  by  the  electric  motor  we  ought  not  to  forget  what  we  owe 
to  such  men  as  Galvani  with  his  apparently  trivial  experiments 
with  frogs,  muscles,  and  bits  of  copper  and  iron.  It  will  be  an 
unfortunate  day  for  our  material  prosperity,  no  less  than  for  the 
progress  of  science,  when  the  scope  and  nature  of  our  scientific 
work  is  limited  to  what  at  the  time  may  appear  of  practical 
utility  and  when  the  pursuit  of  truth  for  its  own  .sake  can  no 
longer  claim  its  devotees.  Let  us  hope  that  this  Society  will 
always  maintain  its  high  traditions,  and  will  continue  to  produce 
members  as  able,  industrious,  and  energetic  in  scientific  research 
as  John  Grattan. 


A  Sketch  of  /lis  ll'orh  as  a  Cra/iio/oo/s/,  35 

APPENDIX. 


The  following  appendix  (xjnsists  of  reprints  from  some  of 
Grattan's  unpublished  work.  Plate  (I)  is  a  drawing  of  Grattan's 
craniometer.  The  explanation  of  this  plate  and  the  description  of 
the  method  of  using  the  craniometer  are  reprinted  from  the  paper 
prepared  by  Grattan,  but  unpublished  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Plate  II.  is  reproduced  from  one  made  by  Grattan  to  illustrate 
his  method  of  cranial  measurements.  It  has  been  reduced  to 
about  731-ds  of  the  size  of  the  original  figure.  A  somewhat  similar 
illustration  will  be  found  in  the  Ulster  Journal  of  Archaeology, 
Vol.  VI.,  1858,  showing  a  profile  view  of  the  dimensions  of 
Spurzheim's  skull. 

A  table  has  also  been  added  showing  Grattan's  scheme  of  skull 
measurement  ;  some  facial  measurements  have  been  omitted. 

EXPLANATION    OF    PLATE  I. 
Grattan's  Craniometer. 

A. — A  flat  Board,  20  inches  scjuare,  and  5<(ths  of  an  inch  thick, 

forming  the  stand  of  the  Instrument. 
B. — A  movable   wooden   foot,  9   inches   long,    3   broad,    and  i 

thick.     It  narrows  to  ^  of  an  inch  in  front,  where  it  has 

affixed  to  it  a  brass  mounting,  which  carries  the  Pivot  P. 
C. — Nut  and  screw  for  securing  B  to  A. 
D. — A  wooden  upwright,  i  2  X  3  X  i  inches,  firmly  mortised  into 

the  foot  B. 
E. — A  brass  frame  attached  to  1)  by  means  of  pivot  F,  upon 

which  it  can  be  made  to  rotate   in   a  vertical  plane.     Its 

centre  (the  pivot  K),   is  9  inches  above  the  board  A  :  and 

its  arms  project  forward   •] }{  inches  from  I),  and  are  7^4 

inches  apart. 
F  — The  pivot  and  nut  which  secure  E  in  its  place,  and  allow 

of  its  being  fitted  and  rotated  at  will. 
G. — A  second  brass  frame  or  stage,  attached  b\-  its  extremities 

to  the  extremities  of  E. 


26  /oliii    Gtaifau  : 

HH. — Two  screws,  passing  through  the  extremities  of  J'^  and  G, 
constituting  the  axis  upon  which  G  revolves,  in  a  plane 
always  perpendicular  to  the  plane  of  rotation  of  E.  The 
inner  ends  of  these  screws  terminate  in  smooth  cylindrical 
pivots,  of  suitable  dimensions,  to  permit  of  their  being 
introduced  into  the  external  auditory  foramina.  They  can 
be  screwed  backwards  or  forwards  with  the  utmost  facility  ; 
and  when  adjusted  to  a  skull,  are  fixed  in  a  postion  by 
means  of  the  nuts  II. 

II. — Binding  nuts,  for  fixing  the  stage  G  firmly  to  the  screws 
HH,  in  order  that  they  may  rotate  with  it  in  its  progress. 
J. — A  brass  semicircle,  divided  into  degress,  and  firmly  secured 
by  screws  upon  the  upper  arm  of  E.  Its  centre  coincides 
with  the  axis  of  G,  and  it  is  traversed  by  an  index  K, 
secured  upon  H  by  the  binding-nut  L,  so  as  to  insure  its 
accompanying  H  and  G  in  all  their  movements,  the  ex. 
tent  of  which  can  thus  be  read  off  in  degrees. 

K. — The  hidex  attached  to  the  screw  H.  A\'lien  E  stands  in 
the  position  in  which  it  is  placed  in  the  diagram,  the  faces 
of  I  and  Iv  lie  horizontally,  and  conseciuently  only  their 
edges  can  be  seen  ;  but  a  detached  diagram  of  them  is  set 
out  separately. 

L. — A  binding-nut,  for  fixing  the  index  K  in  position  when 
adjusted. 

M. — A  piece  of  whalebone  2>f\  iiiches  long,  i  '_.  broad,  and 
2-:oths  thick,  securely,  Ijut  slackly  attached  1)\-  twine  to  the 
upper  surface  of  the  short  projecting  arm  of(i,  so  as  to 
allow  it  a  sort  of  hinge-like  motion.  It  is  imperfectly 
visible  in  position  in  the  diagram,  but  a  detached  outline 
of  it  is  given  ;  two  dots  upon  it,  and  upon  G,  respectively, 
indicating  the  holes  by  which  they  are  secured  to  each 
other. 

N. — A  thumb-screw  passing  through  G,  and  pressing  against  the 
back  of  M,  by  means  of  which  the  distance  of  M  from  G, 
and  the  pressure  exerted  upon  M  can  be  regulated. 


A  SkeicJi  of  his  Work  as  a  Craiiioloi^^isf.  ^' 

O. — A  binding-nut,  for  securing  the  stage  G  in  position  when 

its  adjustments  have  been  completed. 
P. — A  pivot,  rising  vertically  from  the  brass   mounting  of  the 
foot  B.     Its  centre  coincides  with  the  axis  of  the  stage  G, 
when  the  poles  of  the  latter  are  placed  perfectly  vertical, 
and   if  extended  vertically,  would  exactly  bisect  the  same 
axis  when  adjusted  horixontally. 
Q. — A  brass  carriage,  12  inches  long  and  2^^  broad.     One  of 
its  extremities  is  perforated  to  make  it  fit  pivot  P,  round 
which,  resting  upon  B,    it  moves   horizontally  ;  the  other 
extremity  resting  upon  a  brass  foot,  R,  which  raises  its 
under  surface  to  the  level  of  the  top  of  B.      When  moved 
round  P,  it  describes  a  circle,  of  which  P  is  the  centre,  and 
its  left  limb  is  graduated  to  permit  of  the  distance  from  P 
to  U  being  read  off  in  inches  and  tenths. 
K.. — The  foot  upon  which  Q  rests,  secured  to  it  by  screws. 
S. — A  brass  slide,  which  travels  backwards  and  forwards  in  a 
slot  upon  the  carriage  Q,  carrying  at  one  end  the  upright 
T,  and  having  at  the  other  end  a  tube  for  receiving  the 
pencil  U. 
T. — A  perpendicular  triangular  brass  upright.  12^  inches  long, 

attached  to  S. 

U. — A  pencil,  passing  freely  through  S,  which  it  accompanies 

in  all  its  movements,  with  its  point  resting  on  the  paper  Y. 

V. — A  spring  slide,  fitting  accurately  upon,  and  moving  freely 

up  and  down  T.       It   carries  in   front   a   horizontal  pivot, 

upon  which  rotates  the  curved  tracer  A\'  ;  and  at  the  back^ 

a  binding-screw,  to  fix  it  in  position  when  requisite. 

W. — A  curved  tracer,  so  adjusted  as  always  to  have  its  points  in 

the  same  perpendicular  line  as  the  point  of  the  pencil  U. 
X. — A  pointed  steel  pin,  furnished  with  a  wooden  handle.    '  It 
passes  through  the  exact  centre  of  P  ;  pierces  the  paper  Y  ; 
and  indicates  the  precise  point  from  whence  all  the  measure- 
ments are  taken. 
Y. — A  sheet  of  paper,  extending  under  a  portion  of  the  foot  B  ; 
which,  when  screwed  down,  holds  it  firmly  in  its  place. 


38  John    Gratfan  : 

a  I,  and  a  2. — Two  lines  scribed  upon  the  board  A.  a  i,  passing 
transversely  through  the  central  point,  indicated  by 
X  ;  and  a  2,  backwards  therefrom,  and  perpendicular  to 
a  I.  They  enable  the  paper  Y,  when  correspondingly 
marked,  to  be  removed,  and  accurately  replaced,  if  lequisite. 
To  employ  this  instrument,  let  the  frame  E  be  turned  upon  its 
axis,  until  the  axis  of  G  shall  be  perfectly  horizontal,  indicated  by 
the  mark  upon  the  edge  of  E  ;  touching  the  point  c)f  the  arrow 
upon  D  ;  and  by  the  graduated  semicircle  J,  standing  perpen- 
dicularly at  the  left  hand  of  the  operator  as  he  faces  the  upright 
D  :  then  let  the  stage  G  be  turned  upon  its  axis,  until  it  depends 
vertically  from  the  extremities  of  E,  when  its  projecting  arm, 
carrying  the  thumb-screw  N,  will  be  underneath — the  whaJebone 
lever  M  lying  loosely  upon  it  above.  If  a  skull  be  now  placed 
upon  its  base,  centrically  on  the  stage  G,  with  its  face  towards  the 
operator,  and  the  screws  HH  be  introduced  mto  the  external 
auditory  foramina,  the  bony  palate  will  rest  upon  the  hinge-end  of 
M  ;  whilst,  by  means  of  the  thumb  screw  N,  the  forked  extremity 
of  M  can  be  pressed  upon  the  occipital  condyles,  with  any 
amount  of  force  requisite  to  keep  the  skull  fixed  and  steady.  The 
binding-nuts,  II  are  then  to  be  screwed  home,  after  which  the 
stage  G  mav  be  rotated  completely  round  its  axis,  carrying  with  it 
the  skull,  which  will  not  require  to  be  shifted  upon  the  stage  in 
any  subsequent  operation.  Let  the  carriage  Q  be  now  moved, 
until,  upon  sliding  S  backwords  and  forwards,  the  point  of  the 
pencil  U  exactly  traverses  the  line  A  2.  Let  it  be  fixed  in  this 
position  by  passing  the  pin  X  through  a  hole  in  the  foot  R,  into 
a  corresponding  hole  in  the  board  beneath,  and  let  the  ])oint  of 
the  tracer  \V  be  adjusted  precisely  upon  a  level  with  the  axis  of  E, 
which  will  be  when  the  under  edge  of  the  slide  V  touches  the 
point  of  the  arrow  upon  T.  It  will  now  be  manifest,  that  by 
rotating  the  stage  G,  any  portion  of  the  median  periphery  of  the 
skull  may  be  brought  into  immediate  contact  with  the  point  of  the 
tracer  W,  and  the  distance  of  any  part  of  it  from  the  axis  of  the 
auditory  foramina  be  read  off  in  inches  and  tenths  upon  the  grad- 
uated scale  in   O:    the  angular  distance   t;f  any   one  i  Joint  i>om 


PLATE     II. 


A  Sketch  of  his  fTarh  as  a  Crauioloi;;ist.  39 

another,  adopting  the  same  axis  as  a  centre,  being  indicated  upon 
the  graduated  circle  J  by  its  index  K.  In  this  manner  mesial 
measurements,  mathematically  accurate,  both  as  regards  extension 
and  position,  may  be  taken  with  surprising  facility.  For  the 
reasons  already  advanced,  however,  it  has  been  found  to  be  much 
preferable  to  make  outline  tracings  instead,  which  may  be  accom- 
plished with  very  little  additional  trouble.  To  do  this — replace  E 
in  the  position  it  occupies  in  the  diagram  ;  set  A  free  by  removing 
the  pin  from  R,  and  then  carefully  move  Q  round  P  as  a  centre  ; 
keeping,  at  the  same  time  the  tracer  "W  in  contact  with  the  skull, 
and  tracing  upon  the  paper  Y,  with  the  pencil  U,  the  course  the 
latter  takes,  which  will  coincide  exactly  with  the  line  described  by 
the  point  of  W  in  its  progress  ;  the  position  of  sutures,  and  other 
important  points,  being  indicated  as  we  proceed  b\-  short  lines 
perpendicular  to  the  skull.  By  this  means  we  shall  succeed  in 
producing  a  faithful  outline  of  the  entire  median  section  of  the 
skull  ;  and  may,  in  like  manner,  jiroduce  transverse  sectional  out- 
lines at  any  desired  point,  by  simply  replacing  E  in  the  horizontal 
position,  and  by  rotating  G,  bringing  the  section  to  be  outlined 
into  the  same  horizontal  plane  as  the  point  of  the  tracer  W.  A 
series  of  outlines  thus  taken  (see  Plates  2  and  3),  affords  per- 
manent and  unimpeachable  materials  from  which  measurements  may 
be  taken  with  perfect  accuracy  and  facility  :  and  I  shall  now 
proceed  to  explain  how  the  exact  dimensions,  and  the  more 
prominent  characteristics  of  the  skill,  maybe  expressed  numerically, 
with  the  precision  and  fidelity  necessary  for  scientific  purposes. 


4° 


GRATTAN'S    TABLE, 
Showing  his  Schema  of  Skull  Measurements:  — 


Section  I. 
DIMENSIONAL   MEASUREMENTS. 
Capacity  in  cubic  inches 
Length  in  inches  and  tenths 
Breadth 

Veitical  height  at  60  decrees 
Circumference 
Occipito- frontal  Arch 
Transverse  Arch  at  90  degrees 

Capacity  in  cubic  Centimetres 

I>ength  in  ISIillimelres 

Breadth 

Vertical  height  at  60  degrees 

Circumference 

Occipito-f rental  Arch 

Transverse  Arch  at  90  degrees 

Section  IT. 

PROPORTIONAL    MEASUREMENTS 

in  lOnths  of  Long  Diameter  of  Cranium, 

Group  I. 

L.ngth 

Breadth 

Vertical  height  at  60  degrees 

Circumference 

Occipito  frontal  Arch 

Transverse  Arch  at  90  degrees 

Section  II. 
MESIAL  RADII.       Group  11. 


1 

0 

At 

10 

^Angular 

20 

Intervals 

30 

of 

40 

10  degrees 

50 

from  the 

60 

Naso- frontal 

70 

Suture 

80 

as 

,^ 

90 

Zero, 

100 

and  Avith  tlie 

110 

Axis 

120 

of  the 

UO 

Auditory 

140 

Foramina 

150 

as 

160 

Centres. 

170 

180 

To  posterior  edge  of  F 

]M 

agnum 

..  anterior         do. 

do. 

,,  front  edge  of  Upper 

M 

axilla 

,,  Symphysis  Mcnti 

Skction  it. 

CORONAL  ARCS.        <Jroup  III. 

^  \  Frontal 
■^  I  Parietal 
■p   i  Occipital 

;  Total  of,  or  Occiptio  Frontal 

f  At    10  degrees 
^  30         ,, 

>   \  60         „ 

ci  90 

2   I        120 


Section  IT. 

TRANSVERVE  DIAMETER,    Group  IV 

Mastoidal 
Mentoriai 


Temporal 

(A) 
Zone 


at 


Supra-Temporal 

(B) 

Zone 


at 


f    10  degrees 

I     30 

I     60        „ 

<;  90 

1  120        „ 
1150 

f    10  degrees 

30 
I     60 

i     90        ,, 
I  120 
1150 


Section  III. 

MISCELLANEOUS  MEASUREMENTS. 

Long  Diameter  of  F.  Magnum 
Tiaiisverse  do.         do. 

Cerebellar  Depression  below  1 .50^ 

Angular  Position  of — 
Coronal  Suture 
Lambdoidal  do. 
Posterior  edge  of  F.  Magnum 
Anterior  edge  of  do. 

,.  Upper  Maxilla 

Symphysis  Jlenti 


41 
1st  December,   igoj. 


Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E., 
President,  in  the  Chair. 


SAYINGS,  PROVERBS,  AND  HUMOUR  OF  ULSTER. 
By  Professor  John  W.  Byers,  M.A.,  M.D. 

(Abstract.) 


The  lecturer  pointed  out  how  sayings,  proverbs,  and  humour  were 
characteristic  of  a  distinct  race,  and  that  a  study  of  these  features 
enabled  us  to  form  some  opinion  of  the  history  and  character  of 
the  people,  to  understand  their  habits  and  peculiarities,  to  in- 
vestigate their  methods  of  speech,  and  in  some  measure  to  explain 
why  they  have  exerted  such  an  influence  in  the  world's  history. 

For  three  hundred  years  there  had  existed  in  Ulster  (and  mainly 
the  north-eastern  part  of  that  province)  a  race  of  people  who  by 
their  power  of  work,  their  level-headedness,  and  thorough  self- 
reliance,  have  made  Belfast  the  great  centre  of  Irish  industries, 
have  contributed  to  all  parts  of  the  British  empire  men  distinguished 
in  commerce,  science,  literature,  statesmanship,  and  the  arts  of 
war ;  and,  as  pointed  out  by  President  Roosevelt  in  his  great  work 
"  The  Winning  of  the  West,"  have  done  so  much  in  colonising 
what  was  formerly  called  the  AVestern  States  of  America — those 
lying  beyond  the  Alleghanies. 

The  Northern  Irish  are  a  mixed  people,  and  the  Ulsterman 
from  his  heredity  is  a  product  by  himself.  Through  his  veins 
there  courses  a  stream  of  Scotch,  English,  French  Huguenot,  and 
Irish  blood,  and  so  in  the  same  individual  you  may  sometimes 
find  the  pluck  and  grit  of  the  Englishman,  the  tenacity  and  fore- 
thought of  the  Scotch,  the  industry  of  the  Huguenot,  with  the  keen 


42  Professor  Byers  on 

sympathy,  pugnacity,  and  ready  wit  of  the  native  Irishman.  The 
characteristics  of  a  race  so  constituted  find  expression  in  the 
quaint  sayings,  proverbs,  and  humour  of  the  people  of  the  Northern 
Province  of  Ireland,  which  are  inspired  more  by  a  shrewd  obser- 
vation of  men  and  nature  than  by  mere  book-learning.  They  are 
met  with  in  their  most  pronounced  form  in  the  country  districts 
as  distinguished  from  the  towns,  and  the  clergy  and  the  medical 
profession  who  are  brought  into  intimate  relationship  with  the 
people  hear  them  most  frequently. 

The  explanation  of  some  of  these  sayings  is  at  times  difficult, 
and,  as  examples,  the  following  were  discussed  : — "  The  rale 
M'Kay,"  "A  Morgan  Rattler,"  "  Tibb's  Eve,"  and  "Paying  on 
the  Nail."  A  large  variety  of  other  phrases  and  proverbs  having 
been  considered,  attention  was  called  to  the  folk-lore,  superstition, 
and  fairy-lore  of  Ulster,  and  illustrations  were  given  from  the 
writings  of  "  Moira  O'Neill,"  Allingham,  W.  S.  Drennan,  as  well 
as  from  personal  observation. 

Various  "  omens  "  were  mentioned,  the  "  Banshee  "  was  discussed 
as  well  as  terms  and  phrases  used,  indicating  the  power  of 
observation  possessed  by  the  Ulster  race. 

Finally,  reference  was  made  to  the  "  Humour  "  of  the  Northern 
Province  of  Ireland,  which  differs  from  that  of  the  South  in  not 
being  so  apparent  and  spontaneous,  and  not  so  topsy-turvy  ;  it 
was  of  a  drier  kind,  but  at  the  same  time  could  be  as  sparkling  as 
that  met  with  in  any  other  part  of  the  country.  One  feature 
about  the  Northern  humour  was  that  while  it  is  not  so  much  on 
the  surface  and  in  many  cases  was  not  so  evidently  prepared 
beforehand  as  is  found  in  the  South  of  Ireland  it  is  not  so  readily 
exhausted.  In  driving  through  Dublin  the  jarvey  will  at  once 
when  you  mount  his  vehicle  fire  off  some  humourous  saying ;  in 
the  North  of  Ireland,  the  carman,  on  the  contrary,  waits  until  you 
draw  it  out  of  him  by  some  remark,  but  while  the  carman  in  the 
South  shows  by  the  twinkle  in  his  eye  that  he  is  amusing  you,  his 
Northern  confrere  never  exhibits  by  any  emotional  evidence  that 
he  is  poking  fun  at  you.  Examples  were  given  to  illustrate  the 
Ulster  Humour. 


Savings,  Proverbs,   and  Humour  of   Ulster.  43 

[The  lecture  of  which  the  above  is  a  very  short  abstract  appeared 
in  the  March  number  (1904),  of  the  "Victoria  College  Magazine," 
and  has  since  been  published,  along  with  "  Ulsterisms,"  in  book 
form.] 

Rev.  Professor  Todd  Martin  said  he  thought  they  should  not 
separate,  whatever  was  their  custom,  without  tendering  their  hearty 
thanks  to  Professor  Byers  for  that  lecture,  which  no  other  man  in 
the  North  of  Ireland  could  have  given  them.  Professor  Byers  had 
a  full  acquaintance  with  Ulster,  and  that  evening  he  had  brought 
before  them  some  of  the  traits  of  the  Ulster  people  in  a  wonder- 
fully interesting  way.  They  were  under  a  deep  obligation  to  him 
for  that  lecture.  He  was  sorry  to  see  that  the  distinctive  charac- 
teristics of  the  Ulster  people  seemed  to  be  vanishing.  The  spread 
of  education  was  driving  out  a  good  deal  that  was  distinctive  of 
the  province,  and  it  was  a  great  pity  that  some  of  the  traits  of  the 
people  could  not  be  seized  upon  before  they  passed  away.  They 
had  unfortunately  not  been  provided  with  a  picture  of  the  province 
as  other  parts  of  Ireland  had  been  presented.  Prefessor  Byers,  he 
hoped,  was  on  the  way  to  do  something  of  that  kind.  He  moved 
the  vote  of  thanks  heartily,  and  hoped  it  would  be  heartily  sup- 
ported. 

Mr.  William  Crawford  seconded  the  vote  of  thanks.  The  lecture 
had  been  extremely  interesting  in  every  part,  and  he  had  the  greatest 
pleasure  in  seconding. 

The  Chairman  said  the  lecture  was  a  singularly  appropriate  one 
to  a  society  like  theirs.  Their  Museum  contained  numerous 
memorials  of  the  work  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  this  province, 
and  Professor  Byers  had  brought  before  them  that  evening  not  less 
interesting  points  that  they  ought  to  preserve  and  treasure  as  very 
interesting  historical  facts. 

The  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  by  acclamation. 


44 


2Sth  Jafu/ary,  1^04. 


Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E, 
President,  in  the  Chair. 


RADIUM. 
By  John  Finnegan,  B.A.,  B.Sc. 


(Abstract.) 


The  meaning  of  lonisation  was  first  explained,  then  the  nature 
of  Kathode  rays,  canal  rays  and  X-rays.  Becquerel's  discovery 
that  Uranium  and  its  salts  are  continually  emitting  rays  that  affect 
the  photographic  plate  was  discussed. 

After  the  discovery  of  the  uranium  radiation  only  one  other 
chemical  element — thorium — was  found  to  possess  similar  powers. 
About  the  close  of  1897  Madame  Curie  began  the  study  of 
Becquerel  rays.  She  soon  found  that  the  emission  of  rays  by  the 
compounds  of  uranium  was  strictly  proportional  to  the  quantity  of 
metal  present,  and  must  be  an  atomic  property  of  tlie  element 
uranium  and  independent  of  its  chemical  or  physical  state. 

Uranium  is  chiefly  obtained  from  pitchblende,  a  velvety  black 
mineral  found  in  the  Erzgebirge  and  in  Cornwall.  M.  and 
Madame  Curie  resolved  to  investigate  the  radio-activity  of  pitch- 
blende, and  they  discovered  that  some  specimens  had  a  radio- 
activity four  times  greater  than  metallic  uranium  itself,  and  they 
immediately  set  about  separating  chemically  from  pitchblende  one 
substance  after  another,  testing  each  portion  for  radio-activity. 
In  this  way  they  discovered  that,  with  the  separate  bismuth,  there 


Radium.  45 

came  away  a  very  active  sulistance  which  they  named  polonium, 
and  with  the  barium  another  intensely  active  substance,  which 
they  called  radium. 

A  third  highly  radio-active  substance  was  discovered  in  pitch- 
blende by  M.  Debierne,  and  called  by  him  actinium  ;  it  accompanies 
certain  bodies  of  the  iron  grou{),  and  is  a  near  neighbour  of 
thorium.  All  these  radio-active  substances  occur  in  pitchblende 
in  absolutely  infinitesimal  quantities.  A  ton  of  the  uranium  residue 
— that  is  the  dross  of  the  pitchblende  after  the  uranium  is 
extracted — yields  about  two  or  three  grains  of  radium  salt.  The 
radiation  from  radium  is  extraordinarily  intense — it  emits  constantly 
all  the  different  rays  produced  in  a  vacuum  tube — and  a  specimen 
of  a  pure  radium  is  more  than  one  million  times  as  active  as  an 
equal  weight  of  uranium.  A  few  centigrams  of  radium  bromide 
discharge  an  electroscope  four  or  five  metres  distant,  and  one  can 
easily  discharge  an  electroscope  through  a  screen  of  lead  or  glass 
three  inches  thick.  Photographic  plates  placed  near  radium  are 
almost  instantly  fogged.  Radium  can  be  used  like  X-rays  for  the 
production  of  radiographs. 

Rutherford,  Becquerel,  and  others  have  shown  that  radium 
radiations  comprise  three  different  classes  of  rays.  (i)  The 
"Alpha"  rays,  formed  of  material  particles,  atomic  in  size,  charged 
positively,  thrown  off  with  a  velocity  about  one-tenth  that  of  light, 
easily  absorbed  by  thin  sheets  of  aluminium  foil,  or  by  a  few 
millimetres  of  air.  About  90  per  cent,  of  the  discharging  effect  is 
due  to  those  rays.  They  resemble  the  canal  rays  of  Golstein,  but 
have  much  greater  velocity.  According  to  Rutherford,  these 
resemble  closely  helium.  (2)  The  "  Beta  "  rays,  absolutely 
analogous  to  Cathode  rays,  are  swarms  of  flying  corpuscles, 
strongly  active  and  much  more  penetrative  than  the  Cathode  rays 
of  our  tubes,  moving  with  enormous  velocities,  many  as  fast 
as  light.  (3)  The  "  Gamma  "  rays,  not  deflected  by  a  magnet, 
traversing  thick  sheets  of  lead,  are  generally  believed  to  be 
etherical  pulses  of  the  Rontgen  ray  type. 

Radium  radiation  has  an  intense  physiological  effect,  producing 


46  Mr.  John  Finnegan  on 

skin  sores  that  heal  slowly.  M.  Curie  allowed  an  impure  radium 
salt  for  ten  hours  to  rest  upon  his  arm  ;  immediately  a  red  spot 
appeared,  and  a  sore  was  produced  that  required  some  months  to 
heal,  leaving  a  very  marked  scar. 

M.  and  Madame  Curie  observed  that  every  substance  which 
remains  some  hours  near  a  radio-active  salt  becomes  itself  radio- 
active, possessing  induced  radio  activity.  Professor  Curie  found 
that  the  zinc,  iron,  and  lead  fittings,  the  air  of  his  laboratory,  the 
clothing  of  the  workers,  their  very  persons,  in  presence  of  radium, 
start  into  activity,  and  give  out  rays  capable  of  affecting  a  photo- 
graphic plate  and  discharging  electricity.  Sometimes  he  himself 
could  not  enter  his  laboratory  or  approach  his  electrometer  for 
days.  It  has  been  found  that  these  .substances  are  continually 
giving  out  a  kind  of  gas,  and  this  is  called  elimination  ;  the  radio- 
activity is  caused  by  particles  from  this  emanation  depositing  on 
the  surrounding  bodies.  We  have  five  disintegration  products  of 
radium — (i)  a  very  active  substance  continually  produced  called 
radium  X  ;  (2)  the  luminous  emanations  arising  from  it ;  (3)  the 
resulting  precipitate  of  this,  also  self-luminous  ;  (4)  Cathode  rays  ; 
(5)  "Alpha"  rays,  and  accompanying  these  a  continuous  emission 
of  heat. 

Rutherford  explains  the  phenomenon  of  radioactivity  by  the 
theory  that  radium  atoms  are  disintegrated,  producing  others  of 
less  intrinsic  energy. 

He  supposes  that  a  small  number  of  atoms,  perhaps  one  in  one 
hundred  thousand  millions,  becomes  unstable  every  second,  and 
explodes,  a  part  the  "  Alpha  "  particle  is  violently  expelled. 

The  remainder  is  the  radium  exonation.  This  is  also  unstable 
and  expels  another  "  Alpha "  particle,  becoming  emanation  X, 
which  behaves  like  a  solid. 

This  again  is  unstable,  disintegrating  with  production  of  "Alpha," 
"  Beta,"  and  "  Gamma  "  rays.  All  these  are  lost  to  the  original 
radium,  and  the  loss  is  continuous,  but  so  small  that  we  cannot 
detect  it  by  weighing.  Radium,  then,  cannot  survive  indefinitely, 
and  the  wonder  is  that  it  has  survived  so  long. 


Radium.  47 

Early  last  summer  Professor  Ramsay  discovered  that  the  fresh 
emanation  from  radium  does  not  show  the  helium  spectrum,  but, 
with  its  decay,  helium  is  produced  in  ever-increasing  quantities, 
and  if  this  very  important  conclusion  is  confirmed  it  will  verify 
Rutherford's  idea  that  radium  is  being  constantly  transformed  into 
helium,  and  a  proof  will  exist  that  a  transmutation  of  the  elements 
is  possible.  Assuming  the  truth  of  these  laboratory  results,  we 
find  ourselves  in  presence  of  quite  startling  phenomena. 

No  one  has  hithereto  observed  the  transition  from  one  form  of 
matter  to  another,  although  everyone  knows  that  such  a  trans- 
mutation was  the  dream  of  the  alchemists.  In  recent  times  skilful 
observers  have  suspected  such  changes  from  spectroscopic  details 
of  solar  and  stellar  spectra.  Some  chemists  have  maintained  the 
evolution  of  matter  on  the  strength  of  Mendelejeff's  law  that  the 
elements  form  a  kind  of  family  or  related  series,  and  suspected 
that  the  barriers  between  the  members  were  not  impassible.  All 
this  was  the  speculation  of  the  very  boldest  ;  but  in  radio-active 
substances  the  process  appears  going  on  before  our  eyes.  Radium 
thorium,  and  uranium  are  only  extreme  cases.  Atoms  of  all  sorts 
are  reservoirs  of  energy,  and  have  no  guarantee  of  absolute 
durability  ;  and  Strutt  finds  that  most  ordinary  materials  are 
slightly  radio-active.  If  we  allow  ourselves  to  use  our  scientific 
imagination  and  to  push  the  electronic  theory  of  the  construction 
of  matter  to  its  logical  limits  we  may  be  witnesses  of  the  spon- 
taneous disintegration  of  radium,  and  we  commence  to  doubt  the 
permanent  stability  of  matter.  The  chemical  atom  may,  in  fact, 
undergo  a  transformation,  but  so  slowly  that  if  one  million  atoms 
escape  per  second  from  a  gramme  the  weight  would  hardly 
diminish  one  milligramme  in  one  century.  A  well-known  scientist 
says  : — "  This  fatal  quality  of  atomic  dissociation  appears  to  be 
universal,  and  operates  whenever  we  brush  a  piece  of  glass  with 
silk  ;  it  works  in  the  sunshine  and  raindrops,  in  lightning  and 
flame ;  it  prevails  in  the  water  fall  and  stormy  sea.  Matter  is 
doomed  to  destruction.  Sooner  or  later  it  will  have  dissolved 
into  the  formless  mist  of  protyle,  and  the  hour  Imnd  of  eternity 


48  Afr.  John  Finnegan  on 

will  have  completed  one  revolution."  Of  atoms,  as  of  men,  it 
may  be  said  with  truth,  "  Quisque  suos  patitur  manes." 

Among  the  experiments  which  Mr.  Finnegan  conducted  during 
his  lecture  was  the  discharging  of  an  electrometer  by  bringing  near 
it  a  tube  containing  three-fortieths  of  a  grain  of  radium,  the  tube 
enclosed  in  a  metal  match-box,  and  that  again  in  a  wooden  box. 

The  Lord  Mayor,  in  moving  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Finnegan, 
said  they  had  to  thank  that  gentleman  for  an  evening  which  he 
felt  sure  they  had  all  enjoyed  very  much.  During  the  last  twenty 
years  there  had  been  from  time  to  time  scientific  discoveries 
which  had  sent  a  thrill  of  wonder  and  admiration  through  them, 
and  of  these  none  was  more  admirable  and  wonderful  than  the 
new  discovery — radium.  The  world  was  to  be  congratulated  that 
it  was  a  lady  who  had  been  the  means  of  making  them  acquainted 
to  some  extent  with  one  of  nature's  greatest  secrets.  For  the 
welfare  of  humanity  they  hoped  that  these  grand  discoveries  of 
modern  science  would  continue. 

Mr.  John  Brown,  in  seconding,  congratulated  Mr.  Finnegan  on 
the  attractive  manner  in  which  he  had  treated  his  subject.  To 
old  chemists  like  himself  it  was  hard  to  have  some  cherished 
belief  shattered,  but,  though  he  bowed  to  some  of  the  more 
modern  scientists  on  some  of  the  points,  he  positively  declined  to 
accept  the  dissociation  theory,  which  he  took  leave  to  say  was  all 
humbug.  He  did  not  refer  to  gases,  but  to  electrolytic  dissociation. 
It  was  a  theory  made  in  Germany,  and  built  upon  a  most 
unsubstantial  basis.  He  agreed  with  the  Lord  Mayor  that  they 
ought  to  do  all  honour  to  the  great  French  woman,  Madame 
Curie,  whose  work  had  been  so  attractively  put  before  them  by 
Mr.  Finnegan. 

The  Chairman,  in  putting  the  motion,  endorsed  all  the  mover 
and  seconder  had  said  in  praise  of  the  lecture,  which,  however, 
was  given  under  certain  disadvantages  owing  to  the  want  of 
equipment  in  the  room.  Two  names  had  been  specially  mentioned 
that  evening — Madame  Curie  and  Professor  Rutherford.  To  the 
former  all  honour  was  due.     The  latter,  as  they  knew,  held  a 


Radium.  49 

chair  at  Montreal,  and  it  was  fortunate  that  he  did  so,  for  in 
no  laboratory  in  Ireland  would  he  have  found  the  equipment 
necessary  for  the  conduct  of  his  experimental  work.  He  might 
be  regarded  as  somewhat  fanatical  on  this  point,  but  he  must  say 
that  it  appeared  to  him  a  national  disgrace  to  any  country  not  to 
provide  adequate  opportunities  for  research  into  problems  which 
were  of  interest  to  every  intelligent  man,  and  which  had  a  practical 
bearing  upon  almost  every  department  of  work.  They  knew  that 
many  of  the  discoveries  of  modern  science  were  already  largely 
employed  in  medicine,  and  there  was  hope  that  some  of  them 
might  be  of  even  greater  utility  to  suffering  man  than  they  had 
yet  been.  They  ought,  he  thought,  to  all  try  and  do  their  best  to 
remove  what  he  considered  a  standing  disgrace  to  the  country — 
the  want  of  proper  equipment  for  scientific  research.  If  all  their 
public  men  in  Belfast  were  as  energetic  and  active  in  support  of 
scientific  research  as  their  present  Lord  Mayor,  who  took  the 
keenest  interest  in  scientific  work,  especially  in  physical  and 
electrical  research,  the  reproach  would  soon  be  wiped  out. 

The  vote  was  passed  with  acclamation. 

Mr.  Finnegan,  in  acknowledging  it,  endorsed  what  Professor 
Symington  had  said  about  their  poor  equipment  in  Belfast.  In 
going  about  the  scientific  appliance  shops  in  London  he  had  more 
than  once  been  shown  a  splendid  scientific  apparatus  which  was 
going  out  to  Mr.  Rutherford  at  Montreal.  It  was  a  standing 
disgrace  that  up  to  the  present  there  was  no  physical  laboratory  at 
the  Queen's  College,  Belfast.  However,  they  had  been  promised 
such  a  laboratory  by  Mr.  Pirrie,  and  when  they  obtained  it  he 
hoped  it  would  be  more  perfectly  equipped  with  men  as  well 
as  good  appliances. 


50 


I'jth  February,   1^04. 


Mr.  William  Swanston,  F.G.S.,  Vice-President,  in  the  Chair. 


A  HISTORIC  TRIAL  :    THE  LIMAVADY  GOLD 

ORNAMENTS  CASE, 

By  R.  Lloyd  Praeger,  B.E.,  M.R.I.A. 


(Abstract.) 


Mr.  Praeger,  in  the  course  of  his  lecture,  pointed  out  that  the 
Limavacly  gold  ornaments  case  had  been  in  many  respects  a  most 
remarkable  one:  The  action  had  been  at  the  suit  of  the  Crown 
against  the  trustees  of  the  British  Museum  for  the  delivery  up  of 
certain  ancient  golden  Celtic  ornaments.  The  matter  had  origin- 
ated through  the  finding  by  a  ploughman  named  Nicholl  in  April, 
1896,  on  a  farm  near  Lough  Foyle,  of  the  following  articles  : — (i)  A 
hollow  collar,  in  two  sections,  with  elaborate  repousse  ornament- 
ation of  eccentric  curves  ;  (2)  a  model  boat,  with  eight  thwarts 
(originally  nine)  and  a  number  of  oars  and  spars  ;  a  hemispherical 
bowl  of  tliin  metal,  with  four  rings  at  the  edges  for  suspension  ; 
(4)  a  solid  gold  tore  of  stout  wire,  with  a  thin  wire  twisted  round 
it  ;  (5)  one  half  of  a  similar  tore  ;  (6)  a  necklace,  formed  of  three- 
plaited  chains,  with  a  peculiar  fastening;  and  (7)  a  thin  single 
chain  of  same  plaiting. 

The  articles  were  found  some  fourteen  or  fifteen  inches  below  the 
surface  of  the  earth  and  packed  together  within  a  radius  of  nine 
inches,  showing  that  they  had  been  deposited  there. 

The  lecturer  proceeded  to  describe  how  the  ornaments   were 


A  Historical  Trial :    The  Li?iiavady  Gold  Ornaments  Case.     51 

exhibited  at  a  meeting  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  London,  in 
Januaiy,  1897,  when  a  paper  was  read  about  them,  and  how  the 
British  Museum  subsequently  purchased  them  for  the  sum  of 
^600.  The  Royal  Irish  Academy  took  action,  claiming  that  all 
such  articles  should  be  deposited  in  the  national  collection,  and 
five  years  of  agitation  ensued.  The  Government  agreed  to  have 
the  question  thrashed  out  in  a  court  of  law,  and  ultimately  the 
action  was  brought  in  the  name  of  the  Attorney-General  on 
behalf  of  his  Majesty  the  King,  the  trial  taking  place  before  Mr. 
Justice  Farwell  in  June  of  last  year. 

The  evidence  for  the  Crown  and  for  the  defence  was  fully  dealt 
with,  and  some  of  the  most  interesting  extracts  therefrom  were 
read  by  the  lecturer. 

The  questions  opened  up  by  that  portion  of  the  defence  which 
urged  that  the  articles  constituted  a  votive  offering  made  to  a  deity 
at  a  time  when  the  site  was  still  below  the  sea,  w^ere  extremely 
varied  and  interesting.  Witnesses  were  examined  as  to  the  customs 
pertaining  to  votive  offerings  at  all  times  and  in  all  countries,  and 
a  court  of  law  heard  quotations  from  Herodotus,  Strabo,  and 
Tacitus,  and  particulars  relative  to  votive  offerings  found  in  Danish 
bogs,  or  made  at  the  present  day  in  the  Malay  Peninsula.  The 
theory  of  votive  offerings  was  also  dealt  with  by  the  lecturer. 

The  geological  evidence  was  also  interesting.  The  fluctuations 
of  level  of  our  coasts  since  the  glacial  period  were  fully  dealt 
with,  and  descriptions  given  of  the  post-glacial  series  at  Belfast, 
Lame,  and  elsewhere.  The  evidence  of  the  age  of  these  move- 
ments was  argued  out,  in  the  light  of  contemporary  human  remains. 

The  result  of  the  trial  was  that  the  Judge  finally  made  a 
declaration  that  the  articles  were  treasure-trove,  belonging  to  his 
Majesty  by  virtue  of  the  Prerogative  Royal,  and  accordingly 
ordered  delivery  of  them.  I'he  final  scene  in  connection  with 
the  matter  was  enacted  in  the  rooms  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy 
at  their  first  meeting  this  session,  when  the  Academy  formally 
received  the  articles,  and  they  were  now  in  the  National  Museum 
in  Dublin. 


52  Mr.  R.  Lloyd  Praeger  o)i  A  Historical  Trial. 

Professor  Boas,  in  moving  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lecturer,  said 
the  lecture  had  been  a  most  admirable  one,  and  he  was  sure  he 
spoke  for  everyone  present  when  he  said  they  had  listened  to  it  with 
intense  interest.  Indeed,  he  had  not  heard  anything  so  interesting 
of  its  kind  since  he  heard  Mr.  Evans  in  Oxford  give  an  account  of 
his  discoveries  in  Crete.  They  had  all  derived  added  interest  from 
it  by  the  fact  that  facsimiles  of  the  gold  ornaments  had  been 
exhibited  that  night.  He  (Professor  Boas)  had  not  the  shadow  of 
a  doubt  that  the  proper  home  for  the  ornaments  was  the  Museum 
in  Dublin,  where  there  was  a  marvellous  collection  of  Celtic 
ornaments. 

Mr.  Wilson  seconded  the  motion,  which  was  heartily  passed. 

Mr.  Fennell  said  that  facsimiles  of  the  ornaments  were  now  in 
the  possession  of  the  Belfast  Corporation,  and  might  be  inspected 
by  those  who  cared  to  see  them  in  the  Free  Library. 

Mr.  Praeger  suitably  acknowledged  the  vote  of  thanks. 


53 


22nd  March,  igo4. 


Professor  Johnson  Svimington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E., 
President,  in  the  Chair. 


AROUND  YOUGHAL  AND  THE   BLACKWATER  WITH 

THE    ROYAL    SOCIETY    OF    ANTIQUARIES. 

By  Seaton  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I.A.,  F.R.S.A.I. 


Mr.  Milligan  said  they  were  all  aware  that  the  Royal  Society  of 
Antiquaries  of  Ireland  had  stated  meetings  quarterly,  one  held  in 
Kilkenny,  two  in  Dublin,  and  the  Summer  meeting  which  went 
the  round  of  the  four  Provinces  in  rotation. 

Last  year  this  meeting  was  held  in  Munster,  and  the  place 
selected  was  Youghal,  a  very  interesting  old  town.  One  of  the 
objects  of  these  meetings  was  to  interest  the  people  of  the  country 
in  preserving  antiquities  and  creating  an  interest  in  archaeology, 
which  they  have  done  to  a  very  great  extent.  Their  meeting  in 
Youghal  was  a  very  enjoyable  one,  not  alone  on  account  of  the 
antiquities,  but  also  on  account  of  the  fact  that  the  scenery  every- 
where was  most  picturesque.  He  would  attempt  to  take  them  in 
spirit  with  him  to  the  South  of  Ireland. 

They  would  first  of  all  go  to  the  city  of  Cork,  and  from  thence 
they  came  to  Youghal.  On  arriving  at  the  terminus  and  going  up 
the  platform,  they  observed  on  one  side  a  bay,  something  like 
Belfast  Lough  as  it  looked  from  Bangor,  but  not  quite  so  large, 
and  on  their  left  numerous  villas  and  terraces,  usually  let  as 
marine  residences  and   lodges   for   visitors   during   the   summer 


54  Mr.  Seafo/i  F.  Milligan  on 

months,  as  Youghal  was  a  well-known  and  largely-frequented 
seaside  resort  in  the  South.  The  walk  from  the  station  to  the 
town  proper,  fully  half  a  mile  or  more,  afforded  a  fine  view  of  the 
bay,  the  strand,  and  the  town  of  Youghal  lying  on  the  lower 
ground. 

The  town,  which  was  picturesquely  situated  where  the  Southern 
Blackwater  emptied  into  the  sea,  consists  of  one  street  fully  a  mile 
or  more  in  length,  with  some  small  cross-streets  at  intervals.  It 
has  an  ancient  history,  something  like  that  of  their  own  old  town 
of  Carrickfergus,  but  it  went  further  back  into  the  early  period  of 
the  ancient  Celtic  Church.  Certainly  during  the  Viking  period  it 
was  an  important  place,  and  had  a  well-authenticated  history 
through  the  Anglo-Norman  period,  as  its  various  ancient  charters 
testified.  In  a  town  of  such  a  character  they  naturally  expect  to 
find  many  relics  of  the  past  ages,  and  in  this  they  were  not 
disappointed.  The  main  street  was  narrow,  and  about  half-way 
through  they  passed  underneath  an  arched  gateway,  on  which  was 
erected  a  building  of  four  storeys,  surmounted  by  a  clock  tower. 
The  members  were  welcomed  in  the  Town  Hall  by  the  chairman 
and  members  of  the  urban  council,  who  exhibited  their  ancient 
charters  and  various  local  curios.  They  were  fortunate  in  having 
such  an  intelligent  and  well-informed  guide  as  Mr.  J.  C.  Buckley, 
the  honorary  local  secretary  of  the  Society,  who  was  possessed  of 
vast  stores  of  knowledge  on  all  local  subjects,  and  conveyed  it  to 
them  in  most  fluent  and  eloquent  language. 

Their  first,  and  part  of  the  second,  day  was  passed  in  examining 
the  antiquities  and  places  of  interest,  the  most  important  of  which 
w'as  the  Collegiate  Church  of  Saint  Mary  and  the  warden's  house, 
commonly  called  Raleigh's  House.  Portions  of  the  old  town  hall 
and  the  ruins  of  the  two  monasteries,  called  respectively  the  North 
and  South  Abbeys,  were  still  standing.  The  North  was  of  the 
Dominican,  and  the  South  of  the  Franciscan  order,  and  the  latter 
was  the  first  house  of  the  order  erected  in  Ireland  in  the  early 
part  of  the  13th  century  by  a  member  of  the  Desmond  family. 
The  Dominican  Friary  was  also  founded  by  another  member  of 


Around   Youi^hal  and  the  Blackwaier.  55 

the  same  illustrious  family,  who  owned  the  town  of  Youghal  and 
surrounding  district.  There  was  also  in  the  main  street  the  ruins 
of  an  ancient  keep  called  Tynte's  Castle,  built  in  the  1 5th  century, 
and  opposite  this  was  a  fine  specimen  of  domestic  architecture, 
built  between  1706  and  17  15 — a  fine  type  of  Dutch  house  of  that 
time. 

Youghal  was  noted  for  the  excellent  brick  made  there,  and  the 
bricks  in  this  house  may  have  been  of  local  manufacture,  though 
some  authorities  said  they  were  Dutch.  Hayman  in  his  guide 
stated  that  the  Church  of  St.  Mary  at  the  north  end  of  the  town 
was  founded  in  the  nth  century,  and  no  doubt  an  earlier  church 
existed  on  the  site  and  was  replaced  at  that  period  by  a  church 
built  in  the  Hiberno  Romanescjue  or  Norman  style  of  architecture. 
On  nearly  the  same  site  a  new  church  was  erected  by  Richard 
Bennett,  a  knight  from  Wales,  and  Ellis  Barry,  his  wife,  in  1220. 
During  the  rebellion  in  the  year  1579  it  was  ruined  by  Gerald,  the 
1 6th  Earl  of  Desmond,  and  lay  roofless  for  a  period  of  270  years. 
In  the  year  1852,  the  rector,  Rev.  William  Pierce  Drew,  aided  by 
generous  contributions,  had  the  choir  roofed  and  tiled,  rescuing  it 
from  ruin,  but  not  restoring  it  to  its  original  beauty.  Raleigh's 
house  stood  close  by  St.  Mary's  Church.  It  was  on  record  that 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh  resided  here  in  the  years  158S  and  1589,  when 
he  was  Mayor  of  the  town. 

It  was  from  Youghal  Edward  Spenser  embarked  when  he  went 
to  London  to  publish  the  first  three  books  of  the  "  Fairie  Queen." 
It  was  also  supposed  that  the  first  potatoes  planted  in  Ireland  was 
at  Youghal,  in  the  garden  attached  to  Raleigh's  house,  and  also 
that  the  first  tobacco  smoked  in  Ireland  was  under  the  shade  of 
the  myrtle  trees  in  the  same  grounds.  The  name  Youghal  was 
derived  from  two  Celtic  w^ords,  meaning  yew-wood,  and  certainly 
the  yew  seemed  indigenous  to  the  place,  and  grew  luxuriantly. 

After  referring  to  the  industries  of  Youghal  and  its  history  as  'a 
trading  port,  Mr.  Milligen  proceeded  to  describe  a  journey  on 
waggonettes  to  the  interesting  places  near  Youghal.  First  the 
Preceptory  of  Rhincrew,  a  stronghold  of  the  Knights  Templars, 


56  Mr.   Seaton  F.  Miiligan  o/i 

said  to  have  been  founded  in  1183  by  Raymond  Le  Gros,  and  the 
ancient  castle  called  Temple  Michael,  which  was  erected  by  one 
of  the  Desmond  family  in  the  fourteenth  century  to  protect  an 
important  ford  on  the  Blackwater.  It  was  battered  by  Cromwell 
during  his  campaign,  and  the  last  of  the  Fitzgeralds  who  held  it 
assisted  Lord  Castlehaven  in  the  year  1645  '^o  cross  the  ferry  that 
he  might  bombard  Youghal.  A  little  further  was  the  ancient 
Celtic  monastery  known  as  the  Abbey  of  Molana. 

Driving  to  Ardmore,  Mr.  Usher,  who  is  well  known  in  Belfast 
as  local  secretary  for  County  \\''aterford,  became  their  guide.  The 
beauties  and  the  antiquities  of  this  lovely  spot  would  be  very 
difficult  to  do  justice  to.  Ardmore  was  a  well  patronised  watering- 
place  for  County  A\'aterford  and  County  Cork,  and  many  families 
from  Cork  city  came  there  to  enjoy  the  fine  sea  bathing  and 
splendid  air  from  the  Atlantic.  The  village  was  built  on  the  high 
rocky  ground  overlooking  the  bay,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  rocks 
was  a  sandy  shore  or  strand,  where  the  sea  was  making  inroads. 
On  the  occasion  of  his  previous  visit  they  were  shown  as  a  great 
curiosity  the  remains  of  a  crannoge  down  on  the  sea  shore.  The 
stakes  were  there,  and  no  doubt  that  the  sea  had  encroached  to 
where  the  crannoge  was,  which  was  formerly  a  bog,  and  some  of 
the  peat  or  turf  still  remained. 

The  Holy  Well  was  situated  on  the  top  of  the  cliff,  close  to  the 
sea  side.  They  usually  found  an  attendant  ready  to  provide  them 
with  a  drink  at  this  Holy  Well.  Close  to  the  cathedral  was  the 
round  tower,  St.  Declan's  Oratory,  and  the  ogham  stones.  Great 
uncertainty  exists  about  the  date  of  the  birth  of  Declan,  the 
founder  of  the  Christian  Church  at  Ardmore.  Some  placed  his 
birth  as  early  as  347  a.d.,  which  would  put  him  before  St.  Patrick. 
Be  that  as  it  might,  at  a  very  early  date  St.  Declan,  who  was  of 
Royal  descent,  founded  the  first  Christian  Church  here,  and  his 
oratory,  still  remaining,  was  supposed  to  be  the  original  church. 
The  reputed  burial  place  of  St.  Declan  was  within  his  little  church 
or  oratory  at  Ardmore.  It  stood  about  70  feet  from  the  cathedral, 
and  measured  internally  13  ft.  4  ins.  by  8  ft.  9  ins.,  and  the  walls 


Arou)id    Yoiighal  and  the  Bhukwaier.  57 

were  2  ft.  5  ins.  thick.  The  ground  had  risen  from  the  great 
number  of  interments,  until  it  was  within  a  foot  of  the  Hntel  of 
the  west  doorway,  which  was  intact. 

The  round  tower  was  one  of  the  finest  in  Ireland,  and  most 
graceful  in  shape.  It  was  95  ft.  4  ins.  high,  tapering  to  the  top. 
At  the  base  it  was  17  ft.  diameter;  at  the  door  sill,  internal 
diameter,  9  ft.  i^  ins.;  and  the  walls  3  ft.  5  ins.  thick.  The 
internal  diameter  at  the  top  storey  was  4  ft.  7  ins.  It  had  three 
projecting  string  courses,  and  the  internal  floors  had  disappeared. 
The  doorway  faced  east,  and  was  round-headed,  and  stood  12  ft. 
10  ins.  high.  There  were  4  storeys,  an  opening  to  the  back 
storey,  and  four  on  the  top,  facing  the  cardinal  points.  The 
records  of  the  cathedral  were  scanty.  It  appeared  to  have  been 
built  originally  in  the  Hiberno-Romanesque  or  Norman  style. 
The  transition  from  Norman  to  Gothic  appeared  in  the  chancel 
and  its  pillars,  and,  lastly,  the  east  window  was  of  late  Gothic. 

After  describing  the  interior  of  the  cathedral  in  minute  detail, 
the  lecturer  said  their  concluding  excursion  was  a  drive  to  Lismore, 
and  return  by  steamer  in  the  evening  down  the  Blackwater  from 
Cappoquin.  Lismore,  like  Ardmore,  was  a  very  ancient  seat  of 
learning  and  Christianity,  going  back  to  early  in  the  sixth  century. 
The  name  of  a  bishop  who  died  in  the  year  588  was  given,  but 
St.  Carthagh  in  the  first  half  of  the  7th  century  was  more 
associated  with  Lismore  as  the  founder  of  the  cathedral  and 
college.  Here  was  an  ancient  monkish  school  similar  to  Bangor 
in  Down,  to  which  scholars  came  for  general  education  and  to 
learn  the  principles  of  the  Christian  faith. 

The  Danes,  who  came  up  the  river  from  Youghal,  plundered 
and  burnt  Lismore  in  819,  and  laid  waste  the  whole  country.  It 
was  burned  again  in  869,  and  plundered  in  913  by  the  Danes. 
Notwithstanding  all  it  passed  through  in  the  Viking  period,  it 
arose  phcenix-like  from  its  ashes  and  produced  many  famous  mdn 
and  great  scholars.  There  were  no  relics  of  this  early  period  now 
remaining,  if  they  excepted  the  Crozier  and  the  ancient  M.S., 
known  as  the  Book  of  Lismore,  found  concealed  in  a  receptacle 


58      Mr.  Seafon  F.  Milligan  on   Yougkal  afid  the  Blackwater. 

within  a  wall  of  the  castle.  The  crozier  was  made  for  a  bishop 
who  died  in  the  year  11 13. 

The  only  buildings  of  interest  in  Lismore  were  the  cathedral 
and  the  castle.  The  cathedral  was  almost  a  ruin  when  Richard 
Boyle,  Earl  of  Cork,  in  the  year  1633  commenced  to  restore  it. 
The  castle  was  the  most  interesting  feature  in  Lismore.  Some 
portions  of  it  were  old,  but  the  greater  part  of  it  was  modern. 
The  site  on  which  it  stood  was  said  to  have  been  the  monastery 
of  St.  Mochuda,  and  the  view  from  the  bay  window  was  one  of 
the  finest  imaginable. 

Having  commented  on  the  great  beauty  of  the  scenery  along 
the  Blackwater,  and  made  some  valuable  suggestions  to  intending 
excursionists  to  the  district,  Mr.  Milligan  concluded  by  saying  the 
visit  of  the  Society  to  Youghal  was  most  enjoyable,  and  they  all 
left  feeling  the  invigorating  effect  of  the  fine  sea  breezes  from  the 
Atlantic. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  seconded  by  Mr.  Wm. 
Gray,  the  best  thanks  of  the  meeting  were  conveyed  to  Mr. 
Milligan  for  his  most  entertaining  and  instructive  lecture. 


59 


26th  April,  1004. 


Mr.  William  Swanston,  F.G.S.,  Vice-President,  in  the  Chair. 


PRESENTATION    TO    MR.    S.    A.    STEWART, 
A.L.S.,  F.B.S. 


The  Presentation  was  made  jointly  by  the  Society  and  the  Belfast 
Naturalists-  Field  Club  on  the  occasion  of  the  election  of  Mr. 
Stewart  as  an  Associate  of  the  Linnean  Society. 

The  Chairman  said  there  was  no  one  in  Belfast,  or  perhaps  in 
Ireland,  who  had  done  so  much  for  natural  history  in  its  various 
departments.  He  had  done  a  great  deal  for  botany  and  geology, 
and  also,  though  it  was  not  generally  known,  for  zoology.  He 
stood  at  the  top  of  the  tree  in  natural  history.  He  (the  Chairman) 
regretted  the  absence  of  the  President,  which  was  unavoidable,  and 
hoped  that  Mr.  Stewart  would  long  continue  to  enjoy  the  honour 
that  had  been  conferred  on  him. 

Mr.  W.  J.  Fennell  said,  as  President  of  the  Belfast  Naturalists' 
Field  Club,  he  would  like  to  add,  on  behalf  of  their  members,  an 
expression  of  the  high  esteem  and  regard  in  which  they,  one  and 
all,  held  their  old  friend  and  companion.  The  address  was  an 
official  one,  but  no  words  could  justly  express  their  admiration  for 
a  veteran  who  had  made  no  enemies  and  retained  the  fast  love 
of  a  long  roll  of  friends.  For  forty  years  he  had  worked  for 
and  with  the  club,  which  he  helped  to  found,  and  now,  at  last,  he 
had  received  a  high  distinction.  He  was  still  the  living  encyclo- 
pedia to  whom  many  of  them  gladly  turned  when  seeking 
information,  which  was  always  cheerfully  given.  There  were 
comparatively    few    men    whose    records    were    so    quiet    and    so 


6o  Presentation  to  Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart. 

brilliant.  Mr.  Fennell  then  read  a  number  of  extracts  from  letters 
received  congratulating  Mr.  Stewart  on  his  well-earned  honour. 
Amongst  the  writers  were  Lady  Harland,  Sir  AVilliam  Quartus 
Ewart,  Bart.  D.L.  ;  Miss  Hodges,  Rev.  C.  H.  Waddell,  Messrs. 
James  Davidson,  Corry,  and  others. 

The  Address  was  read  by  the  Honorary  Secretary — Mr.  R.  M. 
Young  : — 

To   SAMUEL   ALEXANDER    STEWART,    A.L.S.,   F.B.S., 

Edin.  ;  Curator  of  the  Collections  in  the  Belfast  Museum, 
and  Hon.  Assoc.  Belfast  Nat.  Hist,  and  Phil.  Soc. 

"pvEAR  MR.  STEWART,— We  the  President  and  Members  of 
the  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  "■  Society,  and  the 
Members  of  the  Belfast  Naturalists'  Field  Club,  desire  to  place  on 
record  the  high  sense  of  satisfaction  with  which  we  have  learned 
that  you  have  been  elected  an  Associate  of  the  Linnean  Society, 
as  a  recognition  of  your  long  and  valuable  services  in  botanical 
research,  and  we  desire  to  congratulate  you  most  heartily  on  it. 
And  we  trust  that  you  may  long  be  spared  to  wear  your  well  won 
honours,  and  to  pursue  the  studies  that  have  brought  you  such 
distinction. 

We  also  request  that  you  will  accept  this  Purse  of  Sovereigns  as 
a  slight  token  of  our  friendship  and  esteem. 
We  are,  dear  Sir, 

Yours  sincerely, 

JOHNSON  SYMINGTON, 

President  N.H.  and  P.S. 
ROBERT  M.  YOUNG, 

Hon.  Sec.  N.PT.  and  P.S. 
W\  J.  FENNELL, 

President  B.N.F.C. 
ROBERT  PATTERSON, 
NEVIN.  H.  FOSTER, 

Hon.  Sees.,  B.N.F.C. 
Belfast,  26th  April,  1904. 


Presentation  to  Afr.  S.  A.  Steivart.  6i 

Mrs.  Fennell,  amid  applause,  then  presented  Mr.  Stewart  with 
a  purse  of  sovereigns. 

Mr.  Stewart,  in  responding,  said  it  was  with  feelings  of  the 
utmost  gratification  that  he  received  that  complimentary  address 
and  its  valuable  gift.  His  sense  of  its  value  was  enhanced  by  the 
fact  that  it  came  from  the  officers  and  members  of  the  two  societies 
which  cultivated  natural  science  in  Belfast  and  the  North  of  Ireland. 
It  was  a  red-letter  day  for  him  when  he  was  elected  an  Associate 
of  the  Linnean  Society.  That  the  premier  natural  history  associ- 
ation of  the  country  should,  without  any  solicitation  on  his  part, 
have  conferred  upon  him  that  distinction  came  as  a  surprise,  and 
he  could  honestiy  say  that  it  was  the  most  prized  of  all  the  honours 
possible  to  him.  The  climax  came  when  the  naturalists  with 
whom  he  had  worked  so  long  accorded  him  the  present  token  of 
their  approbation.  He  felt  that  his  work  had  to  a  great  extent  now 
been  done.  Tate,  Robinson,  and  many  others  who  helped  it 
forward,  and  who  were  instrumental  in  establishing  their  field  club, 
had  gone.  They  had  followed  Drummond,  Patterson,  Templeton, 
Thompson,  and  many  old-time  worthies  of  the  Natural  History 
Society.  The  associations  which  they  founded,  however,  remained, 
and  new  workers  had  come  and  were  coming  forward.  He  wished 
those  workers  every  success,  and  hoped  that  in  nature  studies  they 
would  enjoy  the  same  pleasures  as  had  rewarded  him. 

Mr.  John  Brown  said,  he  was  not  a  naturalist,  but  he  had  for 
many  years  been  associated  with  his  friend  Mr.  Stewart  in  his 
duties  as  an  official  of  the  Society.  He  could  not  allow  that 
occasion  to  pass  without  saying  that  a  more  sterling  man  and  more 
careful  worker  he  had  never  found  anywhere. 

Mr.  Wm.  Gray  said,  he  had  been  associated  with  Mr.  Samuel 
Stewart  since  1863,  and  could  say  that  that  gentleman  had  main- 
tained the  tradition  of  Belfast  for  knowledge  of  zoology,  geology^* 
and  botany.  He  was  a  perfect  naturalist,  and  had  always 
attended  to  his  work  with  persevering  energy,  and  was  in  the  fore- 
front of  anything  connected  with  the  literature  of  botany  and  the 
other  sciences. 


62  Prese7itation  to  Mr.  S.  A.  Stetvart. 

Mr.  Joseph  Wright  also  paid  a  glowing  tribute  to  the  merits  of 
Mr.  Stewart  and  the  work  done  by  him. 


63 


THE  NATIONAL  EXPENDITURE  ON  THE 

MAINTENANCE  OF  GULLS. 

By  J.  Brown,  F.R.S. 


(Abstract.) 
During  most  part  of  last  summer  I  sojourned  at  a  pretty  fishing 
village  on  our  coast  where  the  industry  was  herrings,  the  talk  was 
herrings,  the  very  smell  was  herrings,  and  when  we  sailed  out  of 
the  harbour  we  were  reminded  of  herrings  by  the  cries  of  the 
gulls. 

The  fishermen  said  the  gulls  were  playing,  but  if  one  knew  the 
views  of  the  baby  herrings  who  were  invited  to  the  game,  these 
would  probably  be  comprised  in  the  old  saying,  "  what  is  play  to 
you  is  death  to  us." 

The  play  is  thus.  The  razor  bills  and  other  diving  birds  with  a 
skill  worthy  of  even  a  "  Bobs  "  have  driven  the  fry  into  a  little 
Paardeberg  of  their  own  at  the  surface.  The  sea  has  two  surfaces, 
top  and  bottom.  The  razor-bill  prefers  the  top  for  breathing 
purposes.     This  suits  the  gulls  admirably,  and  no  quarter  is  given. 

If  one  stand  on  the  bows  of  a  boat  which  is  rapidly  sailed 
through  such  a  "play  "  one  may  see  the  "  ball "  of  fry  a  wreathing- 
writhing  semi-solid  mass  of  baby  herrings. 

Every  one  of  them  knows  what  he  is  about,  and  that  it  is  a 
matter  of  life  or  death  to  him  to  get  as  near  the  centre  of  the  ball 
as  possible.  Below  the  razor-bill  awaits  him  ;  above  the  no  less 
pitiless  beak  of  the  gull.  Truly  "  Nature  is  red  in  tooth  and 
claw." 

Let  us  now  become  hypothetical  and  mathematical. 

Supposing  each  bird  ate  200  herring-fry  in  a  day,  which, 
considering  the  activity  of  the  bird  and  his  opportunity  and  the 
smallness   of  the  fry,  seems  a   fair  estimate,    and  as   his   play-time 


64  Mt\  J.  Broivri  on  the 

lasts  for  about  two  months,  it  makes  12,000  fry  every  season. 
Now  let  us  consider  that  each  of  these  r  2,000  baby  herrings 
would  become  a  mature  herring  if  let  alone,  and  that  the  average 
price  of  herrings  on  the  pier  is  about  ;£\  per  i,coo,  we  see  that 
the  keep  of  each  gull  for  two  months  costs  the  nation  ^12. 
A\'hat  he  costs  for  the  other  ten  months  of  the  year  I  leave  to  the 
officials  of  the  Marine  Laboratory  at  Larne  to  investigate. 

In  making  this  estimate,  I  would  point  out  that  in  fishing  the 
product  of  the  business  does  not,  as  in  the  making  of  shirts  and 
shoes,  depend  solely  on  the  capital  and  labour  expended.  It  is 
chiefly  dependent  on  the  available  fish  in  the  sea,  since  the 
expenditure  involved  is  practically  the  same,  whether  the  night's 
take  be  large  or  small. 

In  a  paper  recently  read  before  the  Belfast  Natural  History  and 
Philosophical  Society  by  Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  the  question 
was  asked  "  Could  men  over  fish  the  seas  ? "  and,  in  reply,  the 
learned  author  said  : — Professor  Huxley  had  been  of  opinion  that 
this  was  impossible,  and  that  the  damage  done  by  man  was 
infinitesimal  compared  with  what  was  done  by  other  enemies.  It 
was  the  last  straw  that  broke  the  camel's  back,  and  if  they  put  on 
that  last  straw  it  made  all  the  difference,  and  he  thought  man 
could  play  the  part  of  the  last  straw."  Would  it  not  be  better  to 
remove  the  larger  part  of  the  whole  load,  and  let  man  keep,  not 
only  his  one  straw,  but  more  in  addition  ? 

Let  us  consider  the  amount  of  the  load  that  might  be  removed. 
At  a  low  estimate  there  might  be  100  birds  in  each  play  such  as  I 
have  described,  and  say  5  plays  per  mile  of  coast  and  taking  the 
coasts  of  the  three  kingdoms  and  adjacent  islands,  omitting  the 
smaller  inlets,  as  4,000  miles,  we  get  a  total  of  2,000,000  birds 
whose  keep  for  two  months  in  herrings  alone  would  amount  to 
the  grand  total  of  ^24,000,000  sterling.  When  magpies  and 
hawks  feed  on  game  in  the  egg  or  bird,  when  rats  eat  the  farmer's 
corn,  or  mice  the  housewife's  cheese,  they  are  called  vermin 
and  destroyed.     But  when  seabirds  devour  ^24,000,000  worth  of 


National  Expenditure  on  the  Maintenance  of  Gulh.         65 

herrings    annually    Parliament    enacts    a    law    to   preserve  these 
seabirds. 

In  the  good  old  times  there  was,  I  believe,  a  reward  of  so  much 
each  for  wolves'  heads,  and  there  are  now  no  wolves  in  these 
countries.  We  could  hardly  hope  to  extirpate  these  wolves  of  the 
sea,  but  if  the  State  were  to  offer  ^d.  per  head,  thereby  saving 
;^i2  worth  of  herring  for  each  ^d.  expended,  their  numbers  might 
at  least  be  reduced.  The  shooting  of  seabirds  at  |d  each  would 
be  a  profitable  industry,  since  when  crowded  in  a  play  a  dozen  or 
so  might  fall  to  one  shot,  but  even  a  penny  would  not  be  thrown 
away  in  purchasing  12,000  herrings. 

As  to  the  distribution  of  the  reward,  I  would  suggest  that  the 
coastguards  have  a  good  deal  of  spare  time  on  their  hands. 

Finally,  it  might  not  be  amiss  to  add  that,  as  I  have  been 
credibly  informed,  some  of  these  seabirds  were  quite  good  eating. 

People  to  whom  I  had  given  somehint  of  the  above  propositions 
told  me  I  was  a  heartless  wretch  to  propose  the  destruction  of 
the  graceful  and  beautiful  seagull.  I  quite  appreciate  his  grace 
and  beauty,  just  as  I  appreciate  the  glistening  gracefulness  of  the 
snake  or  the  striped  beauty  of  the  tiger,  but  there  were  excellent 
reasons  of  another  kind  why  I  do  not  encourage  those  animals 
on  my  premises  or  try  to  preserve  them,  as  Parliament  preserves 
the  gulls  about  the  domain  over  which  it  rules. 

Professor  Gregg  ^^'ilson  cordially  agreed  with  Mr.  Brown  that 
it  was  far  better  to  destroy  the  enemies  of  the  food  fishes  than  to 
limit  man  in  his  working ;  far  better  to  kill  a  hundred  gannets 
than  to  starve  a  few  fishermen's  families.  But  it  was  a  very 
complicated  question.  If  the  herrings  were  allowed  to  grow 
unchecked  the  sea  would  not  be  able  to  contain  them,  and  though 
he  would  prefer  that  the  herrings  should  be  eaten  by  usefuf  fishes 
rather  than  gulls,  still  the  gulls  did  not  do  so  much  damage. as 
might  appear  at  first  sight.  The  fuller  study  of  fisheries  we  had, 
he  thought,  the  better. 

Mr.  Wm.  Gray  said  the  author  of  the  paper  had  overlooked  one 


66  Mr.  J.  Brown  on  the 

important  thing,  the  utility  of  gulls'  wings,  Src,  for  decorations. 
He  thought  the  gulls  were  useful  in  thinning  the  multiplication  of 
the  herrings,  and  they  should  be  very  careful  before  they  sought 
their  wholesale  destruction  lest  they  should  injure  their  fisheries. 

Mr.  Hamilton  said  that  many  seabirds  when  properly  prepared 
were  quite  eatable. 

Professor  FitzGerald  pointed  out  that  while  no  doubt  seabirds 
had  fed  on  herrings  for  thousands  of  years  and  thereby  kept  a 
certain  balance,  in  more  recent  times  man  had  begun  to  fish  also 
thus  disturbing  the  balance.  In  order  to  restore  it  he  presumed 
some  birds  would  have  to  be  sacrificed. 

Mr.  W.  J.  Fennell  said  by  a  rather  peculiar  coincidence  he  had 
received  a  letter  that  day  from  an  American  who  had  recently 
paid  a  visit  to  Belfast  and  Portrush,  and  who  wrote  protesting 
against  the  destruction  of  gulls. 

Mr.  Brown  in  reply,  said  he  felt  gratified  that  the  criticism  was 
on  the  whole  favourable,  and  mentioned  that  since  the  paper  was 
written  he  had  observed  that  the  Royal  Commission  of  1879, 
appointed  to  enquire  into  the  Herring  Fisheries  of  Scotland, 
consisting  of  Frank  Buckland,  Spencer  Walpole,  and  Archibald 
Young,  recommended  the  repeal  of  the  Seabirds  Preservation  Act 
so  far  as  it  applied  to  Scotland. 


Note  added  October,   1904. 

In  the  title  of  this  paper  it  would  have  been  more  correct  to 
have  put  "Seabirds"  for  "Gulls"  since  the  paper  really  deals 
with  various  kinds  of  birds. 

The  numerous  notices  of  the  paper  published  in  the  press  of 
the  United  Kingdom  would  indicate  that  it  dealt  with  a  subject 
of  considerable  interest.  An  article  on  the  subject,  revised  and 
enlarged,  was  prepared  for  the  Manchester  Guardian  of  August 
8th. 

Criticisms  for  and  against  were  about  equally  divided.  Amongst 
the  latter  it  was  urged  that  the  birds  were  beautiful,  useful  as 
scavengers,  and  that  destroying  them  was  cruel,  that  if  herrings 


National  Expenditure  on  the  Alain te nance  of  Gulls.  67 

were  left  unchecked  they  would  multiply  till  the  sea  would  not 
contain  them,  and  that  the  quantity  of  fry  destroyed  by  birds  was 
exaggerated.  The  Hon.  Secretary  of  the  Society  for  the  Protection 
of  Birds,  London,  stated  also  that  the  cries  of  the  gulls  warned 
the  fishermen  of  hidden  rocks  and  shoals,  and  quotes  some  lines 
in  illustration  of  this  idea.  It  is  a  pretty  poetic  fancy,  but  if 
the  fisherman  fled  from  every  collection  of  screaming  birds,  he 
would  have  a  busy  time. 

It  is  possible  that  before  the  era  of  lighthouses  and  steam  fog- 
horns the  cries  of  seabirds  may  have  been  a  feeble  substitute  on 
cliffs  on  which  they  were  known  to  breed. 

The  weakness  -of  these  arguments  indicates  the  scarcity  of  real 
support  for  the  other  side.  The  amount  of  scavenging  is  probably 
relatively  unimportant. 

The  true  objection  is  doubtless  of  a  sentimental  kind,  partly 
based  on  a  feeling  that  the  destruction  of  seabirds  would  involve 
open  cruelty.  A  correspondent  of  Truth  points  out  that  this 
could  be  obviated  by  collecting  the  eggs  for  consumption  as  human 
food. 

The  author  of  that  trite  and  obvious  statement  about  unchecked 
herrings  might  have  chosen  a  more  prolific  species,  since  according 
to  Buckland,  the  herring  has,  weight  for  weight,  only  one-third  the 
number  of  eggs  of  the  average  of  other  food  fishes,  or  taking 
individual  fishes,  the  turbot  has  300  times  as  many.  At  present 
navigation  is  not  impeded  by  any  approach  to  the  "  stiffening 
of  the  sea  "  by  either  herrings  or  turbot. 

On  the  question  of  exaggeration  it  is  possible  that  the  number 
of  plays  per  mile  may  have  been  overestimated.  On  the  other  hand 
I  have  not  included  the  fry  consumed  by  the  grampus  which 
swallows  the  whole  ball  of  fry  at  one  gulp,  a  feat  which  he  can 
only  accomplish  after  the  divers  have  collected  the  fry  into  a  ball. 
Indeed  the  divers  are  the  chief  culprits  since  they  not  only 
consume  but  also  collect  for  both  gulls  and  grampus,  and  if  a 
compromise  must  be  made,  let  us  sacrifice  them  and  keep  the 
gulls,  if  the  sentimentalists  insist.  The  question  as  to  whether 
fish  assist  in  this  rounding  up  of  the  fry  is  a  difficult  one.  I  have 
never  observed  that  they  do. 

In  addition  there  are  the  depredations  of  the  gannet  and  tlie 
cormorant  which  devour  mature  fish.  The  former  will  even  take 
the  herrings  out  of  the  nets  as  these  are  being  hauled  and  the 
fishermen  complain,  not  so  much  of  what  they  eat,  but  of  what 
they  shake  out  and  lose. 


68  Mr.  J.  Brown  on  the 

Mr.  Herewald  Wake,  writing  to  the  Morning  Post,  states  that 
for  the  most  part  gulls  live  on  Crustacea  and  mollusca,  etc.,  found 
on  mud  flats.  These,  he  states,  prey  on  ova  and  embryos  of  our 
food  fishes  which  would  almost  be  extirpated  if  the  mollusca,  etc., 
were  not  kept  in  check  by  the  gulls.  Mr.  Wake  appears  to  base 
his  remark  on  the  old  and  obsolete  theory  that  fish  came  into 
shallow  water  to  spawn.  It  is  now  well  known  that  practically  all 
food  fishes  are  known  to  spawn  in  the  open  sea  and  nearly  all 
kinds  of  spawn  float  on  the  surface,  and  there  appears  to  be  no 
evidence  that  ova  or  embryos  are  found  on  mud  flats.  Moreover, 
several  species  of  molluscs  devoured  by  the  gulls  are  useful  for 
bait. 

As  an  argument  somewhat  stronger  than  any  of  the  above,  it 
was  pointed  out  that  if  the  supply  increased  the  price  would  fall. 
But  we  have  to  consider  that  herrings  are  cured  and  exported 
and  that  the  world's  population  is  increasing,  and  that  by  better 
means  of  transit  new  markets  are  opened.  Again  on  the  other 
hand,  if  catching  herrings  were  easier,  less  hands  and  gear  would 
sufiice,  and  so  the  cost  of  production  be  lessened. 

It  is  also  stated  that  gulls  devour  the  eggs  of  other  sea-fowl  thus 
helping  toward  reducing  their  numbers. 

Several  of  my  critics  say  that  even  if  the  fry  escaped  the  birds 
they  would  be  snapped  up  by  other  fish.  The  cod,  mackerel, 
gurnet,  pollack,  etc.,  being  food  fishes,  may  be  perhaps  forgiven — 
the  dog  fish  not  so  easily. 

At  all  events,  if  the  herring  has  so  many  enemies  the  more  he 
needs  protection,  and  as  his  allies  we  can  best  begin  with  those 
most  easily  got  at — the  birds. 

Among  the  many  critics  who  agreed  with  my  view  I  may 
mention  Mr.  Matthias  Dunn  of  Megavissey,  who  is  evidently  well 
informed  on  the  question  of  fisheries.  Writing  in  the  Western 
Morning  News  Mr.  Dunn  takes  a  view  like  that  of  Professor 
FitzGerald,  and  points  out  that  a  century  ago  our  fisheries  were 
primitive  and  local,  but  in  the  last  twentyfour  years  alone,  since 
the  introduction  of  steam  and  of  cotton  nets  they  have  doubled  in 
capacity.  As  a  natural  result  of  this  disturbing  of  the  balance  the 
fish  are  diminishing  in  numbers,  whole  areas  of  the  sea  are 
denuded  of  them,  and  the  fishermen  forced  gradually  to  fish 
farther   off,  as  far  north  as  Iceland,  and  as  far  south  as  Africa. 

On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Dunn  says  since  the  introduction  of  the 
close  season  the  birds  are  increasing.  In  the  interests  of  mankind 
they  and  their  associates  should  be  diminished. 


National  Expetiditure  on  the  Maintenance  of  Gulls.        69 

^\Titing  to  The  Field  Mr.  J.  Harvie  Brown  states  that  certain 
species  of  gull,  if  not  all,  are  far  too  numerous  not  only  ori 
account  of  the  fish  they  destroy  but  other  birds  eggs  and  young. 

In  a  correspondence  in  The  Scotsman  the  interest  drifts  also 
into  the  increase  of  gulls  on  the  upper  reaches  of  rivers  and  the 
destruction  of  trout  and  salmon  fry  there  and  of  the  young  of 
wild  duck  and  grouse.  Four  correspondents  describe  reliable 
evidence  of  this  and  four  others  express  doubts  since  they  have 
not  seen  it. 

I  am  informed  that  the  Irish  Fishery  Board  gives  already  i/-  each 
for  cormorant's  heads  to  save  fresh  water  fish. 

It  is  at  all  events  well  to  see  the  subject  so  widely  discussed 
from  many  points  of  view. 

J.  B. 


70 


BLINKING     OR     IL  L-W  I  S  H  I  N  a 
By  E.  J.  M'Kean,  B.A.(Oxon.) 


The  belief  in  the  evil  eye  is  very  old  and  we  meet  it  in  diverse 
forms  in  Saga  and  Folktale.  Medusa's  glance  in  the  well-known 
Greek  story  and  Balor  Beimenach's  destructive  glare  in  Irish  myth 
are  but  instances  of  it.  It  is  still  dreaded,  in  Italy  especially,  and 
in  all  countries  of  the  world  besides.  The  evil  eye  is  not  always 
destructive  :  it  may  be  used  to  divert  to  its  owner  things  which 
should  have  gone  to  another,  and  in  this  it  usually  is  aided  by 
magic  ceremonies.  This  is  the  form  which  it  generally  takes  in 
North-West  Europe  and  which  is  usually  found  in  Ulster  and  of 
this  my  paper  is  to  treat. 

This  kind  of  charming  is  perhaps  the  most  important  department 
of  witchcraft  and  is  possibly  the  oldest.  It  involves  ideas  which 
belong  to  an  early  stage  of  the  human  mind.  It  is  simple, 
another  point  in  favour  of  its  antiquity,  and  it  requires  no 
extraneous  aid.  The  'blinker'  as  we  call  him  in  Ulster,  can  act 
without  the  help  of  ghost  or  devil. 

All  witchcraft  depends  on  the  idea  that  some  men  can  of  their 
own  will  alter  the  courses  of  nature  by  dread  powers  not  given  to 
all,  and  this  idea,  which  long  survived  the  advent  of  Christianity, 
fell  finally  not  by  persecution  but  by  the  fuller  knowledge  of  the 
universe  which  science  gave.  Like  drove  out  like :  the  new 
knowledge  broke  down  the  older  theory  of  the  world. 

The  English  statute  against  witchcraft  was  repealed  in  1736, 
and  the  last  condemnation  for  witchcraft  in  Ireland  took 
place  at  Carrickfergus  in  171 1,  yet  we  still  have  in  our  midst  a 
wide-spread  belief  in  '  blinking '  and  not  a  few  blinkers.  The 
blinker  seldom  attacks  persons  but  usually  seeks  to  satisfy  malice 
and  interest  by  blinking  cattle  and  "  taking  the  good"  of  milk  or 
crops.  But  nowadays  the  art  is  degenerating,  its  outlines  are 
growing  dim,  and  we  have  to  compare  what  we  learn  of  it  with 


Blmking  or  Ill-'ivishing.  71 

the  lore  of  earlier  days,  of  other  nations,  or  of  barbarians  and 
savages,  to  know  fully  its  meaning. 

The  blinker  may  be  either  a  man  or  a  woman  and  I  have  not 
found  how  he  gets  his  power.  Some  say  he  serves  an  apprentice- 
ship. I  have  never  found  any  certain  way  of  recognising  a  blinker. 
Position  is,  I  regret  to  say,  no  security,  for  in  one  parish  in  Co. 
Tyrone  both  the  collectors  in  church  are  blinkers.  Undue 
prosperity  is  ground  for  suspicion  and  it  is  well  to  bless  the  churn 
and  take  a  '  brash '  at  it  if  you  happen  on  butter-making  in  a 
house.  It  is  suspicious  to  smoke  when  churning  is  proceeding 
or  to  ask  a  piece  of  turf  out  of  the  fire  on  such  occasions  or  even 
to  be  about  if  you  already  have  the  repute  of  a  '  blinker.'  A  blinker 
has  power  to  become  a  hare  at  times  and  this  belief  is  very  old  and 
widespread  for  it  is  akin  to  the  changes  of  the  werewolf  and  such 
like  men-beasts  and  to  our  enchanted  white  cats  and  fox-princes 
of  the  nursery  stories.  Sometimes  the  blinker  uses  his  powers 
involuntarily  and  then  we  have  the  evil  eye  in  its  simplest  and 
most  unmixed  form  and  sometimes  it  is  beyond  the  will  of  the 
owner.  So  a  pedlar  assured  me  that  once  he  saw  healthy  cattle 
yield  not  a  drop  of  blood  when  bled  previous  to  going  to  grass,  as 
was  the  old  custom,  and  this  because  a  blinker  was  present. 

Yet  though  such  is  his  power  to  hurt  he  must  generally  use 
some  ceremony  to  get  control  over  his  neighbour's  kine  and  their 
produce.  Sometimes  he  goes  to  skim  the  dew  of  his  neighbour's 
grass,  especially  on  May  morning,  that  day  so  marked  in  the 
Celtic  calender  when  many  uncanny  things  are  active.  Sometimes 
he  skims  the  froth  off  the  stream  from  which  the  cows  drink. 
Sometimes  he  takes  hairs  from  the  tails  of  the  neighbour's  cows 
and  twists  them  into  a  rope  which  he  trails  over  the  dewy  grass  in 
a  neighbour's  field.  So  it  is  unlucky  to  lend  a  blinker  anything, 
especially  a  piggin  or  a  churnstaff. 

All  these  instances  have  one  thing  in  common  :  the  blinker 
wants  to  establish  a  connection  with  his  victim,  but  he  is  satisfied 
if  he  gets  something  associated  in  idea  with  it,  and  this  is  the 
root-fallacy  in  all  witchcraft  whether  the  ill-wisher  assaults  by  the 


72  Mr.  E.  J.  M'Keaji  on 

methods    above-mentioned   or  by   images   of  clay   or   wax  or   by 
burning  a  lock  of  hair  belonging  to  his  victim. 

When  the  spell  is  done  and  the  cattle  are  blinked  they  are 
distressed  and  ill  and  yield  no  milk,  or  if  they  remain  healthy  and 
yield  milk,  no  butter  comes  in  the  churn.  Then  either  proceed  of 
your  own  knowledge  to  cure  them  or  consult  a  wise  man  who  will 
probably  give  you  one  of  two  kinds  of  cure  or  perhaps  both.  The 
first  is  to  watch  the  suspected  person  till  you  are  sure  of  his  guilt 
and  then  to  get  him  into  your  house  and  secretly  to  cut  off  a  piece 
of  his  clothing  which  is  burnt  before  the  cattle.  This  ends  the 
spell.  The  blinker  is  conscious  of  the  burning  and  will  rush  out 
of  the  house  when  it  takes  place. 

What  has  happened  is  this : — the  blinker  has  something  associated 
with  you  through  which  he  hurts  you  :  you  then  get  something  of 
his  and  hurt  him  through  it  and  you  are  quits,  or  it  may  be  you 
gave  his  victims  strength  of  the  blinkers  to  make  up  for  their 
strength  taken  away. 

There  is  another  counterspell  which  I  have  not  yet  met  in  Ulster 
but  which  is  so  common  elsewhere  as  to  deserve  mention.  The 
blinker  is  connected  with  the  milk  ;  well  and  good  !  the  milk  is 
in  connection  with  him  and  he  shall  know  it.  So  take  some  of 
the  milk  and  boil  it  and,  if  you  will,  put  pins  and  needles  therein. 
Then  he  will  come  bawling  to  your  door  and  you  may  make  your 
own  terms,  for  the  boiling  milk  and  the  pins  are  causing  him  most 
awful  agonies.  If  the  cattle  yield  no  milk  or  have  died  ;  burn 
them  or  parts  of  them,  and  you  will  easily  find  and  punish  the 
ill-wisher,  as  is  shown  in  Patrick  Kennedy's  "  Legendary  Fictions 
of  the  Irish  Celts,"  page  135,  and  in  Rhy's  "Celtic  Folklore," 
vol.  I.,  page  304. 

The  other  Ulster  cure  probably  did  not  once  apply  to  witchcraft 
but  has  come  from  folk-medicine.  It  consists  in  transferring  the 
spell  from  the  cattle  to  a  bottle  and  then  burying  or  hiding  the 
bottle,  in  one  case  under  a  fairy  thorn,  in  another  in  the  suspected 
blinker's  field.  Now  to  get  rid  of  a  disease  by  transferring  it  to 
someone  or  something  else  is  well-known  in  early  medicine,  but  I 
never  heard  of  such  an  idea  in  witchcraft. 


Blinking  or  Ill-wishing.  73 

We  have  many  charms  against  the  bh'nker : — A  stalh'on's  shoe, 
of  the  meaning  of  which  there  is  much  doubt.  Iron  is  ever  a 
mystic  metal,  ghosts  and  fairies  may  not  face  it,  some  say  because 
they  are  of  the  Stone  Age,  but  the  insistence  on  the  stallion  seems 
to  point  to  more  and  we  may  not  forget  that  some  races  have  held 
the  horse  sacred.  A  he-ass  is  a  sure  defence,  as  is  a  four-leaved 
shamrock,  a  holed  stone,  or  in  some  cases  an  arrow  head  of  black 
flint.  It  is  well  to  milk  a  heifer  at  her  first  milking  into  a  can 
with  a  sixpence  in  it,  and  it  is  wise  in  shooting  at  a  witch-hare  to 
use  a  silver  bullet.     Salt  is  a  good  counter-charm. 

Witchcraft  is  no  new  thing  and  was  once  in  high  honour,  for  in 
"  Irish  Magic  in  the  Days  of  Cormac,"  an  article  in  the  "  Dublin 
Penny  Journal,"  we  read  that  Cormac  had  invaded  Munster  and 
"  at  last  the  Druids  got  new  orders  from  Cormac,  and  they  flung 
a  baleful  Druidical  breath  on  the  horses,  and  asses,  and  cows,  and 
sheep,  and  goats  of  Leath  Mocha,  and  their  milk  was  stayed,  and 
nothing  was  heard  through  the  land  but  the  neighing,  and  lowing, 
and  braying,  and  bleating,  and  sneezing  of  the  cattle."  So  that 
blinking  is  no  new  thing,  and  our  examination  of  present  day 
Ulster  has  thrown  light  on  the  Ulster  of  the  distant  past  when  the 
blinker  was  a  friend  of  Kings,  before  Christianity  put  him  under 
its  ban  as  a  servant  of  the  old  gods,  later  identified  with  the  devil. 

Yet  before  we  laugh  at  antiquity  for  its  folly  let  us  look  to 
ourselves.  I  have  heard  that  one  fashionable  spiritualist  in 
England,  firmly  credited  by  my  informant,  requires  all  who  would 
know  their  future  to  hold  a  crystal  long  in  their  hands  till  it  is 
warm  and  some  of  their  "  life-fluid,"  as  she  says,  has  entered  it 
so  enabling  her  to  see  the  inquirer's  future  in  it.  Now  this  is 
nothing  but  our  old  friend  the  fallacy  that  Association  in  Idea  is 
Connection,  only  that  the  old  hag  wears  a  Worth  gown  and  charges 
a  guinea  a  seance,  which  makes  a  great  difference  to  some  people. 


74 


REPORT  OF  DELEGATE  TO  CORRESPONDING 
SOCIETIES'  CONFERENCE,  BRITISH  ASSOCIA- 
TION MEETING,   1903. 

By  Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  M.A.,  PhD., 
D.Sc,  M.RT.A. 

(Abstract.) 

I  was  present  as  representative  of  the  Belfast  Natural  History 
and  Philosophical  Society,  at  the  First  Conference  of  Delegates 
of  the  Societies  corresponding  with  the  British  Association,  on 
September  loth,  1903.  The  chief  business  of  that  meeting  was 
to  hear  the  President  of  the  Association,  Sir  Norman  Lockyer, 
and  to  discuss  his  proposal  for  the  organisation  of  scientific 
workers.  Sir  Norman  advocated  the  formation  of  a  kind  of  Guild 
of  Science,  whose  function  should  be  to  promote  in  every  way 
scientific  training.  He  pointed  out  that  other  countries  were 
ahead  of  us  in  applying  science  to  industry  ;  that  there  was  urgent 
need  that  the  claims  of  science  should  be  pressed  upon  our 
government,  as  many  of  the  responsible  authorities  knew  little, 
and  cared  less  about  science,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to  bring 
home  to  these  the  fact  that  it  is  the  duty  of  a  State  to  organise  its 
forces  as  carefully  for  peace  as  for  war  ;  that  Universities  and  other 
teaching  centres  are  as  important  as  battleships  or  big  batallions, 
are,  in  fact,  essential  parts  of  a  modern  State's  machinery. 

Sir  Norman  suggested  that  the  Corresponding  Societies  working 
in  connection  with  the  British  Association  might  play  a  great  part 
in  infusing  a  scientific  spirit  into  county  councils,  town  councils, 
and  district  councils,  and  might  even  control  votes  in  the  House 
of  Commons.  The  future  British  Association  he  pictured  as  a 
kind  of  Parliament  of  Science,  dealing  with  all  matters  great  or 
small  relating  to  Science. 

The  discussion  that  followed  was  not  altogether  to  the  point,  but 
sundry  interesting  facts  were  elicited.    Principal  Griffiths  maintained 


Report  of  Delegate  to  Corresponding  Societies'   Conference.     75 

that  what  we  have  to  do  is  to  educate  the  man  in  the  street,  and 
convince  him  that  pure  science  is  a  good  thing  for  him.  The 
Principal  did  not  seem  to  think  that  we  could  hope  to  get  at  the 
government  till  the  masses  were  converted.  Another  speaker 
advocated  commencing  with  the  "  boy  in  the  street,"  and  others 
dealt  with  their  success  or  their  difficulties  in  working  this  lowest 
stratum,  rather  than  with  Sir  Norman's  proposal  to  force  the 
government  to  give  more  help. 

Mr.  Munn  Rankin  afterwards  read  a  valuable  paper  on  "The 
Methods  and  Results  of  a  Botanical  Survey  of  Counties."  He 
called  attention  to  the  great  interest  of  plant-groupings  or 
associations,  and  showed  how  new  life  may  be  put  into  the  study 
of  systematic  Botany  by  the  consideration  of  plants  in  relation  to 
their  neighbours  and  their  environment.  He  called  upon  Natural 
History  Societies  throughout  the  country  to  do  their  part  in 
mapping  out  the  areas  of  the  various  well-marked  associations. 

I  strongly  recommend  consideration  of  this  subject  to  Belfast 
botanists,  and  may  mention  that  Mr.  Praeger  has  already  taken  up 
the  mapping  of  a  district  near  Dublin  in  the  way  suggested. 


Oncers  and  Council  of  Majiagemcnt  for  1^04-1^03. 

PKOFESSOR  JOHNSOxX  SYMINGTON,   M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E. 

'g5ice-jl"'rcsi6enf5  : 

REV.  T.  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.      |      WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 
SIR  R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  D.L.      I      ROBERT  YOUNG,  c.k.,  j.p. 
r.L.s. 

/aoit.  'ireasitrci- : 
JOHN  IIORXER. 

/aon.  c£tbv-attan : 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

/aoit.  ^ecretarg  : 

ROBERT  M.  young,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a. 

@OUltciI  : 

JOHN  BROWN,  F.K.S.,  a.m.i.e.e. 

JOHN  II.  DAVIES. 

REV.  T.  HAINIILTON.  d.d.,  ll.d.,  president  q.c.b. 

SIR  JAMILS  HENDERSON,  d.l.,  j.p.,  a.m. 

JOHN  HORNER. 

SEATON  F.  MILLIGAN,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.i. 

PROFKSSOR  W.  B.   MORTON,  .m.a. 

SIR  R.  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  d.l.,  j.p.,  f.l.s. 

ROBERT  PATTERSON,  m.r.i.a.,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.u. 

W.   H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 

PROFESSOR  JOHNSON  SYMINGTON,  m.d.,  f.r.s. 

PROFESSOR  GREGG  WILSON,  d.sc. 

ROBERT  Y7)UNG,  j.p.,  c.e. 

R.  M.  YOUNG,  B.A.,  J. p.,  m.r.i.a. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

\* Denotes  holders  of  three  or  more  Shares ^^ 

♦Alexander,  Francis,  b.e.,  Belfast 
Allworthy,  S.  W.,  m.d..  Manor  House,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

*Anderson,  John,  j.p.,  f.g.s.,  East  Hillbrook,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 

Andrew,  John  J.,  l.d.s.,  R.c.s.Eng.,  University  Square,  Belfast 
Andrew^s,  Miss  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Andrews,  George,  j.p.,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Armstrong,  Thomas,  jun.,  Donegall  Square  West,  do. 

Armstrong,  William,  Chichester  Gardens,  do. 

Baird,  Wm.,  Royal  Avenue,  ,  do. 

Barbour,  James  j.p.,  Ardville,  Marino,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 

Beattie,  Rev.  A.  Hamilton,  Portglenone,  Co.  Antrim 

Bigger,  Francis  J.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ardrie,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 
Bottomley,  Henry  H.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Bowman,  Davys,  Holyrood,Malone  road  (Representatives  of)  do. 
Boyd,  William,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do, 

Boyd,  William  Sinclair,  Ravenscroft,  Bloomfield,  do. 

*Boyd,  J.  Sinclair,  m.d.,  Chatsworth,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Braddell,  Edward,  Parkfield,  Park  Road,  Ipswich 

Brett,  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,  Belfast 
Brett,  John  H.,  C.E.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Bristow,  James  R.,  Lismore,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Bristow,  John,  Wellington  Place,  do. 

Brown,  John,  f.r.s.,  a.m.i.e.e.,  Longhurst,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Brown,  William  K.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 
Bulloch,  Alexander,  Eversleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Burrowes,  W.  B.,  Ballynafeigh  House,  do. 

Byers,  Prof.  John  W.,  m.a.,  m.d.,  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Calwell,  Alex.  M'D.,  do. 

Calwell,  William  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Square  North,  do. 

*Campbell,  Miss  Anna  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Carr,  A.  H.  R.,  Waring  Street,  do. 


78  Sha  re  holders. 

Carson,  John,  \\'ali'ner  Terrace,  Holywood 

*Charley,  Phineas  H  ,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor,  Co.  Down 

*Christen,  Mrs.  Rodolphe,  St  Imier,  Brig  o'  Gairn,  Ballater,  N.B. 
Clark,  George  S.,  Dunlambert,  Belfast 

Clarke,  E.  H.,  Netting  Hill,  do. 

Coates,  Victor,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Connor,  Charles  C,  m.a.,  j.p..  Queen's  Elms,  Belfast 

Combe,  George,  Cranethorpe,  vStrandtown,    do. 

Crawford,  William,  j.p.,  Mount  Randal,  do. 

Crawford,  ^^^illiam,  Calendar  Street,  do. 

Craig,  Edwin  E.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown,    do. 

Davies,  John  H.,  Lenaderg  House,  Banbridge,  Co.  Down 

*Deramore,  Lord,  d.l.  (Representatives  of). 

Dixon,  Professor,  m.a.,  sc.d.,  f.r.s.,  f.r.u.i.,  Almora, 

Myrtlefield  Park,  Belfast 

Dods,  Robert,  b.a.,  St.  Leonard's,  Newcastle,  Co.  Down 

*Donegall,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

*Downshire,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of). 

The  Castle,  Hillsborough,  Co.  Down 

Duffin,  Adam,  ll.d.,  Dunowen,  Cliftonville,  Belfast 

Dunleath,  Lord,  Ballywalter  Park 

(Representatives  of),  Ballywalter,  Co.  Down 

Ewart,  G.  Herbert,  m.a.,  Firmount,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Ewart,  Fred.  W.,  m.a.,  b.l.,  Derryvolgie,  Lisburn 
Ewart,  Sir  Wm.  Quartus,  Bart,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Glen- 

machan  House,  Belfast 

Faren,  Wm.,  Mountcharles,  do. 

*Fenton,  Francis  G.,  Paris 

Ferguson,  Godfrey  W.,  c.e.,  Donegall  Park,  Belfast 

Finlay,  Fred.  W.,  j.p.,  Wolfhill  House,  Ligoniel,    do. 

Finlay,  Robert  H.  F.,  Cavehill  Road,  do. 

Finnegan,  John,  b.a.,  b.sc,  Kelvin  House,  Botanic  Avenue,  do. 
FitzGerald,  Professor  Maurice  F.,  b.a.,  m.lm.e.,  Assoc. 

m.lc.e..  Eglantine  Avenue,  do_ 

Foster,  Nevin  Harkness,  Hillsborough,  Co.  Down 


Shareholders.  79 

Getty,  Edmund  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Gibson,  Andrew,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Girdwood,  H.  M.,  Broughton  Flax  Mills,  Manchester 

Gordon,  Malcolm,  Hilden,  Lisburn 

Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  d.d.,  m.r.i.a., 

(Representatives  of),  Broughshane,  Co.  Antrim 

Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Cavehill  Road,        Belfast 
Greer,  Thomas,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Seapark,  Carrickfergus 

*Hall,  Frederick  H.,  Waterford 

Hamilton,  Rev.  Thomas,  d.d..  President,  Queen's  College,  Belfast 
*Hamilton,  Hill,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Harland,  W.,  Eaton  Terrace,  London,  W. 

Henderson,  Miss  Anna  S.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Henderson,  Sir  James,  a.m.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Oakley,  Windsor  Park,    do. 
Henderson,  Mrs.  Charlotte  (Representatives  of),  Clarges 

Street,  London 

Henry,  R.  M.,  m.a.,  Belfast 

Herdman,  John,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Carricklee  House  (Representatives 

of),  Strabane 

*Herdman,  Robert  Ernest,  j.p.,  Rosavo,  Cultra,  Co.  Down 

Heyn,  James  A.  M.,  Strandtown  House,  Belfast 

Hind,  John,  junr.,  Clifton  Park  Avenue,  do. 

Hodges,  Miss  do. 

Hogg,  John,  Academy  Street,  do. 

Horner,  John,  Chelsea,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

*Houston,  John  Blakiston,  j.p.,  v.l.,  Orangefield,  do. 

*Hughes,  Edwin,  j.p.,  Dalchoolin,  Craigavad,  Co.  Down 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  ll.d.,  ^^■indsor,  Belfast 

Inglis,  James,  j.p.,  Merrion  Square  East,  Dublin 

Jackson,  A.  T.,  c.e.,  Tighnabruaich,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,    Belfast 
Jaffe,  Sir  Otto,  j.p.,  Kin  Edar,  Strandtown,  do. 

Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  j.p.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey,  Co.  Antrim 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  Amelia,  Dalguise,  Monkstown,  Dublin 


So  Shareholders. 

Kertland,  Edwin  H.,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Belfast 

Kidd,  George,  j.p.,  Lisnatore,  Dunniurry,  Co.  Antrim 

*Kinghan,  John  R.,  Altoona,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 

Kinnaird,  George  Y.,  Malone  Park,  do. 

Kyle,  Robert  Alexander,  Donegall  Place,  do. 

Lanyon,  Mrs.,  Lisbreen,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Larmor,  Joseph,  m.a.,  d.sc,  ll.d.,  f.r  a.s.,  f.r.u.i.,  Sec.R.s., 

St.  John's  College,  Cambridge 

Leathern,  R.  R.,  m.d.,  Belgravia,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast 

Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  j.p.,  Edgecumbe,  Strandtown,       do. 
Lepper,  F.  R.,  j.p.,  Elsinore,  Carnalea,  Co.  Down 

Letts,  Professor  E.  A.,  ph.d.,  f.c.s.,  Shirley  Lodge,  Cultra,    do. 
Lindsay,  Professor  James  A.,  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Sqr.  liast,  Belfast 
Lytle,  David  B.,  j.p.,  Bloomfield  House  (Representatives  of),  do. 
Lytle,  Joseph  PL,  j.p.,  Ashleigh,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Macassey,  L.  Livingstone,  b.l.,  m.i.c.e.,  St.  Clair,  Windsor  Av.,  do. 
Mackenzie,  John,  c.e..  412  Lisburn  Road,  do. 

*Macrory,  A.  J.  (Representatives  of),  do 

Magill,  J.  E.,  Easton  Terrace,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Malcolm,  Bowman,  m.i.c.e.,  m.i.m.e.,  Ashley  Park, 

Antrim  Road,  do. 

Maxton,  James,  m.i.n.a.,  m.i.mar.e.,  Kirkliston  Drive, 

Bloomfield,  do. 

Maxwell,  David  A.,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Mayes,  William,  5  Mount  Pleasant,  do. 

Milligan,  Seaton  Forest,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Bangor,  Co.  Down 
Mitchell,  Robert  A.,  ll.b.,t.c.d.,  Marmont,  Strandtown,  Belfast 
Montgomery,  Henry  C,  Bangor,  Co.  Down 

Montgomery,  H.  H.,  Strandtown,  Belfast 

Montgomery,  Thomas,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Ballydrain 

House,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Moore,  James,  The  Finaghy,  Belfast 

Morton,  Professor  W.  B.,  m.a.,  f.r.u.i.,  Nottinghill,  do. 

Muir,  A.  H.,  Scottish  Provident  Buildings,  do. 


Shareholders.  8 1 

Mullen,  William,  Lindisfarne,  Marlborough  Park,  Belfast 

Murney,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p.,  Tudor  House,      Holywood,  Co.  Down 
*Murphy,  Isaac  James  (Representatives  of),  Armagh 

*Murphy,  Joseph  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

*Musgrave,  Henry,  Drumglass,  Malone  do. 

Musgrave,  Sir  James,  Bart.,  d.l.,  Drumglass,  Malone 

(Representatives  of),  do. 

MacAdam,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  do. 

M 'Bride,  Henry  James,  Hyde  Park,  Mallusk,  do. 

M 'Bride,  Samuel,  Edgehill,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

*M'Calmont,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  London 

*M'Cammon,  Thos.  P.,  Plaisted,  Woodville,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
M'Cance,  Miss  Charlotte  Georgianna,  Larkfield 

(Representatives  of),  Dunmurry,  Co.  I-)own 

MacColl  Hector,  Kirkliston  Drive,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 

MacCormac  John  M.,  m.d.,  Victoria  Place,  do. 

M'Cormick,  Hugh  M'Neile,  Cultra  House,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
*M'Cracken,  Francis  (Representatives  of). 
M'Gee,  James,  Woodville,  Holywood,         do. 

Macllwaine,  John  H.,  Mornington  Park  Bangor,         do. 

M'Kisack,  H.  L.,  m.d..  University  Square,  Belfast 

*MacLaine,  Alexander,  j.p..  Queen's  Elms  do. 

M'Neill,  George,  Beechleigh,  Malone  road,  do. 

Neill,  Sharman  D.,  Ivlartello  Terrace,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 

Nicholson,  Henry  J.,  Bedford  Street,  Belfast 

O'Neill,  James,  m.  a., College  Square  East  (Representatives  of),  do. 
O'Rorke,  Mrs.,  Dunratho,  Craigavad,  Co.  Down 

Orr,  Hugh  E.,  Woodstock  Road,  Belfast 

Orr,  Rev.  R.  J.,  Fitzroy  Avenue,  do. 

Park,  Rev.  Wm.,  m.a.,  Somerset  House,  University  Street,     do. 
Patterson,  Edward  Ferrar,  Ballyholme  Road,      Bangor,  Co.  Down 
Patterson,  Mrs.  Isabelle,  Bonn,  Germany 


82  Shareholders. 

Patterson,  John,  Dunallan,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 
Patterson,  Richard,  j.p.,  Kilmore,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
♦Patterson,  Sir  Robert  Lloyd,  j.p.,  d.l.,  f.l.s.. 

Croft  House,                                                     do.  do. 
Patterson,  Robert,  m.r.i.a.,  f.z.s.,  m.k.o.u., 

St.  Clare,                                                            do.  do. 
Patterson,  William  H.,  m.r.i.a.,  Garranard,        Strandtown,  Belfast 

Patterson,  William  H.  F.,  Stalheim,  Knock,  do. 

Pim,  Edward  W.,  j.?.,  Elmwood  Terrace,  do. 

Pirn,  Joshua,  Slieve-na-Failthe,                    Whiteabbey,  Co.  Antrim 

Praeger,  R.  Lloyd,  b.e.,  m.r.i.a.,  National  Library,  Dublin 

Rea,  John  Henry  m.d..  University  Street 

(Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Rea,  William  R.,  Gardha,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Reade,  Robert  H.  S.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Wilmont,    Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Riddell,  Samuel,  Beechpark  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Robertson,  William,  j.p.,  Netherleigh,  Strandtown,  do, 

Robinson,  John,  Sydenham  Road,  do. 

Scott,  R.  Taylor,  Richmond  Villa,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 
Sheldon,  Charles,  m.a.,  d.lit.,  b.sc.  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  do. 

Shillington,  Thos.  Foulkes,  j,p.,  Dromart,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

Simms,  Felix  Booth,  Queen  Street,  do. 

Sinclair,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Hopefield,  do. 

Sinclair,  Prof.  Thomas,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.  Eng.,  Howard  Street,  do. 

Smith,  John,  Castleton  Terrace,  do. 
Smyth,  John,  m.a.,  c.e.,  Milltown,                   Banbridge,  Co.  Down 

Speers,  Adam,  b.sc,  Riversdale,                       Holywood,  do. 

Steen,  William  C,  m.d.,  Windsor  Crescent,  Belfast 

Steen,  William,  b.l..  Northern  Bank,  Victoria  Street,  do. 

Stelfox,  James,  Oakleigh,  Ormeau  Park,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Symington,  Prof  Johnson,  m.d.,  f.r.s.e..  Queen's  College,  do. 


Shareholders.  83 

*Tennent,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  Belfast 

•Tennent,  Robert  James  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  do. 

Torrens,  T.  H.,  j.p.,  Wellington  Place,  do. 

•Turnley,  John,  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Walkington,  Miss  Jane  A.,  Sefton  Park,  Liverpool 

Walkington,  Thomas  R.,  Edenvale,  Strandtown,  Belfast 

Wallace,  John,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Camden  Street,  do. 

Ward,  John,  j.p.,  f.s.a.,  Lennoxvale,  Malone  Road,  do. 

*Webb,  Richard  T.,  Kensington  Villa,  Knock  Avenue  Road  do. 
Whitla,  Prof.  Sir  William,  m.d.,  j.p.,  College  Square  North  do. 
Wilson,  Prof.  Gregg,  m.a.,  ph.d.,  d.sc,  m.r.i.a.,  Queen's 

College,  do. 

Wilson,  James,  m.e.,  Oldforge,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Wilson,  John  K.,  j.p.,  Donegall  Street,  Belfast 

*Wilson,  Walter  H.,  Belvoir  Park  (Representatives  of),  do. 

*Wilson,  W.  Perceval,  do. 

*Wolff,  G.  W.,  J.P.,  M.p.  The  Den,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  Francis,  The  Moat,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  John,  j.p.,  Lismore,  Windsor,  do. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a.,  Rubane  House,   Glastry,  Co.  Down 
Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a.,  d.d.,  The  Manse,  Newtownbreda,  do. 
*Workman,  Thomas,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  Craig- 

darragh,  Craigavad,     do. 

Workman,  A\'illiam,  Nottinghill,  Belfast 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Young,  Robert,  C.E.,  j.p.,  Rathvarna,  do. 

*Young,  Robert  Magill,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathvarna,  do. 


84  Annual  Subscribers. 

HONORARY  ASSOCIATES. 

Gray^  William,  m.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Belfast 

Stewart,  Samuel  Alex.,  f.b.s.  Edin.,  a.l.s.,  Belfast  Museum      do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 


ANNUAL  SUBSCRIBERS   OF  TWO  GUINEAS. 

Belfast  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  Belfast 

Northern  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 

Ulster  Bank,  Ltd.,  do. 

York  Street  Spinning  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 


ANNUAL  SUBSCRIBERS  OF  ONE  GUINEA. 

Allan,  C.  E.,  Stormont  Castle,  Dundonald,  Co.  Down 

Boyd,  John,  Cyprus  Gardens,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 

Brown,  G.  Herbert,  j.p.,  Tordeevra,  Helen's  Bay,  Co.  Down 

Bruce,  James,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Cleaver,  A.  S.,  b.a.,  Dunraven,  do. 

Davidson,  S.  C,  Sea  Court,  Bangor,  Co.  Down 

Fulton,  G.  F.,  Howard  Street,  Belfast 

Gamble,  James,  Royal  Terrace,  do. 

Green,  Isaac,  i\.nn  Street,  do. 

Hanna,  J.  A.,  j.p..  Marietta,  Knock,  do. 

Hazelton,  W.  D.,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Higginbotham,  Granby,  Wellington  Park,  do. 

Hutton,  A.  W.,  Chichester  Street,  do. 

Jones,  R.  M.,  m.a..  Royal  Academical  Institution,  do. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  Crumlin  Terrace,  do. 


Annual  Subscribers.  85 

Morrow,  W.  A.  G.,  Clifton  Street,  Belfast 

M'Laughlin,  W.  H.,  Macedon,  do. 

Parr,  William,  St.  Mark's,  Ballysillan,  do. 

Pullman,  G.  H.,  Claremont,   Knock,  do. 

Redfern,  Prof.  Peter,  M.Dy  f.r.c.s.i..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Scott,  Conway,  c.e.,  Annaville,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Storrar,  W.  Morrison,  l.r.c.p.,  Mountcharles,  do. 

Swiney,  J.  H.  H.,  b.a.,  b.e.,  Bella  Vista,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

Thompson,  John,  j.p.,  Mount  Collyer,  do. 

Turpin,  James,  Waring  Street,  do. 


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BE  LIF-A-ST 


Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society 


SESSIOJSr     1904-1905. 


BELFAST  : 

PRINTED  BY  MAVNE  &  BOYD,  2  CORPORATION  STREET. 

(printers  to  queen's  college.) 


1905. 


CONTENTS. 


Technical  Instruction  in  Belfast — Francis  C.  Forth,  Assoc.R.C.Sc.I 

Stained  Glass — ^James  Taylor 

National  Antarctic  Expedition— Hartley  T.  Ferrar,  B.A.,  F. 

The  Work  of  the  Ulster  Fisheries  and  Biological  Association- 
Gregg  Wilson,  M.A.,  D.Sc,  M.R.I.A. 

With  the  Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries  (Ireland)  on  a  Cruise 
Irish  Coast— S.  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I.A. 

Russia  :  Its  People  and  Politics — ^John  Horner 

Irish  Ghost-Lore— E.  J.  M'Kean,  B.A.,  B.L. 

Annual  Report 

Balance  Sheet ... 

Donations  to  Museum   ... 

Additions  to  Library 

List  of  Office-Bearers     ... 

List  of  Shareholders 


.OC.l.    ... 

1 

lO 

.s.      ... 

14 

Professor 

15 

ound  the 

18 

24 

32 

37 

45 

46 

47 

56 

57 

Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society. 


EST-A-BLISHIEID    1S21. 


CONSTITUTION. 

The  meml:)er.ship  of  the  Society  consists  of  Shareholders  in  the  Museum, 
Annual  Subscribers  (Associates),  Honorary  Members  and  Honorary  Associates. 

Shares  in  the  Museum  cost  £,"]  each.  A  holder  of  one  Share  pays  an 
annual  contribution  of  ten  shillings  ;  a  holder  of  two  Shares  (in  one  certificate) 
an  annual  contribution  of  five  shillings  ;  while  a  holder  of  three  or  more  Shares 
(in  One  certificate)  is  exempt  from  annual  payments.  Shares  on  which  the 
annual  payment  as  above  are  in  arrear  are  liable  to  forfeiture.  The  Council 
retain  the  right  to  decline  to  consolidate  two  or  more  share  certificates  into  one 
certificate. 

Annual  Subscribers  (Associates)  pay^i  is.  (one  guinea)  due  ist  November 
in  each  year  in  advance. 

A  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  in  the  Museum  is  held  annually  in 
May  or  June,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  convenient,  to  receive  the  Report  of  the 
Council  and  the  Statement  of  Accounts  for  the  preceding  year,  to  elect 
members  of  Council  to  replace  those  retiring  by  rotation  or  from  other  reasons, 
and  to  transact  any  other  business  incidental  to  an  annual  meeting.  Share- 
holders only  are  eligible  for  election  on  the  Council. 

The  Council  elect,  from  among  their  own  number,  a  President  and  other 
officers  of  the  Society. 

Each  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  the  ordinary  lectures 
of  the  Society,  and  has  the  privilege  of  introducing  two  friends  for  admission 
to  such  ;  and  he  has  also  the  right  of  access  to  the  Museum  and  Library  for 
himself  and  family  residing  under  his  roof,  with  the  privilege  of  granting 
admission  orders  for  inspecting  the  collections  in  the  Museum  to  any  person  not 
residing  in  Belfast  or  within  five  miles  thereof.  The  session  for  lectures 
extends  from  November  till  May. 

The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  for  the  admisson  of 
visitors,  for  such  hours  as  the  Council  may  from  time  to  time  decide  ;  the 
charge  for  admission  to  non-members  is  sixpence  each.  The  Curator  as  in 
constant  attendance,  and  will  take  charge  of  any  donation  kindly  presented  to 
the  Museum  or  Library. 

Any  further  information  required  may  be  obtained  from  the  Honorary 
Secretary. 


BELFAST 

NATURAL    HISTORY 
AND    PHILOSOPHICAL    SOCIETY. 

SESSION     I  904-  I  905. 


22nd  November^  1^04. 


Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E., 
in  the  chair. 


TECHNICAL  INSTRUCTION  IN  BELFAST  : 

A  RETROSPECT  AND  A  PROSPECT. 

By   Fras.   C.  Forth,   Assoc.    R.C.Sc.L,   Principal  of  the 

Municipal  Technical  Institute. 

(Abstract.) 


Mr.  Forth  began  his  Address  -with  a  short  review  of  the  paper 
he  had  read  before  the  Society  in  December,  1901,  entitled, 
"The  Municipal  Technical  Institute  :  its  Aims  and  Aspirations," 
touching  upon,  the  leading  points  then  discussed,  and  comparing 
the  work  then  projected  with  that  which  had  since  been  accom- 
plished. 

Referring  to  the  class  entries  for  the  First  Session  as  compared 
with  the  current  Session,  it  was  stated  that  whereas  at  the  end  of 
the  tenth  week  in  the  First  Session  the  class  entries  totalled  some 
3,000,  at  the  end  of  the  tenth  week  in  the  present  (the  Fourth) 
Session,  the  class  entries  totalled  over  6,000  (the  actual  figures 
being  6,180).  The  number  of  students  enrolled  has  propor- 
tionately increased,  the  number  now  being  4,555,  with  103  in  the 
Day  (or  Trade  Preparatory)  School  ;  making  a  total  of  4,658 
individuals. 


2  Technical  Itist ruction  in  Belfast  : 

With  regard  to  the  efficiency  of  the  work  of  the  students  it  was 
stated  that  during  the  past  three  years  a  marked  increase  had  been 
observed  in  power  of  appHcation,  in  regularity  of  attendance,  and 
in  the  interest  shown  in  study  ;  but  that  comparing  the  students 
of  the  present  with  those  of  three  years  ago,  no  perceptible 
improvement  was  noticeable  in  regard  to  the  educational  pre- 
paredness of  students  taking  up  science  and  technical  studies. 

The  evening  preparatory  classes  conducted  by  the  Library  and 
Technical  Instruction  Committee  in  the  Branch  Schools  are 
attended  by  an  earnest  body  of  students,  and  quite  a  number  of 
these  young  people  are  coming  forward  to  the  higher  departments 
in  order  to  study  science,  technology,  or  art.  The  imperfection 
of  training  makes  itself  markedly  felt,  and  to  this  may  be  traced 
a  distinct  percentage  of  that  falling  off  in  attendance  which  occurs 
as  the  session  progresses,  more  especially  in  the  elementary 
classes. 

Teaching  Staff. 

A  factor  which  has  contributed  in  a  marked  degree  to  the 
development  and  uplifting  of  the  Institute's  work  was  the  ap- 
pointment of  responsible  Heads  of  Departments.  The  plan  had 
been  followed  that  as  the  Institute  progressed,  and  as  a  Depart- 
ment could  fully  employ  a  head  teacher,  to  make  the  appointment. 
In  this  way  the  chief  positions  in  art,  in  chemistry,  in  physics, 
and  in  mathematics  have  been  filled ;  and  quite  recently  a  Head 
of  the  Textile  Department  and  a  Head  of  the  Mechanical 
Engineering  Department  have  been  appointed.  The  Department 
of  Naval  Architecture  is  not  yet  provided  for  ;  but  in  view  of  the 
immense  local  importance  of  the  shipbuilding  industry  it  is  hoped 
that  the  development  of  the  Naval  Architecture  section  of  the 
Institute's  work  will  soon  be  on  so  satisfactory  a  scale  as  to 
warrant  the  appointment  of  an  expert  teacher  for  this  section 
also. 

The  next  point  touched  upon  was  the  Trade  Preparatory 
Day  School,  intended  for  boys  who  have  passed  through  the 
curriculum  of  a  national  school,  and  who  are  intended  to  enter 


A  Retrospect  and  a  Prospect.  3 

into  industrial  occupations.  In  referring  to  this  the  lecturer  said 
he  felt  on  dangerous  ground,  for  possibly  no  branch  of  the 
Technical  Instruction  Committee's  efforts  had  been  more  debated 
and  more  strenuously  opposed  than  this  one,  mainly  for  reasons 
which  it  might  be  said  after  two  years'  experience,  had  been  shown 
to  be  almost  entirely  without  foundation.  Continuing,  the 
lecturer  said  it  was  worth  devoting  a  few  moments  to  examining 
tlie  motives  which  actuated  the  Technical  Instruction  Committee 
to  embark  upon  this  portion  of  their  work.  In  planning  their 
earlier  programme  the  Committee  had  recognised  that  of  the 
62,000  children  on  the  rolls  of  National  Schools  a  proportion  of 
boys  leave  school  every  year,  having  no  opportunity  under  the 
then  existing  conditions  of  obtaining  a  higher  education.  Of  this 
number  a  certain  proportion  must  unquestionably  enter  upon 
some  one  or  other  of  the  industrial  occupations  carried  on  in 
Belfast  and  neighbourhood,  and  the  problem  was  how  to  provide 
educational  facilities  for  such  boys.  The  Department  of  Agri- 
culture and  Technical  Instruction,  as  part  of  its  experimental 
science  programme,  had  arranged  a  course  of  instruction  in 
mechanical  science,  and  this  course  supplied  the  solution,  and 
enabled  the  Committee  to  provide  a  grade  of  education  not 
already  available.  The  Trade  Preparatory  School  of  the  Muni- 
cipal Technical  Institute  was  accordingly  established.  Last  year 
some  seventy-nine  pupils  passed  through  the  First  Year's  course, 
and  this  year  one  hundred  and  three  pupils  are  entered  in  the 
books — fifty-two  in  the  first  year  and  fifty-one  in  the  second  year. 
These  boys,  after  completing  their  studies,  should  be  found 
exceptionally  useful  in  industrial  estabhshments,  as  their  training 
is  being  made  as  practical  as  possible,  consistent  with  due  atten- 
tion being  paid  to  the  broader  subjects  of  a  general  education.  It 
is  anticipated  that  later  on  these  boys  will  become  students  of  the 
evening  division,  and  it  is  hoped  to  find  them  carrying  their 
studies  further,  and  incidentally  raising  the  whole  standard  of  the 
work  in  the  evening  classes. 

It  was  stated  that  at  the  time  of  the  establishment  of  the  Trade 


4  TecJmical  Instruction  in  Belfast  : 

Preparatory  School  great  fear  was  expressed  by  those  interested  in 
Secondary  Schools  that  the  new  School  would  act  detrimentally 
upon  existing  Secondary  Schools  ;  but  the  question  having  been 
looked  into  with  an  earnest  desire  to  arrive  at  the  bare  facts,  it 
could  not  be  discovered  that  such  injury  had  resulted,  and  it  was 
asserted  that  the  fear  was  rather  that  it  would  not  be  possible 
within  a  reasonable  time  to  make  up  the  leeway  and  fill  up  the 
educational  gaps  which  abounded.  The  view  was  also  given  that 
the  Trade  Preparatory  School,  instead  of  acting  detrimentally,  is 
having  the  very  reverse  effect,  for  there  are  not  wanting  signs  that 
it  has  had  the  effect  of  stimulating  to  greater  efforts  more  than 
one  local  Educational  Institution. 

Passing  on  to  the  effect  of  the  Technical  Instruction  Com- 
mittee's efforts  on  the  life  of  the  city,  it  was  stated  that  a 
distinctly  increased  appreciation  was  being  attached  to  education 
in  all  its  phases  ;  as  evidence  of  this  it  was  pointed  out  that  an 
increasing  number  of  employers  are  sending  their  employes  to 
attend  classes  of  the  Institute,  and  are  paying  the  fees,  offering 
prizes,  and  in  other  ways  encouraging  those  who  have  been  sent 
to  the  School.  This  interest  is  shown  not  only  by  employers,  but 
is  found  equally  amongst  the  artizan  population,  some  of  the 
trades  societies  having  gone  the  length  of  devoting  a  portion  of 
their  funds  to  provide  prizes  to  encourage  members  of  their  trade 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  instruction  provided  in  the  Institute. 
The  keenness  of  the  students  to  secure  tangible  evidence  of  their 
progress  is  also  most  noteworthy.  The  certificates  won  are 
greatly  valued  and  the  class  prizes  eagerly  sought  after.  As 
independent  evidence  bearing  upon  these  statements  and  testifying 
to  the  general  increase  of  interest  in  education,  the  following 
letters  were  read.  One  from  Sir  ^^'illiam  Quartus  Ewart  as 
follows  : — 

Glenmachan,  Strandtown,  Belfast. 

November  19th,  1904. 
Dear  Mr.   Forth, — I  am  sorry  that  I   cannot  be  present  at 
your  lecture  on  Tuesday  evening.      Very   few  who  see  the  fine 


A  Retrospect  and  a  Prospect.  5 

building  rising  in  College  Square  for  technical  instruction  in 
Belfast  can  realise  the  change  that  has  come  over  the  spirit  of  the 
people.  For  many  years  a  few  townsmen — perhaps  ten  or 
twelve — who  were  in  earnest  on  the  subject,  held  their  little 
meetings  and  gathered  in  small  subscriptions,  often  with  difficulty ; 
they  held  an  annual  meeting  in  the  Ulster  Minor  Hall  or  other 
such  place,  in  general  thinly  attended,  and  often  the  little  effort 
was  in  danger  of  not  surviving  for  another  year.  But  that  small 
band  of  men,  though  disheartened,  held  on  tenaciously.  There 
was  the  late  Sir  James  Musgrave,  Professor  Fitzgerald,  Mr.  R.  H. 
Reade,  Mr.  John  Malone,  Mr.  H.  J.  Nicholson,  Mr.  Loewenthal, 
Sir  James  Henderson,  Dr.  Kyle  Knox.  There  were  others 
equally  faithful,  whose  names  do  not  occur  to  me  at  this  moment ; 
and  my  reason  for  writing  this  letter  at  all  is  to  bring  forward  the 
fact  of  how  much  those  who  will  benefit  by  the  new  great  School 
owe  to  those  gentlemen  for  their  foresight  and  self-denying 
perseverance. — Believe  me,  yours  very  truly, 

(signed)  ^VM.  Q.   EWART. 

Another  letter  was  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Sheet  Metal 
Workers'  and  Gas  Fitters'  Union.  This  letter,  after  giving  infor 
mation  bearing  upon  the  needs  of  their  members  in  regard  to 
technical  education,  continued  : — "  I  might  also  add  that  the 
members  of  above  Union  have  agreed  to  voluntarily  subscribe 
towards  providing  a  prize  for  the  most  successful  apprentice." 

Referring  next  to  the  accommodation  provided  by  the  Library 
and  Technical  Instruction  Committee,  a  number  of  lantern  views 
were  shown  illustrating  the  extensions  and  developments  which 
have  been  planned  in  connection  with  the  new  building  in  order 
to  keep  pace  with  the  growth  of  the  number  of  students  attending 
the  Institute.  Particulars  were  given  of  the  building  as  first 
planned  by  the  architect,  Mr.  Stevenson,  in  1900,  and  these  were 
supplemented  with  various  details  in  regard  to  area,  (S:c.  It  was 
then  shown  how  in  1901  these  plans  were  found  inadequate,  and 
a  first  extension  took  place.  Another  extension  was  made  later, 
and   it  was   decided   to  build   across    the   central    well   and    to 


6  Technical  l7istrucfion  in  Belfast ; 

construct  a  central  hall.  Finally,  within  the  past  eighteen  months, 
after  considerable  consideration  and  examination  of  the  whole 
subject,  the  erection  of  a  fifth  storey  has  been  decided  upon  and 
sanctioned  by  the  Corporation.  The  total  net  floor  area  of 
rooms  as  now  provided  for  is  109,000  superficial  feet,  the  gross 
floor  area  being  1 34,000  superficial  feet.  The  total  cost  of  the 
structure,  as  now  planned,  will  be  about  ^^T  100,000,  exclusive  of 
equipment,  furnishing,  and  lighting.  The  Committee  is  making 
provision  for  the  expenditure  upon  these  additional  items. 

(Here  a  number  of  slides  were  shown  of  the  site  as  it  stood 
originally,  and  also  of  the  different  plans  prepared  for  the  building, 
including  the  present  or  final  scheme.) 

With  regard  to  the  financial  position,  it  was  explained  that  the 
Corporation  levy  a  penny  rate  for  technical  instruction,  and  that 
this  rate  produces  about  ^"4,500  per  annum.  On  condition  that 
this  rate  is  levied,  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Technical 
Instruction  make  a  payment  which  amounts  in  the  case  of  Bel- 
fast, in  round  figures,  to  ^^  11,000  per  annum.  Added  to  this 
there  are  other  sources  of  income  such  as  fees,  science  and  art 
grants,  interest  on  sums  invested,  bringing  the  total  income  of  the 
Committee  to  close  upon  /"2o,ooo  per  annum. 

It  was  pointed  out  that,  for  each  penny  raised  by  the  rate, 
about  three  pence  is  received  from  other  sources. 

In  concluding,  reference  was  made  to  the  day  technical  depart- 
ment which  it  is  hoped  to  establish,  and  also  to  the  development 
of  instruction  for  apprentices  in  engineering  and  other  industries. 

Mr.  J.  M.  Finnegan  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Forth  for 
his  able  and  interesting  lecture.  He  said  he  fully  appreciated 
Mr.  Forth's  difficulty  in  regard  to  the  want  of  preparation  on  the 
part  of  students.  Looking  back  to  the  time  when  he  was  in  a 
national  school,  he  could  not  find  in  the  higher  class  of  schools  at 
present  the  same  amount  of  thoroughly  good  work  that  used  to  be 
done.  In  many  a  country  national  school  a  boy  used  to  be 
turned  out  who  had  a  very  good  knowledge  of  algebra,  arithmetic, 
and  mensuration.     He  was  afraid  in  that  direction  they  had  gone 


A  Reir aspect  and  a  Prospect.  j 

behind.  He  had  often  thought  how  long  must  they  wait  until 
Belfast  got  a  decent  system  of  national  education. 

Mr.  W.  Swanston  seconded  the  resolution. 

Mr.  Mann  Harbison  said,  at  the  meeting  of  the  British  Asso- 
ciation in  Belfast,  two  years  ago,  they  heard  a  great  deal  about 
the  co-ordination  of  education,  but  they  had  seen  nothing  of  it 
yet.  'W^ith  regard  to  students  being  properly  prepared  for  entering 
the  Technical  Institute,  he  believed  that  was  quite  practicable  if 
it  were  set  about  in  the  proper  way.  The  National  Board  should 
look  after  the  matter  through  their  Inspectors,  and  see  that  a 
class  of  boys  in  every  school  was  properly  prepared  in  the  pro- 
gramme that  would  be  necessary.  They  might  also  have  co- 
ordination at  the  top  as  well  as  at  the  bottom  ;  and  if  diplomas 
were  given  to  the  technical  students,  perhaps  the  Universities 
might  accept  from  these  students  one  examination,  in  order  to 
obtain  the  B.Sc.  degree. 

Mr.  D.  B.  Elliott  said  it  was  admitted  that  the  national  system 
of  education  was  very  far  from  perfect.  There  was  overlapping  of 
Boards,  and  until  the  whole  system,  or  series  of  systems,  were 
swept  away,  and  some  national  system  introduced,  they  would 
never  have  proper  education  in  Ireland.  Primary  education  was 
most  in  need  of  reform.  Mr.  Forth  had  justly  complained  of  the 
want  of  preparation,  but  that  was  not  the  fault  ot  the  teachers. 
It  was  the  fault  of  the  system. 

Mr.  William  Gray  spoke  of  the  necessity  of  correlation,  and 
advocated  the  desirability  of  correlating  the  Municipal  Library, 
Art  Gallery,  and  Museum,  and  also  the  Elementary  or  National 
Schools  with  the  other  educational  agencies  embraced  by  the 
Municipal  Educational  Scheme,  the  ultimate  success  of  which 
must  depend  very  much  upon  the  efficiency  of  the  Elementary 
Schools,  as  the  stability  of  a  superstruction  depends  upon  the 
efficiency  of  its  foundation. 

Mr.  F.  Curley  said  the  success  which  had  attended  technical 
education  under  the  Belfast  Corporation  was  largely  due  to  the 
course  Mr.  Forth  had  pursued  from  the  time  he  was  appointed 
Principal. 


8  Technical  histruction  in  Belfast  : 

Mr.  S.  F.  Milligan  briefly  alluded  to  the  efiforts  made  on  behalf 
of  technical  education  before  the  introduction  of  the  municipal 
scheme,  and  said  that  many  more  names  could  be  added  to  Sir 
William  Q.  Evvart's  list,  including  that  of  Mr.  William  Gray.  He 
also  pointed  to  the  warm  interest  taken  in  the  subject  by  Sir 
James  Henderson. 

Mr.  Horner  said  the  work  done  by  the  late  Sir  James  Mus- 
grave  and  others  in  the  old  technical  school  should  not  be 
forgotten.  As  to  primary  education,  unless  something  was  done 
to  free  the  primary  schools  from  all  sectarian  control,  Mr.  Forth 
could  not  possibly  get  into  his  Institute  the  class  of  scholars  that 
he  wanted. 

Dr.  Sheldon  made  some  remarks  regarding  the  correlation  of 
primary  with  secondary  schools.  Referring  to  the  Trade  Pre- 
paratory School,  as  a  ratepayer  he  objected  to  maintenance 
scholarships  being  provided  for  other  than  the  clever  children  of 
indigent  parents.  He  did  not  think  public  money  should  be 
provided  to  keep  the  child  of  a  man  whose  salary  was,  perhaps, 
much  higher  than  that  of  the  people  who  paid  rates.  Mainten- 
ance scholarships  ought  to  be  given  only  in  cases  where  the 
father's  salary  was  decidedly  low  and  the  child's  talents  decidedly 
high.  From  personal  knowledge  he  could  say  that  the  training 
given  in  the  Municipal  School  of  Art  was  highly  satisfactory. 

The  Chairman  said,  before  calling  upon  Mr.  Forth  to  reply,  he 
would  like  to  refer  very  briefly  to  one  or  two  points  which  had 
been  raised  in  that  discussion.  In  the  first  place  he  certainly 
thought  they  ought  to  congratulate  Principal  Forth  very  cordially 
on  the  great  success  which  had  attended  his  work  in  Belfast,  and 
he  (Professor  Symington)  thought  that  success  had  been  well 
deserved.  Mr.  Forth  had  certainly  worked  very  hard  to  instil 
into  the  minds  of  a  somewhat  apathetic  public  the  importance  of 
technical  education,  and  if  that  Institute  did  not  ultimately  turn 
out  a  great  success,  it  certainly  would  not  be  the  fault  of  Mr. 
Forth.  He  was  very  pleased  to  hear  from  Mr.  Forth  that  he 
attached  very  great  importance,   not  merely  to  having  a  very  fine 


A  Retrospect  a?id  a  Prospect.  9 

building,  but  also  to  having  that  building  properly  manned.  That 
was  a  point  on  which,  he  thought,  they  ought  to  express  them- 
selves in  very  decided  terms,  as  they  knew  from  the  daily  papers 
that  objections  were  made  to  the  supposed  high  salaries  to  be 
given  to  the  heads  of  departments  connected  with  that  Institute. 
He  (the  speaker)  happened  to  have  had  some  experience  of  various 
Universities  in  various  countries,  and  he  must  say  everyone  who 
had  had  experience  knew  that  it  was  the  brains  that  were  required 
very  much  more  than  bricks  and  mortar.  He  could  point  to  very 
finely-housed  Institutions  which  were  producing  practically  nothing 
on  account  of  the  fact  that  the  heads  of  the  departments  were  not 
the  right  kind  of  men  ;  and  he  could  point  to  Institutions  where 
the  buildings  were  utterly  inadequate  for  the  purpose  for  which 
they  were  designed,  but  which,  through  the  ability  of  the  men 
conducting  these  departments,  were  of  world-wide  repute.  If  the 
Belfast  Institute  was  to  be  a  success  it  must  be  properly  manned, 
and  they  would  not  get  good  men  unless  they  paid  for  them.  It 
was  also  necessary  that  they  should  not  overburden  the  teachers 
with  work.  He  trusted  time  would  be  allowed  to  the  heads  of 
departments  to  do  some  original  work.  If  the  Institution  was  to 
merely  extend  knowledge  already  gained,  and  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  acquisition  of  new  facts  and  the  evolution  of  new  theories, 
it  would  fail  in  an  extremely  important  function.  In  conclusion, 
he  would  convey  to  Mr.  Forth  the  thanks  of  that  Society  for  his 
extremely  interesting  lecture. 

Mr.  Forth,  in  replying,  said  he  was  especially  pleased  at  the 
very  healthy  and  vigorous  discussion  which  had  taken  place.  He 
held  that  the  educational  question  was  of  such  a  character  that 
they  would  only  arrive  at  practical  results  by  free  and  full  discus- 
sion. In  reply  to  Mr.  Harbison's  suggestion,  they  hoped  to  issue 
a  certificate  that  would  have  a  very  definite  value  to  students. 
In  conclusion,  he  thanked  them  very  much  for  their  expression  of 
opinion  on  his  lecture. 


20th  December^  igo4. 


Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E., 
President,   in  the  chair. 

STAINED  GLASS. 
By    James    Taylor. 


(Abstract.) 


This  curious  and  beautiful  Art  was  so  long  relegated  to  a  position 
of  obscurity  and  neglect  that  it  may  be  said  to  have  altogether 
ceased  to  exist.  In  Oxford  itself  it  had  so  far  ceased  to  interest 
even  Antiquarians  that  until  a  few  years  ago  the  many  beautiful 
examples  of  medieval  glass  in  that  venerable  City  had  never  been 
so  much  as  catalogued.  The  modern  Revival  of  Stained  Glass  as 
a  fine  art  dates  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  XIX.  century,  the 
same  movement  which  reawakened  interest  in  Gothic  Architecture 
leading  to  a  corresponding  interest  in  what  was  supposed  to  be 
Gothic  Glass.  At  that  time,  however,  glass  was  merely  welcomed 
as  a  helpful  accessory  in  an  Ecclesiastical  Revival,  no  idea  of 
developing  its  use  for  the  legitimate  expression  of  artistic  feeling 
having  entered  the  heads  of  the  RevivaHsts.  The  glass  worker 
was  neither  asked  nor  expected  to  utilise  whatever  talent  he  may 
have  possessed  in  his  particular  craft — the  demand  was  simply  for 
windows  which  were  supposed  to  resemble  those  of  the  XIII. 
century.  That  was  the  first  great  misfortune  which  befel  the 
Art ;  but  it  was  not  very  long  before  a  still  greater  misfortune 
overtook  it.  Few,  if  any,  real  artists  were  connected  with  the 
craft,  and  as  the  demand  was  a  growing  one,  the  making  of 
windows  fell  into  the  hands  of  enterprising  business  houses,  who 


Stained  Glass.  ii 

soon  began  to  do  a  lucrative  trade  in  whatever  style  happened  to 
be  in  vogue. 

Practically  nothing  had  been  done  in  England  until  1838  to 
raise  the  standard  of  Glass  painting,  or  to  acquaint  the  public 
with  its  true  principles  ;  but  in  that  year,  Mr.  Charles  Winston,  of 
the  Inner  Temple,  who  had  devoted  much  time  and  energy  in  its 
study,  compiled  a  treatise  in  which  he  classified  the  various 
medieval  styles  on  the  lines  of  Rickman's  "  Classification  of 
Gothic  Architecture."  This  treatise  developed  into  the  larger 
"Enquiry"  which  was  published  in  1847,  and  that  work  still 
retains  its  position  as  one  of  the  foremost  authorities.  Winston 
was  one  of  the  first  to  impress  upon  the  public  the  self-evident 
truth  that  Glass  Paintings  are  likely  to  rank  as  works  of  art  only 
in  so  far  as  they  are  the  creation  of  artists,  and  he  strove  in- 
cessantly to  liberate  the  craftsmen  of  his  day  from  the  mechanical 
imitation  of  ancient  workmanship. 

Near  the  close  of  Winston's  career,  Mr.  Dante  Gabriel  Rossetti 
directed  the  attention  of  Messrs.  Powell,  the  well-known  Glass- 
makers  of  Whitefriars,  to  the  work  of  a  young  artist — Edward 
Burne-Jones — whose  talents  were  rapidly  obtaining  recognition 
amongst  patrons  of  art.  Burne-Jones  executed  several  designs  for 
Messrs.  Powell,  notably  the  "  St.  Frideswide  "  window  in  Christ 
Church  Cathedral,  Oxford ;  but  his  name  soon  became  associated 
with  that  of  William  Morris,  v>ho  had  by  this  time  thrown  him- 
self heart  and  soul  into  the  cause  of  art,  and  until  Burne-Jones' 
death,  his  designs  for  windows  were  executed  by  the  little  colony 
of  workers  at  Merton  Abbey,  founded  by  Morris.  Morris  not 
only  brought  together  a  band  of  gifted  men  sincerely  devoted  to 
art,  but  he  worked  in  Stained  Glass  with  his  own  hands,  and  in 
co-operation  with  his  friend.  Sir  Edward  Burne-Jones,  who,  as  I 
have  said,  furnished  the  designs,  he  gave  to  the  world  a  series  of 
windows  which  exhibit  an  originality  of  thought,  a  delicacy  of 
expression,  and  a  splendour  of  colour  never  before  attained  by 
contemporary  craftsmen.  Old  vices  die  hard,  however,  and  not- 
withstanding the  influence  of  ^Vinston  and  Morris,  a  great  deal 


1 2  Mr.  James  Taylor  on 

remains  to  be  done  in  the  furtherance  of  this  attractive  form  of 
art.  Many  popular  misconceptions  call  for  correction,  and  the 
warfare  against  the  trafific  in  commercial  glass  must  be  carried  on 
almost  as  relentlessly  as  ever.  The  notion  that  modern  craftsmen 
should  model  their  designs  after  those  of  medieval  times  is  still 
widely  held,  and  although  the  commercial  houses  have  been  com- 
pelled to  raise  the  general  standard  of  their  work,  both  as  regards 
colour  and  design,  it  still  remains  true  that  a  large  proportion  of 
present-day  work  is  entirely  destitute  of  aitistic  value.  Real 
progress  will  only  be  possible  when  the  public  come  to  under- 
stand that  stained  glass  is  a  decorative  art  whose  expression  and 
application  alike  are  governed  by  technical  conditions,  and  that 
the  glass  painter  cannot  enter  into  any  sort  of  rivalry  with  the 
painter  in  oils  or  water  colours.  The  uninitiated  invariably 
insist  on  obtaining  the  effects  of  pictorial  aft,  but  this  is  exactly 
what  the  glass  painter  cannot  supply.  The  primary  object  of  a 
window  is  to  admit  light  and  to  exclude  the  atmospheric  elements, 
and  the  decorative  possibilities  of  the  glass  are  secondary  to  that 
object.  In  so  far,  indeed,  as  the  glass  painter  is  a  genuine  artist, 
his  work  will  frankly  recognise  and  turn  to  good  account  the  iron 
bars  and  lead  lines  which  the  untrained  mind  would  so  gladly 
dispense  with.  Knowing  the  technical  limitations  under  which 
his  material  is  applied,  his  chief  concern  will  be  to  enhance  the 
beauty  of  the  glass  itself.  Window  decoration  of  the  best  kind 
has  always  been,  and  is  still,  a  mosaic  art,  and  the  laws  of  mosaic 
prevent  the  glass-worker  competing  on  equal  terms  with  the 
painter  in  oil  or  water  colours.  To  say  so  is  not  in  any  way  to 
despise  the  power  of  glass  in  the  hands  of  a  competent  artist. 
Every  form  of  art  is  more  or  less  limited  in  its  application.  The 
painter  in  oil  or  water  colours  can  never  attain  to  the  perfection 
of  rounded  form  produced  by  the  sculptor's  chisel,  nor  can  the 
glass-worker  apply  his  colour  with  the  subtle  gradation  of  tone 
demanded  by  the  more  complicated  forms  of  pictorial  art.  His 
composition  is  executed  in  innumerable  pieces  of  coloured  glass 
arranged  within  a  framework  of  arbitrary  formation,  and  such  a 


Staified  Glass.  13 

composition  cannot  possibly  be  appreciated  or  understood  if  it  be 
thought  of  as  a  picture. 

Nothing  is  more  striking  in  ancient  glass  than  the  evidence  it 
affords  of  the  primitive  worker's  grasp  of  the  essential  conditions 
of  his  art.  To  him  nothing  was  so  priceless  as  the  inherent 
beauty  of  the  glass  itself.  All  his  efforts  were  directed  to  bring 
out  the  glorious  colours  of  which  the  material  is  capable.  Window 
decoration  was  the  object  he  aimed  at — never  the  making  of  glass 
pictures. 

Probably  the  oldest  glass  to  which  a  definite  date  can  be 
assigned  is  to  be  found  in  Le  Mans  Cathedral ;  but  very  early 
windows  are  to  be  seen  almost  everywhere  on  the  Continent 
(more  especially  in  France),  as  well  as  in  some  of  the  English 
Cathedrals.  By  far  the  finest  ancient  glass  in  existence  is  in  the 
Cathedrals  of  Chartres  and  Bourges  ;  but  the  student  can  begin 
his  studies  much  nearer  home.  York  Minster  contains  not  only 
a  fine  example  of  ancient  Grisaille  in  the  famous  "Five  Sisters" 
window,  but  almost  the  whole  field  of  glass  painting  from  the 
XIII.  to  the  XVI.  centuries  is  to  be  found  there.  Wells  Cathedral 
contains  an  exquisite  "Jesse"  window  of  late  XIII.  or  early  XIV. 
century  work,  and  beautiful  XIII.  century  glass  is  to  be  found  in 
Lincoln  Cathedral.  XVI.  century  glass  may  be  conveniently 
studied  in  the  Lady  Chapel  of  Lichfield  Cathedral,  Fairford 
Church  (Oxfordshire),  and  King's  College  Chapel,  Cambridge. 

But  however  fascinating  the  study  of  ancient  glass  may  be,  it 
must  never  be  forgotten  that  if  the  art  is  to  be  rekindled  into 
life  in  our  midst,  this  can  only  be  effected  by  encouraging  the 
modern  craftsman  to  put  whatever  individuality  he  is  possessed 
of  into  his  workmanship.  When  all  is  said,  the  modern  worker 
has  many  advantages  over  his  primitive  rival.  He  has  a  much 
larger  range  of  coloured  glass  to  choose  from,  and  his  draught- 
manship  is  incomparably  superior.  Given  a  subject  suitable  to 
the  situation  of  his  window,  he  is  without  excuse  if  he  fails  to 
produce  an  effecting  work  of  art. 

Anyone  who  is  inclined  to  despair  of  the  future  of  stained  glass 


14  Mr.  J.  Taylor  on  Stained  Glass. 

should  see  the  Morris  windows  in  Manchester  College,  Oxford, 
and  Oxford  Cathedral,-  or  Henry  Holiday's  "  St.  Hugh  "  window 
in  Lincoln  Minster.  Windows  such  as  these  show  what  the  art  is 
really  capable  of  in  the  hands  of  artists.  They  demonstrate  con- 
clusively that  the  chief  barrier  in  the  way  of  progress  lies  with  the 
public,  who  go  on  from  year  to  year  filling  church  windows  with 
the  mechanical  productions  of  tradespeople.  The  charm  of 
stained  glass  lies  in  its  richness  of  translucent  colour,  its  tones  of 
glittering  contrasts,  its  solemn  splendour  and  wistful  impressive- 
ness.  Beautiful,  it  may  be,  alike  in  arrangement  and  design,  but 
in  the  final  analysis  its  glory  will  be  found  in  its  colour. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Forth  (Principal  of  the  Municipal  Tech- 
nical Institute),  seconded  by  Mr.  John  Brown,  and  supported  by 
Dr.  Sheldon,  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to  Mr.  Taylor. 


4th  January.,  JQOJ. 


The  Lord  Mayor  (Sir  Otto  Jaffe,  J.P.)  in  the  chair. 


NATIONAL  ANTARCTIC  EXPEDITION. 
By  Hartley  T.  Ferrar,  B.A.,  F.G.S. 


A  lecture,  illustrated  by  lantern  views,  delivered  in  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  Hall,  Wellington  Place. 


15 


8th  February^    ^90S- 


Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  in  the  chair. 


THE  WORK  OF  THE  ULSTER  FISHERIES 

AND  BIOLOGICAL  ASSOCIATION. 

By  Professor  Gregg-Wilson,  M.A.,  D.Sc,  M.R.I. A. 


(Abstract.) 


Dr.  GREGfi-WiLSON  said  the  Ulster  Fisheries  and  Biology  Asso- 
ciation was  started  nearly  two  years  ago.  It  was  soon  decided  to 
establish  a  marine  laboratory  at  Larne  Harbour  with  a  view  to  the 
investigation  of  local  waters.  Larne  was  chosen  because  the 
lough  offered  shelter  in  almost  all  conditions  of  weather  and 
because  the  neighbourhood  was  so  varied  in  character  that  large 
tracts  of  sea-bottom  covered  with  mud,  sand,  gravel,  and  rocks 
might  be  found  close  at  hand.  A  small  house  in  Ship  Street  was 
rented,  and  fitted  with  all  the  necessaries  for  studying  and  pre- 
serving marine  animals.  A  launch  was  procured,  and  collecting 
apparatus  of  various  kinds.  Then  Mr.  Joseph  Pearson,  B.S.,  was 
engaged  as  naturalist,  and  the  services  of  a  very  efficient  boatman 
were  secured.  The  ordinary  work  of  the  Association  was  largely 
carried  on  by  means  of  the  dredge  and  tow-net.  With  the  former 
the  animals  that  lived  on  or  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea  were  cap- 
tured ;  with  the  latter  such  creatures  as  drifted  with  the  tides  were 
obtained.  Fishing  with  larger  nets  for  the  more  active  inhabi- 
tants of  the  sea  was  practised,  and  shore  hunting  with  spade  or 
graip  or  hand-net  was  also  largely  pursued.  The  results  of  the 
work  of  the  Association  had  been  many.  In  the  first  place,  the 
waters  of  the  Larne  district  had  been  sub-divided  into  areas,  and 


1 6  Professor  Gregg- Wilson  on 

records  of  all  animals  found  in  these  had  been  kept.  They  were 
thus  gradually  getting  an  idea  not  only  of  all  the  local  animals, 
but  of  their  associations.  In  the  course  of  this  work  a  considerable 
number  of  species  not  known  previously  as  Irish  had  been  met 
with,  and  a  few  of  these  had  been  recorded  in  the  "  Irish 
Naturalist."  Further,  in  connection  with  the  local  work  it  had 
been  found  necessary  to  prepare  lists  of  all  known  Irish  species 
of  some  groups,  and  several  such  lists  had  been  compiled.  One 
of  them — a  list  of  the  copepoda  of  Ireland,  by  Mr.  Joseph 
Pearson — was  now  in  the  printer's  hands,  and  would  be  published 
by  the  Fisheries  Branch  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture.  This 
list  would  be  of  great  use  as  showing  in  handy  form  the  results  of 
all  previous  work  at  Irish  copepods,  besides  recording  new  species 
obtained  by  Mr.  Pearson.  The  group  was  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant for  the  marine  biologist,  as  members  of  it  were  largely  fed 
on  by  fishes.  Besides  their  lists  of  marine  animals  they  had  now 
a  list  of  the  sea-weeds  of  Ulster,  prepared  by  a  Dublin  visitor  to 
their  laboratory — Mr.  J.  Adams.  A  totally  different  but  equally 
important  kind  of  work  had  been  carried  on  by  Mr.  C.  Cunning- 
ham, who  had  undertaken  the  investigation  of  the  drifts  of  our 
waters  by  means  of  bottles  containing  postcards.  The  bottles 
were  prepared  so  as  just  to  float,  with  very  little  surface  exposed 
to  the  action  of  the  wind.  They  were  distributed  at  intervals 
along  definite  tracts,  and  the  distribution  was  repeated  with 
changed  conditions  of  wind  and  tide.  From  such  work  very 
definite  results  had  already  been  obtained,  and  these  would  soon 
be  published.  The  facts  were  important  in  connection  with  the 
drift  of  floating  eggs  of  fishes,  as  well  as  with  reference  to  the 
movements  of  minute  animals  that  served  as  food  for  fish.  A 
great  deal  of  attention  had  been  given  of  late  by  members  of  the 
Association  to  the  study  of  the  herring.  This  fish  was  increas- 
ingly important  for  Ireland,  but  very  little  was  really  known  as  to 
its  habits  and  the  reason  of  its  movements.  Yet  every  stage  of  its 
life-history  offered  problems  for  study.  Its  eggs  were  eaten  by 
fishes  and   destroyed  by  fishermen,  but   the  numbers  of  adults 


Ulster  Fisheries  and  Biological  Associaiiott.  1 7 

were  maintained  wonderfully.  The  larval  forms  and  young  were 
consumed  in  vast  numbers  by  other  fishes,  by  porpoises,  and  by 
birds  ;  and  the  very  interesting  question  arose  as  to  the  wisdom  of 
our  not  waging  war  on  these  enemies  of  the  herring.  The 
migrations  for  food  with  a  view  to  spawning  were  no  less  in  need 
of  study.  It  was  necessary,  however,  before  pronouncing  on  such 
subjects  to  take  a  broad  view  of  the  facts,  and  the  work  of  the 
Association  would,  it  was  hoped,  help  them  to  obtain  that.  With 
regard  to  the  future,  it  might  be  said  that,  besides  carrying  on  the 
present  investigations,  it  was  proposed  to  make  a  special  study  of 
plant  associations  in  their  waters,  to  greatly  extend  their  work  at 
Lough  Neagh,  where  poUan,  eels,  and  mysis  all  were  attractive, 
and  to  endeavour  to  secure  for  the  Association  a  new  and  suitable 
laboratory  at  Lame  Harbour.  That  would  be  of  the  greatest 
service  to  workers,  and  would  probably  be  of  great  use  for  future 
teachers  of  nature  knowledge. 

Mr.  John  Dickson,  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lec- 
turer, urged  the  necessity  for  a  thorough  investigation  into  the 
question  of  fish  food  and  spawning.  By  so  doing  the  Association 
would  confer  a  great  benefit  on  both   Irish  and  English  fisheries. 

Mr.  William  Faren  formally  seconded  the  motion,  which  was 
passed. 

Professor  Gregg-^^'ilson  briefly  replied. 


14th  March,   1905. 


Professor  Johnson  Symington,    M.D.,  F.R.S.  F.R.S.E., 
in  the  chair. 


WITH  THE  ROYAL  SOCIETY  OF  ANTIQUARIES 
(IRELAND)  ON  A  CRUISE  ROUND  THE  IRISH 
COAST. 

By  S.  F.  Milligan,   M.R.I. A.,  Vice-President  for  Ulster. 


Thp:  cruise,  which  commenced  on  21st  June,  1904,  was  the 
fourth  inaugurated  by  this  Society,  and  was  a  source  of  un- 
diminished pleasure  to  all  concerned. 

There  were  two  previous  cruises  around  portions  of  the  Irish 
coastline,  and  another  to  the  Hebrides,  but  this  was  the  first 
occasion  on  which  a  tour  was  made  all  round  Ireland  from  Bel- 
fast to  Kingston,  going  by  the  North,  the  Western,  and  Southern 
shores,  and  calling  at  all  points  of  special  interest  efi  route. 

The  s.  steamer  "  Magic,"  belonging  to  the  Belfast  Steamship 
Company,  started  at  lo-o  o'clock  a.m.  with  about  140  members, 
including  a  number  of  the  members  of  the  Cambrian  Society,  who 
were  privileged  to  join. 

The  sail  along  the  Antrim  Coast  was  very  pleasant,  as  the 
course  was  quite  close  to  the  shore  until  Rathlin  was  reached, 
when  a  stop  of  about  two  hours  was  made.  The  vessel  anchored 
in  Church  Bay,  close  in,  and  a  good  view  of  that  part  of  the 
Island  was  obtained. 

It  had  been  arranged  to  land  here,  but  when  it  was  considered 
how  few  objects  of  antiquarian  interest  were  within  reach,  it  was 
decided  by  the  majority  that  we  should  proceed  around  the  North 
Coast  as  closely  as  possible  and  enjoy  the  view,  the  weather  being 


A   Cruise  Round  f/ie  Irish   Coast  19 

most  favourable.     Fair  Head  is  always  a  most  striking  object  on 
the  Northern  coast,  and  looked  very  fine  on  this  occasion.     The 
headlands  of  the  Causeway  soon  came  into  sight,  and  an  extremely 
fine  view  of  it  was  obtained,  as  well  as  of  the  White  Rocks  towards 
Portrush.     After  passing  quite  close  to  the  well-known  Northern 
watering-place,   the  vessel  steamed  straight  for  Malin  Head,  the 
most  Northern  portion  of  Irish   land.      There  is  always,  even  on 
the  calmest  day,   a  jumble  in  the   water  between  the   Island  of 
Innishtrahull  and  Malin  Head,  and  the  present  was  no  exception. 
We  soon  entered  Lough  Swilly  and  got  into  quiet  water,  anchor- 
ing close  to  the  little  town  of  Buncrana.     It  was  a  lovely  moonlight 
night,  and  a  large  number,  after  dinner,  landed  to  inspect  the  town 
of  Buncrana,  which  is  a  charming  little  watering-place,  with  good 
golf  ground,  connected  with  Londonderry  by  rail,  from  which  it  is 
distant  about  15  miles.     The  castle  of  Sir  Cahir  O'Doherty  is  the 
principal  object  of  interest  at  Buncrana.     Sir  Cahir  was  a  notable 
personage  in    Innishowen   in  the   days  of  good  Queen  Bess,  and 
his   castle   and  grounds   are  now   owned  by  Mr.    Richardson,   of 
Belfast.     Lough  Swilly   is  notable  in   Irish  history  as  the    place 
from  which  the  Earls  took  their  flight  from  Ireland — viz.,  Tyrone, 
and     O'Donnell.       It    was    also    from     here    that    young    Hugh 
OT)onnell   was   enticed   aboard  an   English   merchant   ship,   and 
conveyed  a  hostage  to  Dublin  Castle,  from  which  he  afterwards 
escaped.     The  scenery  of  Lough  Swilly  is  very  fine,  high  moun- 
tains surrounding  it  on  all  sides,  and  the  entrance  and  some  of 
the  islands  are  strongly  fortified,  so  that  it  can  be  used  as  a  naval 
base  in  time  of  war. 

We  left  Lough  Swilly  early  on  the  morning  of  Wednesday, 
22nd,  for  a  very  long  sail — viz.,  for  Blacksod  Bay  on  the  coast 
of  Mayo.  A  delightful  view  of  the  coast  of  Donegal  was 
obtained,  also  of  Horn  Head,  and  on  to  Torry  Island,  on  which, 
however,  we  did  not  land,  having  visited  it  before.  A  view  of 
ever  varying  beauty  was  unfurled  as  the  vessel's  course  lay  along 
the  indented  coast  of  Donegal,  passing  Glen  Head,  and  reaching 
Slieve  Liag,  to  which  we  approached  very  closely,  and  a  fine  view 


20  Mr.  S.  F.  Milligan  vn 

was  obtained  of  these  noble  cliffs,  rising  2,000  feet  in  perpen- 
dicular height,  and  extending  for  miles  in  length.  The  course  was 
now  for  the  Island  of  Innishmurray,  in  Sligo  Bay,  a  veritable  store- 
house of  ancient  Irish  structures,  and  which  we  visited  in  1895. 
It  contains  a  cashel,  in  which  are  bee  hive  huts,  ancient  churches, 
standing  stones,  and  altars,  dating  back  to  Pagan  times,  all  of 
which  have  been  minutely  described  in  our  transactions. 

The  kindness  and  hospitality  of  the  people  is  well  known,  and 
many  old  customs  still  continue,  including  the  use  of  stone  querns 
or  hand  mills,  which  are  still  in  use. 

We  left  the  Island  about  6-0  o'clock  p.m.,  and  steered  for 
Blacksod  Bay,  which  was  reached  at  lo-o  p.m.  Here  we 
anchored  for  the  night  in  perfectly  smooth  water,  being  protected 
by  a  long  strip  of  land  called  the  Mullet,  about  eighteen  miles  in 
length,  running  north  and  south,  and  giving  perfect  shelter  from 
the  Western  Atlantic.  The  Island  of  Achill  lay  south  of  us,  and 
the  huge  mountains  of  Slieve  More  and  Crohaun  rose  high  in  the 
moonlit  sky,  and  added  greatly  to  the  charm  of  the  scenery. 

Next  morning,  mid-summer  day,  we  called  at  a  little  village 
called  Falmore,  and  examined  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  church  and 
a  holy  well  close  by  the  church.  The  latter  possesses  many 
points  of  special  interest.  We  continued  our  course  around  the 
great  cliffs  of  Achill,  and  entered  Clew  Bay,  making  for  Clare 
Island,  which  we  reached  in  the  afternoon,  and  landed.  We 
visited  a  little  village  where  are  the  ruins  of  Grace  O'Malley's 
castle,  and  walked  across  the  Island  for  a  couple  of  miles  to  the 
ruins  of  a  small  Monastery  of  the  Cistercian  Order,  which  is 
probably  early  15th  century  date. 

The  Congested  District  Board  have  bought  the  Island,  and 
divided  it  into  separate  farms,  and  have  in  many  ways  greatly 
benefitted  the  inhabitants,  who  are  now  fairly  prosperous.  We 
procured  a  pilot  at  Clare  Island,  and  sailed  to  the  opposite  coast 
of  Mayo,  and  entered  the  well-known  estuary  of  Killery  Harbour, 
which  runs  up  amongst  the  mountains  for  fully  seven  miles  from 
the     sea.      The  great   mountain  of  Mweelreagh,    3,000    feet  in 


A  Cruise  round  the  Irish  Coast.  2 1 

height,  guards  its  entrance  on  the  northern  side,  and  as  the  vessel 
proceeded  amongst  the  hills  a  scene  of  ever-changing  beauty  was 
presented  to  the  view.  The  Channel  Pleet,  some  nine  large 
vessels,  have  gone  up  the  channel  and  anchored  almost  within 
sight  of  M'Keown's  Hotel  at  Leenane. 

When  we  anchored,  a  steam  launch  belonging  to  the  "  Magic," 
with  a  number  of  life-boats  in  tow,  proceeded  and  landed  us  close 
to  the  hotel.  Being  Mid-summer  Eve,  a  number  of  Baal  fires 
were  burning  on  the  high  grounds  all  around,  a  custom  which  is 
not  yet  abandoned  in  the  Irish-speaking  districts  of  Ireland. 
Leenane  is  the  finest  centre  from  which  to  see  Connemara ; 
tourist  coaches  pass  to  Westport  and  to  Clifden,  there  is  good 
fishing,  boating,  and  shooting,  and  splendid  mountain  and  sea 
air. 

The  party  enjoyed  themselves  at  Leenane,  where  there  were 
Irish  fiddlers,  Irish  jigs,  and  Irish  songs  galore.  An  early  start 
was  made  next  day,  after  taking  in  a  supply  of  salmon  fresh  out  of 
the  water,  fresh  meat,  eggs,  &c.,  which  had  been  previously 
ordered.  The  Arran  Islands  was  the  next  stopping  place. 
Innishmore,  or  the  great  Island,  was  reached  early  on  Friday, 
24th,  and  on  the  remainder  of  that,  and  the  following  day  (Satur- 
day), was  spent  visiting  the  points  of  interest  in  the  three  Islands  ; 
but  as  they  have  been  so  frequently  described,  we  shall  only  add 
that  for  very  early  churches  and  prehistoric  forts  they  stand 
unrivalled  in  Europe.  On  Saturday  afternoon  we  sailed  up  to 
Galway  City,  and  anchored  at  Mutton  Island.  A  number  of  the 
members  visited  the  city  on  Saturday  evening,  and  also  on  the 
forenoon  of  Sunday  to  worship  in  the  various  churches.  A  special 
early  service  was  held  in  St.  Nicholas'  Church  for  members  of  our 
party,  at  8-0  a.m.,  and  a  great  many  attended  and  greatly  enjoyed 
the  service. 

We  left  Galway  at  3-0  o'clock  p.m.  on  Sunday,  and  sailed 
direct  for  Dingle  Bay,  anchoring  for  the  night  in  Ventry  Harbour. 
The  magnificent  panoramic  view  of  the  Western  coast  of  Ireland 
from  Galway  Bay  to   Dingle,   on  a   brilliant  day  in  June,  sailing 


22  Mr.  S.  F.  Milligan  on 

close  to  the  coast,  is  one  which  will  never  be  forgotten  by  those 
who  were  privileged  to  see  it.  We  passed  close  to  the  cliffs  of 
Moher,  and  saw  Kilkee  shining  brilliantly  in  the  sunlight,  and  on 
southwards  past  Tarlee  Bay,  Smerwick  Harbour,  the  vast 
mountain  chains  of  Slieve  Mish  and  Brandon,  ending  in  Brandon 
Head.  Before  entering  Dingle  Bay  the  group  of  islands  known  as 
the  Blasquets  were  passed,  and  then  Ventry  Harbour.  Here  we 
anchored  for  the  night  ;  the  moon  was  full  and  shining  brightly, 
the  little  inlet  was  unruffled,  the  tide  flowing  gently  in,  and  on 
board  a  choir  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  singing  hymns,  being  led 
by  a  lady  at  the  piano — the  whole  was  soothing  and  restful  after 
the  week's  excursions. 

Next  morning,  after  landing,  a  start  was  made.  We  had  a  walk 
before  us  of  six  miles,  as  no  vehicles  were  obtainable.  The  walk 
led  along  the  coast  from  Ventry  to  Dunmore  Head,  and  the  whole 
coast  line  was  dotted  with  prehistoric  buildings,  bee  hive  huts,  in 
groups  and  singly,  between  Dunbeg  and  Dunmore.  It  is  an  Irish- 
speaking  district,  English  is  not  spoken  or  understood  except  by 
some  of  the  children,  who  speak  both  tongues.  Space  will  not 
permit  any  attempt  at  describing  the  unique  fort  of  Dunbeg, 
which  is  a  fortified  headland,  or  the  lovely  scenery  or  the  bee  hive 
huts,  which  have  been  called  the  ruined  City  of  Fahan,  in  the 
district  of  Glen  Fahan. 

The  steamer  followed  us,  and  we  embarked  in  boats  at  a 
pier  built  by  the  Congested  Board,  and  rejoined  the  "  Magic," 
starting  at  once  for  the  Skellig  Rocks.  A  boat  load  of  about 
twenty-eight  persons  got  landing  on  Skellig  Michael,  of  which  the 
writer  was  one.  It  was  intended  others  should  follow,  but  when 
the  sailors  who  landed  our  party  returned  to  the  ship,  they  refused 
to  bring  any  more  out,  saying  it  was  too  great  a  risk.  It  was  a 
great  disappointment,  but  I  believe  the  sailors  acted  wisely,  as  the 
landing-place  is  very  dangerous.  The  walk  up  the  cliff,  cork- 
screw wise,  and  then  the  final  climb  to  the  top  of  650  steps,  or 
rude  stone  stairs,  required  good  climbing  powers.  The  view  was 
glorious  beyond  description.      There  were  birds  everywhere,  the 


A  Cruise  Round  tJte  IrisJi  Coast.  23 

only  occupiers  besides  the  birds  being  three  Hghthouse  keepers. 
The  smaller  Skellig  was  white  as  snow  with  the  birds,  which  are 
very  tame,  and  would  sit  on  the  rock  till  touched. 

We  rejoined  the  ship,  happily  without  accident,  and  the  visit  to 
the  Skelligs  terminated.  Many  were  disappointed  at  not  landing, 
but  that  could  not  be  helped.  We  continued  our  course,  and 
entered  Bantry  Bay,  one  of  the  finest,  if  not  the  very  finest,  in  the 
United  Kingdom,  and  sailed  past  Beare  Island,  anchoring  close 
to  Glengarriff.  ']'he  Channel  Fleet  was  lying  at  anchor  in  the 
bay — some  ten  vessels — as  we  passed,  which  added  very  much 
to  the  effect,  combined  with  the  splendid  scenery. 

On  Tuesday  morning  we  left  Bantry  Bay,  calling  at  Clear 
Island,  and  afterwards  at  Baltimore,  the  great  fishing  village  of  the 
South.  On  an  island  here  is  Sherkin  Abbey,  built  for  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order.  We  left  Baltimore  for  Cork  Harbour,  which  we 
reached  after  a  fine  sail  along  the  South  Coast,  in  the  track  of  the 
American  liners,  one  of  which  we  passed.  We  stayed  at  Queens- 
town  for  the  night,  and  left  the  following  morning,  calling  at 
Ardmore,  in  County  Waterford,  to  visit  the  ecclesiastical  an- 
tiquities of  that  well-known  place — viz.,  round  tower,  ancient 
church,  and  15th  century  cathedral,  holy  well,  &c.  We  next 
called  at  Bag-in-Bun,  in  County  Wexford,  the  spot  where  the 
Anglo-Normans  first  landed  in  Ireland,  and  after  examining  the 
earthworks  supposed  to  have  been  made  by  Raymond-le-Gros,  we 
proceeded  to  Kingstown,  which  was  reached  as  the  clock  at  the 
harbour  was  striking  9-0  p.m.,  the  hour  arranged  in  our  pro- 
gramme before  we  started.  The  English  and  Welsh  visitors 
remained  on  the  "  Magic,"  which  proceeded  direct  to  Liverpool, 
and  the  others  proceeded  homewards  by  rail.  Thus  ended  the 
most  delightful  cruise  that  the  Society  have  so  far  carried  out. 


24 


4th  April,  igoS- 


Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E., 
President,  in  the  chair. 


RUSSIA :  ITS  PEOPLE  AND  POLITICS. 
By  John  Horner. 


(Abstract.) 


Mr.  Horner  said  at  the  present  time,  when  Russia  was  ab- 
sorbing so  much  of  the  attention  of  the  world,  it  might  be 
considered  not  unprofitable  to  initiate  a  discussion  with  the  object 
in  view  of  arriving  at  a  better  understanding  of  her  people  and  her 
politics,  and  of  forming  an  opinion  of  the  mighty  struggle  for 
mastery  in  Asia  with  somewhat  less  of  partiality.  It  was  difficult 
for  them  to  look  upon  Russia  in  any  other  light  than  that  of  a 
hereditary  enemy,  whose  aggression  would  interfere  with  their 
established  rights,  and  it  must  be  confessed  that  fears  of  such 
aggressions  were  not  unfounded,  for  Russian  Foreign  policy  from 
the  time  of  Peter  the  Great  had  been  one  of  expansion.  Up  to 
the  1 6th  century  little  was  known  to  other  European  nations  of 
that  great  country  ;  its  intercourse  with  them  was  thus  of  com- 
paratively modern  origin.  The  various  events  relating  to  the 
Russification  of  Poland  and  Finland  having  been  referred  to  by 
Mr.  Horner,  he  showed  that  for  the  absorption  of  those  countries 
Russia  was  defended  by  reasons  geographical  and  strategic. 
Although  they  looked  with  suspicion  on  her  southward  march, 
they  must  in  full  justice  give  credit  to  her  for  keeping  alive  the 
spirit  of  Christianity  in  the  Balkans.  An  impartial  study  of  the 
history  of  Turkey  and   her  dealings  with  her  Christian  subjects 


Russia  :  Its  People  and  Politics.  25 

would  show  conclusively  that  Russia's  interference  was  not  one 
solely  of  land-grabbing.  Her  motives  were  higher,  and  those 
motives  seemed  to  be  recognised  when  in  her  last  war  with  Turkey 
Europe  stood  aside  and  permitted  the  Turk  to  receive  the  chas- 
tisement he  so  richly  deserved.  Turning  to  the  acquisitions  of 
Russia  in  Asia,  and  tracing  them  step  by  step  through  the  vast 
continent,  they  found  Russia  now  at  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  face 
to  face  with  Japan,  a  foe  more  formidable  than  any  she  ever  faced 
in  Europe.  Russia's  first  advent  in  Asia  began  in  the  early  part 
of  the  1 8th  century,  although  long  prior  to  that  time  a  considerable 
fur-hunting  trade  had  been  established.  Her  march  through  Asia 
had  left  in  its  train  order  and  civilisation.  It  was  but  natural 
that  a  great  and  civilised  Power  like  Russia  should  extend  her 
influence  over  Siberia,  bringing  under  subjection  the  barbarous 
hordes  which  for  centuries  had  run  riot.  They,  therefore,  found 
along  the  line  of  the  trans-Siberian  Railway  flourishing  towns  en- 
dowed with  universities  and  first-class  educational  establishments 
and  technical  schools  of  a  high  order,  and  as  a  natural  conse- 
quence of  those  manufacture,  trade,  and  commerce  extending. 
The  barbarities  which  made  Central  Asia  a  hell  upon  earth  had 
passed  away,  and  the  horrible  tortures  perpetrated  had  been 
abolished.  Russian  rule  in  Mohammedan  Asia  kept  in  check 
any  possibility  of  a  pan-Islamic  movement  of  the  Crescent  against 
the  Cross,  which  the  fierce  religious  fervour  of  the  Mussulmans 
was  only  too  prone  to  bring  into  great  activity.  A  spark  would  set 
the  movement  ablaze  but  for  Russian  power,  and  start  again  the 
vengeful  wars  and  cruel  massacres  which  for  centuries  were  rife  in 
Turkestan.  Let  them  glance  at  the  present  war  and  the  probable 
outcome  of  its  results.  Russia,  as  shown,  had  marched  steadily 
across  Asia.  Her  work  in  reducing  to  subjection  the  nurnerous 
tribes  which  opposed  her  path  had  been  fraught  with  great  benefit. 
A  huge  railway  had  been  built  at  a  cost  of  ^  100,000,000  sterling, 
which  enabled  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  to  be  united  across  two 
continents.  This  work  had  been  done  at  the  cost  of  valuable 
life  and  treasure,  and  the  natural  return  for  all  this  outlay  was  a 


2  6  Mr.  John  Hornier  on 

free    Pacific   seaboard.       The    trans-Siberian    Railway    was  built 
politically  for  Russia,  commercially  and  practically  for  the  whole 
of  Europe.     The  trade  which   Russia  had  opened  up  in  Asia  was 
carried  on  in  a  greater  degree  by  Europeans.     The  railway  gave  a 
great  stimulus  to  thatjrade,   and   the   result  of  the  present  war 
would  probably  lead  to  the  abandonment  by  Europe  of  a  com- 
merce which  had  every  prospect  of  being  large  and  profitable.     A 
momentary    look   at  the   commercial   relations   of  the   two   con- 
tending Powers  with  other  nations  would  serve  to  explain  what 
was  meant.       Russia  was   free   to   foreign  enterprise,   as  free  as 
Britain   or  the    United    States.      Most  important  manufacturing 
interests  were  owned  by  these  countries  and  other  nations,  notably 
France,  Germany,  and  Belgium.      Flax  and  cotton  manufacturing 
concerns,  machine  works,  and    other  commercial  and  industrial 
enterprises  were  owned  and  controlled  by  different  nationalities, 
every  facility  being  given  and  every  protection  accorded.     Besides 
this,  Russia  was  a  good  customer  to  other  European  States,  con- 
suming some  ;^7o,ooo,ooo  sterling  of  goods  annually.     What  of 
Japan  ?     European  trade  there  was  very  limited.     The  Japanese 
were    rapidly  becoming  dangerous  competitors.       Commercially, 
Japan   was    closed  to    foreign     settlement.      No    foreigner    was 
allowed  to  own  land  or  engage  in  industrial  pursuits.     The  natural 
imitative  faculty  of  the  Japanese  enabled  them  to  produce  goods 
of  European  design,  stamped  with  European  trade  marks,  perhaps 
not  yet  equal  to  European  standard,  but  quite  good  enough  for 
Asiatic    consumption.     Our  vast    floating    capital,    with    loss    of 
interest  and   freight  and   insurance  charges,   was  saved.       A  Jap 
would  live  at  one-fifth  the  cost  of  a  European.     Consider,  then, 
that  Japan  was  making  all  and  more  than  she  needed  for  herself 
how  enormous  w^ere  the  advantages  she  had   against  her  com- 
petitors in  Asiatic  markets.      They  had  often  heard  of  the  yellow 
peril  and  of  the  possibility  of  the  Mongol  race  one  day  dominating 
the  world.     Did  there  not  seem  a  possibility  of  Asia  being  com- 
mercially dominated  by  the  yellow  race  at  no  very  distant  period 
of  time.     Once  Corea  and  Manchuria  got  into  the  hands  of  Japan 


Russia  :  lis  People  atid  Politics.  2  7 

or  under  Japanese  jurisdiction,  the  outlets  of  the  trans-Siberian 
Railway  would  be  theirs  at  the  expense  of  Europe.  The  Mon- 
golian Powers  were  geographically  divided.  Manchuria  stood 
between  Japan  and  Corea  and  China.  Manchuria  in  the  hands  of 
Japan  would  remove  this  impediment,  and  a  victorious  Japan, 
with  all  the  power  and  prestige  gained  by  war,  would  be  in  a 
position  to  undertake  the  regeneration  of  the  Mongolian  people. 
When  the  countless  millions  of  China  were  brought  under 
economic  and  military  organisation  by  Japan  they  might  say  good- 
bye to  European  prospects,  commercially  or  otherwise,  in  Asia. 

Agriculture  was  the  main  industry  in  most  countries,  but  more 
especially  in  Russia,  where  the  peasants  numbered  82  per  cent,  of 
the  entire  population,  a  proportion  somewhat  similar  to  Ireland, 
and  the  agrarian  question  there,  as  with  us,  was  the  most  im- 
portant question  of  internal  politics.  A  character  sketch  of  the 
peasant  serves  as  a  sketch  of  the  people.  One  thing  which 
impresses  a  stranger  was  the  extreme  devoutness  displayed  by  the 
people.  A  Holy  Shrine  was  never  passed  without  due  reverence 
being  paid  to  it ;  the  churches  were  filled  with  kneeling,  prostrate 
forms.  Naturally  one  asked  the  question — Was  all  this  real  ? 
Tolstoi  said  it  was.  On  the  other  hand,  a  Russian  historian 
stated  that  the  people  were  remarkable  for  a  state  of  religious 
indifference,  as  to  be  without  parallel  in  the  annals  of  Christian 
nations.  These  opinions  app^eared  conflicting,  but  if  analysed 
showed  a  harmony.  The  Russian  peasant  was  undoubtedly  in- 
different to  religion,  as  we  term  it,  for  the  simple  reason  that  he 
did  not  understand  it ;  but  apart  from  religious  doctrines,  he 
carried  with  him  into  his  everyday  life  the  moral  principles  which 
regulated  the  relations  between  himself  and  others.  The  want  of 
religious  knowledge — of  theology — was  to  be  attributed  to  the 
relations  existing  between  the  peasant  and  his  priest,  or  pope,,  as 
he  was  called.  It  was  an  extraordinary  fact  that  the  Russian 
revered  his  church  and  despised  his  priest.  There  was  un- 
doubtedly no  spiritual  relation  between  the  Moujik  and  his  pope, 
the  latter  had  no  influence,  moral  or  otherwise,  over  the  masses, 


28  Mr.  John  Horner  on 

and  enjoyed  no  confidence  among  them.  They  were  looked 
upon  by  the  people  simply  as  traders,  who  made  a  profit  by  per- 
forming the  Sacraments.  Beyond  such  functions  the  power  of  the 
priest  was  not  felt.  It  was  said  that  the  Russian  Moujik  may  be 
called  religious  if  the  term  is  applied  to  social  philosophy  based 
on  ethics,  and  not  on  theology.  There  was  a  system  of  moral 
principles  dominating  the  life  of  the  Russian  peasant  which,  from 
whatever  cause  it  sprang,  may  be  termed  religious,  although  it  may 
be  apart  from  any  religious  doctrine.  The  moral  principles 
taught  by  the  church  have  been  inculcated,  owing  probably  to  the 
fact  that  the  people  were  predisposed  to  accept  them,  although 
they  seemed  to  have  little  conception  of  the  general  structure  of 
their  religion.  Living  in  communities  as  they  did,  they  were 
loyal  to  each  other,  and  more  than  charitable,  not  alone  to,  mem- 
bers of  their  own  class.  One  writer  spoke  of  "The  wonderful 
preservation  of  the  purity  of  the  moral  character  of  the  Russian 
people  through  such  a  terrible  ordeal  as  three  centuries  of  slavery, 
which  passed  over  without  ingrafting  into  it  any  of  the  vices  of 
slavery  '  could  find  no  other  explanation  than  this,'  the 
peasant  was  never  separated  from  the  ploughshare,  from  the  all- 
absording  cares  and  poetry  of  agricultural  work."  There  was  one 
vice,  however,  to  which  the  Russian  peasant  was  addicted — viz., 
that  of  imbibing  strong  drink  when  he  has  money  enough  to  give 
him  the  opportunity.  The  Government  was  now  grappling  with 
the  question,  and  had  succeeded  in  mitigating  the  evil  consider- 
ably. It  was  to  be  wondered  that  in  the  midst  of  all  his 
surroundings  the  Russian  peasant  was  what  he  was — good 
humoured,  kindly,  sociable,  and  hospitable.  His  privations  were 
often  great,  his  earnings  at  the  most  scanty.  Hygienic  arrange- 
ments were  poor,  and  disease  and  death  rife,  and  still  he  remained 
working  hard  for  mere  existence,  and  fighting  his  terrible  winter 
with  a  dignity  all  his  own.  A  Russian  writer  thus  spoke  of  him  : 
"  Through  all  the  varieties  of  types,  tribes,  and  past  history,  the 
millions  of  our  rural  population  present  a  remarkable  uniformity 
in  those  higher  general  ethical  and  social  conceptions,  which  the 


Russia  :  Its  People  and  Politics.  29 

educated  draw  from  the  divers  social  and  political  sciences,  and 
the  uneducated  from  their  traditions,  which  are  the  depositories  of 
the  collective  wisdom  of  past  generations."  Statistics  recently 
taken  showed  only  20  per  cent,  of  recruits  literate.  This  is  a  most 
deplorable  state,  but  it  seemed  to  point  to  what  the  future  of 
Russia  must  be  when  some  60  millions  of  her  peasantry  received 
the  benefits  of  an  education  which  would  enable  them  to  rise  to  a 
sense  of  their  duty  to  their  country  and  themselves. 

President  Hamilton  said  he  was  not  one  of  those  who  were 
possessed  by  a  great  admiration  of  Russia.  Mr.  Horner,  he 
believed,  was,  as  he  knew  from  personal  conversation  with  him. 
But  it  did  not  seem  to  him  that  the  Russian  Empire  ought  to  be 
very  much  an  object  of  admiration.  One  ought,  however,  to  draw 
a  distinction  between  the  moujik  and  the  empire.  The  Russian 
peasant  was  all,  he  thought,  that  had  been  claimed  for  him  by  Mr. 
Horner — a  well-meaning,  honest,  ignorant  man — but,  taking  the 
country  as  a  whole,  it  seemed  to  him  (the  speaker)  to  be  a  vast, 
unwieldy  mass  of  semi-educated,  semi-barbarous  people,  governed, 
he  supposed,  by  one  of  the  worst  systems  of  government  which 
had  ever  cursed  a  nation.  Mr.  Horner  had  held  up  before  them 
a  picture  of  what  might  happen  to  them  from  what  was  currently 
described  as  the  yellow  peril ;  but  he  did  not  know  that  they  need 
very  much  dread  the  ascendency  of  the  yellow  race  if  that  yellow 
race  was  to  be  such  a  people  as  they  had  seen  in  recent  years 
the  Japanese  prove  themselves  to  be.  It  might  be  that  Russia 
could  call  itself  Christian,  while  Japan  was  not  Christian  ;  but 
he  confessed  if  he  had  to  make  a  choice  between  seeing  Asia 
dominated  by  a  Christian  nation  of  the  type  of  Russia,  or  by  a 
non-Christian  nation  of  the  type  of  Japan,  he  should  not  for  a 
moment  hesitate  to  choose  the  latter.  They  had  within  the  last 
year  had  a  marvellous  revelation  of  what  a  little  nation  by  means 
of  education,  by  means  of  a  splendid  patriotism,  and  by  means  of 
adapting  itself  to  Western  ideas,  had  been  able  to  accomplish  in  a 
short  space  of  time.  He  very  much  questioned  if  throughout  the 
entire  audience  that  evening  there  could  be  found  half  a  dozen 


30  M?-.  JoJm  Horner  nn 

people  who  would  prefer  to  see  Asia  ruled  by  Russia  to  Asia 
dominated  by  ideas  and  sentiments  such  as  they  had  seen  put  to 
the  test  in  the  case  of  Japan.  He  had  been  very  much  interested 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  paper,  in  which  Mr.  Horner  had  described 
to  them  so  vividly  and  accurately  the  internal  economy  of  Russia  ; 
and,  although  many  of  them  differed  from  the  lecturer,  they  were 
indebted  to  him  for  the  mass  of  information  he  had  placed  before 
them,  and  for  the  pains  he  had  taken  to  give  it  to  them  in  a 
manner  so  succinct  and  interesting. 

Mr.  William  Armstrong  asked  if  it  was  not  the  case  that  the 
import  duty  in  Russia  was  heavier  than  in  Japan. 

Mr.  Seaton  F.  Milligan  said  Mr.  Horner  had  not  dealt  with  a 
subject  which  he  expected  to  gain  some  information  upon  ;  that 
was  as  to  the  system  of  bribery  and  corruption  which  was  so 
flagrant  in  Russia.  He  believed  the  Japanese  would  be  a 
Christian  nation  before  the  end  of  this  generation,  and  that  the 
danger  of  the  yellow  peril  referred  to  by  Mr.  Horner  was  not  so 
great  as  he  represented. 

The  Chairman  regretted  that  Mr.  Horner's  paper  had  not 
excited  keener  discussion.  One  would  have  thought  it  was  only 
necessary  to  mention  the  name  of  politics  in  this  town  to  provoke 
very  keen  discussion,  and  apparently  they  had  fallen  upon  very 
peaceful  days. 

In  replying,  Mr.  Horner  said  he  had  purposely  made  the  paper 
pro-Russian  to  evoke  discussion.  There  was  a  feeling  of  an- 
tagonism to  Russia  which  he  honestly  believed  was  not  a  true  one. 
There  was  no  question,  he  thought,  that  the  Mongols  despised  the 
European  races.  They  had  a  religion,  a  philosophy,  of  their  own 
which  was  far  older  than  theirs,  and  they  looked  upon  it  with  so 
much  reverence  that  he  very  much  feared  that  the  next  generation 
would  not  see  the  Mongol  races  Christianised.  Even  the 
civilisation  which  Japan  had  copied  showed  that  that  country  was 
open  to  adopt  what  she  might  consider  right  for  her  best  interests, 
but  she  had  not  copied  their  philosophy  or  religion.  Mr.  Arm- 
strong  had  asked  regarding  the  duty  versus  Russia  and  Japan. 


Russia:  Its  People  and  Politics.  31 

He  could  not  say,  but  he  believed  it  was  a  fact  that  Japan's 
imports  were  small  in  comparison  to  Russia's.  Japan  was  prac- 
tically making  everything  she  wanted.  Mr.  Milligan  had  alluded 
to  bribery  and  corruption.  He  had  not  referred  to  that  subject 
owing  to  the  exigencies  of  time.  He  had  stated  that  the  Govern- 
ment of  Russia  was  one  of  the  worst  which  ever  cursed  a  nation. 
He  thought  the  bribery  and  corruption  which  came  from  that 
system  of  government  could  not  be  defended  by  him  or  anyone 
else.  Bribery,  which  at  one  time  was  exceedingly  rife  in  Russia, 
was  largely  diminished  during  the  reign  of  Alexander  HI.,  who 
did  much  to  purify  Russian  officialism  in  this  respect.  Mr. 
Horner  proceeded  to  defend  the  Russian  Church  from  the  charge 
of  intolerance,  and  in  conclusion  referred  to  certain  authorities, 
the  reading  of  which  he  was  sure  would  give  them  a  more  favour- 
able idea  of  the  Russian  people. 


32 


IRISH  GHOST-LORE. 
Bv  E.  J.   M'Kean,  B.A.,   B.L. 


Even  the  most  superficial  collector  of  Irish  folk-lore  cannot  fail 
to  see  that  in  Ireland  we  have  a  really  enormous  number  of  ghost 
stories.  This  statement  is  true  of  all  parts  of  the  island,  and 
these  stories  have  been  greatly  neglected. 

Our  Irish  ghost-lore  is  scattered  broadcast  through  town  and 
country.  Perhaps  no  Irish  town  is  without  its  ghost  or  spectre, 
or  at  least  a  phantom  carriage.  Probably  it  is  not  too  much  to 
say  that  every  country  parish  has  its  "bad  spot."  A  "bad  spot" 
means  an  uncanny  place  where  eerie  things  happen,  nothing  very 
alarming,  but  plenty  to  cause  goose-flesh.  These  "  bad  spots  " 
are  generally  on  the  roadside,  and  often  enough  no  one  knows 
how  they  come  by  their  reputation. 

There  are,  too,  abundant  stories  of  wraiths.  In  and  round 
Belfast  it  is  said  that  to  see  a  wraith  in  the  morning  is  of  good 
omen,  and  fortells  a  long  life  ;  but  if  seen  at  night  it  bodes  death. 
W.  S.  Smith,  in  one  of  his  pamphlets,  says  "sudden  death,"  but  I 
have  never  heard  of  this  belief,  if  he  does  not  mean  "  speedy 
death."  A  Waterford  working-man  told  me  that  the  wraith  is  seen 
seven  years  before  death,  during  which  time  the  doomed  man  or 
woman  "  is  with  the  fairies." 

The  stories  I  am  going  to  narrate  all  came  under  my  notice  as 
I  was  collecting  folk-lore,  and  most  of  them  are,  so  far  as  I  know, 
quite  new.  One  of  the  tales  is  indeed  well  known,  but  I  think  I 
am  justified  in  telling  it  once  more  to  a  Belfast  audience,  if  only 
to  show  that  it  probably  still  lives  in  tradition. 

A  ghost  said  to  be  well-known  in  several  parts  of  Ireland  is 
Petticoat  loose.  There  is  a  story  that  she  is  a  woman  who 
danced  her  feet  off,  but  this  tale  I  have  on  no  authority,  nor  do  I 
know  whence  the  account  comes.      She  used  to  appear  at  one 


Mr.  E.  J.  M'Kean  on  Irish  Ghost-Lore.  33 

place  near  Dungarvan,  County  Waterford,  and  the  Waterford  man 
above-mentioned  told  me  she  haunted  a  road  near  the  town.  So 
strong  and  fierce  was  she  that  she  would  kill  passers  by  at  her 
caprice.  She  also  at  times  jumped  up  on  a  horse's  back  behind 
butter  kegs  going  to  the  market,  and  so  heavy  was  she  that  she 
sometimes  killed  the  horse.  At  last  a  priest  laid  her  "by  his 
calling,"  and  she  is  now  at  the  Red  Sea  making  ropes  of  sand. 

Dublin  has  a  copious  ghost-lore,  but  I  was  unfortunately  not 
much  with  those  who  could  best  tell  me  it.  For  this  reason  I 
have  been  obliged  to  pass  over  many  tales  as  worthless  to  me 
because  I  know  nothing  of  their  origin,  or  because  they  are 
obviously  either  made  or  moulded  by  educated  persons.  Still, 
one  fine  day  late  in  October,  1903,  I  walked  up  past  Glasnevin 
Cemetery,  and  found  a  labourer  leaning  against  the  bridge  over 
the  Tolka.  He  after  some  time  yielded  me  up  the  following  two 
stories  : — 

There  was  a  house  near  Glasnevin  supposed  to  be  haunted. 
Some  people  took  it,  and  one  evening  when  a  little  girl  was  there 
alone  a  man,  or  woman,  in  white  came  out  of  a  door  of  one  of  the 
rooms  and  blew  at  her.  The  child  pined  and  died.  The  tenants 
got  a  priest  to  come  and  say  Mass  in  the  house,  and  since  then  it 
has  been  quite  safe. 

He  also  told  me  that  his  grandfather,  who  lived  to  be  over  a 
hundred,  said  that  once  in  his  youth  he  knew  a  man  named  Mike 
(I  am  not  quite  certain  of  the  name).  This  man  had  a  piece  of 
land  near  Glasnevin,  and  employed  there  a  labourer  named  John 
Byrne,  who  was  with  him  a  long  time.  This  Byrne  had  a 
daughter  who  died.  Some  four  years  after  her  death  Mike  was 
going  along  the  road  to  his  field,  and,  as  he  thought,  passed  the 
girl.  He  wondered,  but  went  on.  On  his  return  he  again  met 
her,  and  said,  "  In  the  name  of  God,  is  that  Maggie  Byrne?''' 
"  It  is,"  said  the  girl.  "  But  I  thought  you  were  dead."  "  I  have 
been  dead  four  years  :  but  don't  be  afraid  !  Take  your  boots  off, 
turn  them  upside  down,  and  stand  on  the  nails."  She  then  asked 
him  to  do  for  her  some  commission,  which  he  never  told ;  and  she 


34  Mr.  E.  J.  M'Kean  on 

further  told  him  that  he  would  be  dead  within  twelve  months. 
'And  sure  enough,  he  died  on  that  day  twelvemonth.' 

There  is  a  belief  in  Dublin  that  to  have  any  dealings  with  a 
ghost  means  death  within  the  year. 

Another  town  of  superstitions  is  Drogheda.  There  is  a  ghost  in 
the  barracks  there,  said  to  be  that  of  the  occupant  of  an  old 
barrow  on  which  part  of  the  barracks  is  built  ;  and  a  fairy  dog  is 
seen  in  one  of  the  streets  at  twelve  o'clock  each  night.  The  fol- 
lowing story  was  given  me  by  a  servant  coming  from  this  town : 
A  landlord  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Drogheda,  as  he  lay  dying, 
had  all  his  live-stock  brought  under  the  window  of  his  room, 
where  he  could  see  them.  As  he  died,  he  exclaimed,  " — town, 
beautiful  — town  !  how  can  I  leave  you  ?  "  After  his  death  "  his 
spirit  "  haunted  the  place  for  many  a  day.  It  attacked  men  in  the 
grounds  and  "walloped  them  so  that  they  never  got  over  it."  No 
one  could  live  about  the  place,  and  priests  were  got  to  lay  the 
ghost.  The  first  ten  or  eleven  priests  were  unsuccessful,  and  none 
got  over  their  dealings  with  the  fierce  spirit.  The  eleventh  or 
twelfth  priest  succeeded.  When  the  ghost  saw  him,  "  having  got 
leave  to  speak,"  he  said,  "  You're  the  man  for  me."  The  priest 
got  him  into  a  "  wee  red  house  "  that  had  been  built  on  the  hill, 
and  there  he  remains.  He  was  the  great-grandfather  of  the 
present  owner  of  — town. 

Belfast  is  a  more  modern  city  than  any  of  these  three  places, 
yet  it  has  its  ghost  stories. 

Donegall  -Street  has  had  its  ghost,  that  of  a  well-known  Belfast- 
man,  who  was  seen  after  death  walking  about  his  office  and 
sometimes  coming  to  the  window  and  looking  out.  He  always 
appeared  after  nightfall,  and  was  always  in  evening  dress. 

Another  ghost  came  every  night  for  his  horse.  He  was  not 
seen,  but  at  twelve  o'clock  each  night  three  blasts  of  a  horn 
were  heard,  the  horse  went  out  of  its  stable,  and  was  afterwards 
found  covered  with  mud.  This  ghost  was  laid  by  a  priest,  as  I 
was  told  by  an  old  beggarman.  The  priest — who  was  afterwards 
Roman  Catliolic  Bishop  of  Belfast — laid  the  ghost  by  long  fasting 


Irish  Ghost- Lore.  35 

and  prayer.  He  fasted  four  days,  "  reading  "  all  the  time,  and  the 
ghost  appeared  to  him.  He  then  compelled  the  ghost  to  enter  a 
bottle,  but  without  saying  a  word  to  him.  "  The  Word "  was 
sufficient,  says  my  informant.  The  priest  then  banished  him  in 
the  bottle  to  the  Red  Sea,  where  he  is  to  remain  for  the  rest  of 
his  "  natural  life,"  which  was  explained  to  mean  "as  long  as  there 
were  people  living  on  the  earth." 

There  is  said  to  be  a  tombstone  in  Newtownbreda  Churchyard 
laid  flat  on  a  grave.  This  covers  the  bones  of  a  man  who  said 
that  whatever  was  done  he  would  not  rest  quiet  in  his  grave.  His 
wife  was  resolved  that  he  should,  and  laid  a  heavy  stone  above 
him.  But  the  restless  ghost  is  always  struggling  to  escape,  and,  it 
is  said,  has  already  broken  two  tombstones,  and  by  this  time  has 
succeeded  in  cracking  a  third. 

A  servant  girl  told  me  that  there  is  a  ghost  laid  in  Ballydrain 
Lake.  She  did  not  know  much  of  the  story  ;  but  it  seems  this 
ghost  used  to  appear  frequently  to  a  Roman  Catholic  girl  who 
lived  near  the  lake.  She  complained  to  her  priest,  who  asked  her 
where  she  would  have  it  laid.  She  told  him  to  lay  it  in  the  lake, 
and  it  was  laid  there.  Many  are  afraid  to  pass  the  place  after 
dark. 

From  the  same  girl  I  got  an  account  of  the  best  known  of  all 
our  local  ghosts — James  Haddock.  She  gave  me  the  traditional 
account;  but  as  she  told  me  she  got  it  "from  a  newspaper,  and 
also  from  hearing  people  talk  about  it,"  I  cannot  be  sure  that  the 
tradition  is  still  current  in  the  countryside. 

James  Haddock,  of  Drumbeg,  at  his  death,  told  his  wife  to 
keep  his  farm  till  his  son  was  twenty-one,  and  then  to  hand  it 
over  to  him.  Instead  the  wife  remarried,  had  a  second  family, 
and  with  them  continued  to  live  on  the  farm.  At  this  Haddock 
came  to  a  man  whom  he  met  on  horseback  on  the  road,  and  told 
him  to  tell  her  to  do  as  he  had  desired.  If  she  refused,  the 
messenger  was  to  tell  her  "that  he  (the  ghost)  would  wreck  the 
whole  place."  The  ghost  got  up  behind  the  rider  to  tell  him  this. 
At  first  the  man   did  not  go,  and   Haddock  appeared  to  him 


36  Mr.  E.  J.  APKean  on  Irish  Ghost-Lore. 

several  times,  the  second  time  "  at  a  dinner-party,  when  he  went 
into  a  room  by  himself."  The  haunted  man  went  at  last  to  the 
lawyers,  who  laughed  at  him  and  asked  him  for  his  witness, 
refusing  to  pay  heed  to  the  ghost.  The  disappointed  suitor  then 
went  back  to  the  ghost,  who  said,  "They  were  to  call  him  three 
times,  and  he  would  appear  in  court "  as  a  witness.  The  triple 
call  was  made,  and  "  a  hand  and  part  of  an  arm  appeared  and 
struck  the  table  three  times,"  so  that  the  court  shook.  The 
lawyers  then  believed,  and  gave  the  lad  the  farm.  The  man 
went  back,  and  the  next  time  he  met  the  ghost  asked  him  if  he 
was  satisfied.  The  ghost  said  he  was,  and  thanked  the  man 
greatly.  Some  one  had  put  the  man  up  to  ask  the  ghost  whether 
"he  was  happy,"  but  the  ghost  told  him  that  if  it  was  any  one 
else  he  would  have  torn  him  in  pieces  for  the  question.  They 
have  thrown  down  his  gravestone  in  Drumbeg  Churchyard  to 
keep  Haddock  down,  and  it  remains  so  to  this  day. 

In  the  Ulster  Journ.  Arch.  III.,*  325,  W.  Pinkerton  has  an 
excellent  article  on  this  story,  giving  the  tradition  and  also  the 
old  accounts  from  More's  editions  of  Granvil's  "  Sadducisinus 
Triumphatus  "  and  Richard  Baxter's  "  Certainty  of  the  World  of 
Spirits." 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  everywhere  about  us  is  a  multitude  of 
these  stories.  They  are  well  worth  collecting,  if  only  for  the 
dramatic  nature  of  some  of  them  ;  but  if  they  are  collected  at  all 
they  should  be  most  carefully  committed  to  paper  or  they  are  of 
no  value  as  folklore. 


ANNUAL    REPORT,    igoS. 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Shareholders  of  this  Society  was 
held  on  14th  July,  in  the  Belfast  Museum,  College  Square  North. 
The  President  (Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.) 
occupied  the  chair,  and  there  were  also  present — Sir  James 
Henderson,  D.L.  ;  the  President  of  Queen's  College  (Rev.  Dr. 
Hamilton)  ;  Dr.  Wm.  Calwell  ;  and  Messrs  Robert  Young,  J. P.  ; 
George  Kidd,  J. P.  ;  R.  M.  Young,  B.A.,  J.P.,  M.R.I. A.  (Hon. 
Secretary)  ;  John  H.  Davies  ;  Wm.  Gray,  M.R.I. A.  ;  Seaton  F. 
Milligan,  M.R.I. A.  ;  W.  R.  Rea  ;  Wm.  Armstrong  ;  Joseph 
Wright,  F.G.S.  ;  John  Horner  ;  William  Workman  ;  H.  C. 
Montgomery  ;  D.  A.  Maxwell  ;  Isaac  W.  Ward,  and  Nevin  H. 
Foster.  An  apology  for  inability  to  be  present  was  received  from 
Sir  Robert  Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.  The  minutes  of  the  last 
meeting  having  been  read  and  confirmed, 

Mr.  R.  M.  Young  (Hon.  Secretary)  submitted  the  Annual 
Report,  which  stated  : — 

The  Council  of  the  Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical 
Society  desire  to  submit  their  Report  of  the  Working  of  the 
society  during  the  past  year.  The  Winter  Session  was  opened 
in  the  Museum  on  the  22nd  November,  1904,  when  an  illustra- 
ted lecture  was  kindly  delivered  by  Mr  Francis  C.  Forth,  Assoc. 
R.C.Sc.L,  Principal  of  the  Belfast  Municipal  Technical  Institute, 
on  "Technical  Instruction  in  Belfast  :  a  Retrospect  and  a  Prospect", 
followed  by  a  discussion  in  which  the  President  and  other  educa- 
tionalists  took   part. 

The  Second  Meeting  was  held  on  19th  December,  1904, 
when  Mr.  James  Taylor  kindly  gave  a  lecture  on  "Stained  Glass, 
Ancient  and  Modern,"  illustrated  by  a  series  of  special  lantern 
slides, 


38  Annual  Meeting. 

The  Third  Meeting  was  held  on  the  3rd  January,  1905,  in  the 
Wellington  Hall,  with  the  Lord  Mayor  (Sir  Otto  Jaffe)  in  the  chair, 
when  an  illustrated  lecture  on  "  Some  Results  of  the  National 
Antarctic  Expedition  "  was  kindly  given  by  Mr.  Hartley  T.  Ferrar, 
B.A.,  F.G.S.,  geologist  to  the  "Discovery"  Expedition  1901-04. 

The  Fourth  Meeting  was  held  on  7th  February,  1905,  when  a 
lecture  was  given  by  Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  D.Sc.  M.R.I  A.  ; 
subject,  "The  Work  of  the  Ulster  Fisheries  Association,"  illustra- 
ted by  numerous  lime-Hght  views. 

The  Fifth  Meeting  was  held  on  14th  March,  1905,  when  Mr. 
Seaton  F.  Milligan,  M.R.I. A.,  delivered  a  lecture  ;  subject, 
"Cruise  around  Ireland  with  the  Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries, 
June,  1904,"  illubtrated  by  lantern  views. 

The  concluding  meeting  took  place  on  4th  April,  1905,  when 
the  following  papers  were  read: — (i)  "Russia:  Its  People  and 
PoHtics,"  by  Mr.  John  Horner  ;  (2)  Some  Irish  Ghosts,"  by  Mr. 
E.  J.  M'Kean,  B.A.,  B.L. 

There  was  a  good  attendance  of  the  members,  and  of  the 
general  public  at  all  these  meetings.  The  different  societies  who 
hold  their  Meetings  in  the  Museum  continue  to  do  so.  As  usual 
the  public  were  admitted  to  the  Museum  at  a  nominal  charge 
during  the  Easter  Holidays,  but  the  attendance  was  not  as  large  as 
on  some  previous  occasions,  probably  owing  to  the  fine  weather  and 
various  counter  attractions. 

The  Members  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Ireland 
attending  the  Ulster  meeting  in  July  were  admitted  free  to  the  Mu- 
seum, as  on  the  last  occasion  of  their  visit  in  1892.  Those  visiting 
the  Museum  expressed  their  gratification  at  seeing  such  a  fine  col- 
lection of  Irish  Antiquities  belonging  to  a  provincial  society  as 
contained  in  the  Benn  Room,  especially  such  recent  additions  as 
the  recent  inauguration  chair  of  the  O'Neils,  and  other  local 
objects.  In  regard  to  the  museum  collections  there  have  been  no 
changes  of  any  note  to  report  during  the  past  year.  The  assistant 
curator  has  been  much  occupied  in  the  cleaning,  re-labelling,  and 
otherwise  looking  after  the  collections  in  the  various  rooms.    Some 


Annual  Meetins:. 


39 


valuable  donations  have  been  received  during  the  year,  especially 
a  set  of  fine  quartzite  primitive  implements  from  India  presented 
by  Mr.  H.  W.  .Seton  Karr.  A  large  number  of  valuable  publica- 
tions issued  by  the  various  scientific societiesin  the  United  Kingdom, 
and  in  foreign  Countries  have  been  received.  Many  of  these 
works  are  of  much  interest.  In  this  connection  a  notable  addition 
is  the  highly  illustrated  work  of  the  American  Ethnological 
Survey  of  the  Philipines.  The  United  States  Bureau  of  Ethnology 
continues  to  send  us  their  important  publications  illustrative  of 
the  habits  and  customs  of  the  various  aboriginal  peoples  of 
America. 

In  accordance  with  the  constitution  of  the  Society,  five  members 
of  council  retire  from  office,  all  of  whom  are  eligible  for  re-election. 
These  are  Mr.  John  Brown  ;  Sir  James  Henderson  ;  Mr. 
S.  F.  Milligan  ;  Mr.  Robert  Patterson,  and  Mr.  William 
Swanston. 

Mr.  Horner  presented  the  financial  statement,  which  showed 
that  the  total  income  for  the  year  had  been  ^209  5s.  2d,  includ- 
ing subscriptions  amounting  to  ^97  17s,  and  that  the  expenditure 
had  been  ^199  2s.  5d,  leaving  a  balance  of  £^\o  2s.  9d.  He 
regretted  to  say  that  during  the  year  the  Easter  receipts  had  fallen 
off  nearly  ;^6,  which  was  to  be  expected  owing  to  the  fine  weather, 
and  the  subscription  account  had  been  reduced  by  ^9  5s,  princi- 
pally in  annual  subscribers.  He  would  like  to  draw  attention  to 
the  fact  that  either  more  annual  subscribers  or  more  members 
should  be  introduced  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  up  the  funds  of 
the  Society. 

Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the  Report, 
said  there  was  nothing  very  outstanding  in  the  history  of  the 
Society  during  the  year.  The  report  was  a  record  of  plain,  hard 
good  work  done  in  the  interests  of  the  objects  for  which  the 
organisation  was  founded  many  years  ago,  and  it  was  pleasant  to 
them  all  to  find  that  it  continued  to  prosper.  That  was  the  second 
year  during  which  Professor  Symington  had  presided  over  the 
Society,  and  it  was  a  matter  of  satisfaction  to  them  all — and  he 


40 


Annual  Meeting. 


was  sure  a  matter  of  surprise  to  no  one  who  knew  him — to  discover 
that  during  those  years  it  had  not  only  held  its  ground,  but  had 
increased  in  prosperity  and  usefulness.  He  only  hoped  the 
president  would  be  s  xceeded  by  another  who  would  maintain 
the  traditions  of  the  society  as  honourably  as  he  had  done,  or  it 
would  be  still  better  if  for  a  third  year  he  could  be  prevailed  upon 
to  succeed  himself.  The  Natural  History  Society  occupied  in  his 
opinion  a  very  useful  place  in  Belfast.  It  would  be  a  pity  if 
they  had  no  such  organisation  to  be  a  rallying  place  for  those  who 
were  interested  in  the  subjects  which  that  .Society  sought  to  look 
after,  and  it  would  be  a  still  greater  pity  if  the  scientific  worthies 
whose  portraits  hung  on  the  walls  of  that  building,  who  were  the 
pioneers  of  their  local  scientific  research — men  like  William 
Thompson  and  Robert  Patterson — had  no  successors  in  these 
days  when  Belfast  had  reached  a  height  of  prosperity  of  which 
they  in  their  day  little  dreamed.  Even  if  the  Society  did  almost 
no  work  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  have  it  there  for  these  reasons, 
and  at  the  same  time  for  this  additional  reason — to  hold  up  the 
torch  of  science  before  the  inhabitants  of  their  City,  and  to  keep 
them  in  continual  mind  that  men  had  something  else  to  live  for 
than  the  making  of  money. 

During  the  past  winter  many  useful  papers  have  been  read,  and 
many  important  discussions  had  been  held,  and  he  had  no  doubt 
a  great  deal  of  valuable  information  had  been  diffused.  The 
Society's  collections  in  zoology,  geology,  palaeontology,  and  archae- 
ology were  an  honour  to  Belfast,  and  ought  to  be  more  generally 
availed  of  than  unfortunately  they  were.  They  were  exceedingly 
valuable,  and  they  would  be  poorer  without  them.  They  had  a 
small  balance  to  carry  forward,  and  he  hoped  the  public  would  not 
forget  the  appeal  Mr.  Horner  had  made  for  additional  help.  The 
only  thing  they  required  was  a  little  more  money.  The  Society 
was  pursuing  the  even  tenour  of  its  way  successfully  and  creditably, 
and  he  hoped  it  would  long  continue  in  Belfast,  maintaining  the 
honourable  traditions  of  bye-gone  days. 

Mr.  William  Gray,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said  he  had  a  great 


Annual  Meeting.  41 

respect  for  the  Society,  and  he  joined  Dr.  Hamilton  in  hoping 
that  it  would  maintain  its  position  for  many  years  to  come.  It 
would  be  a  disgrace  to  the  City  if  it  was  not  properly  supported 
and  enabled  to  continue  its  good  work.  There  was  a  field  open 
to  the  Society  independent  of  making  a  collection  in  which  they 
had  been  so  successful  up  to  the  present,  and  now  the  time  had 
come  when  it  might  be  judicious  to  separate  the  two  interests — 
Natural  History  Society  proper  and  the  collection.  He  did  not 
think  that  with  all  the  surroundings  the  Society  could  be  expected 
to  maintain  efficiently  the  collection  of  which  they  had  now 
charge,  and  there  should  be  some  effort  on  the  part  of  the  public 
outside  to  come  in  and  relieve  them  to  some  extent  of  that 
responsibility. 

Mr.  John  H.  Davies,  in  supporting,  said  it  might  be  of  interest 
to  mention  that  when  recently  on  a  visit  to  Kew  he  met  there 
some  distinguished  botanists,  one  of  them  being  his  old  friend 
Mr.  J.  G.  Baker,  F.R.S.,  and  the  latter  informed  him  that  the 
high  standing  of  Mr.  S.  A.  Stewart — who  was  so  well  known  to 
them  all — as  a  systematic  botanist,  and  the  value  of  the  wide 
service  he  had  rendered  to  the  knowledge  of  Irish  Botany,  were 
fully  recognised.  When  his  name  was  brought  before  the 
Linntean  Society  for  election  for  the  distinction  of  associate  the 
proposal  was  received  with  the  utmost  cordiality  and  approval 
and  it  was  considered  that  the  name  of  no  one  more  worthy  of 
the  honour  could  have  been  submitted.  He  thought  it  would 
be  gratifying  to  Mr.  Stewart's  many  friends  in  Belfast  to  know  that. 

The  resolution  was  carried. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  W.  Gray,  seconded  by  Mr.  Nevin  H. 
Foster,  the  five  retiring  members  of  the  Council  were  re-elected — 
Sir  James  Henderson,  and  Messrs.  John  Brown,  S.  F.  Milligan, 
R.  Patterson,  and  W.  Swanston. 

Sir  James  Henderson,  in  moving  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
chairman,  said  he  wished  to  endorse  all  that  the  President  of 
Queen's  College  had  said  regarding  Professor  Symington.  They 
were  all  so  pleased  with   the  way  in  which  he  had  assisted  in 


42  Annual  Meeting. 

carrying  on  the  work  of  the  Society  during  the  past  year  that, 
though  they  could  not  forestall  what  might  take  place  at  the 
Council  meeting,  they  would  be  glad  if  he  would  consent  to  fill 
the  office  for  a  third  year.  Personally  he  thought  no  man  was 
more  entitled  to  a  position  of  that  kind  than  Professor  Symington, 
and  he  was  very  pleased  indeed  to  see  him  in  the  chair. 

Mr.  George  Kidd  seconded  the  motion,  and  it  was  heartily 
passed. 

The  Chairman  said  he  was  exceedingly  obliged  for  the  manner 
in  which  they  had  shown  their  appreciation  of  any  small  services 
he  had  been  able  to  render  to  the  Society.  It  had  been  a  matter 
of  extreme  regret  to  himself  that  it  had  not  been  possible  for  him 
to  devote  more  time  to  the  general  interests  of  the  organisation, 
but  his  other  duties  kept  him  busy,  and  he  had  not  very  abundant 
leisure  for  outside  work.  At  the  same  time  he  thought  it  was  the 
duty  of  himself  and  of  all  persons  occupying  similar  positions  to 
do  everything  they  could  to  maintain  that  Society.  It  seemed  to 
him,  as  had  already  been  stated  by  the  President  of  Queen's 
College  and  Mr.  Gray,  that  it  would  be  a  disgrace  to  a  city  of  the 
size  and  importance  of  Belfast  if  it  could  not  support  a  society  of 
that  character.  In  the  first  place,  they  started  with  very  high 
traditions.  The  Society  had,  he  believed,  been  in  existence  for 
more  than  eighty  years,  and  for  a  very  considerable  time  it  had 
possessed  an  extremely  valuable  collection  of  objects  illustrating 
the  zoology,   botany,   geology,   and  archaeology  of  that  district. 

Then  it  had  enabled  the  workers  in  any  or  all  of  those  branches 
of  knowledge  to  bring  their  views  before  the  members  and  the 
public  generally.  'J'hey  also  possessed  a  very  valuable  library.  It 
was  well  known  that  while  text-books  of  science  very  soon  lost  their 
value,  the  "proceedings"  of  learned  societes  in  many  cases  increa- 
sed in  value  as  time  went  on,  and  it  was  very  difficult  to  get  a 
complete  set  of  some  important  journals  of  that  kind.  They  had 
in  their  library  very  valuable  "  Proceedings,"  extending  over  long 
periods.  It  would  be  a  shame  if  the  Society  could  not  find  in 
Belfast  sufficient  persons  interested  in  the  subject  to  maintain  it 


Annual  Meeting:;.  43 

and  to  increase  its  reputation.  Perhaps  he  might  be  pardoned  for 
referring  to  various  observations  that  appeared  in  the  newspapers 
in  the  spring  of  this  year  with  regard  to  the  fate — not  of  the  Society 
he  was  glad  to  say — but  of  its  museum.  He  thought  it  should 
be  clearly  understood  that  the  gentlemen  who  wrote  to  the  news- 
papers did  so  on  their  own  responsibility,  and  that  they  had  not 
any  special  authority  from  the  Council  to  express  any  views  on 
that  very  debatable  subject.  He  occupied  the  same  position — he 
had  no  authority  from  the  Council  to  express  any  opinion — but 
they  must  admit  that  they  were  surrounded  now  by  altered 
circumstances  from  those  which  attended  the  earlier  work  of  the 
Society.  The  city — he  was  not  quite  certain  from  what  reason, 
whether  from  an  innate  love  of  the  subject  or  in  order  to  carry 
out  some  Act  of  Parliament^ — had  undertaken  to  do  the  work  that 
that  Society  did  to  some  extent.  He  was  thoroughly  in  sympathy 
with  the  idea  of  the  city  undertaking  work  of  that  kind.  There 
was  no  doubt  there  were  many  advantages  connected  with  the 
maintenance  of  museums  either  by  Government  or  municipal 
authorities.  At  the  same  time,  there  were  undoubtedly  advantages 
associated  with  the  direction  of  a  museum  by  persons  who  had 
evinced  a  personal  interest  in  the  subject.  He  presumed  that 
none  of  the  members  of  the  Corporation  were  elected  for  their 
knowledge  of  archceology  or  any  of  the  sciences  with  which  that 
Society  was  specially  identified,  though  they  were  perhaps  quite 
qualified  to  undertake  that  work.  Speaking  for  himself,  it  would 
be  with  some  reluctance,  though  it  might  be  necessary,  that  he 
would  see  an  extremely  interesting  and  valuable  collection  passing 
out  of  the  keeping  of  those  specially  interested  in  the  subject. 
Then  he  would  like,  with  reference  to  the  general  affairs  of  the 
Society,  to  say  that  it  seemed  to  him  that  it  would  be  a  calamity 
for  the  organisation  to  part  with  its  building.  Some  people  thought 
that  a  Society  like  that  should  dispense  not  only  with  its  museum, 
but  also  with  its  building,  and  trust  to  charity  to  find  the  members 
occasional  accommodation  for  their  meetings.  He  believed  it  was 
extremely  important  to  the  healthy  life  of  the  Society  and  for  the 


44 


Annual  Meeting. 


cultivation  of  the  subjects  in  wliich  they  were  interested  that  they 
should  have  a  building  of  their  own.  Whatever  might  be  the  fate 
of  their  museum,  it  was  essential  that  for  the  continued  success  of 
that  Society  a  larger  number  of  their  citizens  should  take  a  more 
active  interest  in  the  organisation.  Fifty  years  ago  there  were 
probably  a  larger  number  interested  in  the  Society  than  at  the 
present  time  and  it  said  very  little  for  their  advance  in  civilisation 
and  their  improved  methods  of  education  if  a  society  of  that  kind 
was  as  successful  half  a  century  ago  as  it  was  to-day.  They  ought 
to  have  a  very  much  larger  membership  and  to  be  engaged  very 
much  more  actively  in  the  work  of  the  Society.  He  trusted  all 
the  members  present  would  do  their  best  to  induce  others  to  join. 
Whatever  might  be  in  store  in  the  future,  they  had  in  the  mean- 
time to  keep  the  Society  going  and  to  add  to  their  collection,  as 
well  as  to  preserve  the  specimens  they  had,  and  they  could  not  do 
that  unless  they  were  adequately  supported.  He  had  felt  that  he 
should  be  relieved  of  the  duties  of  president,  but  if  it  was  the 
wish  of  the  Council  and  the  Society  generally  that  he  should 
continue  in  office  for  another  year  he  would  be  very  happy  to  do 
his  best  for  them. 

The  Proceedings  then  terminated. 

A  meeting  of  the  Council  was  subsequently  held,  with  the 
President  of  the  Queen's  College  (Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton)  in  the  chair. 

On  the  motion  of  the  Chairman,  seconded  by  Sir  James 
Henderson,  Professor  Symington  was  unanimously  re-elected 
President  for  the  ensuing  year,  and  he  kindly  consented  to  accept 
the  position. 

The  other  office-bearers  appointed  were — Vice-Presidents,  the 
Presid<;nt  of  Queen's  College  (Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton),  Sir  James 
Henderson,  M.A.,  D.L.  ;  Sir  R.  Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S., 
and  Mr.  W.  Swanston,  F.G.S.  ;  Honorary  Treasurer,  Mr.  John 
Horner  ;  Honorary  Librarian,  Mr.  John  H.  Davies  ;  Honorary 
Secretary,  Mr.  Robert  M.  Young,  B.A.,  J.P.,  M.R.LA. 


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46 

DONATIONS   TO   THE    MUSEUM,    1904-1905. 


From  Mr.  W.  Seton  Karr,  M.P. 
Thirty-three  quartzite  implements  from  Cuddapah,  India. 

From  Mr.  William  Parr. 
An  ancient  Greek  coin  found  near  Ligoniel,  Belfast. 

From  Rey.  W.  C.  Cunningham,  Ballyrashane. 
A  beggar's  badge  of  Dunluce. 

From  Mr.  John  Brown,  F.R.S. 
A  specimen  of  the  shell  of  Tellina  balthica  found,  sub  fossil,  in 
esker  gravels,  near  Dunmurry. 

From  Mr.  Joseph  Wright,  F.G.S. 
A  microscope  slide  of  a  spicule  of  Synapta,  a  rare   Holothurian 
from  Lias  clay  at  Gloucester,  England. 

From  Mr.  Thomas  Nolan  Murray,  Hon.  Sec.  Ulster 
Amateur  Photographic  Society. 
A  photograph  of  the  gigantic  plant,  Giinnera  manicata,  which  is 
growing  at  Narrowater,  Co.  Down. 

From  Rev.  Canon  Bristow. 
Thirty-six  cameos  and  two  agates. 

From  Mr.  J.   H.  MacIlwaine. 
A  tomtit's  nest  and  eggs  found  in  the  heart  of  a  large  tree  when 
sawn  open. 

From  Mr.  Quinton  Dunlop. 
Letters  patent,  dated  1869,  and  massive  seal  attached  thereto. 

From  Mr.  W.  Guiney. 
A  cast  of  the  shell  of  a  fossil  Pecten,  from  Malta. 


47 


ADDITIONS   TO   THE    LIBRARY,    ist   MAY,    1904,    till 
1ST  MAY',   1905. 


Adelaide.  —  Transactions    of    the    Royal     Society    of    South 

Australia.     Vol.  28,  1904.  The  Society. 

Basel. — Verhandlungen  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in 
Basel.     Vol.  15,  part  3,  and  vol.  17,  1904. 

The  Society. 
Belfast. — Report  and    Proceedings  of   the  Belfast   Naturalists' 
Field  Club.     Sen  2,  vol.  5,  part  3,  1904. 

The  Society. 
Bergen. — -Bergens  Museum  Aarsberetning   for  1903  and    1904. 
Aarbog,  parts,  i — 3,  1904.     Also  Account  of  the 
Crustacea  of  Norway,  vol.  5,  parts  3 — 6,   1904, 
and  parts  7  and  8,  1905. 

The  Director  of  the  Aluseiim. 
Birmingham. — -Records  of  Meteorological  Observations  for  1904. 

Birmingham  and  Midland  Itistitute. 
Bologna, — Rendiconto  della  R.  Accademia  delle  Scienze.     New 

ser.,  vol.  4,  1904.  The  Academy. 

Boulder.— University   of    Colorado    College   Studies.      Vol.    2, 

Nos.  I — 3,  1904.  The   University. 

Breslau. — Zeitschrift  fiir  Entomologie  vom  Verein  fiir  Sclessiche 
Insektenkunde.     New  ser.  part  29,  1904. 

The  Society. 
Brighton. — Abstract  of  Papers  and  Annual  Report  of  Brighton 
and    Hove    Natural    History    and    Philosophical 
Society,  1904.  The  Society.  • 

Brooklyn. — Memoirs  of  Art  and  Archaeology.  Vol.  i,  Nos.  i 
and  2,  1902,  and  No.  4,  1904  :  also  Memoirs  of 
Natural  Sciences.     Vol.  i.  No.  i,  1904. 

Brooklyn  Institute. 


48 

Brussels. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Royale  de  Botanique  de 
Belgique.     Vol.  41,  part  3,  1904. 

The  Society. 

„  Annales  de  la  Societie  Entomologique  de  Belgique. 

Vol.  47,  1903,  and  48,  1904.  T/?e  Society. 

„  Annales  de  la  Societie  Royale  Zoologique  et  Mala- 

cologique  de  Belgique.     Vol.  38,  1903. 

The  Society. 
Buenos  Ayres. — Anales  del  Museo  Nacional  de  Buenos  Aires. 

Ser.  3,  vol.  2,  1903.  The  Director. 

Calcutta. — Memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  India.  Vol. 
32,  part  4,  1904,  vol.  35,  part  3,  1904,  and  vol.  36, 
part  I,  1904.  Palffiontologia  Indica,  ser.  15,  vol. 
4  (one  part  only),  1903.  Records  of  the 
Geological  Survey  of  India.  Vol.  31,  parts  1—4, 
1904,  and  vol.  32,  part  i,  1905. 

The  Director. 
Cambridge." — Proceedings  of  the  Cambridge  Philosophical  Society. 
Vol.  12,  part  6,  1904,  and  vol.  13,  part  i,  1905. 

The  Society. 
Cambridge,    Mass. — Bulletin  of  the    Museum  of   Comparative 
Anatomy.     Vol.  39,  No.  9,  1904;  vol.  43,  Nos.  2 
and  3,  1904;  vol.  44,  1904;  vol.  45,  Nos.  2 — 4, 
1904,  and  vol.  46,  Nos..  i  and  2,  1904. 

The  Keeper  of  the  Musaun. 
Cardiff. — Transactions  of  the  Cardiff  Naturalists'  Society.    Vol. 

36,  1903.  The  Society. 

Christiania. — Forhandlingar  i  Videnskaps-Selskabet  i  Christiania, 
1903.  Den  Norske  Sindssygelovgivning  Fore- 
lesninger,  i  901. 

Royal  Norske  Frederiks   University. 
Colorado  Springs. — Colorado  College  Studies.     Vol.   12,  Nos. 

15— 17>   1904- 

Colorado  College  Scientific  Society. 


49 

Dantzic. — -Schriften  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in  Danzig 

New  Series,  vol.   ii,  parts  i  and  2,    1904;    also 

Library  Catalogue,  1904.  Thi  Society. 

Dublin. — Memoirs  of  the  Geological  Survey — the  Geology  of  the 

country  around  Belfast,  1904.  The  Survey. 

Edinburgh. — Transactions   and    Proceedings    of    the    Botanical 

Society  of  Edinburgh.     Vol.  22,  parts   i,   1901, 

2,  1903.  3)  1904,  and  part  4,  1905. 

The  Society. 
„  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Physical  Society.    Vol.15, 

No.  2,  1904;  vol.  16,  No.   I,   1904,  and  No.  2, 

1905.  The  Society. 

Emden. — Jahresbericht    der    Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft    in 

Emden,  1904.  The  Society. 

Genoa. — Rivista  Ligure.     Vol.  26,  fasc.  2 — 6,  1904,  and  vol.  27, 

fasc.  I,  1905. 

Societa  Letture  e  Conversazione  Scieiitifiche. 
Glasgow. — Transactions    of    the    Natural    History    Society   of 

Glasgow.     New  sen,  vol.  6,  part  3,  1905. 
„  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Philosophical  Society  of 

Glasgow.     Vol.  35,  1904.  The  Society. 

GoRLiTZ. — Abhandlungen  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  zu 

GorHtz.     Vol.  24,  1904.  The  Society. 

Iglo. — Jahrbuch  des  Ungarischen  Karpathen  Vereines,  31st  year, 

1904.  The  Society. 

Indianopolis — Proceedings  of  the  Indiana  Academy  of  Sciences. 

Volumes  for  1902  and  1903.        The  Academy. 
Kharkow. — Transactions  of  the  Society  for  Physico  Chimiques 

of     Kharkow     University,    No.     31,    with    two 

Supplements,  1903.  The  Society. 

KiEw. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  Kieff.     Vol.  18,, 

1904,  and  vol.  19,  1905.  The  Society. 

Lausanne. — Bulletin    de    la    Societe    Vaudoise    des    Sciences 

Naturelles.     Vol.  40,  Nos.  147 — 151,  1904. 

The  Society. 


5° 

LwvRENCE. — Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Kansas.    Vol.  2  No.  7 
1 901,  and  vol.  4,  Nos.  6  and  8,  1903. 

The   University. 
Lkipsic. — Mitteilungen   des   Vereins  fiir    Erdkunde   zu    Leipzig. 
Part  I,  1903.  The  Society. 

„  Sitzungsberichte  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  zu 

Leipzig.     28th  and  29th  years,  1901  and  1902. 

The  Society. 
Lima. — Boletin  del  Cuerpo  de  Ligenieros  de   Minas   del  Peru. 
Nos.  4  and  5,  1903,  6 — 18,   1904,   and  No.    19, 
1905.  The  Director. 

London. — Report    of    the   Southport    Meeting   of    the    British 
Association,  1903.  The  Association. 

„  Memoirs  of  the  Royal   Astronomical  vSociety.      Vo^l. 

54,  and  5  appendices,  190 1-4,  vol.  55,  ana' 
appendix,  1904.  The  Society. 

„  Quarterly  Journal  of  the  Geological  Society  of  London. 

Vol.  60,  Nos.  237 — 240,  1904,  and  vol.  61,  No. 
241,  1905  ;  also  Geological  Literature  for  1903, 
and  List  of  Fellows,  1904.  The  Society. 

„  Journal  of  the  Royal  Microscopical  Society,  parts  3 — 6, 

1904,  and  parts  i  and  2,  1905.        The  Society. 
„  Transactions   of   the  Zoological   Society  of    London. 

Vol.  17,  part  3,  1904.  Proceedings,  vol.  i,  parts 
I  and  2,  1904,  and  vol.  2,  part  i,  1904,  also  List 
of  Fellows  for  1904.  The  Society. 

„  Guide  to  the  Fossil  Mammals  and  Birds  in  the  British 

Museum  .  8th  ed.,  1904.  Guide  to  the  Gallery 
of  Birds,  1905,  and  pamphlets  on  Diptera  and 
Blood  Sucking  Flies. 

The  Trustees  of  the  British  Museum. 
Madison. — Transactions  of  the  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Sciences, 
Arts,   and   Letters.     Vol.    13,  part  2,    1902,   and 
vol.  14,  part  I,  1903.  The  Academy. 


51 

Madison. — Bulletin  of  Wisconsin  Geological  and  Natural  History 
Survey.     Nos.  ii  and  12,  1903. 

The  Commissioners  of  the  Survey. 
Madras. — Bulletin  of  the  Madras  Government  Museum.     Vol.  5, 
No.  I,  1903,  and  Administration  Report,  1904. 
The  Stiperintendent. 
Manchester. — Journal    of    Manchester    Geographical    Society. 
"A^ol.   19,  Nos.  4 — 12,   1903,   and  vol.    20,   Nos. 
I — 3,  1904.  The  Society. 

„  Transactions  of  Manchester  Geological  and  Mining 

Society.     Vol.  28,  Nos.  13 — 15,  1904. 

The  Society. 
Marseilles.— Annales  de  la  Faculte  des  Sciences  de  Marseille. 

Vol.  14,  1904.  The  Librarian. 

Melbourne. — Proceedings   of    the    Royal   Society   of    Victoria 
New  ser.,  vol.  17,  part  i,  1904,  and  part  2,  1905. 

The  Society. 
Mexico. — Anuario  del  Observatorio  Astronomico  de  Tacubaya. 
Ano  25,  1904.    Boletin  Mensual  del  Observatorio 
Meteorologico  de  Mexico.     No.  3  and  Nos.  6 — 8, 
1902.  The  Director. 

„  Parergones  del  Instituto  Geologico  de  Mexico.    Vol.  i, 

Nos.  2- — 6,  1904.  ■  The  Institute. 

Milwaukee. — Twenty-second  Annual  Report  of  the  Trustees  of 
Milwaukee  Public  Museum,  1904. 

The  Trustees. 
Missoula. — Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Montana.    Nos.  21 — 23, 
1904,  and  Biological  Series,  No.   5,   1903,   and 
No.  7,  1904.                                 The   University. 
Montevideo. — Anales    del    Museo    Nacional    de    Montevideo. 
Ser.  2,  part  i,  1904.    Section  Historico  Filosofica,, 
Vol.  I,  1904.                                     The  Director. 
Morelia. — Relacion  de  los  Ceremonias  y  Ritos  y  Poblacion  y 
Gobernacion  de  los   Indios  de  la  Provincia  de 
Mechuacan.  


52 

Moscow. — Bulletin  of  the  Imperial  Society  of  Naturalists  of 
Moscow.     No.  4,  1903,  and  Nos.  2 — 4,  1904. 

The  Society. 
Nantes. — Bulletin   de   la    Societe    des   Sciences    Naturelles   de 
rOuest  de  la  France.    Ser.  2,  vol.  3,  Nos.  3  and  4, 
1903,  and  vol.  4,  Nos.  i  and  2,  1904. 

TJie  Society. 
New  York. — Annals  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Vol.  14,  part  4,  and  vol.  15,  parts  2  and  3,  1904. 

The  Acadetny. 
„  Bulletin   of   the   American    Geographical    Society. 

Vol.  36,  Nos.  3 — 12,  1904,  and  vol.   37,  Nos.   r 
and  3,  1905.  The  Society. 

Odessa.— Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  New  Russia. 
Vol.  25,  part  I,  1903,  part  2,  1904,  vol.  26,  1904, 
and  vol.  27,  1905.  The  Society. 

Oporto. — Annaes  de  Sciencias  Naturaes.     Vol.  8,  1903. 

Sefior  Augusta  Nobre. 
Ottawa. — Contributions  to  Canadian  Palaeontology,  part  3,  1904. 
Canadian  Birds,  part  3,  1904,  and  also  Dictionary 
of  Altitudes  in  Canada,  1903. 
The  Director  of  the  Canadian  Geological  and  Natural 
History  Survey. 
Padua.  —  Atti    della    Accademia    Scientifica    Veneto-Trentina- 
Istriana.     New  ser.,  Anno  i,  fasc.  i  and  2,  1904. 

The  Academy. 
Philadelphia, — Proceedings    of   the    Philadelphia   Academy  of 
Natural  Sciences.     Vols.  65  and  66,  1904. 

The  Academy. 
„  Proceedings    of    the    American    Philosophical 

Society.     Vol.  40,  No.   167,   1901,  and  vol.  43, 
Nos.  175  and  176,  1904.  The  Society. 

Pisa. — Atti  della  Societa  Toscana  di  Scienze  Naturali,  Processa 
Verbali.     Vol.  14,  Nos.  3 — 5,  1904. 

The  Society, 


53 

Rennes. — Travaux  Scientifiques  de  I'Universite  de  Rennes. 
Vol.  2,  1903.  The   University. 

Rio  de  Janeiro. — Archivos  do  Museo  National  do  Rio  de 
Janeiro.  Vol.  10,  1899,  vol.  11,  1901,  and 
vol.  12,  1902.       The  Director  of  the  Miesemn. 

Rome. — Journal  of  the  British  and  American  Archaeological 
Society  of  Rome.     Vol.  3,  No.  6,  1904. 

The  Society. 
„  Atti  della  Reale  Accademia  dei  Lincei.  Ser.  5,  vol.  13, 
semestre  i,  fasc.  7 — 12,  1904;  semestre  2,  fasc. 
I — 12,  1904;  vol.  14,  semestre  i,  fasc.  i — 7, 
1905,  and  Rendiconto  Adunanza  Solenne,  5  June, 
1904.  The  Academy. 

,         Bollettino  della  Societa  Zoologico  Italiana.     Vol.  5,  fasc. 
I — 8,  1904,  and  vol.  6,  fasc.  i — 3,  1905. 

The  Society. 

St.  Louis.— Fifteenth  Annual  Report  of  Missouri  Botanical 
Garden,  1904.  The  Director. 

Stavanger.- — Stavanger  Museums  Aarshefte.  Fourteenth  year, 
1904.  The  Mifsetim  Trustees. 

Stirling. — Transactions  of  Stirling  Natural  History  and  Archseo- 
logical  Society,  1904.  The  Society. 

Stockholm. — Kungl  Svenska  Vetenskaps  Akademiens  Hand- 
lingar.  Vol.  37,  Nos.  3  and  4,  1903,  and  Nos.  7 
and  8,  1904  ;  vol.  38,  Nos.  1—5,  1904.  Arkiv 
for  Botanik,  vol.  i,  part  4;  vol.  2,  parts  i^ — 4, 
and  vol.  3,  parts  i — 4,  1904.  Also  Arkiv  for 
Matematik,  Astronomi,  och  Fysick,  vol.  i,  parts  3 
and  4,  1904.  Arkiv  for  Mineralologi,  Kemi,  och 
Geologi,  vol.  I,  parts  3  and  4,  1904.  Arkiv  for 
Zoologi,  vol.  I,  parts  3  and  4,  1904,  and  vol.  2, 
parts  I  and  2,  1904,  and  Arsbok,  for  1904.  Also 
Les  Prix  Nobel,  1901-1904.  The  Academy. 

Sydney. — Science  of  Man.     Vol.  7,  Nos.  2 — 7,  1904. 

The  Anthropological  Society  of  Australasia. 


54 

Tokyo. — Mittielungen  der  Deutschen  Gesellschaft  fiir  Natur  und 
Heilkunde  Ostasien.  Vol.  lo,  part,  i,  and 
Supplement,  1904.  The  Society. 

Toronto. — Transactions  of  the  Canadian  Institute.  Vol.  7,  part 
3,  and  Proceedings,  vol.  11,  1904. 

The  Instihite. 
Vienna. — Verhandlungen    der    Kaiserlich    Koniglichen    Geolog- 
ischen    Reichsanstalt.      Nos.   5 — 18,   1904,   and 
Nos.  I  and  2,  1905.  The  Society. 

,,  Verhandlungen  der  Kaiserlich  Koniglichen  Zoologisch- 

Botanischen  Gesellschaft.     Vol.  44,  1904. 

The  Society. 
Washington. — Year  Book  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture,  1903. 
„  Water  Supply  and  Irrigation  Papers,  Nos.  80 — 87, 

1903.  Professional  Paper,  No.  9,  1903,  No.  10, 
1902,  and  Nos.  13 — 15,  1903. 

The  Director  of  the   U.S.   Geological  Survey. 
„  Twentieth    Annual    Report    of    the    Bureau    of 

American  Ethnology,  1903. 

The  Director  of  the  Bureau, 
,,  Report  of  the  United  States   National   Museum 

for  1902,  and  Proceedings,  vol.  27,  1904,  also 
Special  Bulletin.      American    Hydroids,  part   2, 

1904.  Smithsonian  Miscellaneous  Collections. 
Vol.  45,  parts  I — 4,  1904;  vol.  47,  i,  1904; 
No.  1,374,  1903,  and  Nos.  1,417,  1,441,  1,543, 
and  1,544,  1904. 

The  S7nithsonian  Instittition. 
York. — Annual  Report  of  the  Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society, 

for  1903.  The  Society. 

Zurich. — Vierteljahrsschrift  der  Naturfoschenden  Gesellschaft  in 
Zurich,  94th  year,  parts  i  and  2,  1904. 

The  Society. 


55 

J'rom  The  Author,  Mons.  Charles  Janet,  Limogp:.s. — 
Observations  sur  Guepes,  1903.  Observations 
sur  les  Fourmis,  1904.  Anatomic  du  Gaster  de 
la  Myrmica  rubra,  and  seven  other  of  his 
Zoological  Papers,  1 894-1 899. 

I<rom  Professor  Rupert  Jones,  F.R.S. — His  Paper  on  the 
Estheriella  Shales  of  the  Maylay  Peninsula ;  also 
Paper  on  some  Palsezoic  Ostracoda  from  Mary- 
land. 

From  Mons.  Emile  Boulanger. — Germination  de  I'Ascospares 
de  la  Truffe,  1903. 


BELFAST   NATURAL   HISTORY 
AND    PHILOSOPHICAL   SOCIETY. 


Officers  and  Council  of  Managemetit  for  igoj-igo6. 

Iprc0(&ent : 

PROFESSOR  JOHNSON  SYMINGTON,  m.d.,  f.r.s.,  f.r.s.e. 


DiceslpresiDents 

REV.  T.   HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d 
SIR  R.   LLOYD  PATTERSON, 

F.L.S. 


SIR  JAMES   HENDERSON, 

A.M.,  D.L.,  J.P. 

WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 


1f>on.  C^reasurer : 

JOHN  HORNER. 

Ibon.  ILibraiian  : 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

Ibon.  Secretary  : 

ROBERT  M.  YOUNG,  b.a.,  j.r.,  m.r.i.a. 

Council : 

JOHN  BROWN,  F.R.S. 

JOHN  H.  DAVIES. 

REV.  THOMAS  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.,  president  q.c.b. 

SIR  JAMES  HENDERSON,  d.l.,  j.p.,  a.m. 

JOHN  HORNER. 

SEATON  F.  MILLIGAN,  m.r.i.a. 

PROFESSOR  W.  B.  MORTON,  m.a. 

SIR  ROBERT  LLOYD  PATTERSON,  D  L.,  f.l.s. 

ROBERT  PATTERSON,  m.r.i.a. 

W.  H.  F.  PATTERSON. 

WM.  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 

PROFESSOR  JOHNSON  SYMINGTON,  m.d.,  f.r.s. 

PROFESSOR  GREGG  WILSON,  d.sc,  m.r.i.a. 

ROBERT  YOUNG,  c.e.,  j.p. 

ROBERT  M.  YOUNG,  h.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

^Denotes  holders  of  three  or  more  Shares?\ 

*Alexander,  Francis,  b.e.,  Belfast 

Allworthy,  S.W.,  M.D.,  Manor  House,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

*Anderson,  John,  j.p.,  f.g.s..  East  Hillbrook,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 

Andrew,  John  J.,  l.d.s.,  r.c.s.kng.,  University  Square,  Belfast 

Andrews,  Miss  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Andrews,  George,  j.p.,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Armstrong,  Thomas,  jun.,  Donegall  Square  West,  do. 

Armstrong,  William,  Chichester  Gardens,  do. 

Baird,  Wm.,  Royal  Avenue,  do. 

Barbour,  James,  J.P.,  Ardville,  Marino,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 

Beattie,  Rev.  A.  Hamilton,  Portglenone,  Co.  Antrim 

Bigger,  Francis  J.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ardrie,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Bowman,  Davys,  Holyrood,  Malone  Road  (Representatives  of)  do. 
Boyd,  William,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 

*Boyd,  J.  Sinclair,  m.d.,  Chatsworth,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Braddell,  Edward,  Parkfield,  Park  Road,  Ipswich 

Brett,  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,  Belfast 

Brett,  John  H.,  c.e.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Biistow,  James  R.,  Prospect,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Bristow,  John,  Wellington  Place,  Belfast 

Brown,  John,  f.r.s.,  a.m.i.e.e.,  Longhurst,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 
Brown,  William  K.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Bulloch,  Alexander,  Eversleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Burrowes,  W.  B.,  Ballynafeigh  House,  do. 

Byers,  Prof.  John  W.,  m.a.,  m.d..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Calwell,  Alex.  M'D.,  do. 

Calwell,  William,  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Square  North,  do. 

*Campbell,  Miss  Anna  (Representatives  of),  do. 


58  Shareholders. 

Carr,  A.  H.  R.,  Waring  Street,  Belfast 

Carson,  John,  Walmer  Terrace,  Holy  wood,  Co.  Down 

*Charley,  Phineas  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor,        do. 

*Christen,  Mrs.  Rodolphe,  St.  Imier,  Brig  o'  Gairn,  Ballater,  N.B. 
Clark,  George  S.,  Dunlambert,  Belfast 

Clarke,  E.  H.,  Notting  Hill,  do. 

Coates,  Victor,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Connor,  Charles  C,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  Belfast 

Combe,  George,  Cranethorpe,  Strandtown,      do. 

Crawford,  William,  j.p..  Mount  Randal,  do. 

Crawford,  William,  Calendar  Street,  do. 

Craig,  Edwin  E.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown,      do. 

Davies,  John  H.,  Lenaderg  House,  Banbridge,  Co.  Down 

*Deramore,  Lord,  d.l.  (Representatives  of). 

Dixon,  Professor,  m.a.,  sc.d.,  f.r.s.,  f.r.u.i.,  Almora, 

Myrtlefield  Park,  Belfast 

Dods,  Robert,  b.a.,  j.p.,  St.  Leonard's,  Newcastle,  Co.  Down 

*Donegall,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

*Downshire,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of). 

The  Castle,  Hillsborough,  Co.  Down 

Duffin,  Adam,  ll.d.,  Dunowen,  Cliftonville,  Belfast 

Dunleath,  Lord,  Ballywalter  Park 

(Representatives  of),  Ballywalter,  Co.  Down 

Ewart,  G.  Herbert,  m.a.,  Firmount,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Ewart,  Fred.  W.,  m.a.,  b.l.,  Derryvolgie,  Lisburn 
Ewart,  Sir  Wm.  Quartus,  Bart.,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l., 

Glenmachan  House,  Belfast 

Faren,  ^Vm.,  Mountcharles,  do. 

*Fenton,  Francis  G.,  Paris 

Ferguson,  Godfrey  W.,  c.e.,  Dunedin,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Finlay,  Fred.  W.,  j.p.,  Wolf  hill  House,  Ligoniel,     do. 

Finlay,  Robert  H.  F.,  Cavehill  Road,  do. 


Shareholders.  59 

Finnegan,  John,  b.a.,  b.sc,  Kelvin  House,  Botanic  Avenue,  Belfast 
FitzGerald,  Professor  Maurice  F.,  k.a.,  m.i.m.e.,  Assoc. 

M.I.C.E.,  Eglantine  Avenue,  do. 

Foster,  Nevin  Harkness,  Hillsborough,  Co.  Down 

Getty,  Edmund  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Gibson,  Andrew,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Girdwood,  H.  M.,  Broughton  Flax  Mills,  Manchester 

Gordon,  Malcolm,  Hilden,  Lisburn 

Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  d.d.,  m.r.i.a. 

(Representatives  of),  Broughshane,  Co.  Antrim 

Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Glenburn  Park, 

Cavehill  Road,  Belfast 

Greer,  Thomas,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Seapark,    Carrickfergus,  Co.  Antrim 

*Hall,  Frederick  H.,  Waterford 

Hamilton,  Rev.  Thomas,  d.d.,  ll.d..  President,  Queen's 

College,  Belfast 

*Hamilton,  Hill,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Harland,  W.  m.a.,  Eaton  Terrace,  London,  W. 

Henderson,  Sir  James,  a.m.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Oakley,  Windsor  Park,  Belfast 
Henderson,  Mrs.  Charlotte  (Representatives  of),  Clarges 

Street,  London 

Henry,  R.  M.,  m.a.,  Belfast 

Herdman,  John,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Carricklee  House  (Representatives 

of),  Strabane 

*Herdman,  Robert  Ernest,  j.p.,  Rosavo,  Cultra,  Co.  Down 

Heyn,  James  A.  M.,  Strandtown  House,  Belfast 

Hind,  John,  junr.,  Clifton  Park  Avenue,  do. 

Hodges,  Miss  do. 

Hogg,  John,  x\cademy  Street,  do. 

Horner,  John,  Chelsea,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

*Houston,  John  Blakiston,  j.p.,  v.l.,  Orangefield,  do. 

*Hughes,  Edwin,  j.p.,  Dalchoolin,  Craigavad,  Co.  Down 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  ll.d.,  Windsor  (Representatives  of),         Belfast 


6o  Shareholders. 

Inglis,  James,  j.p.,  Merrion  Square  East,  Dublin 

Jackson,  A.  T.,  C.E.,  Tighnabruaich,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,    Belfast 
Jaffe,  Sir  Otto,  j.p.,  Kin  Edar,  Strandtown,  do. 

Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  j.p.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey,  Co.  Antrim 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  Amelia,  Dalguise,  Monkstown,  Dublin 

Kertland,  Edwin  H.,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Belfast 

Kidd,  George,  j.p.,  Lisnatore,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

*Kinghan,  John  R.,  Altoona,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 

Kinnaird,  George  Y.,  Malone  Park,  do. 

Kyle,  Robert  Alexander,  Donegall  Place,  do. 

Lanyon,  Mrs.,  Lisbreen,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Larmor,  Joseph,  ini.a.,  d.sc,  ll.d.,  f.r.a.s.,  f.r.u.i.,  sec.r.s., 

St.  John's  College,  Cambridge 

Leathem,  R.  R.,  m.d.,  Belgravia,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast 

Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  j.p.,  Edgecumbe,  Strandtown,  do. 
Lepper,  F.  R.,  j.p.,  Elsinore,  Carnalea,  Co.  Down 

Letts,  Professor  E.  A.,  ph.d.,  f.c.s.,  Shirley  Lodge,  Cultra,      do. 
Lindsay,  Professor  James  A.,  m.a.,  m.d..  College  Sqr.  East,  Belfast 
Lytle,  David  B.,  j.p.,  Bloomfield  House  (Representatives  of),     do. 
Lytle,  Joseph  H.,  j.p.,  Ashleigh,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Macassey,  L.  Livingstone,  b.l.,  m.i.c.e.,  St.  Clair,  Windsor  Av.,  do. 

Mackenzie,  John,  c.E.,  412  Lisburn  Road,  do. 

*Macrory,  A.  J.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Magill,  J.  E.,  Easton  Terrace,  Cliftonville,  do. 
Malcolm,  Bowman,  m.i.c.e..  m.i.m.e.,  Ashley  Park, 

Antrim  Road,  do. 
Maxton,  James,  m.i.n.a.,  m.i.mar.e.,  Kirkliston  Drive, 

Bloomfield,  do. 

Maxwell,  David  A.,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Mayes,  William,  Drumcairn,  Deramore  Park,  do 

Milligan,  Alexander  H.,  do. 


Shareholders.  6i 

Milligan,  Seaton  Forest,  .m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Bangor,  Co.  Down 
Mitchell,  Robert  A,  ll.p,.,t.c.d.,  Marmont,  Strandtown,  Belfast 
Montgomery,  Henry  C,  Craigavad,  Co.  Down 

Montgomery,  H.  H.,  Strandtown,  Belfast 

Montgomery,  Thomas,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Ballydrain 

House,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Moore,  James,  The  Finaghy,  Belfast 

Morton,  Professor  W.  B.,  m.a.,  f.r.u.l,  Nottinghill,  do. 

Muir,  A.  H.,  Scottish  Provident  Buildings,  do. 

Mullan,  William,  Lindisfarne,  Marlborough  Park,  do. 

Murney,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p.,  Tudor  House,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
*  Murphy,  Isaac  James  (Representatives  of),  Armagh 

*Murphy,  Joseph  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

^Musgrave,  Henry,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

Musgrave,  Sir  James,  Bart.,  d.l.,  Drumglass,  Malone 

(Representatives  of),  do. 

MacAdam,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  do. 

M'Bride,  Henry  James,  j.p.,  Hyde  Park,  Mallusk,  do. 

M 'Bride,  Samuel,  Edgehill,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

*M'Calmont,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  London 

*M'Cammon,  Thos.  P.,  Plaisted,  Woodville,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
M'Cance,  Miss  Charlotte  Georgianna,  Larkfield 

(Representatives  of),  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

MacColl,  Hector,  Kirkliston  Drive,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 

MacCormac,  John  M.,  m.d.,  Victoria  Place,  do. 

M'Cormick,  Hugh  M'Neile,  Cultra  House,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
*M'Cracken,  Francis  (Representatives  of). 

M'Gee,  James,  Woodville,  Holywood,  do. 

Macllwaine,  John  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor,  do. 

M'Kisack,  H.  L.,  iM.u.,  University  Square,  Belfast 

*MacLaine,  Alexander,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  do. 

M'Neill,  George,  Beechleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Neill,  Sharman  D.,  Martello  Terrace,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 


62  Shareholders. 

Nicholson,  Henry  J.,  Bedford  Street,  Belfast 

O'Neill,  James,  m.a..  College  Square  East  (Representatives  of),  do. 
*0'Rorke,  Mrs.,  Dunratho,  Craigavad,  Co.  Down 

Orr,  Hugh  L.,  Charnwood  Avenue,  Belfast 

Orr,  Rev.  R.  J.,  Fitzroy  Avenue,  do. 

Park,  Rev.  Wm.,  m.a.,  Garthowen,  Sans  Souci  Park,  do. 

Patterson,  Edward  Ferrar,  Ballyholme  Road,     Bangor,  Co.  Down 
Patterson,  Mrs.  Isabelle,  Bonn,  Germany 

Patterson,  John,  Dunallan,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 

Patterson,  Richard,  j.p.,  Kilmore,  Holy  wood,  Co.  Down 

*Patterson,  Sir  Robert  Lloyd,  j.p.,  d.l.,  f.l.s., 

Croft  House,  do.  do. 

Patterson,  Robert,  m.r.i.a.,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.u., 

St.  Clare,  do.  do. 

Patterson,  William  H.,  m.r.i.a.,  Garranard,       Strandtown,  Belfast 
Patterson,  William  H.  F.,  Stalheim,  Knock,  do. 

Pim,  Edward  W.,  j.p.,  Elmwood  Terrace,  do. 

Pirn,  Joshua,  Slieve-na-Failthe,  Whiteabbey,  Co.  Antrim 

Praeger,  R.  Lloyd,  b.e.,  b.a.,  m.r.i.a..  National  Library,       Dublin 

Rea,  John  Henry,  m.d.,  University  Street 

(Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Rea,  William  R.,  Abbeylands,  \\'hiteabbey,  do. 
Reade,  Robert  H.  S.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Wilmont,    Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Riddell,  Samuel,  Beechpark  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Robertson,  William,  j.p.,  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Robinson,  John,  Sydenham  Road,  do. 

Scott,  R.  Taylor,  Richmond  Villa,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 
Sheldon,  Charles,  m.a.,  d.lit.,  b.sc.  Royal  Academical 

Institution,  do. 

ShiUington,  Thos.  Foulkes,  j.p.,  Dromart,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

Simms,  FeUx  Booth,  Queen  Street,  do. 


Shareholders.  63 

Sinclair,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Hopefield,      Belfast 
Sinclair,  Prof.  Thomas,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.eng.,  University  Square,    do. 
Smith,  John,  c.E.,  Castleton  Terrace,  do. 

Smyth,  John,  im.a.,  c.e.,  Milltown,  Banbridge,  Co.  Down 

Spears,  Adam,  b.sc,  Riversdale,  Holywood,        do. 

Steen,  William  C,  m.d.,  Laleham  Corner  Lower,  North 

Down  Road,  Margate 

Steen,  William,  b.l..  Northern  Bank,  Victoria  Street,  Belfast 

Stelfox,  James,  Oakleigh,  Ormeau  Park,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Symington,  Prof.  Johnson,  m.d.,  f.r.s.,  f.r.s.e.,  Queen's 

College,  do. 

*Tennent,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  do. 

*Tennent,  Robert  James  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  do. 

Torrens,  T.  H.,  j.p.,  Wellington  Place,  do. 

*Turnley,  John  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Walkington,  Miss  Jane  A.,  Sefton  Park,  Liverpool 

Walkington,  Thomas  R.,  Edenvale,  Strandtown,  Belfast 

Wallace,  John,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Camden  Street,  do. 

Ward,  John,  j.p.,  f.s.a.,  Lennoxvale,  Malone  Road,  do. 

*Webb,  Richard  T.,  Kensington  Villa,  Knock  Avenue  Road,  do. 
Whitla,  Prof.  Sir  William,  m.d.,  j.p..  College  Square  North,  do. 
Wilson,  Prof.  Gregg,  m.a.,  ph.d.,  d.sc,  m.r.i.a..  Queen's 

College,  do. 

Wilson,  James,  m.f;.,  Oldforge,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Wilson,  John  K.,  j.r.,  Donegall  Street,  Belfast 

*Wilson,  Walter  H.,  Belvoir  Park  (Representatives  of),  do. 

*Wilson,  W.  Perceval,  do, 

*Wolff,  G.  M'.,  J. p.,  M.P.,  The  Den,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  Francis,  The  Moat,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  John,  j.p.,  Lismore,  Windsor,  do. 

Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  im.a.,  Rubane  House,   Glastry,  Co.  Down 


64  Shareholders. 

Workman,    Rev.    Robert,    m.a.,    d.d.,    The    Manse, 

Newtownbreda,  Co.  Down 

*Workman,  Thomas,  j.p.  (Representatives  of), 

Craigdarragh,  Craigavad,  do. 

Workman,  WilHam,  Nottinghill,  Belfast 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Young,  Robert,  C.E.,  j.p.,  Rathvarna,  do. 

*Young,  Robert  Magill,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathvarna,  do. 


Annual  Subscribers.  65 

HONORARY    ASSOCIATES. 

Gray,  William,  ri.r.i.a.,  Glenburn  Park,  Belfast 

Stewart,  Samuel  Alex.,  f.b.s.edin.,  a.l.s.,  Belfast  Museum,       do. 
Swanston,  William,  f.o.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 


ANNUAL    SUBSCRIBERS    OF  TWO    GUINEAS. 

Belfast  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  Belfast 

Northern  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 

Ulster  Bank,  Ltd.,  do. 

York  Street  Spinning  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 


ANNUAL    SUBSCRIBERS    OF    ONE    GUINEA. 

Allan,  C.  E.,  Stormont  Castle,  Dundonald,  Co.  Down 

Boyd,  John,  Cyprus  Gardens,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 
Brown,  G.  Herbert,  j.p.,  Tordeevra,             Helen's  Bay,  Co.  Down 

Bruce,  James,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Fulton,  G.  F.,  Howard  Street,  do. 

Gamble,  James,  Royal  Terrace,  do. 

Hanna,  J.  A.,  j.p..  Marietta,  Knock,  do. 

Hazelton,  W.  D.,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Higginbotham,  Granby,  Wellington  Park,  do. 

Hutton,  A.  W.,  Chichester  Street,  do. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  Crumlin  Terrace,  do. 

M'Laughlin,  W.  H.,  Macedon,  do. 

Parr,  William,  St.  Mark's,  Ballysillan,  do., 

Redfern,  Prof.  Peter,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.i..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Scott,  Conway,  C.E.,  Annaville,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Swiney,  J.  H.  H.,  b.a.,  b.e.,  Bella  Vista,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

Thompson,  John,  j.p..  Mount  Collyer,  do. 


eprt  and  ^ra^cciliujgjj 


BE  LF.A-ST 


Natural  Historf  and  Philosophical  Society 


SESSionsr  isos-isoe. 


BELFAST: 
PRINTED  BY  MAYNE  &  BOYD,  2  CORPORATION  STKEET. 

(PKINTERS    TO    QUBEN's    CoLLEGK.) 


1906. 


CONTENTS. 


Belfast  Civic  Undertakings — Arthur  H.  Muir,  C.A. 

On   Prehistoric  Man  in  Southern   France — W.   P.    De  \'ismes   Kane 

M.A.,  D.L.,  M.R.I.A.         ...  

Ulster  Sayings  and  Folk-lore— Professor  Byers,  M.A. ,  M.D. 

With  the  British  Association  in  Africa^John  Brown,  F.R.S. 

Magic  in  the  Greek  and  Roman  World — R.  M.  Henry,  M.A. 

Report  of  the  Work  of  the  Marine  Laboratory,  Larue  Harbour — Professor 

Gregg  Wilson,  D.Sc,  M.R.LA. 

The  Teleautograph     \     ^   ^   ^^^^^.      ^j_j  j,   ^^  g^  A.M.LE.E 
Frahm  s  Indicator        ) 

Annual  Report 

Balance  Sheet 

Donations  to  Museum   .. 

Additions  to  Library 

List  of  Office-Bearers    ... 

List  of  Shareholders 


PAGE 

I 

14 
17 
19 
33 

36 

38 

39 
46 

47 
48 

57 
58 


Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society. 


EST-A.BLISHEJID    leSl. 


CONSTITUTION. 

The  membership  of  the  Society  consists  of  Shareholders  in  the  Museum, 
Annual  Subscribers  (Associates),  Honorary  Members  and  Honorary  Associates. 

Shares  in  the  Museum  cost  £"]  each.  A  holder  of  one  Share  pays  an 
annual  contribution  of  ten  shillings  ;  a  holder  of  two  Shares  (in  one  certificate) 
an  annual  contribution  of  five  shillings  ;  while  a  holder  of  three  or  more  Shares 
(in  one  certificate)  is  exempt  from  annual  payments.  Shares  on  which  the 
annual  payment  as  above  are  in  arrear  are  liable  to  forfeiture.  The  Council 
retain  the  right  to  decline  to  consolidate  two  or  more  share  certificates  into  one 
certificate. 

Annual  Subscribers  (Associates)  pay  £,\  is  (one  guinea) due  ist  November 
in  each  year  in  advance. 

A  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  in  the  Museum  is  held  annually  in 
May  or  June,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  convenient,  to  receive  the  Report  of  the 
Council  and  the  Statement  of  Accounts  for  the  preceding  year,  to  elect 
members  of  Council  to  replace  those  retiring  by  rotation  or  from  other  reasons, 
and  to  transact  any  other  business  incidental  to  an  annual  meeting.  Share- 
holders only  are  eligible  for  election  on  the  Council. 

The  Council  elect,  from  among  their  own  number,  a  President  and  other 
officers  of  the  Society. 

Each  Member  has  the  right  of  personal  attendance  at  the  ordinary  lectures 
of  the  Society,  and  has  the  privilege  of  introducing  two  friends  for  admission 
to  such  ;  and  he  has  also  the  right  of  access  to  the  Museum  and  Library  for 
himself  and  family  residing  under  his  roof,  with  the  privilege  of  granting 
admission  orders  for  inspecting  the  collections  in  the  Museum  to  any  person  not 
residing  in  Belfast  or  within  five  miles  thereof.  The  session  for  lectures 
extends  from  November  till  May. 

The  Museum,  College  Square  North,  is  open  daily  for  the  admission  of 
visitors,  for  such  hours  as  the  Council  may  from  time  to  time  decide ;  the 
charge  for  admission  to  non-members  is  sixpence  each.  The  Curator  is  in 
constant  attendance,  and  will  take  charge  of  any  donation  kindly  presented  to 
the  Museum  or  Librrry. 

Any  further  informatiou  required  may  be  obtained  from  the  Honorary 
Secretary. 


B  BELFAST 

NATURAL  HISTORY 
AND  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY. 

SESSION     1905-6. 


Jth   November,    igo^. 


Professor   Johnson    Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E., 
in  the  chair. 


BELFAST   CIVIC   UNDERTAKINGS. 

By  Arthur  H.  Muir,  C.A. 

{Abstract). 


As  the  population  of  any  town  grows,  the  interdependence  of 
its  inhabitants  increases.  The  mere  fact  of  a  large  number  of 
persons  living  within  a  comparatively  small  area  necessitates  a 
great  number  of  activities  not  previously  required,  e.g.  Scheme 
of  Drainage  and  Sewage  Disposal,  Public  Health  Precautions, 
Street  Lighting,  Policing,  Public  Parks,  &c.,  and  renders  possible 
a  number  of  other  activities  mutually  beneficial,  but  impossible 
without  a  centre  of  population,  e.g.  Tramways,  Public  Baths,  Gas 
Manufacture,  Electric  Light  and  Power  Manufacture,  Markets, 
Free  Libraries,  and  Cheap  Concerts  for  the  people. 

Under  the  title  of  "Belfast  Civic  Undertakings"  are  included 
all  undertakings  for  the  good  of  the  Community  which  are  con- 
trolled by  Local  Authorities.    These  consist  of  the  undertakings  of 

1.  Belfast  City  Corporation. 

2.  Belfast  Harbour  Commissioners. 

3.  Belfast  City  and  District  Water  Commissioners. 

4.  Belfast  Poor  Law  Guardians. 


2  Mr.  Arthur  H.  Muir  on 

I.  Belfast  City  Corporation. — For  the  purposes  of  Muni- 
cipal Government  the  City  is  divided  into  fifteen  wards,  which  are 
of  various  sizes,  and  in  which  the  number  of  voters  ranges  from 
2,400  in  Smithfield  Ward  to  5,713  in  Pottinger  Ward.  Each 
Ward  is  represented  on  the  City  Council  by  three  Councillors  and 
one  Alderman,  thus  making  a  Council  of  sixty. 

Most  of  the  great  English  Cities  have  an  Official  so  far  unknown 
in  Belfast,  viz:  an  Elective  Auditor.  It  will  be  said  that  the  Cor- 
poration Accounts  are  audited  by  the  Local  Government  Board 
Auditor,  but  practically  he  confines  himself  to  the  question  as  to 
whether  the  payments  are  properly  authorised  and  are  legally  made. 
The  functions  of  the  Elective  Auditor  are  different.  He  acts  for 
the  ratepayers.  He  is  more  particularly  concerned  with  the 
question  of  whether  the  payments  are  wisely  made,  and  whether 
the  various  departments  are  being  worked  on  an  economical  and 
businesslike  basis.  He  reports  to  the  ratepayers  on  the  under- 
takings of  the  Corporation  from  a  business  point  of  view,  and 
brings  the  light  of  his  business  experience  to  the  gloomy  shades  of 
overstaffed  offices,  and  expensively  managed  public  departments. 
He  also  draws  up  reports  on  the  financial  aspects  of  the  aspirations 
of  committees  anxious  to  develop  fresh  schemes  at  the  expense  of 
the  ratepayers,  and  endeavours  to  keep  the  citizens  posted  up  in 
the  true  facts  of  the  various  matters  in  hand.  The  ofifice  should 
be  created  in  Belfast. 

The  Lecturer  then  gave  descriptions  of  the  following  Undertak- 
ings: -Public  Llealth,  Upkeep  of  Monuments,  Roads  and  Bridges, 
Maintenance  of  Order,  Public  Baths,  Lodging  House,  Public 
Parks,  Cemeteries,  Free  Libraries,  Municipal  Technical  Listitute, 
Fire  Brigade,  City  Surveyor's  Department — -Planning  of  Streets, 
Supervision  of  Drainage  and  Sewage  Disposal,  Passing  of  Plans 
for  New  Buildings;  Ulster  Hall,  Scavenging,  Markets  and  Abattoir, 
Gasworks,  Electric  Light  Station,  Tramways. 

Referring  to  the  Planning  of  new  streets,  the  cities  of  the 
United  Kingdom  lack  a  power  which  is  very  necessary,  namely) 
the  power  of  planning  out  the  lines  on  which  the  City  shall  develop, 


Belfast  Civic  Undertakings  3 

and  of  compelling  all  property  owners  both  inside  and  immediately 
outside  the  city  boundary  to  comply  with  the  plan  of  development. 
Straight  wide  streets  and  roads  are  laid  down  on  the  plan  where 
they  do  not  at  present  exist.  Certain  areas  are  reserved  for 
dwelling-houses,  and  certain  other  areas  for  factories  and  work- 
shops. The  result  is  a  healthy  development  along  the  lines  of  a 
scheme  laid  down  by  the  Municipality,  under  the  advice  of  the 
most  skilled  advisers.  No  landowner,  in  order  to  make  the  most 
of  his  little  patch,  may  run  awkward  streets  across  his  property 
contrary  to  the  general  scheme,  nor  may  he  put  up  a  different  class 
of  property  from  that  laid  down.  No  fabulous  sums  are  required 
to  be  paid  for  street  improvements,  or  for  the  pulling  down  of 
buildings  put  up  in  awkward  places.  Sooner  or  later  such  powers 
must  be  obtained. 

2.  Belfast  Harbour  Commissioners. — In  1785  an  Act  was 
passed  appointing  a  separate  Corporation  to  look  after  the  interests 
of  the  Port  of  Belfast.  For  the  previous  forty  years  the  control 
had  been  exercised  by  the  equivalent  of  the  modern  Town 
Council.  The  Commissioners  are  twenty-one  in  number,  and  are 
elected  for  a  period  of  three  years. 

3.  Belfast  City  and  District  Waier  Commissioners. — 
Water  is  an  absolute  essential  for  cities,  and  for  large  centres  an 
abundant  supply  must  be  procured  if  the  city  is  to  grow  either  in 
population  or  commercial  importance.  The  necessity  for  an 
ample  water  supply  has,  therefore,  caused  many  cities  to  spend 
enormous  sums  on  colossal  schemes.  In  fact  the  greater  the 
city,  as  a  rule,  the  more  costly  the  water  supply. 

The  Water  Commissioners  number  fifteen,  one  from  each  Ward, 
and  are  elected  for  a  period  of  three  years.  They  were  incor 
porated  in  1840,  when  they  took  over  the  water  supply  as  it  then 
existed  from  the  Belfast  Charitable  Society. 

The  Lecturer  referred  to  the  Water  Supply  in  1840.  Woodburn 
Reservoirs,  seven  in  number,  storing  15 15  miUion  gallons,  and 
capable  of  giving  8  million  gallons  per  day.  Stoneyford  Reser- 
voirs, two  in  number,  storing  820  million  gallons,  and  capable  of 


4  Mr.  Arthur  H.  Muir  on 

giving  4  million  gallons  per  day.  Filtration  beds,  Oldpark  and 
Antrim  Road  Works,  Pumping  Station,  Ligoniel  Storage  Tank. 
Mourne  Scheme,  when  completed,  consisting  of  two  reservoirs, 
capable  of  storing  3750  million  gallons,  and  of  giving  30  million 
gallons  per  day  through  a  conduit  35  miles  long. 

4.  Belfast  Poor-Law  Guardians. — This  Board  is  one  elected 
from  the  fifteen  Wards  of  the  City,  together  with  nine  other 
adjoining  districts,  making  twenty-four  divisions  in  all,  each  re- 
presented by  two  Guardians.  In  addition  to  these  forty-eight 
Guardians  six  are  co-opted. 

A  very  common  impression  is  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  Work- 
house consist  of  a  large  number  of  men  who  won't  work,  and 
who  are  kept  in  comparative  comfort  and  ease  at  the  expense  of 
the  community.  As  a  matter  of  fact  out  of  the  3,489  inmates  on 
the  night  of  3rd  November,  1905,  only  loi  were  of  this  class. 
The  balance  was  made  up  of  1,437  infirm  old  men  and  women, 
1,544  people  sick  in  the  Hospital  Wards,  275  children,  and  132 
mothers.  The  small  percentage  of  healthy  out-of-works,  who 
find  themselves  there,  do  not  get  an  easy  time  of  it,  and  usually 
do  far  more  work  inside  the  ^^'orkhouse  for  nothing,  than  they  do 
outside  for  pay.  There  is,  unfortunately,  a  marked  and  steady 
increase  in  the  number  of  old  men,  who  have  been  working  con- 
stantly all  their  lives  until  a  short  time  previous  to  admission.  It 
is  thought  that  the  Workmen's  Compensation  and  Employers' 
Liability  Acts  have  been  a  factor  in  this. 

A  marked  feature  of  all  cities  during  the  past  25  years  has  been 
the  enormous  increase  in  Local  Indebtedness.  Belfast  forms  no 
exception,  and  Diagram  No.  1  gives  some  idea  of  the  increase  during 
the  last  15  years.  Along  the  foot  of  the  Diagram  is  measured  a 
number  of  equal  spaces,  each  representing  one  year,  while  up  the 
side  each  space  represents  one  quarter  of  a  million  pounds  sterling. 
By  placing  a  point  in  each  year  opposite  the  amount  of  debt  in 
that  year,  a  series  of  points  result  which,  when  joined  by  a  line, 
give  the  best  representation  of  the  increase  or  decrease  of  debt 
over  a  series  of  years.     It  will  be  noticed  that  the  debt  of  the 


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Poor- Law  Guardians  fell  considerably  between  the  years  1898  and 
1900,  owing  to  the  Public  Health  Department  being  taken  over 
by  the  Corporation,  but  that  it  has  risen  since  owing  to  the 
Whiteabbey  Sanatorium  being  acquired. 

The  Water  Debt  shows  a  very  rapid  rise  up  to  1901  owing  to 
the  Mourne  Scheme,  but  since  then  it  has  not  been  going  up  so 
much,  as  that  scheme  is  not  going  on  to  completion  immediately. 

The  Harbour  Debt  has  gone  up  steadily,  but  not  rapidly.  The 
Debt  of  the  Corporation  has  gone  up  both  steadily  and  rapidly  on 
the  whole,  and  will  show  a  great  leap  upwards  when  the  Tramway 
Debt  of  ;!^i, 000,000  is  included.  And  as  the  Corporation  takes 
over  other  undertakings  that  debt  will  probably  go  on  increasing 
as  in  other  cities.  With  reference  to  the  contention  that  the 
assets  of  the  various  bodies  are  of  far  greater  value  than  the  exist- 
ing debts,  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  these  assets  are  not  liquid, 
and  that  most  of  the  debts  have  to  be  repaid  in  a  limited  number 
of  years.  In  some  cases  this  is  provided  for  out  of  the  revenues 
of  these  assets,  but  in  other  cases  it  must  come  out  of  the  rates. 

Each  step  in  Diagram  No.  2  represents  _^"i, 000,000,  and  the  line 
shows  the  total  of  the  Debts,  which  were  set  out  singly  on 
the  first  chart.  The  responsibilities  of  the  community  have 
therefore  increased  from  ^2,473,114,  in  1890,  to  ;^5, 116,658  in 
1904.  The  lower  of  the  lines  shows  the  increase  in  valuation  of 
the  city  during  the  same  period.  The  somewhat  rapid  rise  of  the 
valuation  about  the  year  1898  is  explained  by  the  extended  area 
of  the  city. 

Diagram  No.  3  shows  the  increase  in  the  population  of  Belfast. 
The  black  columns  represent  the  census  years,  while  the  light 
columns  are  interpolated  from  1890  onwards  to  give  a  complete 
series  from  that  year.  The  sudden  rise  from  1897  to  1898  is 
explained  by  the  extending  of  the  city  boundary. 

It  is  not  fair  to  take  the  figures  representing  the  increasing 
debt  of  a  rapidly  increasing  city,  without  also  taking  into  account 
the  increased  population.  Diagram  No.  4  shows  the  debt  per 
head  of  population   for  the  period  from   1900,  and  is  obtained 


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by  dividing  the  population  in  each  year  into  the  total  debt  as 
given  on  second  diagram.  The  drop  in  1898  is  caused  by 
the  debt  having  been  divided  by  the  population  for  that  year, 
which  was  increased  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  added  area. 

Diagram  No.  5  gives  a  view  of  the  progress  of  taxation  during 
the  past  15  years. 

In  any  rapidly  growing  city  the  number  of  immigrants  coming 
to  take  advantage  of  the  positions  offered  must  fill  the  municipality 
with  many  who  take  little  or  no  interest  in  its  public  affairs. 
They  are  in  it  but  not  of  it,  and  are  content  to  leave  all  such 
matters  in  other  hands.  Now  the  tendency  of  such  apathy  is  to 
permit  public  bodies  to  be  run  by  interested  cliques  for  purposes 
other  than  the  good  of  the  community.  If,  under  such  condi- 
tions, the  personnel  of  the  governing  bodies  depreciates,  and 
administration  is  not  so  efficient  as  it  should  be,  the  citizens  of 
course  have  themselves  to  blame. 

A  difficulty  is  always  present  which  helps  to  make  many  voters 
apathetic  as  regards  civic  affairs,  namely  : — that  they  pay  no  direct 
taxes.  It  is  true  of  course  that  in  the  long  run,  and  on  the 
average,  the  taxes  levied  on  the  properties  in  which  they  live  come 
out  of  their  pockets,  but  this  is  not  apparent  to  many  of  them- 
The  result  is  that  frequently  they  demand  expenditure  on  projects 
in  the  hope  of  an  immediate  benefit  for  which,  however,  they 
themselves  have  ultimately  to  pay  in  increased  taxation. 

Another  instance  of  this  tendency  is  the  cry  that  because  one 
Ward  has  something  another  Ward  must  get  it  also  ;  because  one 
Ward  has  Public  Baths  another  Ward  must  have  it  ;  because  one 
Ward  has  a  Branch  Library  another  must  be  provided  in  another 
Ward.  Such  a  policy  would  build  up  a  most  serious  burden  on 
the  ratepayers. 

To  load  up  our  local  authorities  with  a  multiplicity  of  duties 
further  increases  the  time  which  is  required  of  the  city's  repre- 
sentatives. It  makes  it  more  and  more  of  a  tax  upon  those  men 
who  undertake  those  duties,  and  it  tends  to  prevent  the  men  who 
are  most  competent  for  the  position  from  accepting  office.  The 
tendency  is  towards  a  decreasing  efficiency  in  the  representatives. 


Belfast  Civic  Under taki^igs. 


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12  Mr.  Arthur  H.  Mnir  on 

The  development  of  municipal  trading  also  brings  into  existence 
a  number  of  employees  paid  directly  by  the  municipalities,  with 
the  temptation  to  use  their  vote  on  personal  rather  than  on  public 
grounds. 

For  many  years  the  Belfast  Conservative  Association  has  been 
the  most  potent  factor  in  our  Municipal  affairs,  and  the  citizens 
are  deeply  indebted  to  this  organisation  for  its  efforts  in  putting 
forward  good  men,  and  returning  so  many  in  the  face  of  the 
apathy  of  the  great  bulk  of  the  citizens.  It  suffers,  however,  from 
the  drawback  common  to  all  associations  representing  party  politics, 
namely,  that  it  cannot  secure  public  confidence  outside  its  own 
party,  and  this  would  be  equally  true  if  it  were  a  Liberal 
Association. 

But  after  all,  political  or  religious  opinions  are  largely  irrelevant 
to  efficiency  in  civic  matters,  and  the  danger  of  making  party 
politics  a  motive  for  municipal  elections  is  that  every  now  and 
again  men  are  bound  to  be  put  forward  for  the  mere  purpose  of 
opposing  the  opposite  party,  without  reference  to  their  fitness  for 
civic  administration. 

It  should  be  the  aim  of  the  ratepayers  to  return  the  best  men, 
be  they  Conservative,  Liberal  Unionist,  or  Radical,  Protestant  or 
Catholic. 

The  rise  in  the  population  of  Belfast  is  not  now  as  rapid  as  it 
was,  and  we  have  a  more  settled  community.  Such  a  condition  is 
more  conducive  to  the  development  of  a  high  ideal  of  citizenship. 
We  require  to  rouse  the  body  of  the  people  from  their  apathy  re- 
garding the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  citizenship.  An  interest 
in  civic  affairs  must  be  aroused,  and  a  spirit  of  civic  patriotism 
created.  Our  men  of  means  and  leisure  must  recognise  that  there 
is  a  duty  which  they  owe  lo  the  community,  and  that  they  are 
called  upon  to  lay  their  powers  on  the  altar  of  the  common  good. 
It  is  no  use  criticising  the  City  Council  and  howling  anathemas 
at  the  members  of  our  public  Boards.  It  is  ourselves  as  citizens 
who  are  at  fault  if  anything  is  really  wrong.     All  is  in  our  own 


Belfast  Civic  Undertakings.  13 

hands.  These  beneficent  agencies  and  public  services  are  ours  to 
make  or  to  mar. 

The  object  which  must  be  set  before  us  is  a  great  one,  and 
requires  the  assistance  of  every  citizen.  It  is  to  make  Belfast  an 
ideal  city.  Knowledge  of  its  activities  must  be  disseminated. 
Love  for  its  prosperity  must  be  created.  A  sense  of  civic  patriot- 
ism must  be  brought  into  being.  Our  aim  should  be  to  raise  the 
tone  of  our  local  bodies  to  such  a  level  that  they  shall  be  models 
to  the  other  cities  of  the  Kingdom.  Then  every  citizen  will  be 
able,  thinking  of  his  part  in  the  life  spreading  around  the  magnifi- 
cent pile  of  his  City  Hall,  to  say  with  pride,  and  justifiable  pride, 
"  I  am  a  citizen  of  no  mean  city." 

Alderman  King  Kerr,  in  moving  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
Lecturer,  said  all  present  would  go  away  with  more  information 
than  they  possessed  before  they  entered  the  room,  and  also  with  a 
deeper  sense  of  pride  in  their  city.  He  thought  the  public,  so  far 
from  criticising  the  corporators  and  other  municipal  governors, 
ought  to  criticise  themselves.  If  they  were  not  satisfied  with  the 
government  of  the  city  the  fault  was  their  own,  for  the  people  had 
the  remedy  in  their  own  hands. 

Mr.  John  Finnegan  seconded  the  vote  of  thanks,  which  was 
passed  by  acclamation. 

The  Chairman,  in  conveying  it  to  Mr.  Muir,  said  Mr.  Muir 
had  treated  his  subject  with  great  tact,  and  the  Society  would  like 
to  have  some  more  papers  on  the  same  lines  as  those  taken  by 
the  lecturer. 

Mr.  Muir  suitably  replied,  and  paid  a  tribute  of  praise  to  Mr. 
Hogg,  who  had  taken  the  views  which  had  added  so  much  to  the 
success  of  the  lecture. 


14 


^th  December    IQO^. 


Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.    F.R.S.E., 
President,  in  the  Chair. 


ON  PREHISTORIC  MAN  IN  SOUTHERN  FRANCE 
By  W.  p.  De  Vismes  Kane,  M.A.,  D.L.,   M.R.I.A 

(Abstract. ) 

The  lecturer  first  described  the  great  Umestone  plateaux  of 
Aquitaine,  which  are  broken  up  by  great  canons  into  separate 
units  called  Les  Causses.  He  then  showed  a  series  of  lantern 
slides  representing  the  wonderful  cliff  scenery  of  the  canon  of  the 
river  Tarn,  down  which  he  voyaged  for  30  miles.  The  Causse  of 
Gramat  was  then  referred  to,  which  is  very  similar  in  its  appear- 
ance to  the  limestone  plains  of  Galway  or  Clare,  and  likewise  full 
of  subterranean  rivers  and  streams,  but  running  at  vast  depths 
below  the  surface,  and  excavating  caverns  of  enormous  size  and 
extent,  the  roofs  of  which  in  many  cases  have  fallen  in,  and  so 
have  opened  great  chasms  and  gulfs  in  the  flat  levels,  many  of 
which  have  been  explored  by  Monsr.  Martel.  Views  of  several 
of  these  abysses  were  given,  some  of  them  photographed  by 
magnesium  light.  The  barrenness  of  the  plateaux  of  the  higher 
levels  abutting  on  the  Cevennes  was  traced  largely  to  the  destitute 
condition  of  the  peasantry,  in  consequence  of  the  equal  division 
among  the  children  of  the  property  of  the  father  at  his  death,  and 
the  cutting  of  all  timber  to  pay  the  debts,  so  that  the  whole  country 
now  lies  bare  to  the  sun  in  summer,  and  to  the  rain  in  winter, 
which  washes  away  gradually  the  fertile  soil  into  the  fissures. 
The  chalk  plateaux  were  then  described,  which  are  the  lowest  in 
elevation,    and    most   westerly,    and    the   lecturer    proceeded   to 


Prehistoric  Mati  in  Soutk<rn  France.  15 

describe  the  caverns  and  rock  shelters  of  the  Department  of 
Dordogne,  chiefly  dealing  with  those  about  the  village  of  Les 
Eyzies.  Here  he  described  the  rock  shelters  of  Cro-Magnon,  in 
which  three  human  skeletons  were  exhumed  from  among  the 
debris  of  a  "kitchen  midden,"  composed  of  the  relics  of  reindeer, 
bison,  and  mammoth,  which  had  formed  the  food  of  the  men  who 
lived  at  that  period.  Another  human  skeleton  was  also  referred 
to,  which  lay  in  a  similar  heap  of  debris,  in  the  position  in  which 
he  was  killed  by  the  falling  down  of  the  cornice  of  rock  overhead. 
FHnt  weapons  and  flakes  found  by  the  lecturer  in  the  refuse  heap 
in  which  his  remains  were  discovered  were  exhibited,  and  were 
referred  to  the  close  of  the  mid  quaternary,  or  more  properly  the 
beginning  of  the  upper  quaternary  period.  Other  skeletons  such 
as  that  found  in  similar  conditions  at  Raymondeu  were  mentioned 
belonging  to  the  same  age,  namely,  the  late  quaternary.  All  these 
were  shown  to  have  in  common  a  very  high  type  of  dolicocephalic 
cranium,  and  the  method  of  interment  and  the  personal  ornaments 
to  be  similar.  The  eleven  human  skeletons  found  in  the  Mentone 
caves  in  the  extreme  south-east  France  were  then  alluded  to, 
where  also  a  red  ochreous  earth  was  used  to  cover  the  bodies, 
while  the  flint  weapons  found  in  their  hands  and  the  correspond- 
ing style  of  ornaments  proved  the  age  to  be  late  quaternary.  The 
skulls  corresponded  in  shape  with  those  of  Cro-Magnon,  and 
showed  a  high  index,  and  the  stature  of  the  men  of  that  period 
proved  to  be  on  an  average  above  6  feet.  This  race  of  men,  the 
lecturer  said,  were  the  earliest  racial  type  which  could  be  certainly 
ascertained  to  belong  to  any  particular  prehistoric  period  ;  for  the 
Engis  skull,  though  found  in  a  layer  of  debris  in  which  mammoth 
remains  existed,  was  also  accompanied  by  a  fragment  of  pottery, 
which  left  the  question  of  age  open.  Similarly  he  was  unable  to 
accept  the  evidence  as  to  age  of  the  Neanderthal  skull,  which  is' 
usually  referred  to  the  mid  quaternary  epoch.  Illustrations  of 
the  chief  types  of  weapons  and  implements  of  flint  and  bone  were 
then  shown,  and  various  fragments  of  deer's  antlers,  with  carvings 
of  extinct   animals,   were   thrown   on  the  screen,  among  which 


1 6        Mr.  Kane  on  Prehistoric  Man  in  Southern  France. 

cleverly  executed  outlines  of  elephants,  mammoth,  rein-  and  other 
deer,  saiga  antelope,  bison  and  horses  were  shown.  And  lastly  a 
description  was  given  of  cleverly  executed  outlines  incised  on  the 
rough  interior  walls  of  caves  at  Les  Eyzies,  far  away  from  the 
entrance,  many  of  which  were  crusted  over  with  a  film  of  stalag- 
mite, proving  that  they  were  not  executed  in  modern  times.  This 
race  of  men  contemporary  with  the  age  of  the  reindeer  and 
mammoth  in  southern  France  were  shown  to  be  of  a  high  type 
both  as  regards  the  capacity  and  contour  of  their  skulls,  intelli- 
gence in  ornament,  and  manufacture  of  implements  from  flint  and 
ivory,  so  that  one  must  look  to  the  Tertiary  period,  long  before 
the  epochs  of  Southern  European  glaciation,  for  relics  of  any 
ancestors  of  the  human  race  that  approached  the  Simian  type  ; 
though  single  specimens  of  debased  shape  were  found  both 
anciently  as  at  Neanderthal,  and  in  historical  times  as  in  the 
Peruvian  tombs,  and  even  in  quite  modern  races. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Garrett  Naglk,  seconded  by  Mr. 
Knabenshue,  Mr.  Kane  was  heartly  thanked  for  his  interesting 
and  valuable  paper. 


It? 


4th  Jatiuary,  igo6. 


Sir  James  Henderson,  A.M.,  D.L.,  Vice-President,  in  the  chair 


ULSTER  SAYINGS  AND  FOLK-LORE. 
By  Professor  Byers,  M.A.,  M.D. 

{Abstract). 

In  this  lecture,  which  was  a  continuation  of  a  contribution 
brought  before  the  Society — "Sayings,  Proverbs,  and  Humour  of 
Ulster" — on  December  ist,  1903,  and  since  published,  Professor 
Byers  discussed  first  various  sayings  and  folk-lore  used  in  reference 
to  the  weather  and  the  seasons.  That  the  Ulsterman  can,  when 
provoked,  be  severe,  ironical,  and  sarcastic,  was  fully  established 
by  a  variety  of  expressions;  various  phrases  employed  by  him  in 
bargaining  were  given ;  and,  finally,  examples  were  brought  forward 
to  show  that  even  in  Ulster,  where  the  native  Celtic  element  has 
been  much  displaced  by  the  English  and  Scotch  settlements,  that 
topsy-turvy  method  of  expression  known  as  a  "bull"  is  just  as  pre- 
valent as  in  any  other  part  of  Ireland,  and  that,  curiously,  it  is 
sometimes  met  with  among  those,  otherwise  learned  and  cultivated, 
as  well  as  amongst  the  uneducated.  The  Lecture  appeared  in  a 
series  of  articles  in  the  Northern  Whig,  and  will,  with  additions, 
be  published. 

Mr.  William  Crawford,  in  moving  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Pro- 
fessor Byers,  said  his  lecture  was  as  interesting  and  full  of  amuse- 
ment and  charm  as  the  lecture  he  gave  on  the  same  subject  on  a 
previous  occasion,  and  he  hoped  he  would  find  time  to  give  them 
a  third  edition. 

Mr.  Adam  Speers,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said  the  lecture 
was  by  far  the  best  he  had  ever  listened  to  on  that  subject 
—a  subject  to  which  he  had  himself  been  giving  a  good  deal  of 


1 8         Professor  Byers  on    Ulster  Sayings  and  Folk- Lore. 

attention  for  the  past  thirty  or  forty  years.  The  lecture  Professor 
Byers  had  given  that  night,  added  to  what  he  had  said  before  on 
that  subject,  would  make  a  very  interesting  treatise,  and  he  hoped 
such  a  book  would  be  produced  by  the  lecturer  soon.  Perhaps 
the  best  work  done  in  the  way  of  collecting  a  vocabulary  of  Ulster 
words  and  phrases  had  been  done  by  a  gentleman  whom  he  saw 
present  that  night — he  referred  to  Mr.  W.  H.  Patterson — in  the 
treatise  he  had  produced  for  the  English  Dialect  Society. 

The  resolution  was  passed  by  acclamation,  and  was  appropriately 
conveyed  by  the  Chairman. 

Professor  Byers,  in  responding,  said  he  might  perhaps  on  some 
future  occasion  take  up  the  subject  of  "The  Ulster  Child:  His 
Games  and  Amusements,"  which,  he  thought,  would  be  an  in- 
teresting topic  to  the  members  of  the  Society. 


19 

gth  Fclnuary,  igo6. 


Professor    SviMington,    M.D.,    F.R.S.,    F.R.S.E.,    Prksident, 
in  the  chair. 


WITH  THE  BRITISH  ASSOCIATION  IN  AFRICA, 

By  John  Brown,  F.R.S. 

(Abstraci). 


To  attempt  to  give  in  one  evening  anything  more  than  a  few  salient 
impressions  of  a  trip  of  20,000  miles  over  land  and  sea  would  be 
impracticable.  Quite  the  strongest  impression  remaining  is  that 
of  the  extraordinary  cordiality  and  hospitality  of  our  colonial 
cousins.  Too  much  cannot  be  said  for  the  careful  forethought  and 
organising  power  shown  by  the  local  stewards  in  their  arrangements 
for  entertaining  a  party  of  376. 

The  members  went  out  chiefly  in  two  ships  of  the  Union-Castle 
line,  the  Saxon  and  the  Durham  Castle.  After  the  delightful 
voyage  with  its  tropical  seas,  fishes,  and  birds,  we  had  to  awaken 
from  the  pleasant  dreamy  days  on  the  ocean  to  land  at  Capetown. 
The  members  of  the  official  party  were  hospitably  entertained  by 
the  chief  residents ;  the  Hon.  C.  Dempers,  a  member  of  the  Upper 
House  of  the  Cape  Parliament  being  "mine  host." 

Capetown  is  of  course  a  quite  old,  settled,  and  flourishing  city, 
set  in  most  picturesque  surroundings,  within  easy  reach  by  driving, 
walking,  or  electric  trams.  The  views  from  the  summit  of  Table 
Mountain  are  very  fine.  A  reception  at  the  Royal  Observatory 
was  also  interesting.  The  place  was  established  by  Royal  charter 
in  1820.  The  site  is  not  ideal,  but  it  was  the  only  available  English 
possession  at  that  time  in  the  Southern  Hemisphere.  The  gardens 
and  botanical  museums  are  most  interesting,  and  the  new  City 
Hall  a  very  fine  building ;  in  fact,  all  over  South  Africa  one  is 
struck  by  the  size  and  excellence  of  the  public  halls  available. 


20  Mr.  Johii  Brown — 

The  opening  half  of  the  President's  address  was  deHvered  here 
and  sections  met  for  three  days. 

On  Saturday,  19th  August,  we  sailed  for  Durban,  a  bright  and 
busy,  well-kept  town,  with  a  fine  harbour,  well  filled  with  shipping. 
The  streets  are  good,  and  there  are  electric  trams,  fare  3d.  There 
are  also  rickshaws,  drawn  by  natives  ;  very  fine  men  in  fantastic 
dresses,  very  active,  graceful,  and  full  of  antics.  We  were  told 
they  did  not  last  long  at  this  arduous  work,  partly  on  account  of 
the  damper  climate  near  the  sea.  There  is  a  sugar  industry  also  a 
good  locomotive  works.  Much  of  the  retail  trading  appeared  to 
be  done  by  Hindus. 

There  is  a  beautiful  suburb  (the  Berea).  The  vegetation  in 
Natal  is  luxuriant,  and  the  soil  appears  fertile.  Tea,  tobacco, 
sugar  and  maize  are  cultivated.  Most  delicious  pine  apples  are 
sold  at  2d.  and  3d.  each;  they  grow  in  drills  like  turnips. 

Our  next  stay  was  Pietermaritzburg,  another  bright  and  pleasant 
town,  near  which,  among  the  hills  at  Henly,  a  Kaffir  dance  was  held 
in  our  honour  by  command  of  the  Governor  of  the  Colony,  Sir 
H.  M'Callum.  The  natives  assembled  to  the  number  of  i.ooo  or 
more  in  war  dresses  of  skins  and  beads,  and  with  shields  and  poles, 
representing  assegais.  They  saluted  the  Governor  and  suite,  the 
salute  being  first  a  general  hiss  and  then  a  crouching  or  "  hunkering" 
down,  and  then  rising  to  full  height  with  a  terrifying  yell  or  howl. 
The  dance  was  most  strange.  It  was  accompanied  by  a  weird  and 
monotonous  chant,  and  the  prevailing  step  was  a  stamping  in 
unison  with  earth  shaking  power.  The  historians  of  the  tribe 
marched  back  and  forth,  across  the  front,  reciting  the  victories 
over  their  enemies.  Occasionally  a  bevy  of  women  would  move 
across  in  crouching  or  fantastic  attitudes.  Some  of  them  waving 
rolls  of  paper,  which  we  imagined  niight  be  important  documents, 
but  whicli  turned  out  to  be  bright  coloured  advertisements  of 
somebody's  patent  pills. 

After  the  dance  came  the  marriage  of  a  chief  of  the  Inadi 
tribe  to  a  lady  who  was  to  be  his  chief  wife  and  mother  of  his 
principal  heir.     I'he  ceremony  began  by  dances  of  the  bride's  father. 


JVith  tJie  British  Associatioji  iii  Africa.  2 1 

the  bridesmaids,  and  marriageable  girls.  The  amount  of  obole  or 
consideration  given  for  the  bride  was  then  arranged.  The  bride 
was  asked  if  she  were  willing,  presents  were  exchanged,  and  the 
ceremony  concluded  with  a  dance,  during  which  the  bride  had  to 
run  away  and  be  recaptured.  After  the  dancing,  etc.,  a  number  of 
oxen  were  killed,  cut  up,  roasted,  and  eaten  with  great  gusto. 

At  Colenso  which  is  merely  a  station  and  a  few  shops,  a  hotel 
and  a  Hindu  temple,  we  visited  the  battlefield,  a  plain,  with  low 
hills  to  westward  on  the  banks  of  the  Tugela,  on  which  the  Boers 
were  entrenched  or  sheltered  in  schances.  There  are  still  shrapnel 
bullets  and  pieces  of  shell  scattered  here.  The  bravery  of  our 
troops  and  the  incompetence  of  their  leader  was  here  fully 
recognised.  The  more  we  heard  of  the  story  of  Colenso  and 
Spion  Kop  the  more  miserable  and  foolish  it  appeared.  There 
were  monuments  commemorating  the  bravery  of  officers  and  men, 
notably  one  where  Lieutenant  Roberts  fell  when  trying  to  recover 
the  guns. 

All  along  the  railway  to  Ladysmith  are  soldiers'  graves, 
sometimes  two  or  three,  sometimes  scores,  marked  with  crosses,  and 
protected  with  white  palings.  Those  graves  are  kept  in  order  by 
the  Loyal  Women's  League  of  South  Africa. 

Ladysmith  is  said  to  be  unhealthy  since  the  war,  owing  to  the 
germs  of  enteric  fever  left  in  the  water,  and  is  chiefly  interesting 
on  account  of  the  mementoes  of  the  siege.  The  tower  of  the 
Town  Hall  is  preserved  as  it  was  left  by  a  shell.  The  forts  on 
the  river  bank  still  remain. 

Speaking  of  the  war  leads  to  questions  of  policy,  and  it  might  be 
expected  that  one  should  have  formed  accurate  impressions  of  the 
political  views  of  the  colonists.  South  Africa,  as  you  probably 
know,  has  always  shared  with  Ireland  the  role  of  scapegoat  for 
the  party  Government  of  England.  In  South  Africa  the  disastrous 
effects  of  the  vacillation  caused  by  this  silliest  of  plans  of  ruling 
an  empire  became  prominent.  Distance  is  said  to  lend  enchant- 
ment to  the  view — not,  however,  of  the  view  by  a  colony  of  party 
government  at  headquarters.    Chiefly  on  account  of  this  uncertainty 


2  2  Mr.  John  Broivn — 

bred  of  party  changes  of  policy  the  Home  Government  met  with 
much  condemnation,  and  the  colonists  were  driven  to  wish  for 
self-government,  which  they  hoped  could  at  least  make  up  its 
mind  to  pursue  one  continuous  policy.  It  was  even  said  that 
many  who  were  on  the  English  side  in  the  war  would  now  be  on 
the  other,  and  it  was  maintained  that  the  present  Government 
was  more  extravagant,  costly,  and  full  of  red  tape  than  even  that 
of  the  Boers  was.  The  farmers  and  Boers  seemed  to  think  a 
local  Government  would  give  them  protective  taxes,  put  heavier 
taxes  on  the  diamond  mines,  and  they  thought  the  Katifirs  should 
be  forced  to  work  by  some  means.  Some  said  by  a  heavier  hut 
tax,  others  by  making  them  wear  more  clothes,  which  they  would 
have  to  earn  money  to  buy ;  others  again  by  more  forcible 
measures.  I  gathered  from  those  with  whom  I  happened  to  speak 
that  Lord  Milner  was  not  approved  of,  was  considered  to  have 
been  weak,  extravagant  in  appointments,  and  inclined  to  favouritism. 
By  others  some  of  these  faults  were  attributed  to  the  home 
Government.  Cecil  Rhodes  was  the  one  man  in  the  colony  of 
whom  one  always  heard  approval. 

Johannesburg  is  a  red  city ;  the  soil  is  red,  the  streets,  the  roofs, 
even  the  trees  are  red  from  the  red  sand  carried  by  the  dust-storms, 
to  which  it  is  subject.  It  has  an  unfinished,  scattered  look,  very 
poor  roads,  and  an  air  of  hurry  and  excitement  like  all  mining 
places.  Ten  of  us  were  most  hospitably  entertained  at  Hohenheim, 
the  residence  of  Sir  Percy  Fitzpatrick. 

In  Johannesburg  the  remainder  of  the  President's  address  was 
delivered,  and  a  very  good  lecture  by  Professor  Ayrton  on  electric 
transmission  of  power.  Speaking  of  A^ictoria  Falls,  he  informed 
them  that  in  the  dry  season  the  amount  of  horse  power  available 
was  only  one-tenth  of  that  of  Niagara,  and  he  did  not  seem  to 
think  extremely  favourably  of  the  chances  of  utilising  its  power  at 
Johannesburg,  some  800  miles  distant.  He  concluded,  "  Jealously 
guard  the  beauty  of  your  Falls.  Niagara  was  glorious  nature, 
to-day  it  is  power  ;  Victoria  is  poetry."  In  a  paper  published 
since    the    meeting,    Mr.    W.   B.  Essen  disagrees   with   Professor 


IVith  the  British  Association  in  Africa.  23 

Ayrton's  view  and  estimates  the  cost  of  transmitting  the  power  as 
reasonable. 

In  the  various  sections  some  important  papers  on  vSouth  African 
subjects  were  read — one  by  Mr.  G.  W.  Lamplugh  on  the  Victoria 
Falls  and  others  on  mining  and  engineering.  These  papers 
connected  with  South  Africa  were  to  be  published  in  one  volume 
by  subscription  in  Johannesburg.  I  made  a  communication  on  a 
new  form  of  Daniell's  battery  suitable  for  laboratory  use. 

The  chief  interest  in  Johannesburg  is  centred  in  the  gold  mines 
on  the  Rand.  The  gold  occurs  in  the  finely-divided  metallic  form 
in  widely-extended  reefs.  What  strikes  one  is  the  enormous  outlay 
in  plant  and  machinery,  and  the  extent  of  the  mines.  The  ore  on 
being  brought  to  the  surface  is  machine  broken,  and  then  crushed 
by  stamps,  worked  on  the  principle  of  our  beetling  engines,  to  fine 
powder,  from  which  the  gold  is  extracted  first  by  amalgamation 
and  then  by  cyanide  of  potassium  solution,  which  extracts  the 
finer  particles.  The  drilling  and  work  in  the  mines  is  done  by 
Kaffirs. 

The  Kaffirs  employed  on  the  mines  earn  about  50s.  per  month, 
and  are  fed  on  mealie  (maize)  porridge,  with  occasionally  meat, 
and  they  drink  Kaffir  beer,  which  is  of  the  colour  and  consistency 
of  thin  gruel,  tasting  rather  sour.  They  are  well  housed,  sleeping 
side  by  side  on  shelves  with  feet  towards  a  fire  in  the  centre  of 
the  room.  The  rooms  look  about  20ft.  high,  and  the  boys  look 
comfortable  enough.  These  sleeping  houses  surround  the  yard 
of  the  compound.  There  is  a  hospital  in  the  small  compound 
adjoining,  very  clean  and  airy.  The  Kaffirs  are  engaged  by 
recruiting  agents  sent  out  to  their  kraals,  aud  the  chiefs  appeared 
to  have  a  say  in  the  matter,  as  I  was  informed  they  had  on  some 
occasions  objected  to  send  boys  to  compounds  which  were  not  as 
sanitary  as  others. 

The  general  opinion  among  employers  of  Kaffirs,  both  in  the 
mines  and  farms,  and  in  domestic  service,  is  that  it  was  best  to 
engage  the  raw  native  fresh  from  the  kraal.  He  is  more  to  be 
trusted  than  the  schooled  and  christianised  native  who  has  lost 


24  Mr.  John  Brotvn — 

the  sanctions  of  his  old  beHefs,  and  has  probably  received  a  surface 
smattering  of  religion  and  morals  which  he  does  not  quite 
assimilate,  and  he  has  learnt  other  things  which  he  would  be  as 
well  without.  Rev.  Mr.  Flint,  librarian  of  the  Cape  Parliament, 
however,  was  the  only  person  I  met  holding  the  opposite  view. 
He  contended  that  the  gaol  statistics  showed  this.  But  then  we 
must  remember  that  every  crime  or  misdemeanour,  especially 
among  the  servant  class,  is  not  brought  to  justice  or  to  gaol. 

Many  of  the  natives,  especially  the  young,  are  very  graceful  and 
easy  in  movement  and  gestures.  They  are  said  to  be  good 
orators.  There  was  rumoured  talk  of  a  Kaffir  rising,  but  a  very 
intelligent  and  sensible  owner  ot  a  fruit  farm  near  Stellenbosch 
told  me  he  thought  it  was  merely  circulated  as  an  excuse  for 
attacking  the  natives. 

No  Chinese  are  employed  at  the  mines  nearest  the  city,  but  at 
my  suggestion  an  opportunity  was  arranged  for  a  party  of  us  to 
visit  a  mine  employing  Chinese.  On  the  general  question  of 
Chinese  labour,  I  gathered  it  was  somewhat  disappointing  to  the 
managers.  Kaffirs,  when  obtainable,  were  preferred.  I  was 
informed  the  Chinese  are  hard  to  control,  and  very  tricky.  They 
began  by  carefully  cutting  half  a  foot  off  the  end  of  the  measuring 
rods  for  measuring  the  depths  of  the  holes  drilled,  and  fixing  up 
the  ends  again  with  true  Chinese  artfulness,  so  that  they  were  paid 
for  six  inches  more  ])er  hole  for  some  weeks  before  it  was 
found  out.  They  could  not  be  induced  to  take  care  of  their  tools, 
and  were  otherwise  disorderly  at  work.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
learned  quicker  than  Kaffirs,  and  earned  rather  more — 2S.  per  day 
on  a  three  year's  contract.  They  appoint  their  own  police  in  the 
compound. 

Their  food  is  a  hotch-potch  of  meat  and  vegetables,  very 
savoury,  and  cleanly  cooked  by  Chinese  cooks.  Occasionally  they 
had  rice.  The  meals  are  served  in  a  large,  airy  dining-hall.  Their 
sleeping-rooms  are  even  larger  than  the  Kaffirs'  and  of  the  same 
style.  They  seem  to  be  well  cared  for,  if  for  no  higher  reason 
than  that  they  cost  so  much,  including  their  passage  over,  that  it 
paid  to  keep  them  in  good  order.     There  is  also  a  hospital. 


Wifh  the  British  Associatioti  in  Africa.  25 

On  the  whole,  I  gathered  that  the  mine  managers  preferred 
Kaffirs,  but  the  Chinese  importation  has  brought  the  Kaffirs  to  a 
more  reasonable  frame  of  mind,  and  they  are  more  easily  dealt 
with,  both  by  the  mine-owners  and  farmers  in  the  country.  If  the 
Chinese  were  sent  home  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  the  Kaffirs 
would  hold  out  again  for  higher  pay  from  both  managers  and 
farmers.  It  has  been  said  that  if  high  pay  were  offered  it  would 
produce  a  larger  supply  of  Kaffir  labour.  Probably  it  would 
ultimately  do  just  the  reverse.  The  Kaffirs  are  naturally  easily 
contented  and  disinclined  to  work,  so  the  Kaffir  "  boy  "  merely 
works  long  enough  to  earn  sufficient  to  pay  his  hut  tax  and  to 
purchase  a  couple  of  oxen,  which  he  can  exchange  for  a  wife,  who, 
according  to  the  custom  of  his  country,  will  do  all  the  hard  work 
at  home.  High  pay  would  enable  him  to  cease  working  sooner, 
a  result  seen  after  the  high  wages  paid  him  during  the  war.  Yet 
the  native  Commissioners  reported  that  all  over  South  Africa 
270,000  more  labourers  were  still  needed. 

There  is  absolutely  no  question  of  competition  between  Kaffirs 
or  Chinese  and  white  men.  Both  on  account  of  the  comparatively 
small  wages  the  mining,  farming,  and  other  South  African  industries 
can  afford,  and  the  hard  work  in  a  hot  climate,  the  white  man 
prefers  to  be  the  overseer,  the  clerk,  the  responsible  "  boss."  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  according  to  Sir  George  Farrar,  the  importation 
of  Chinese  gave  employment  to  4,000  white  men. 

As  to  the  cry  that  the  Chinese  were  in  slavery,  I  must  confess 
I  do  not  understand  it.  It  is  scarcely  polite  to  the  Emperor  of 
China  to  assume  he  would  permit  it.  Mr.  Douglas  Blackburn, 
ex-assistant  editor  of  the  "  Johannesburg  Daily  Express,"  writing 
to  the  "  Times  "  recently,  stated  that,  while  at  first  there  was 
injustice  by  incompetent  compound  managers,  the  Chamber  of 
Mines  took  steps  to  remedy  the  evil,  and  now  the  treatment  of 
Chinese  was  luxurious,  compared  with  that  meted  out  to  the  Kaffirs 
under  the  old  regime,  but  Mr.  Blackburn  could  not  induce  the 
Liberal  English  papers  to  ventilate  Kaffir  grievances.  A\'hy  this 
touching  sympathy  for  the  Chinese  in   their  comparative  luxury  ? 


2  6  Mr.  John  Brown — 

Just  at  the  time  of  our  visit  a  few  Chinese  had  got  away  from  the 
compounds,  and  had  committed  crimes,  even  murders,  but  strong 
measures  were  being  taken  to  round  up  these  miscreants  and 
prevent  further  misdeeds.  I  saw  a  gang  of  these  being  brought 
in,  and  no  doubt  such  things  would  in  future  be  prevented.  A 
large  party  of  us  visited  Pretoria  and  the  Premier  Diamond  Mines, 
and  saw  Kruger's  house  and  the  Government  Buildings,  which 
were  very  fine. 

Bloemfontein  has  a  rural  air,  and  seems  a  prosperous  and 
growing  town.  There  was  a  fair  going  on,  and  the  Boers  bringing 
in  their  produce  struck  me  as  rather  like  our  own  Northern  Irish 
farmers.  I  was  hospitably  entertained  here  by  Mr.  W.  S.  Johnston, 
formerly  principal  of  Larne  Grammar  School. 

From  Bloemfontein  the  line  runs  through  miles  and  miles  of 
lonely  veldt  with  here  and  there  a  herd  of  cattle  or  flock  of 
ostriches,  apparently  trying  to  eat  stones  and  sunburned  grass.  At 
the  end  of  the  dry  season  the  country  gave  an  unfairly  bad 
impression. 

At  Kimberly  I  was  received  by  Mr.  John  Orr  and  his  lady  with 
true  Irish  hospitality.  The  diamond  mines  here  again  struck  one 
as  very  costly  undertakings.  The  diamonds  occur  in  the  famous 
"  blue  ground  "  contained  in  the  immense  "  pipe  "  or  outlet  of  an 
extinct  volcano.  When  brought  to  the  surface  it  is  first  spread  on 
the  ground  to  be  "  weathered,"  then  washed  from  mud  and  waste, 
concentrated,  and  finally  put  through  a  most  ingenious  apparatus, 
where  it  is  carried  by  streams  of  water  over  plates  covered  with 
grease,  to  which  the  diamonds  stuck,  while  the  waste  was  carried 
on  by  the  water.  Kaffirs  were  employed  in  these  mines,  strictly 
guarded,  and  thoroughly  searched  on  leaving.  We  were  told, 
however,  that  one  ingenious  person  evaded  the  searchers  by 
concealing  diamonds  behind  his  glass  eye.  Sir  William  Crookes 
gave  a  most  interesting  lecture  on  diamonds  here.  Kenilworth, 
a  kind  of  garden  city  arranged  by  Rhodes  for  the  white  employes, 
was  very  interesting,  with  the  adjoining  experimental  fruit  gardens 
and  zoological  park. 


With  the  British  Association  in  Africa.  27 

From  Kimberly  the  line  runs  north  through  a  wilderness  of 
sparse  dried  grass,  with  scattered  small  trees  and  occasional 
ant  hills,  some  containing  40  to  50  tons  of  stuff.  There  seemed  to 
be  no  humus  or  vegetable  mould.  We  assumed  that  all  vegetable 
remains  were  washed  away  as  soon  as  formed  in  the  wet  season. 

I  venture  with  much  diffidence  to  express  an  opinion  on  the 
question  of  agriculture  in  South  Africa,  which  is  a  difficult  one. 
Most  of  the  country  is  very  dry  when  it  is  dry  and  very  wet  when 
it  is  wet ;  also  subject  to  disastrous  hailstorms,  and  occasionally  to 
continued  droughts,  and  the  locust  and  other  insect  plagues  are 
also  to  be  reckoned  with.  Animals  suffer  from  various  diseases, 
but  it  was  said  that  in  mixed  farming  out  of  all  the  various  crops 
and  stock  a  portion  would  survive  out  of  which  sufficient  profit 
might  be  made,  especially  as  the  population  increased  and  markets 
improved.  The  soil  varies  in  quality  a  good  deal,  and  land  of 
course  could  be  had  at  a  low  price,  from  a  free  grant  upwards. 
With  their  large  tracts  of  ground  and  native  labour,  the  Boers 
made  it  pay.  The  dearth  of  Kaffir  labour  owing  to  the  high  wages 
of  the  war  time  made  it  more  difficult  now,  and  the  Boers,  it  was 
said,  complained  that  their  products  were  cut  out  by  imported 
goods  and  the  cold  storage  companies.  Others  thought  they  were 
only  making  a  poor  mouth  in  view  of  getting  compensation  after 
the  war.  Fruit-farming  and  vine-growing  appeared  to  succeed  in 
parts  suitable  to  these.  I  was  advised  that  no  intending  settler 
should  go  out  without  a  billet  arranged  for. 

The  climate  on  the  high  veldt  is  considered  healthy  by  those 
who  did  not  mind  heat.  All  over  South  Africa  dust  is  a  great 
enemy.  A  doctor  told  me  that  they  had  to  eat  sand  and  worse 
than  sand  and  the  alimentary  canal  suffered.  The  great  agricultural 
want  is  water,  and  it  has  been  said  that  only  by  irrigation  could 
South  Africa  ever  hope  to  become  a  prosperous  agricultural, 
country.  The  difficulty  is  to  obtain  water.  Attempts  to  obtain 
it  by  artesian  boring  have  not  been  encouraging,  and  the  rivers  have 
a  comparatively  small  supply  in  the  dry  season,  when  the  water 
is  most  needed.     By  means  of  dams  the  flow  of  the  wet  season 


28  Mr.  John  Brown — 

might  be  saved,  but  the  size  of  such  dams  necessarily  would  limit 
their  application  when  we  consider  that  besides  the  water  used 
a  depth  of  four  to  seven  feet  is  wasted  by  evaporation  in  the  hot 
season.  It  is  estimated  that  it  takes  a  square  mile  of  catchment 
area  to  provide  water  for  one  acre  in  the  drier  districts.  A  large 
dam  in  Rhodesia,  begun  by  Mr.  Rhodes,  has  been  too  recently 
finished  to  obtain  results  as  yet.  Irrigation  works  are  also  being 
carried  out  in  Natal.  Considering  the  enormous  increase  in  the 
value  of  land  produced  by  irrigation,  it  seems  likely  that  when  the 
country  has  settled  down  after  the  disturbance  caused  by  the  war 
more  works  of  this  kind  would  be  undertaken  in  suitable  districts 
either  by  private  enterprise  or  Government  funds. 

Buluwayo  is  a  place  of  magnificent  distances — acres  of  streets, 
or  where  streets  might  be,  with  here  and  there  a  building,  some 
pretentious,  others  mean.  Among  the  finer  are  the  offices  of 
the  mining  companies. 

I  gathered  that  Rhodesia  has  not  yet  been  at  all  thoroughly 
prospected.  Except  the  newly-started  Banket  reef,  of  which 
much  was  expected,  the  gold  hitherto  discovered  is  not  paying 
to  large  mines,  but  small  reefs  are  found  which  would  pay  a 
small  capital  outlay.  I  gathered  also  that  the  former  management 
of  the  Chartered  Company  was  much  open  to  criticism. 

The  Buluwayo  Museum  was  opened  by  our  President.  It 
already  contained  many  interesting  geological,  ethnological,  and 
antiquarian  specimens.  A  lecture  was  delivered  in  Buluwayo  by 
Mr.  M'lver  on  Rhodesian  ruins,  his  view  being  that  they  were  of 
much  later  date  than  formerly  supposed,  a  view  meantime  not 
shared  by  some  other  antiquarians. 

An  excursion  to  the  Matopo  Mountains,  where  Cecil  Rhodes 
is  buried,  was  very  enjoyable.  The  rock  is  granite,  and  the 
formation  said  to  be  due  to  water  denudation.  I  imagine  ice  had 
something  to  do  with  it,  but  this  is  a  moot  point.  The  view  from 
Rhodes'  grave  is  charming.  I  should  not  go  so  far  as  to  call  it 
"  the  world's  view."  North  of  Buluwayo  the  country  is  of  the 
same  arid  type  of  wilderness.     The  line  being  recently  made,  big 


Wii/i  the  British  Associatioti  in  Africa.  29 

game  are  still  sometimes  seen  in  its  neighbourhood.  Two 
hunters  who  came  after  lions  were  attacked  in  their  sleeping  car 
standing  on  a  railway  siding  one  night,  and  only  one  hunter 
remained  in  the  morning.  Elephants  had  been  seen  by  the  train 
staff.     A  scarcity  of  bird  life  was  noticed  everywhere  on  the  trip. 

The  Victoria  Falls,  on  the  Zambesia,  which  is  here  a  mile  wide, 
fall  into  the  upper  end  of  a  zig-zag  gorge,  which,  in  the  opinion  of 
geologists,  has  been  gradually  formed  by  the  action  of  the  river. 
In  the  way  of  waterfalls  I  have  not  yet  seen  anything  so  grand 
and  yet  so  delicately  beautiful.  The  quantity  of  water  at  Niagara 
is  more  impressive.  It  is  to  be  remembered  our  visit  was  at  the 
end  of  the  dry  season.  We  arrived  before  daylight  on  September 
1 2th,  and  I  saw  the  falls  at  sunrise.  The  water  falls  into  the  gorge 
(380  feet  deep  and  a  mile  long)  in  various  streams  and  cataracts, 
and  when  the  sun  got  a  little  higher  a  beautiful  rainbow  appeared 
below  me  in  the  spray  which  issued  out  of  the  gorge  in  flying 
clouds  borne  by  the  wind  from  the  falling  water. 

A  roar  of  many  waters — mist,  spray,  foam — 

A  mighty  gorge; 

Deep  in  the  black  abyss  a  rainbow  shone, 

Bright  steadfast  spirit  of  hope  in  this  chaotic  fall. 
We  saw  the  falls  by  moonlight,  also  very  beautiful  with  mystery. 
In  the  afternoon  we  were  taken  in  boats  manned  by  natives  in 
their  scant  costumes  to  Livingstone's  Island  in  the  middle  of  the 
falls,  where  the  great  traveller  had  made  a  garden.  A  tree  was 
pointed  out  on  Avhich  he  had  carved  his  name. 

Walking  on  the  river  bank  some  distance  above  the  falls,  where 
the  river  was  studded  with  islands  and  shoals  I  heard  a  great  splash 
and  saw  a  large  animal  (no  doubt  a  hippopotamus)  raise  its  head, 
and  then  disappear.  I  bathed  in  the  Zambesi  twice,  and  it  was 
delightful  to  feel  and  see  water  after  the  dreadfully  arid  country  we 
had  come  through. 

The  Victoria  Bridge,  the  highest  in  the  world  and  carrying  the 
railway  towards  distant  Cairo,  was  opened  by  the  President.  It 
was  here  that   occurred    perhaps   the    most   glaring   instance   of 


30  Mr.  John  Brown — 

separation  of  the  party  into  cliques  by  a  most  injudicious  manage- 
ment of  the  Association  authorities,  which  had  been  all  along  a 
great  blot  on  the  otherwise  harmonious  character  of  the  trip.  Only 
a  select  few  were  permitted  to  view  the  ceremony.  The  majority 
of  the  members  were  brought  to  the  bridge  and  there  held  back 
out  of  sight  by  a  military  cordon.  Among  many  other  such 
instances  might  be  given  the  high-handed  attempt  at  Capetown  to 
evict  the  less  distinguished  members  from  their  berths  on  the 
Durham  Castle  to  make  room  for  the  so-called  official  party  ;  also 
the  attempt  to  evade  promises  of  free  passes  to  certain  members  of 
the  party.  Both  of  these  latter  attempts  met  with  an  undignified 
but  well-deserved  collapvse.  The  berths  were  retained  and  the 
promises  kept.  This  matter  is  mentioned  to  show  that,  while  it 
is  desirable  to  induce  distinguished  people  to  join  these  far-away 
meetings,  it  is  the  reverse  to  emphasise  their  separation  into 
cliques.  The  business  capacity  and  organising  power  of  the  B.A. 
officials  was  also  sadly  lacking,  especially  when  compared  with  that 
of  the  local  officials. 

The  party  now  returned  to  Buluwayo,  and  divided,  some  going 
home  via  Capetown  and  the  rest  of  us  via  Beira  and  the  East 
Coast  in  the  Durham  Castle,  specially  chartered  for  the  trip, 
though  most  of  us  were  greatly  afraid  of  the  hot  Red  sea  or  red-hot 
sea,  as  it  was  sometimes  called.  We  called  at  Salisbury,  and 
enjoyed  a  well-arranged  luncheon,  and  we  also  spent  a  few  hours 
at  Umtali. 

I  endeavoured  to  ascertain  from  various  people  in  those  places 
what  were  the  agricultural  conditions  in  Rhodesia,  and  gathered 
that  so  far  there  were  difficulties  in  transport  and  want  of  markets 
and  in  disease  of  stock,  though  one  man  was  hopeful,  and  said  a 
settler  could  recoup  his  outlay  in  a  year  or  two.  The  unhealthiness 
of  the  country,  the  dust  and  dryness,  and  the  tendency  to  a  craving 
for  drink  were  mentioned. 

As  we  journeyed  eastward  into  Portuguese  territory  the 
vegetation  improved  till  near  the  coast  it  became  green  once  more. 
At  Beira  the  Portuguese  gave  us  a  most  hospitable  reception,  after 


Ulfk  the  British  Associatioji  iti  Africa.  31 

which  we  were  glad  to  embark,  and  sail  northwards  the  same 
afternoon,  calling  at  Mozambique  and  at  Mombasa,  a  very  pictur- 
esque island  and  town  among  tropical  foliage.  The  old  fort  had  a 
varied  history  and  is  now  a  prison.  The  soil  appeared  more 
fertile  on  the  Uganda  Protectorate,  at  least  where  they  were,  near 
the  coast,  as  it  usually  is  near  the  sea. 

I  have  almost  finished  but  as  we  now  leave  the  more  southern 
portion  of  Africa,  I  may  show  just  one  slide  illustrating  very 
generally  the  physiology  of  that  portion  of  the  Continent.  We  all 
know  this  familiar  and  frequent  flat  topped  hill,  a  common  object 
in  South  African  landscape.  The  theory  of  the  geologists  is  that 
the  original  surface  of  the  Country  was  formed  by  a  layer  of  hard 
dolerite  or  igneous  rock  such  as  seen  on  the  top  of  this  hill.  De- 
nudation by  torrential  rains  gradually  washed  away  the  softer  parts 
leaving  only  more  resisting  portions  forming  the  table  tops  of  these 
kopjes.  This  denudation  reduced  the  level  of  the  surface  of  the 
land  to  the  present  veldt,  which  although  to  appearance  seems  to  be 
an  irregular  plain  is  really  made  up  of  a  number  of  very  shallow 
valleys,  making  up  what  the  geologists  call  a  peni-plain  that  is 
almost  a  plain.  Each  of  these  valleys  drains  into  a  larger  valley 
and  so  ultimately  into  one  of  the  permanent  rivers,  l^own  these 
rivers  the  soil  or  sand  or  stuff  forming  the  difference  in  height  from 
the  original  level  has  been  swept  during  ages  into  the  sea. 

It  will  be  clear  that  such  a  peni-plain  must  have  originally 
terminated  on  or  near  the  sea  level  but  at  present  the  veldt  is 
several  thousand  feet  above  the  sea  and  it  is  therefore  thought 
that  after  the  peni-plain  was  formed  either  the  whole  continent 
rose  or  the  sea  sank.  The  former  seems  to  be  more  probable. 
Denudation  is  now  again  going  on  along  the  coast  line  and  very 
beautiful  examples  of  the  formation  of  these  branching  valleys 
with  their  watercourses  on  the  hill  side  may  be  seen  from  the 
railway  line  running  up  through  Natal. 

An  unexpected  delay  gave  us  leisure  to  see  Cairo  and  a  bit  of 
Egypt.  I  seemed  to  see  in  these  two  protectorates  how  well  the 
Englishman  could  organise  a  country  when  he  was  more  free  from 


32   Mr.  John  Brotvn — With  the  British  Association  in  Africa. 

the  interference  at  every  step  by  the  home  Government  and  its 
parties  and  red  tape. 

We  got  cool  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  saw  StromboH  firing  out 
his  incandescent  ashes  and  lava.  We  passed  Gibraltar  after  night- 
fall, flashing  its  slow-sweeping  searchlights  like  two  eyes  of  the  old 
lion  guarding  the  narrow  seas,  and  arrived  at  Southampton  on  the 
24th  October,  much  pleased  with  our  delightful  trip. 

Professor  Symington  expressed  thanks  to  Mr.  Brown  for  his 
admirable  lecture,  and  the  lecturer  appropriately  replied. 


33 


6th  March,  igoo. 


Professor  Johnson  Symington,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  F.R.S.E. 
in  the  chair. 


MAGIC  IN  THE  GREEK  AND  ROMAN  WORLD 
By  R.  M.  Henry,  M.A. 


(Abstract. ) 


The  history  of  primitive  Magic  has  of  late  years  assumed  an 
increased  importance  in  view  of  its  bearing  upon  the  question  of 
the  origin  of  religion,  many  authorities  holding  that  all  primitive 
religions  are  based  in  the  last  resort  upon  Magic.  By  Magic  is 
understood  the  savage  principle  of  thought  that  like  produces  like 
and  the  practices  (such  as  rain  making,  healing  diseases  by 
homoeopathic  ceremonies  and  the  like)  to  which  it  gave  rise. 
There  are  many  survivals  of  this  primitive  stage  of  thought  to  be 
found  in  the  practices  described  by  such  writers  as  Lucian  and  the 
Elder  Pliny.  Many  of  these  ceremonies  were  accompanied  by 
spells  which  at  a  primitive  period  were  merely  statements  that  the 
desired  effect  had  been  or  would  be  produced.  With  a  growth  of 
a  belief  in  gods  spells  tended  to  become  prayers,  though  the  old 
form  still  survived  side  by  side  with  the  later.  In  the  spells  of  the 
Magical  Papyri  of  Paris,  Berlin,  Leyden,  and  London  several 
varieties  can  be  discriminated.  The  long  lines  of  unintelligible 
formulae  contain  many  words  of  Egyptian,  Babylonian,  and  Hebrew 
origin,  pointing  to  borrowing  with  more  or  less  intelligence  from 
the  magical  practices  of  these  nations.  The  rows  of  letters  of  the 
alphabet  are  the  relics  of  a  superstitious  veneration  for  alphabetical 
signs,  which  must  have  arisen  with  the  invention  of  writing  :  the 
employment  of  the  alphabet  as  a  spell  to  ward  off  evil  demons  is 
found  alike  in  the  ruins  of  Pompeii  and  in  the  Catacombs.  A 
third  class  of  spells  in  the  Papyri  are  prayers  to  Apollo  or  Hekate. 


34  Mr.  R.   M.  Henry  on 

Astrological  theories  and  the  belief  in  malignant  spirits  had 
peopled  both  heaven  and  earth  in  the  popular  estimation  with 
hostile  powers  of  evil  and  many  magical  ceremonies  were  invented 
and  propagated  to  protect  mankind  from  their  resentment  and 
hostility.  This  was  one  of  the  beliefs  taken  over  by  the  Church 
from  its  heathen  neighbou'-s.  The  possibility  of  demoniac 
possession  was  universally  admitted  and  it  was  held  to  be  possible 
.for  a  magician  to  send  a  spirit  to  inhabit  the  body  of  one  over 
whom  the  magician  wished  to  gain  power.  The  destruction  of 
one's  enemies  was  a  common  object  of  magical  procedure.  The 
leaden  defixiones,  found  in  hundreds  throughout  the  countries 
comprised  in  the  Roman  Empire,  which  were  inscribed  with  the 
name  of  the  person  to  be  cursed  and  deposited  in  a  grave,  are  proof 
of  the  universality  of  such  practices.  They  were  used  by  trades- 
men in  the  hope  of  injuring  their  rivals,  by  litigants  against  their 
opponents,  wives  against  faithless  husbands  and  vice-versa.  A  large 
number  were  drawn  up  by  charioteers  with  a  view  to  secure  the 
victory  over  their  opponents  in  the  races  in  the  great  amphitheatres 
of  Rome  and  Carthage.  The  death  of  an  enemy  was  also  supposed 
to  follow  the  manufacture  of  a  leaden  image  representing  him  which 
was,  with  appropiate  ceremonies,  hidden  in  a  grave  or  flung  into  the 
sea.  Some  of  these  leaden  images  are  still  extant.  Similar 
ceremonies  with  waxen  images  could  secure  the  affection  of  a 
beloved  person  :  such  ceremonies  are  described  by  Theocritus, 
Vergil,  and  Lucian.  To  this  love  magic,  in  itself  harmless,  was 
added  the  belief  in  demons,  and  the  horrible  practice  arose  of 
attempting  to  secure  affection  by  causing  the  object  of  one's  desires 
to  be  possessed  by  a  demon  which  brought  its  victim  under 
complete  control.  Many  curious  stories  of  such  practices  are 
recorded  and  not  the  least  curious  are  those  in  which  monks  and 
priests  undertake  to  exorcise  the  demon,  never  questioning  the 
reality  of  his  presence  in  the  victim. 

Often  the  arts  of  the  magician  were  directed  towards  the 
attainment  of  useful  ends,  such  as  the  healing  of  sickness  or  the 
banishing    of    serpents  ;    often    they   were   employed    for   purely 


Magic  in  the  Greek  a  fid  Roman  Jl'orid.  35 

frivolous  or  spectacular  purposes,  such  as  walking  on  the  water  or 
flying  through  the  air.  St.  Peter  is  credited  with  having  on  one 
occasion  banished  the  demons  who  were  supporting  a  follower  of 
Simon  Magus  in  the  air,  with  the  result  that  the  unfortunate  man 
was  dashed  to  pieces.  Many  modern  customs  and  ceremonies,  of 
which  more  edifying  explanations  are  current,  are  really  survivals 
of  the  use  of  magic  and  of  the  belief  in  demons  ;  and  the  study 
of  such  superstitions  is  not  without  both  an  historical  and  an 
ethical  value. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  lecture  Professor  Lindsay,  Mr.  J- 
Brown,  and  other  members  complimented  Mr.  Henry  upon  the 
excellence  of  his  paper. 


36 


REPORT     ON     THE     WORK     OF     THE     MARINE 

LABORATORY,     LARNE     HARBOUR. 

By.  Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  D.Sc,  M.R.I. A. 


(Abstract.) 


Dr.  Gregg  Wilson's  paper  dealt  with  the  work  of  the  Marine 
Laboratory,   Larne   Harbour,  and  he  began  by  referring  to  the 
equipment  of  the  Association.     He  stated  that  the  launch  was  in 
better  condition  for  work  than  ever  before  owing  to  the  kindness 
of  Mr.  Jack,  of  Larne  Harbour,  who  had  provided  a  number  of 
new  parts.     The  laboratory  had  been  maintained  in  good  working 
order,  and  the  new  naturalist  (Mr.  WoUaston)  had  carried  on  the 
routine  work  of  the  Association  most  efificiently.     Research  work 
had  been  steadily  gone  on  with,  old  investigations  having  been 
continued,  and   new   started.     Work   at   the   herring   had   been 
pursued,   and  now  the  observations   were  specially   directed   to 
determine   the  distinctions  between    different   varieties   and   age 
distinctions.     Drift  work  had  also  been  continued  by  Mr.  C.  M. 
Cunningham,  with  increasingly  interesting  results.     Apparatus  for 
securing  information  as  to  the  movements  of  bottom  waters  had 
been  devised,  and  examination  of  all  the  records  showed  more  and 
more  clearly  that  there  was  a  definite  set  of   currents  in  certain 
directions.     Systematic  work  at  the  various  groups  of  organisms 
continued,  and  some  of  the  results  were  now  in  print. 

Mr.  Pearson,  the  former  naturalist  of  the  Association,  had  had  the 
first  part  of  his  account  of  the  Copepoda  of  Ireland  published, 
and  the  second  part  was  now  in  the  printer's  hands.  Mr.  Adams's 
paper  on  "  The  Algas  of  Antrim  "  had  also  been  completed,  and 
and  was  ready  for  issue  to  the  members.  Mr.  G.  C.  Gough  had 
finished  an  account  of  the  "  Foraminifera  of  Larne  District," 
which  was  also  in  the  printer's  hands,  while  Mr.  Joseph  Wright  was 
engaged  on  what  might  well  be  his  tnagnuin  opus,  an  account  of 
the  Foraminifera  of  Ireland.      Mr.  WoUaston,  the  naturalist  of  the 


Report  on  the  Work  of  the  Alarine  Laboratory^  Lame  LLarbonr.  37 

Association,  had  successfully  devoted  himself  to  the  Tunicata,  a 
group  greatly  neglected,  but  of  much  interest.  Other  members  of 
the  Association  had  added  to  their  lists  of  Crustacea,  sponges, 
Annelida,  &c.  New  work  of  various  kinds  was  next  referred  to. 
Mussels  had  been  dealt  with  by  Dr.  Carnwath,  who  studied  those 
found  in  Belfast  Lough,  and  watched  the  changes  in  their  bacterial 
contents  when  removed  to  Larne.  He  found  a  rapid  decline  in 
bacteria  that  indicated  sewage  contamination.  His  results  had 
been  embodied  in  a  paper  that  would  soon  be  published.  Dr. 
John  Milroy  had  undertaken  a  laborious  investigation  of  the 
glycogen  present  in  oysters  of  different  beds  at  different  times  of 
the  year.  The  object  was  to  help  in  determining  the  time  when 
Irish  oysters  were  in  best  condition.  The  Association  had  also 
decided  to  make  experiments  in  oyster-fattening  on  the  lines  of 
work  successfully  carried  out  by  the  fisheries  branch  of  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  elsewhere  in  Ireland.  It  was  proposed 
to  lay  down  a  number  of  small  oysters  in  "  caisses  "  to  study  their 
growth,  and  ascertain  if,  as  is  probable,  successful  rearing  could 
be  carried  on  in  Larne  Lough.  The  oysters  experimented  with 
would  be  examined  periodically  by  a  chemist  and  a  bacteriologist, 
so  that  the  fullest  information  might  be  available  as  to  their 
condition.  Mr.  W.  H.  Gallway  had  undertaken  another  important 
addition  to  the  economic  work  of  the  x-lssociation.  He  would 
label  a  large  number  of  fish  and  return  them  to  the  sea,  so  that  if 
they  were  recaptured  something  might  be  known  of  their  migrations. 
In  Scotland  and  elsewhere  such  work  had  yielded  valuable 
information  as  to  the  definite  and  periodic  movements.  Another 
new  departure  has  been  made  by  Mr.  G.  C.  Gough,  who  was 
engaged  studying  the  bottom  deposits  from  various  parts  of  the 
Irish  coast.  Samples  taken  by  the  dredge  were  sent  by  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  for  examination,  and  Mr  Gough  was 
thus  enabled  to  engage  in  work  that  was  alike  of  value  to  the 
biologist  and  of  interest  to  the  geologist.  The  Association's 
great  object  of  ambition  was  a  good  laboratory,  with  an  aquarium 
attached.     The  value  of  the  ac^uarium  for  educational  purposes 


38  Report  0)1  the  Work  of  the  Marine  Laboratory,  Lame  LLarboiir. 

would  be  very  great,  and  it  was  thought  that  it  would  be  taken 
advantage  of  for  teachers'  classes,  and  similar  purposes,  as  was  the 
case  with  such  institutions  in  England  and  Scotland. 

The  lecture  was  illustrated  by  lantern  illustrations,  which  added 
additional  interest  to  it. 

A  vote  of  thanks,  moved  by  Mr.  Garrett  Nagle,  R.M.,  and 
seconded  by  Mr.  John  Horner,  was  passed  to  Professor  Gregg 
Wilson. 


2'/th  April,  igoS- 


Sir  Otto  Jaffe.  J. P.,  in  the  chair. 


Two  Papers  were  read  by 

W.  C.  Martin,   M.I.E.  &  S.,  A.M.I.E.E. 


THE  TELEAUTOGRAPH 

For  the  Electrical  transmission  of  Facsimile  Writings  and  Drawings. 


FRAHM'S    INDICATOR 

For  indicating  speed  of  Machinery,  or  the  frequency  of  alternating 
Electric  Currents. 


ANNUAL  Rl'l'URT,  1905-6. 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society  was  held  on  14th 
September,  1906,  in  the  Museum,  College  Square  North. 
In  the  absence  of  the  President  (Professor  Johnson  Symington), 
the  chair  was  occupied  by  the  President  of  the  Queen's  College 
(Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton),  and  amongst  those  present  were  Rev.  J. 
Lamont  Orr,  M.A.  ;  Professor  Morton,  M.A. ;  Dr.  W.  Calwell; 
Dr.  J.  M.  MacCormac,  and  Messrs.  Robert  Young,  J.P. ;  R.  M. 
Young,  B.A.,  J.P.  (Hon.  Secretary);  Seaton  F.  Milligan,  J.P.  ; 
George  Kidd,  J.P.  ;  John  Brown,  F.R.S,  ;  John  Carson;  R.  A. 
Kyle  ;  Joseph  Wright,  F.G.S.  ;  John  M.  Finnegan,  B.Sc,  B.A. ; 
John  Smith,  C.E.  ;  Robert  Patterson,  M.R  LA.  ;  Nevin  H.  Foster; 
H.  C.  Montgomery;  ^V.  Faren  ;  William  Gray,  M.R. LA.  ;  Isaac 
W.  Ward  ;  John  Horner  ;  A.  H.  Muir,  C.A.  ;  and  A.  H.  Milligan. 
The  notice  convening  the  meeting  having  been  read. 

The  Hon.  Secretary  submitted  the  Annual  Report,  which  was 
as  follows  : — 

The  Winter  Session  was  opened  in  the  Museum  on  the  7th 
November,  1905,  when  an  illustrated  lecture  was  given  by  Mr. 
Arthur  H.  Muir,  C.A.,  subject  "  Belfast  Civic  Undertakings." 

The  Second  Meeting  was  held  on  the  5th  December,  when  an 
illustrated  lecture  was  kindly  delivered  by  Mr.  W.  F.  de  Vismes 
Kane,  M.A.,  D.L.,  subject  '•  Prehistoric  Man  in  Southern  France." 

The  Third  Meeting  was  held  on  the  5th  January,  1906,  when 
Professor  J.  W.  Byers,  M.A.,  M.D.,  lectured  on  "Ulster  Sayings 
and  Folk-lore."  Sir  James  Henderson,  M.A.,  D.L  (Vice-President), 
presided. 

The  Fourth  Meeting  was  held  on  the  9th  February,  in  Grosvenor 
Hall,  when  Mr.  John  Brown,  F.R.S. ,  delivered  a  popular  scientific 
lecture,  subject  "  With  the  British  Association  in  Africa." 


40  Annual  Meeting. 

The  Fifth  Meeting  was  held  on  the  6th  March,  when  the 
following  papers  were  read  : — (i)  "  Magic  in  the  Greek  and  Roman 
World,"  by  Mr.  R.  M.  Henry,  M.A.  ;  (2)  "  Report  on  the  Work 
of  the  Marine  Laboratory,  Lame  Harbour,"  with  lantern  illustrations 
by  Professor  Gregg  Wilson,  D.Sc,  M.R.LA. 

The  concluding  meeting  took  place  on  the  27th  April,  when  an 
illustrated  lecture  was  kindly  delivered  by  Mr.  W.  C.  Martin, 
Electrical  Engineer,  Glasgow,  subject  "  The  Teleautograph,  and 
Frahm's  Indicator." 

There  was  a  large  attendance  of  the  members  and  of  the  general 
public  at  these  meetings.  The  different  societies  holding  their 
meetings  in  the  Museum  show  no  diminution.  As  usual,  the 
Museum  was  thrown  open  to  the  public  on  Easter  Monday  and 
Tuesday  at  a  nominal  charge,  but  the  attendance  was  not  so  large 
as  usual,  mainly  owing  to  weather.  No  damage  was  done  to  any 
of  the  collections. 

Some  valuable  donations  have  enriched  the  Museum  during  the 
year.  Foremost  amongst  these  is  the  Battersby  Collection  of 
British  Insects,  presented  by  Mrs.  Battersby,  Cromlyn,  Rathowen, 
Westmeath.  Some  are  of  considerable  rarity,  and  the  collection  is 
enhanced  by  the  fact  that  many  of  the  specimens  were  captured  in 
Ireland.  This  series  of  insects  is  kept  as  a  separate  collection  and 
is  well  displayed  in  five  small  cabinets,  with  thirty-five  drawers,  and 
is  always  available  for  inspection  by  those  interested  in  entomology. 
There  has  also  been  received  on  loan  from  Mr.  Osborne  Grimshaw, 
Portrush,  a  most  interesting  coUecticMi  of  specimens  of  Zulu  bead- 
work,  consisting  of  headdresses,  necklaces,  beads,  etc.  It  illustrates 
one  aspect  of  the  habits  of  this  African  race  in  the  primitive  state 
when  unaffected  by  contact  with  European  civilisation. 

Since  the  last  annual  meeting  the  Society  has  to  deplore  the  loss 
of  two  of  its  oldest  and  most  respected  members.  Mr.  John 
Anderson,  J. P.,  was  a  member  of  Council  and  Treasurer  for  many 
years.  Sir  Robert  Lloyd  Patterson,  D.L.,  F.L.S.,  had  been 
associated  closely  with  the  Society  for  very  many  years,  at  first  as 
Joint-Secretary  and  twice  as  President  for  terms  of  two  years  each 


Annual  Meeting.  41 

in  1 88 1  and  1894.  He  frequently  contributed  papers  on  various 
subjects  of  zoology,  especially  ornithology,  and  was  always  ready 
to  aid  the  Society  by  every  means  in  his  power.  Your  Council 
have  co-opted  Sir  Otto  Jaffe  to  fill  his  place  on  the  Council  and  as 
Vice-President.  The  resignation  of  Mr.  W.  H.  F.  Patterson  from 
the  Council  was  received  with  much  regret,  and  Mr.  Nevin  H. 
P'oster  was  co-opted  in  his  stead.  A  large  number  of  valuable 
publications  issued  by  the  various  learned  societies  who  exchange 
their  transactions  with  ours,  have  been  received  and  are  available 
to  every  member. 

In  accordance  with  the  constitution  of  the  Society,  five  members 
of  Council  retire  from  office,  all  of  whom  are  eligible  for  re-election — 
Messrs.  Nevin  H.  Foster;  Professor  Johnson  Symington,  F.R.S.  ; 
Robert  M.  Young,  J. P.  ;  President  Hamilton,  D.D.,  LL.D.  ;  and 
Sir  Otto  Jaffe,  J. P. 

Mr.  John  Horner  referred  to  the  statement  of  accounts,  which 
showed  that  there  was  a  balance  of  ^26  8s.  5d.  due  the  Treasurer. 
That,  he  said  was  to  some  extent  due  to  the  small  number  of 
admissions  at  Easter  and  to  the  falling  off  in  some  of  their 
subscriptions,  but  he  believed  that  before  the  present  year's 
working  was  completed  they  would  have  the  debit  completely 
wiped  out  and  the  balance  on  the  right  side. 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the  Annual  Report 
and  Statement  of  Accounts,  said  it  seemed  to  him  of  increasing 
importance  in  Belfast  that  they  should  have  a  Society  such  as  that 
to  form  a  meeting-place  for  men  and  women  who  are  interested  in 
various  branches  of  science,  and  to  preserve  collections  illustrative 
of  those  branches.  He  trusted  that  no  matter  what  changes  may 
come,  in  the  direction  either  of  consolidating  the  museums  of 
Belfast,  or  in  any  other  direction,  the  time  would  never  arrive  when 
that  old  Society,  which  had  for  so  many  years  occupied  such  an, 
honourable  place  in  the  city,  and  which  he  took  leave  to  say  had 
done  such  admirable  work,  would  cease  to  exist.  None  of 
them,  he  was  sure,  would  be  averse  from  seeing  the  valuable 
collections  which  were  housed  underneath  that  roof  made  more 


42  Annual  Meeting. 

generally  available  for  public  use  under  proper  conditions.  He 
was  not  certain  if  their  Society  had  the  power  to  dispose  of  those 
collections.  That  would  be  a  matter  which  would  have  to  be 
inquired  into.  The  subject  did  not  at  present  come  before  them, 
but  he  simply  repeated  that  for  his  part  he  would  deeply  regret  the 
coming  of  the  time  when  the  Society  either  ceased  to  exist  or 
ceased  to  perform  the  various  important  functions  which  for  so 
long  a  period  it  had  discharged  so  well.  The  Rep(jrt  showed  that 
during  the  past  session  the  work  of  the  Society  was  carried  on  with 
its  usual  vigour  and  he  thought  he  might  say  its  usual  success.  He 
had  the  pleasure  of  being  present  at  some  of  the  meetings  at  which 
there  were  discussed  subjects  of  all  kinds  in  connection  with  various 
branches  of  science  so  as  to  cater  for  the  different  aptitudes  and 
likings  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city — a  very  proper  and  important 
arrangement  and  he  knew  of  the  success  which  attended  them.  In 
his  opinion  a  good  deal  of  the  success  of  last  year's  working  was 
due  to  the  labour  of  their  excellent  President.  Professor  Symington 
was  one  of  the  busiest  men  in  Belfast,  but  in  his  case  they  had  an 
illustration  of  the  well  known  fact  that  if  they  wanted  anything 
done  they  had  better  go  to  a  busy  man  to  get  it  accomplished. 
He  had  given  himself  to  the  work  of  that  Society  with  extreme 
ardour  and  much  success.  An  ardent  votary  of  science  himself,  it 
was  his  pleasure  to  see  not  only  the  particular  branch  with  which 
his  name  was  associated,  but  all  branches  furthered  and  advanced  in 
the  city.  There  was  only  one  feature  in  the  Annual  Report  which 
caused  them  all  the  deepest  regret.  He  referred  to  the  announce- 
ment of  the  deaths  of  two  of  their  oldest  members — Mr.  John 
Anderson  and  Sir  Robert  Lloyd  Patterson.  Both  of  them  had 
been  long  connected  with  that  institution,  and  both  of  them  took 
a  deep  interest  in  its  affairs.  He  had  not  the  pleasure  of  being 
intimately  acquainted  with  Mr.  Anderson,  though  he  knew  well 
how  greatly  indebted  various  literary  and  scientific  organizations  in 
Belfast  were  to  him.  But  it  was  his  privilege  for  many  years  to  be 
on  intimate  terms  of  friendship  with  the  late  Sir  Robert  Lloyd 
Patterson,  and  on  personal  grounds  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of  the 


Annual  Meetitii;'.  43 

Society,  he  deeply  regretted  the  fact  that  they  would  see  his  face 
no  more.  Everyone  who  knew  him  as  a  friend  not  only  valued 
but  loved  him,  and  every  Belfastman  also  knew  and  rejoiced  that 
the  old  and  honoured  name  of  Robert  Patterson  gained  increased 
honour  in  his  person.  It  was  not  necessary  for  him  to  tell  them 
that  Sir  Robert  was  one  of  their  foremost  ornithologists,  or  how- 
well  he  carried  on  the  old  traditions  which  were  associated  so  long 
with  the  name  of  AN'illiam  Thompson,  and  which  had  shed  such 
lustre  not  merely  on  their  Society,  but  on  the  whole  North  of 
Ireland.  He  trusted  that  the  loss  of  such  eminent  members  might 
stir  up  others  to  come  forward  and  take  their  place  in  maintaining 
the  interests  of  a  body  with  which  were  so  intimately  bound  up  the 
interests  of  science  in  their  city. 

Mr.  John  Smith  seconded  the  adoption  of  the  Report,  which 
was  agreed  to  unanimously. 

Mr.  William  Gray  moved  the  re-election  of  the  retiring  members 
of  Council — President  Hamilton,  Sir  Otto  Jaffe,  Professor 
Symington,  Mr.  Nevin  H.  Foster,  and  Mr.  R.  M.  Young.  He 
(Mr.  Gray)  believed  that  the  question  of  the  amalgamation  of  the 
museums  must  come  before  the  public  in  a  very  short  time,  and 
in  his  opinion  the  time  had  arrived  when  it  would  be  judicious  for 
the  public  to  take  steps  in  that  direction  with  a  view  to  the  Society's 
collections  becoming  part  and  parcel  of  the  municipal  museum. 
Overtures,  however,  in  connection  with  such  an  arrangement  ought 
to  come  from  the  public,  not  from  the  Society. 

Mr.  A.  H.  Muir  seconded  the  motion,  which  was  passed. 

On  the  motion  of  Dr.  Calwell,  seconded  by  Mr.  H.  C. 
Montgomery,  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to  President 
Hamilton  for  presiding. 

Mr.  George  Kidd  said  he  hoped  it  would  not  be  permitted  to 
go  out  from  that  meeting  that  the  Shareholders  would  be  likely  to 
adopt  a  resolution  transferring  the  Society's  collection  to  the 
Corporatif)n.  He  had  seen  in  the  "  Northern  ^^"hig  "  that  morning 
a  letter  from  a  Shareholder,  who  put  forward  as  one  of  the  chief 
reasons  for  taking  such  a  step  the  great  price  which  the  Shareholders 


44  Annual  Meeti7ig. 

would  obtain  for  their  shares.  It  would  be  a  poor  testimonial  to 
the  Society  as  it  existed  at  present  and  a  poor  tribute  to  the 
memories  of  the  men  who  had  built  it  up  in  the  past  to  think  for 
a  moment  of  scattering  their  collection  for  such  a  reason  as  this. 
How  any  person  could  think  that  the  collection  of  the  Society 
would  be  better  in  the  hands  of  the  Corporation  was  more  than  he 
could  understand.  From  a  pretty  long  recollection  of  the  Cor- 
poration he  must  say  he  thought  the  Museum  would  be  better  in 
its  present  location.  The  Corporation  ought  to  establish,  and 
doubtless  would  establish,  a  municipal  museum,  but  he  did  not 
think  it  at  all  likely  that  the  contents  ot  the  Society's  Museum 
would  ever  be  allowed  by  the  Shareholders  to  be  handed  over  to 
it.  The  Society  was  well  able  to  keep  its  collection,  and  to  talk  of 
maintaining  the  Society  and  handing  over  its  collection  was  a 
dangerous  suggestion,  the  carrying  out  of  which  would  weaken,  if 
not  extinguish  altogether  the  Society.  He  took  the  liberty  of 
suggesting  that  the  Shareholders  present  should  be  allowed  to  give 
expression  to  their  views  on  the  subject. 

The  Chairman  said  he  had  not  liked  to  interrupt  Mr.  Kidd  in 
his  remarks,  but  the  business  for  which  they  had  been  summoned 
had  been  concluded,  and  it  would  not  be  in  order  now  to  launch 
out  into  a  discussion  such  as  was  proposed.  The  Society  might 
depend  upon  it  that  the  Council  would  take  no  step  in  the  matter 
without  calling  the  members  together,  and  giving  them  the  most 
ample  opportunity  of  considering  the  subject  in  all  its  bearings. 

Mr.  Muir  said  the  letter  referred  to  by  Mr.  Kidd  suggested  that 
the  Shareholders  were  anxious  to  make  a  profit  for  themselves  out 
of  the  collection.  He  wished  to  protest  against  this  suggestion. 
Nothing  was  further  from  their  thoughts  than  to  seek  their  own 
personal  advantage  in  this  matter. 

In  reply  to  Mr.  Kyle,  Mr.  Horner  said  there  were  i6o  Share- 
holders and  about  20  Subscribers  in  the  Society. 

The  matter  then  dropped,  and  the  Meeting  terminated. 

The  Officers  of  the  Society  for  the  year  were  elected  by  the 
Council  after  the  Annual  Meeting:— President,  Sir  Otto  Jaffe,  J.P.; 


Annual  Meeting.  4^ 

Vice-Presidents,  Sir  James  Henderson,  D.L.,  Rev.  President 
Hamilton,  Robert  Patterson,  M.R.I.A.,  VV.  Swanston,  F.G.S.  ; 
Hon.  Treasurer,  John  Horner,  J.P.  ;  Hon.  Librarian,  John  H. 
Davies  ;  Hon.  Secretary,^R.  M.  Young,  B.A.,  J.P. 


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47 


DONATIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM,   ist  MAY,  1905,    TILL 
I  St  MAY,   1906. 


From  Mr.  AV.    Campbell. 
Seven    old    newspapers — The   Belfast  Neivs-Letter — dates    181 2- 

13-14-15- 

From  Mr.  Robert  Welch,  M.R.I.A. 
Five  specimens  of  Trochus  zizyphifius,  from  Portaferry,  Strangford 
Lough,  and  three   specimens  of  Achatina   ca'cilloides^     from 
Co.  Kilkenny. 

From  Mr.  Joseph    AVright,  F.G.S. 
Specmien  of  Primary  Limestone,  covered  with  cup-shaped  hollows 
on  the  surface,  from  Sessiagh  Lough,   North  Donegal. 

Frotn  Mr.  Graham  Renshaw,  Manchester. 
Seventeen  photo  engravings  of  natural  history  objects. 

Fro7n  Mrs.  Battersby,  Cromlyn,  Rathowen,   Westmeath. 
Five  cabinets  of  British  insects. 

From  Mr.  J-  P-  Barrett,  Margate,  Kent. 
Seventy  specimens  of  Lepidoptera. 

From  Mr.  Seaton  F.   Milligan,  M.R.I.A.,  J.P. 
A  specimen  of  the  sea-mouse  (Aphrodita  aculeata),  from  Bangor. 


ADDITIONS    TO   THE    LIBRARY,    ist    MAY,    1905,    till 
1ST   MAY,   1906. 


From 
Adelaide. — Memoirs  of  the   Royal   Society  of  South  Austrah'a. 
Vol.  r,  part  3,  and  Transactions.     Vol.  29,  1905. 

The  Society. 
Albany. — Fifty  sixth    Annual    Re[)ort    of  the    New    York  State 
Museum.     Vols.  2 — 4,  1904. 

University  of  the  State  of  Neiv  York. 
Ann  Arbor. — Fifth  Report  of  the  Michigan  Academy  of  Science, 
1904,  and  Seventh  Report,  1905. 

The  Academy. 
Basel. — Verhandlungen   der   Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft    in 
Basel.     Vol.   18,  part   i,  1905,  and  part  2,   1906. 

The  Society. 
Bergen. — Bergens  Museums  Aarbog,  parts   i — 3,  1905,  and  part 

2,  1906.  The  Director. 

Bologna. — -Rendiconto  della  R.  Accademia  delle  Scienze  dell' 
Istituto  di  Bologna.     Vols.  5 — 8,  1901 — 1904. 

21ie  Institute. 
Boston. — Memoirs  of  the  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History. 
Vol.  5,  No.  10,  1903,  No.  II,  1904,  and  Vol.  6, 
No.  I,  1906.  Proceedings.  Vol.  31,  Nos.  2 — 5, 
1903,  Nos.  6  —  10,  1904,  aud  Vol.  32,  Nos.  i  and 
2,  1904 ;  also  Occasional  Pa[)ers,  Vol.  7,  Nos. 
I — 3,  1904.  The  Society. 

Bremen. — Abhandlungen  Herausgegeben  vom  Naturwissen- 
schaftlichen  Verein  Zu  Bremen.  Vol.  18,  part 
I,  1905.  The  Society. 


49 

Bresi.au. — Zeitschiift  fiir  Entomologie  voni  \'erein  fur  Sclessichc 
Tnsektenkunde.     New  series,  part  30,  1905. 

The  Society. 
Brighton. — Abstracts  and  Annual  Report  of  Brighton  and  Hove 
Natural     History     and     Phllosophieal     Society, 
1905.  The  Society. 

Brisbane. — Annals  of  Queensland  Museum,  No.  6,  1905. 

The  Director. 
Brooklyn. —  Science  Bulletin  of  f5rooklyn  Institute  of  Arts  and 
Sciences.     Vol.   i,  Nos.  5 — 7,    1905,  and   Cold 
Springs  Harbour  Monographs,  Nos.  3 — 5,  1905. 

The  Institute. 
Brussels. — Bulletin    de   la    Societe    Royale   de    Botanique    de 
Belgique.       Vol.   41,  part   i,    1905,  and  vol.  42, 
parts  I  and  2,  1905.  The  Society. 

„        Annales  de    la    Societe    Entomologique    de    Belgique. 

Vol.  49,  1905.  The  Society. 

„        Annales  de  la  Societe    Royal   Zoologique    et    Malaco- 
logique  de  Belgique.     Vol,  39,  1905, 

The  Society. 
Buenos  Ayres. — Anales  del  Museo  Nacional  de  Buenos  Aires. 
Ser.  3,  vol.  3,  1904,  and  vols.  4  and  5,  1904- — 5. 

The  Director 
Calcutta. — Memoirs     of     the     Geological     Survey     of     India 
(Palaeontologia  Indica).    New  ser.,  vol.2,  Memoir 
2,    1905,  and  Records,  vol.  22,  parts  2 — 4,  1905, 
and  vol.  23,  part  i,  1906.  The  Director. 

Cambridge. — Proceedings  of  Cambridge    Philosophical   Society. 
Vol.  13,  parts  2  and  3,  1905,  and  part  4,  1906. 

The  Society. 
Cambridge,  Mass. — Bulletin  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative 
Zoology.  Vol.  46,  parts  4 — 10,  1905,  and  parts 
II  — 13,  1906;  vol.  47,  1905;  vol.  48,  part  ;> 
1905,  and  part  2,  1906;  vol.  49,  parts  i — 3' 
1906  ;  also  Report  of  Curator  for  1905. 

The  Keeper  of  the  Museuf?i. 


50 

Cardiff. — Transactions  of  Cardiff  Naturalists'  Society.     Vol,  27, 

1904,  and  vol.  28,  1905.  The  Society. 
Cassel. — Abhandlungen  des  Vereins  fiir  Naturkunde  zu  Cassel, 

1905.  The  Soeiety. 
Chicago. — Bulletin  of  Chicago  Academy  of  Sciences.      Nos.   3 

and  5,  1902;  also  Special  Publications,   No.    i, 

1902.  Tlie  Academy. 

Christianfa. — Forhandlinger  i  Videnskabs-Selskabet  iChristiania, 

for  year  1904. 

The  Royal  Norske  Frederiks  University. 
Cincinnati. — Bulletin  of  the  Lloyd  Library,     No.   7,  1903,  and 

8,  1905,  and  Mycological  Notes,  1904. 
Colorado  Springs. — Colorado  College  Studies.     Six   numbers, 

1904 — 6.         Colorado  College  Scientific  Society. 
Costa  Rica. — Anales  del  Institute  Fisico-Geographico  Nacional 

de  Costa  Rica.     Vol  9,  1896. 

TJie  Institute. 

iJANTZic. — Schriften  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in  Danzig 
Vol.  II,  part  3,  1905.  The  Society. 

Davenport,  Iowa.  —  Proceedings  of  Davenport  Academy  of 
Sciences.     Vol.  9,  1 904.  The  Academy. 

Dresden. —Jahresbericht  der  Gesellschaft  fiir  Natur  und  Heil- 
kunde  in  Dresden,  1905.  The  Society. 

Dublin.— Scientific  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Societ)'. 
Ser.  2,  vol.  8,  parts  6-12,  1904;  parts  13 — 16, 
1905  ;  and  vol.  9,  part  i,  1905  ;  and  part  2,  1906. 
Scientific  Proceedings,  New  Series,  vol.  10,  part 
2,  1904,  and  part  3,  1905.  Vol.  11,  parts  i-  5, 
1905,  and  Nos.  6  and  7,  1906.  Also  Economical 
Proceedings.     Vol.   i,  parts  5-7,  1904 — 6. 

The  Society. 

Edinburgh.  -Tian.sactions  and  Proceedings  of  the  Botanical 
Society  of  Edinburgh.     Vol.  23,  part  i,  1905. 

The  Society. 


51 

Edinburgh — Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh. 
Vol.  24,  1902-3,  and  vol.  25,  part.s  i  and  2, 
1904-5,  The  Society. 

„  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Physical  Society.      Vol. 

16,  No.  3,  1905,  and  Nos.  4  and  5,  1906. 

The  Society. 

Emi)f:n  —  Jahresbericht    der    Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft    in 

Emden,  1905.  The  Society. 

Gkno.'V. — Rivista  Liguere  di  Scienze,  Letture,   ed  Arti  Anno  27, 
fasc.      2 — 6,  1905,  and  anno  28,  fasc.  i,  1906. 
Societa  Letture  e  Conversazione  Scientifiche . 
GiESSEN. — Bericht  der  Oberhessichen  Gesellschaft  fiir  Natur  und 

Heilkunde,  1905.  2 he  Society. 

Glasgow. — Proceedings    of  the  Royal  Philosophical  Society  of 

Glasgow.      V(;l.  36,  1905.  The  Society. 

Halifax. — Proceedings  and  Transactions  of  the  Nova   Scotian 
Institute  of  Science.     Vol.  11,  part  i,  1905.      ^ 

The  Institute. 

Hamburg. — Verhandlungen  des  Naturwissenschaftlichen  Vereins 

in  Hamburg,  1905.  The  Society. 

Iglo. — Jahrbuch  des  Ungarischen  Karpathen  Vereines,  32nd  year, 

1905.  The  Society. 

Indl\nopolis. — Proceedings  of  the  Indiana  Academy  of  Sciences, 

1903  and  1905.  77/1?  Academy. 

Kharkow. — Transactions  of  the  Society  for  Physico  Chimiques 

of   Karkow   University.     Vol.  32,    1904. 

The  Society. 
KiEVV. — Memoirs  of  the  Society  of  Naturalists  of  Kieff.     Vol.  20, 

part  I,  1905.  The  Society.  , 

La  Plata. — Demografia.     Ano  1900  — 1902. 

The  Director  General  of  Statistics. 
Lausanne.— Bulletin    de    la    Societe    Vaudoise    des     Sciences 

Naturelles.     Vol.  41,  Nos.  152 — 154,  1905. 

The  Society. 


52 

Lawrence. — Science   Bulletin    of  Kansas   University.      Vol.    2, 
Nos.io — 15,  1904.  The   University. 

Leeds. — Eighty-fourth  and  Eighty-fifth  Annual  Reports  of  Leeds 
Philosophical  and  Literary  Society,  1904-5. 

The  Society. 

Leipsic. — Mitteilungen    des    Vereins    fiir    Erdkunde    zu  Leipzig, 
1904.  The  Society. 

„  Sitzungsberichte   der    Naturforschenden    Gesellschaft 

zu  Leipzig,  1903-4.  7 he  Society. 

Lima. — Boletin  del   Cuerpo  de   Ingenieros  de   Minas  del  Peru. 

Nos.  25 — 28,  and  Maps,  1905.     The  Director. 
London. — British    Association,    Report    of  the    74th    Meeting  - 
Cambridge,  1904.  The  Association. 

„  Memoirs   of  the  Royal   Astronomical  Society.     Vol. 

57,  parts  I  and  2,  1905,  and  Appendix  to  vol.  55, 
1904.  The  Society. 

„  Quarterly  Journal  of  the  Geological  Society  of  London. 

Vol.  61,  parts  2  —  4,  1905,  and  vol.  62,  part  i, 
1906.  Also  Geological  Literature  added  to  the 
Library  in  1905,  and  List  of  Fellows,  1905 

The  Society, 
„  Journal   of  the  Royal   Microscopical    Society,     Nos. 

166 — 169,  1905,  and  Nos.  170  and  171,  1906. 

The  Society. 
„  Transactions  of  the   Zoological   Society  of  London. 

Vol.  17,  parts  4  and  5,  1905,  and  Proceedings  of 
1904,  vol.  2,  part  2.  Proceedings  of  1905,  vol.» 
I,  parts  I  and  2,  and  vol.  2,  parts  i  and  2. 

The  Society. 
Madison. — Transactions  of  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Science,  Arts, 
and  Letters.     Vol.  14,  part  2,  1904. 

The  Academy 
,,  Bullentin     of     A\'isc()nsin     Geological     and     Natural 

History  Survey.     No.  13,  1904. 

The  Commissioners. 


53 

Madras. — Report  on  the  Madras  Government  Museum  and 
Library  for  1904 — 5.  The  Siiperititendent 

Manchester. — Journal  of  Manchester  Geographical  Society. 
Vol.  20,  Nos.  4 — 12,  1904,  and  vol.  21,  Nos. 
I — 6,  and  10 — 12,  1905.  The  Society. 

Manila. — Ethnological  Survey  Publications.  Vol.  2,  part  i,  1904, 
and  vol.  4,  part  i,  1905.  Also  the  Philippine 
Journal  of  Science,  vol.  t,  No.  i,  1906,  and 
Hand  List  of  the  Birds  of  the  Philippine  Islands, 
and  Birds  ot  Mindora,  1906. 

The  Philippine  Bureau  of  Science. 

Marseilles. — Annales  de  la  Faculte  des  Sciences  de  Marseille. 

Vol.  15,  fasc,  I — 5,  1905.  The  Librarian. 

Melbourne. — Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Victoria. 
Vol.  18,  part  I,  1905,  and  part  2,  1906. 

The  Society. 
Mexico. — Anales  de  Meteorologia  Mexicana,   1905,  and  Boletin 
Mensual,  Sept.  and  Oct.,  1902,  and  May,   1904; 
also  Anuaria,  1905. 

The  Director  of  the  Observatory. 
,,         Boletin   del   Instituto  Geologico  de   Mexico,   No.    20, 
1905,  and  Parergones,  vol.    i.  No.   7,    1904,  and 
Nos.  8  and  9,  1905.  The  Institute. 

Milwaukee. — Bulletin  of  Wisconsin  Natural  History  Society. 
Vol.  3,  No.  4,  1905,  and  Twenty-third  Annual 
Report  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Milwaukee 
Public  Museum,  1905.  The  Society. 

Missoula. — University  Bulletin,  Nos.  23-  29  and  31,  1904-5. 

The   University. 
Montevideo. — Anales    del    Museo    Nacional    de    Montevideo. 

Vol.  2,  parts  T  and  2,  1905.  The  Director. 

Moscow. — Memoirs  of  the  Imperial  Society  of  Naturalists  of 
Moscou.  New  series,  vol.  16,  part  i,  1901,  and 
part  4,  1905  ;  also  Bulletin,  No.  4,  1904. 

2  he  Society. 


54 

Nantes. — Bulletin  de  la  Societe  des  Sciences  Naturelles  de 
rOuest  de  la  France  Series2,  vol.  5,  parts  i — 3, 
1905.  The  Society. 

New  York. — Bulletin  of  the  American  Geographical  Society. 
Vol.  37,  Nos.  4 — 12,  1905,  and  vol.  38,  Nos. 
I — 3,  1906.  The  Society. 

„  Memoirs  of  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences.     Vol. 

2,  part  4,    1905,  and  Annals.     Vol.    16,   parts  i 
and  2,  1905.  The  Academy. 

Nottingham. — Fifty-second  and  Fifty-third  Annual  Reports  and 
Transactions  of  Nottingham  Naturalists  Society, 
1905-6.  The  Society. 

Oporto. — Annaes  Scientificos  do  Academia  Polytechnica  do 
Porto.     Vol.  I,  No.  I,  1905.  The  Acadeiny. 

Padua.  —  Atti  della  Accademia  Scientifica  Veneto-Trentina 
Istriana.  New  series,  Anno  2,  fasc.  i  and  2, 
1905.  The  Academy. 

Philadelphia. — Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences 
of  Philadelphia.     Vol.  46,  part  2,  1904,  and  part 

3,  1905,  and  vol.  47,  parts  i  and  2,  1905. 

Ihe  Academy., 
„  Proceedings     of    the    American     Philosophical 

Society,  Nos.  177  and   178,  1904.  and  Nos.  179 
and  180,  1905,  and  No.  181,  1906. 

The  Society 
Pisa. — Atti  della  Societa  Toscana  di  Scienze  Naturali.     Vol.  14, 

Nos- 6  —  10,  1905.  '1  he  Society. 

Rochester,  N.Y. — Proceedings  of  Rochester  Academy  of  Science. 

Vol  4,  four  Nos.  1904-5.  The  Academy. 

Rome.—  Atti  della  Reale  Accademia  dei  Lincei.  Vol.  14,  semestre 
I,  fasc.  8-12,  semestre  2,  fasc.  1-12,  1905,  and 
vol.  15,  semestre  i,  fasc.  1  —  4,  1906.  Also 
Rendiconto,  1905. 

Ihe  Academy. 


55 

« 

Rome. — Journal  of  the  British  and  American  Archreolog'cal 
Society  of  Rome.     Vol.  3,  No.  7,  1905. 

1  he  Society. 
,,  Bollettino  della  Societa  Zoologica  Italiana.     Ser.  2.,  vol. 

6,  fasc.  4  —  8,  1905,  and  vol.  7,  fasc.  i — 3,  1906. 

'I  he  Society. 
San  Francisco.     Proceedings  of  California  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Ser.,  3,  vol.  I,  Nos.  7 — 13,  1904. 

The  Academy 
Stavanger. — Aarshefte    of    Stavanger    Museum    for     the     year 

1904.  TIte  Museum  Trustees. 

Stettin.  ~  Bericht  uber  das  Vereinsjahr,  1904 — 5. 

The  Society. 

Stirling.  —  Transactions  of  Stirling  Natural  History  and 
Archaeological  Society  for  1905.       7 he  Society. 

Stockholm — Kungl  Svenska  Vetenskaps  Handlingar.  Vol.  39, 
Nos.  I — 6,  1905.  Arkiv  for  Botanik.  Vol.  4. 
parts  I — 4,  '905.  Arkiv  for  Kemi,  Mineralogy, 
och  Geologi.  Vol.  2,  part  r,  1905,  and  part  2, 
1906.  Arkiv  for  Mathematik,  Astronomi  och 
Fysik.  Vol.  2,  parts  r  and  2,  1905.  Arkiv  for 
Zoologi.  Vol.  2,  parts  3  and  4,  1905,  and  vol. 
3,  part  I,  1906.  Arsbok  for  1905,  and  Memoirs 
of  Artedi  ;  also  Les  Prix  Nobel  en  1902 — 1904-5. 

The  Academy. 

ToPEKA. — Transactions  of  Kansas  Academy  of  Science.     Vol.  ig, 

1905.  The  Academy. 
Toronto — Transactions     of    the     (Canadian    Institute.     Vol.    8, 

part  I,  1905.  'The  Tnstitute. 

Tokyo. — Mitteilungen  der  Deutschen  Gesellschaft  fiir  Natur  und 
Volkerkunde  Ostasiens.     Vol.  10,  part  2,  1905. 

7  he  Society. 
Upsala. — Bulletin    of    the    Geological    Institution    of    Upsala 
University     Vol.  6,  Nos.  11  and  12,  1905. 

The  University. 


56 


Vienna. — VerhandlungenderKaiserlich-KoniglichenGeologischen 
Reichsanstatt.  Nos.  3 — 18,  1905,  and  No.  i, 
1906.  The  Society. 

„         Verhandlungen     der      K.K.      Zoologisch-Botanischen 
Gesellschaft  in  Wien.     Vol.  55,  1905. 

The  Society. 
Washington. — Twenty-first    Annual    Report    of    the   American 
Bureau  of  Ethnology,    1903,  and  Twenty-second 
Report,  parts  i  and  2,  1904. 

The  Director  of  the  Bureau. 
,,  Smithsonian  Contributions  to  Knowledge.     Vol. 

■^T^,  1904,  and  vol.  34,  part  i,  1903,  and  part  2, 
1904.  Smithsonian  Miscellaneous  Collections, 
one  part  of  vol.  44,  and  3  parts  of  vol.  46, 
1904 — 5  :  also  Quarterly  Issue,  vol.  2,  part  2, 
1904,  parts  3  and  4,  1905,  and  vol.  3,  parts  i 
and  2,  1905  ;  also  Smithsonian  Exploration  in 
Alaska,  1905.  Proceedings  of  the  United  States 
National  Museum,  vol,  28,  1905;  Bulletin  No. 
50,  1904,  and  Nos,  53 — 55,  1905  ;  also  Useful 
Plants  of  Guam,  1905.  The  Institution. 

„  Bulletin     of      the      Philosophical      Society      of 

Washington,  Nos.  23,  24,  and  30,  1905. 

The  Society. 
„  Publications  of  the  Carnegie  Institution.       Three 

parts,  1905.  The  Institution. 

York.  —  Annual    Report    for    1904    of    Yorkshire    Philosophical 

Society.  The  Society. 

Zurich.— Vierteljahreschrift  der  Naturforschenden  Gesellschaft  in 
Zurich,  94th  year,  parts  3  and  4,  and  95th  year, 
parts  1—3,  1905.  7/^1?  Society. 

FrojM  Robcrt^^'orkman,  Esq.  The  Annual  volumes,  from  1848 
till  1854,  and  volume  for  i856,of  the  Monographs 
of  the  Palseontographical  Society, 


BELFAST    NATURAL    HISTORY 
AND    PHILOSOPHICAL    SOCIETY. 


Officers  and  Council  of  Management  for  rgod-igoy. 
iPresiCieut : 

SIR  OTTO  JAFP^E,  j.p. 

WiccsiPresiDents 

REV.  T.   HAMILTON,  d.d.,  ll.d.  j    ROBERT  PATTERSON, 
SIR  JAMES  HENDERSON,  m.r.i.a.,  f.z.s.,  m.h.o.u. 

A.M.,  D.L.,  J.P.  I    WILLIAM  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 

t)on.  Q:rea6urer : 

JOHN   HORNER. 

1f3on.  Xibrariaii: 

JOHN    H.    DAVIES. 

Ibon.  Secretary : 

ROBERT  M.  YOUNG,  b.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a. 

Council : 

JOHN  BROWN,  F.R.s. 

JOHN  H.   DAVIES. 

NEVIN  H.  FOSTER. 

REV.  THOMAS  HAMILTON,  d.d.,  li.d.,  president  q.c.b. 

SIR  JAMES  HENDERSON,  d.i,.,  j.p.,  .a.m. 

JOHN  HORNER. 

SIR  OTTO  JAFFE,  j.p. 

SEATON  F.  MILLIGAN,  m.r.i.a. 

PROFESSOR  W.  B.   MORTON,  m.a. 

ROBERT  PATTERSON,  m.r.i.a  ,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.u. 

WILLIAM  SWANSTON,  f.g.s. 

PROFESSOR  JOHNSON  SYMINGTON,  m.u.,  f.r..s.,  f.k.s.e. 

PROFESSOR  GREGG  WILSON,  u.sc,  m.r.i.a 

ROBERT  YOUNG,  c.E.,  j.p. 

ROBERT  M    YOUNG,  B.A.,  J.p.    m.r.i.a. 


SHAREHOLDERS. 

[*  Dejiotes  holders  of  three  or  more  Shares?^ 

*  Alexander,  Francis,  b.e.,  Belfast 

Alhvorthy,  S.  W.,  m  d.,  Manor  House,  Antrim  Road,  do. 
*Anderson,  John,  j.p.,  f.g.s.,  East  Hillbrook,  Holywood, 

(Representatives  of),  Co.  Down 

Andrew,  John  J.,  l.d.s.,  R.c.s.Eng.,  University  Square,  Belfast 

Andrews,  Miss  Elizabeth,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Andrews,  George,  j.p.,  Ardoyne,  do. 

Armstrong.  Thomas,  jun.,  Donegall  Square  West,  do. 

Armstrong,  William,  Chichester  Gardens,  do. 

Baird,  Wm.,  Royal  Avenue,  do. 

Barbour,  James,  J.P.,  Ardville,  Marino,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 

Beattie,  Rev.  A.  Hamilon,  Portglenone,  Co.  Antrim 

Bigger,  Francis  J.,  m.r.i.a.,  Ardrie,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Bowman,  Davys,  Holyrood,  Malone  road  (Representatives  of)  do. 
Boyd,  William,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 

*Boyd,  J.  St.  Clair,  m.d.,  Chatsworth,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Biaddell,  Edward,  Parkfield,  Park  Road,  Ipswich 

Brett,  Sir  Charles  H.,  Gretton  Villa  South,  Malone  Road,    Belfast 
Brett,  John  H.,  c.E.,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Bristow,  James  R.,  Prospect,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Bristow,  John,  Wellington  Place,  Belfast 

Brown,  John,  f.r.s.,  a.m.i.e.e.,  Longhurst,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 
Brown,  William  K.  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Bulloch,  Alexander,  Eversleigh,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Burrowes,  W.  B.,  Ballynafeigh  House,  do. 

Byers,  Prof.  John  W.,  i\i.A.,  m.d.,  Dreenagh  House,  Lower 

Crescent,  do. 

Calwell,  William,  m.a.,  m.d.,  College  Square  North,  do. 


Sha  re  holders.  5  9 

*  Campbell,  Miss  Anna  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Carr,  A.  H.  R.,  Waring  Street,  do. 

Carson,  John,  Walmer  Terrace,  Holywood 

*Charley,  Phinea  H.,  Mornington  Park,  Bangor,  Co.  Down 

*Christen,  Mrs.  Rodolphe,  St.  Imicr,  Brig  o'  Gairn,  Ballater,  N.B. 
Clark,  George  S.,  Dunlambert,  Belfast 

Clarke,  E.  H.,  Notting  Hill,  do. 

Coates,  Victor,  j.p,,  d.l.,  Rathmore,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Connor,  Charles  C,  m.a.,  j.p.,  Queen's  Elms,  Belfast 

Combe,  George,  Cranethorpe,  Strandtown,     do. 

Crawford,  Sir  William,  j.p..  Mount  Randal  do. 

Crawford,  ^^'illiam,  Calendar  Street,  do. 

Craig,  Edwin  E.,  Craigavon,  Strandtown,     do. 

Uavies,  John  H.,  Lenaderg  House,  Banbridge,  Co.  Down 

*Deramore,  Lord,  d.l.  (Representatives  of), 

Dixon,    Professor,    m.a.,   sc.d.,   f.r.s.,    f.r.u.i.,   Almora, 

iVIyrtlefield  Park,  Belfast 

Dods,  Robert,  b.a.,  j.p.,  St.  Leonard's,  Newcastle,  Co.  Down 

*l)onegall.  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

*Downshire,  Marquis  of  (Representatives  of), 

The  Castle,  Hillsborough,  Co.  Down 

Duffin,  Adam,  ll.d.,  Dunowen,  Cliftonville,  Belfast 

Dunleath,  Lord,  Ballywalter  Park 

(Representatives  of),  Ballywalter,  Co.  Antrim 

Ewart,  G.  Herbert,  m.a.,  Firmount,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

Ewart,  Fred.  \V.,  m.a..,  b.l.,  Derryvolgie,  Lisburn 

Ewart,  Sir  Wm.   Quartus,   Bart.,    m.a.,   j.p.,  d.l.,  Glen- 

machan  House,  Belfast 

Faren,  W^m.,  Mountcharles,  do.    • 

*Fenton,  Francis  G.,  Paris 

Ferguson,  Godfrey  W.,  c.e.,  Dunedin,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 
Finlay,  Fred.  W.,  j.p.,  Wolfhill  House,                    Ligoniel,     do. 
Finlay,  Robert  H.  F.,  CavehiU  Road,  do 


6o  Shareholders. 

Finnegan,  John,  b.a.,  b.sc  ,  Kelvin  House,  Botanic  Avenue,    Belfast 
Fisher,  Joseph  R.,  Alexandra  Gardens,  do. 

FitzGerald,  Professor  Maurice  F.,   b.a.,  im.i.m.e.,  Assoc. 

M.I.C.E.,  Eglantine  Avenue,  do. 

Foster,  Nevin  Harkness,  Hillsborough,  Co.  Down 

Getty,  Edmund  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Gibson,  Andrew,  fr.s.a.i.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Girdwood,  H.  M  ,  Broughton  Flax  Mills,  Manchester 

Gordon,  Malcolm,  Hilden,  Lisburn 

Grainger,  Rev.  Canon,  d.d.,  m.r.i.a. 

(Representatives  of),  Broughshane,  Co.  Antrim 

Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Glenburn  Park,  Cave- 
hill  Road,  Belfast 

*Hall,  Frederick  H.,  Waterford 

Hamilton,  Rev.  Thomas,  d.d.,  ll.d..  President,  Queen's 

College,  Belfast 

*  Hamilton,  Hill,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Harland,  Captain  W.,  m.a.,  69  Chester  Terrace,         London,  S.W. 
Henderson,  Sir  James,  a.m.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Oakley,  Windsor 

Park,  Belfast 

Henry,  R.  M.,  m.a.,  do. 

Herdman,  John,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Carricklee  House  (Reps,  of),    Strabane 
Herdman,  F.  S.,  The  Drift,  Antrim  Road,  Belfast 

*Herdman,  Robert  Ernest,  j.p.,  Rosavo,  Cultra,  Co.  Down 

Heyn,  James  A.  M.,  Strandtown  House,  Belfast 

Hind,  John,  junr.,  do. 

Hodges,  Miss  do. 

Hogg,  John,  Academy  Street,  do, 

Horner,  John,  Chelsea,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

*Houston,  John  Blakiston,  j.p.,  v.l.,  Orangefield,  do. 

*Hughes,  Edwin,  j.p.,  Dalchoolin,  Craigavad,  Co.  Down 

Hyndman,  Hugh,  ll.d.  (Representatives  of),  Windsor,         Belfast 

Inglis,  James,  j.p.,  Merrion  Square  East,  Dublin 


Shareholders,  6 1 

Jackson,  A.  T.,  c.e.,  Tighnabruaich,  Derryvolgic  Avenue,      Belfast 
Jaffe,  Sir  Otto,  j.r.,  Kin  Edar,  Strandtown,  do. 

Johnston,  Samuel  A.,  j.p.,  Dalriada,  Whiteabbey,  Co   Antrim 

Kennedy,  Mrs.  Amelia,  Dalguise,  Monkstown,  Dublin 

Kertland,  Edwin  H.,  Chlorine  Gardens,  Belfast 
Kidd,  George,  j.p.,  Greenhaven,  Malone  Park,  do. 

*Kingham,  John  R.,  Altoona,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Kinnaird,  George  Y.,  do. 

Kyle,  Robert  Alexander,  Donegall  Place,  do. 

Lanyon,  Mrs.,  Lisbreen,  Fortwilliam  Park,  do. 

Larmor,    Joseph,   m.a.,     d.sc,    ll.d.,    f.r.a.s.,    f.r.u.i., 

Sec.R.s.,  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge 

Leathem,  R.  R.,  m.d.,  b.a.,  Belgravia,  Lisburn  Road,  Belfast 

Lemon,  Archibald  Dunlop,  j.p.,  Edgecombe,  Strandtown,        do. 
Lepper,  F.  R.,  j.p.,  Elsinore,  Carnalea,  Co.  Down 

Letts,  Professor  E.  A.,  ph.d.,  f.c.s.,  Shirley  Lodge,  Cultra,       do. 
Lindsay,  Professor  James  A.,  m.a.,  m.d..  College  Sq.  East,       Belfast 
Lytle,  David  B.,  j.p.,  Bloomfield  House  (Representatives  of),  do. 
Lytic,  Joseph  H.,  j.p.,  Ashleigh,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Macassey,  L.  Livingstone,  b.l.,  m.i.c.e., St. Clair,  Windsor  Av.,  do. 
Mackenzie,  John,  c.e..  Lisburn  Road,  do. 

*Macrory,  A.  J.  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Magill,  J.  E.,  Easton  Terrace,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Malcolm,    Bowman,    m.i.c.k.,    m.i.m.e.,    Ashley    Park, 

Antrim  road,  do. 

Maxton,  James,   m.i.n.a.,    m.i.mar.e.,   Kirkliston   Drive, 

Bloomfield,  do. 

Maxwell,  David  A.,  College  Gardens,  do. 

Mayes,  William,  Drumcairn,  Deramore  Park,  do. 

Milligan,  A.  H.,  Springfield  Road,  do. 

Milligan,  Seaton  Forest,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.l,  j.p.,  Bangor,  Co.  Down 
Mitchell,  Robert  A.,  ll.b.,t.c.d.,  Marmont,  Strandtown,  Belfast 
Montgomery,  Henry  C.,  Craigavad,  Co.  Down 


62 


Shareholders. 


INIontgomery,  H.  H.,  Strandtown,  Belfast 

Montgomery,  Thomas,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Ballydrain 

House,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Moore,  James,  The  Finaghy,  Belfast 

Morton,  Professor  \V.  B.,  m.a.,  f.r.u.i.,  Nottinghill,  do. 

Muir,  A.  H.,  c.a.,  Scottish  Provident  Buildings,  do. 

Mullen,  William,  Undisfarne,  Marlborough  Park,  do. 

Murney,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p.,  Tudor  House,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
*  Murphy,  Isaac  James  (Representatives  of),  Armagh 

*Murphy,  Joseph  John  (Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Musgrave,  Edgar,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

*Musgrave,  Henry,  Drumglass,  Malone,  do. 

M'Bride,  Henry  James,  j.p.,  Hyde  Park,  Mallusk,  do. 

M 'Bride,  Samuel,  Edgehill,  Lennoxvale,  do. 

M'Calmont,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  London 
M'Cammon,  Thos.  P.,  Plaisted,  Woodville,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
M'Cance,  Miss  Charlotte  Georgianna,  Larkfield 

(Representatives  of),                               Dunmurry,  Co.  Down 

MacColl,  Hector,  Kirkliston  Drive,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 

MacCormac,  John  M.,  m.d.,  Victoria  Place,  do. 

M'Cormick,  Hugh  M'Neile,  Cultra  House,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 
*M'Cracken,  Francis  (Representatives  of), 

M'Gee,  James  (Representatives  of),                 Holywood,  do. 

MTlwaine,  John  H.,  Mornington  Park,                Bangor,  do. 

M'Kisack,  H.  L.,  m.d..  University  Square,  Belfast 

*MacLaine,  Alexander,  j.p.,  (Queen's  Elms,  do. 

M'Neill,  George,  Beech leigh,  Malone  road,  do. 


Neill,  Sharman  D.,  Martello  Terrace, 
Nicholson,  Henry  J.,  Bedford  vSireet, 


Holywood,  Co.  Down 
Belfast 


O'Rorke,  Mrs.,  Dunratho,  Craigavad,  Co.  Down 

Orr,  Hugh  L.,  Charnwood  Avenue,  Belfast 

Orr,  Rev.  R.  J.,  Ireton  Street,  do. 

O'Neill,  Henry,  m.d.,  j.p.,  r.l..  College  Sc|uare  East,  do. 


Shareholders.  63 

Park,  Rev.  Wm.,  m.a.,  Guithowen,  Sans  Souci  Park,  Pielfast 

Patterson,  Edward  Ferrar,  Ballyholme  Road,      Bangor,  Co.  Down 
Patterson,  Mrs.  Isabelle,  Bonn,  Germany 

Patterson,  John,  Dunallan,  Windsor  Avenue,  Belfast 

Patterson,  Richard,  j.p.,  Kihnore,  Holywood,  Co.  Down 

*Patterson,  Sir  Robert  Lloyd,  j.p.,  d.l.,  f.l.s.. 

Croft  House  (Executors  of),  do.  do. 

Patterson,  Robert,  m.r.i.a.,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.u., 

Glenbank,  do.  do. 

Patterson,  William  H.,  m.r.i.a.,  Garranard,        Strandtown,  Belfast 
Patterson,  William  H.  F.,  Stalheim,  Knock,  do. 

Pirn,  Edward  W.,  j.p.,  Elmwood  Terrace,  do. 

Pim,  Joshua,  Slieve  na-Failthe,  Whiteabbey,  Co.  Antrim 

Praeger,  R.  Lloyd,  b.a.,  b.e.,  m.r.i.a..  National  Library,        Dublin 

Rea,  John  Henry,  m.d.,  LTniversity  Street, 

(Representatives  of),  Belfast 

Rea,  William  R.,  Abbeylands,                      Whiteabbey,  Co.  Antrim 

Reade,  Robert  H.  S.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Wilmont,    Dunmurry,  do. 

Riddell,  Henry,  Great  Victoria  Street,  do. 
Robertson,  William,  j.p.,   (Representatives  of),   Nether- 

leigh,  Strandtown,  do. 

Robinson,  John,  Sydenham  Road,  do. 

Scott,  R.  Taylor,  Richmond  Villa,  Derryvolgie  Avenue,  do. 

Sheldon,  Charles,  m.a.,  d.lit.,  b.sc,  Wellington  Crescent, 

Ravenhill  Road,  do 

Shillington,  Thomas  Foulkes,  j.p.,  Dromart,  Antrim  Road,  do. 

Simms,  Felix  Booth,  Queen  Street,  do. 

Sinclair,  Right  Hon.  Thomas,  m.a.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  Hopefield,  do. 

Sinclair,    Prof.    Thomas,    m.d.,    F.R.c.s.Eng.,    University 

Square,  do.     ' 

Smith,  John,  c.E ,  Castleton  Terrace,  do. 

Smyth,  John,  m.a.,  c.e.,  Milltown,  Banbridge,  Co.  Down 

Speers,  Adam,  b.sc,  Riverside,  Holywood,  do. 

Steen,  William  C,  ?vr.D.,  Laleham  Corner,  Lower  North- 
down  Road,  Margate 


64  Shareholders. 

Steen,  William,  b.l.,  Northern  Bank,  Victoria  Street,  Belfast 

Stelfox,  James,  Oakleigh,  Ormeau  Road,  do. 

Swanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 
Symington,  Prof.  Johnson,  m.d.,  f.r.s.,  f.r.s.e.,  Queen's 

College,  do. 

*Tennent,  Robert  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  do. 

*Tennent,  Robert  James  (Representatives  of),  Rushpark,  do. 

Torrens,  T.  H.,  j.p.,  Wellington  Place,  do. 

*'rurnley,  John  (Representatives  of),  do. 

Walkington,  Miss  Jane  A.  Sefton  Park,  Liverpool 

Walkington,  Thomas  R.  Edenvale,  Strandtown,  Belfast 

Wallace,  John,  (Chlorine  Gardens,  Malone  Road,  do. 

Ward,  Isaac  W.,  Camden  Street,  do. 

Ward,  John,  j.p.,  f.s.a.,  Lennoxvale,  Malone  Road,  do. 
*Webb,  Richard  T.,  Kensington  Villa,  Knock  Avenue  Road,  do. 

Whitla,  Prof.  Sir  William,  m.d.,  j.p..  College  Square  North,  do. 
Wilson,  Prof.  Gregg,  m.a.,  ph.d.,  d.sc,  m.r.i.a.,  Queen's 

College,  do. 

Wilson,  James,  m.e.,  Oldforge,  Dunmurry,  Co.  Antrim 

Wilson,  John  K.,  j.p.,  Donegall  Street,  Belfast 

*Wilson,  Walter  H.,  Belvoir  Park  (Representatives  of),  do. 

*Wilson,  W.  Percival,  do. 
*Wolff,  G.  W.,  J.P.,  M.P.,  The  Den,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  Francis,  The  Moat,  Strandtown,  do. 

Workman,  John,  j.p.,  Lismore,  Windsor,  do. 
Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a.,  Rubane  House,     Glastry,  Co.  Down 
Workman,  Rev.  Robert,  m.a.,  d.d..  The  Manse, 

Newtownbreda,  do. 
*\Vorkman,  Thomas,  j.p.  (Representatives  of),  Craig- 

darragh,  Craigavad,  do. 

Workman,  William,  Nottinghill,  Belfast 
Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 

Young,  Robert,  C.E.,  j.p.,  Rathvarna,  do. 

*Young,  Robert  Magill,  e.a.,  j.p.,  m.r.i.a.,  Rathvarna,  do. 


Annual  Subscribers. 
HONORARY    ASSOCIATES. 


65 


Gray,  William,  m.r.i.a.,  f.r.s.a.i.,  Glenburn  Park,  Belfast 
Stewart,  Samuel  Alex.,  f.b.s.  Edin.,  a.l.s.,  Belfast  Museum,      do. 
Svvanston,  William,  f.g.s.,  Cliftonville  Avenue,  do. 

Wright,  Joseph,  f.g.s.,  Alfred  Street,  do. 


ANNUAL    SUBSCRIBERS    OF    TWO  GUINEAS. 

Belfast  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  Belfast 

Northern  Banking  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 

Ulster  Bank,  Ltd.,  do. 

York  Street  Flax  Spinning  Company,  Ltd.,  do. 


ANNUAL    SUBSCRIBERS    OF    ONE    GUINEA. 

Boyd,  John,  Cyprus  Gardens,  Bloomfield,  Belfast 
Brown,  G.  Herbert,  j.p.,  Tordeevra,             Helen's  Bay,  Co.  Down 

Bruce,  James,  d.l.,  j.p.,  Thorndale  House,  Belfast 

Carr,  James,  Rathowen,  Windsor,  do. 

Fulton,  G.  H.,  Howard  Street,  do. 

Gamble,  James,  Royal  Terrace,  do. 

Hanna,  J.  A.,  j.p..  Marietta,  Knock,  do. 

Hazelton,  W.  D.,  Cliftonville,  do. 

Higginbotham,  Granby,  Wellington  Park,  do. 

Hutton,  A.  W.,  Chichester  Street,  do. 

Lynn,  William  H.,  c.e,,  Crumlin  Terrace,'  do. 

M'Laughlin,  W.  H.,  j.p.,  Macedon,  do. 

Parr,  William,  St.  Mark's,  Ballysillan,  do. 

Redfern,  Prof.  Peter,  m.d.,  f.r.c.s.i..  Lower  Crescent,  do. 

Scott,  Conway,  c.e.  Annaville,  Windsor  Avenue,  do. 

Swiney,  J.  H.  H.,  b.a.,  r.e.,  Bella  Vista,  Antrim  Road,  do, 

Thompson,  John,  j.p..  Mount  Collyer,  do. 


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