Minerals. which sometimes breaks into flags, veined with quartz,

feldspar and a dull rock chrystal, but mica is thickly spread in all the lamina of the rock: there are likewise some spots of silicious argillite, siderocaleite, and black slate in whatever rock silica is to be found, quartz and mica are abundant: the quarries are merely opened for building-stone for walls and cabins.

The lime stone stratum begins at the southern boundary of the parish, and passes through Kilmanagh to Callan for several miles in length and breadth: between this stratum and the argillite of the hills a vein of calcareous earth runs for three miles from east to west about half a mile in breadth: some siderocaleite rocks and siliciferous argillite occupy this district, which is likewise found in every place where there is culm.

The calcareous sand in this district has not been much sought for or used; what the writer has generally seen is not very strong; it is too much mixed with clay: it ferments languidly with marine acid, about four or five hundred loads are put to the acre where it is used. There is marl and calcareous sand to be found in many parts of the argillaceous district, and from a specimen the writer saw, some is excellent, but the farmers do not seem to know the value of it, and want exertion to look for it. The specimen here refered to was found by accident in making a ditch; the farmer put it on a couple of fields, and this year had the second crop of oats; it was the middle of the mountain, and the writer never saw finer oats: the pit was swamped, and he made no exertion to clear it. The writer is convinced that

many such beds could be found, and better in the Minerals, argillaceous district than in the calcareous, as in the first it lies in small beds, and is less mixed, and were it sought for and used, it would act on some grounds better than lime, and its effects would be more lasting. The farmers think lime much better, and it is more according to the routine of work, to draw it from the neighbouring kilns, and hence the marl and sand on their grounds lie neglected.

There are no mineral springs in the parish. The writer has seen in some drains the water deeply coloured with ochre and iron, which was held in solution by sulphuric acid, and lay in a decomposed state on the surface; but there has been no opportunity of examining or knowing the fossil or mineral state of the hills, although perhaps affording much matter for research.

The plants and grasses are such as are generally Plants. found in hills and vales; the ranunculus flammula or spearwort is the predominant plant of the hills, as it it is in all the coal districts. It would be tedious to recount the various other plants which are to be found, such as iris along the streams, digitalis, &c. in the ditches, orchis, &c in the meadows, wild geranium, which flourishes in great variety. The grasses are also in great variety, from the cocksfoot, dactylus glomerata, and poa, to the agrostis: fiorin of course is to be found every where, but no where cultivated; the writer is sure it might be with much success in the wet grounds, if there were experimental farmers, and would afford good winter food for the cattle, and dairy

Village.

cows, which are the farmer's principal source of rent, but natural grasses grow so freely, that no artificial grass is raised in any part of the parish.

The game of the parish consists of hare, partridge, woodcock, snipe, and plover both green and grey in immense flocks. Were there good cover for woodcocks, it would be a favourite haunt, from the number of springs, and richness of the vales: the fine pasture grounds cause the plover stands, and they are scarce ever molested. Near the southern boundary, there is very excellent brook fishing in the spring and autumn months; an indifferent angler could kill from five to six dozen, herring-size and under, in a day.

III. Modern Buildings, &c.

There are no public buildings in the parish. The village of Tullaroan consists merely of a dozen cabins; at the cross road of which are three public houses, six tradesmen's houses, and three farmers'. Within the last three years there has been more beer drank in those public houses in proportion, than whiskey: the quantity of beer drank in each house in the course of the year, is about 200 barrels; of whiskey, about a puncheon and a half. This encrease in drinking beer, was thus accounted for by a public house keeper, "Sir, the whiskey is too dear, and for the same money they can get a bigger drink of beer." Whatever be the cause, the circumstance is a happy one, and were this progressive in every part of Ireland, it would be a great step towards checking the spirit of disorder, and preventing the commission of crime among the country

people, which so sadly disgraces many parts of this island.

The report of Mr. Poinder, governor of Bridewell, London, on the subject of dram drinking and the use of ardent spirits, is well worth the attention of every person who may be engaged in endeavouring to ameliorate the condition of the poor. He there proves by a close enquiry among criminals for many years, that the use of ardent spirits is the parent of the majority of crimes that came under his observation, and no man had a more extensive opportunity of making enquiry on the subject. The intoxicating effect, he says, of malt liquor, is exceedingly dif ferent from that of ardent spirits; the first stupifies unnerves, and sends the drunkard home unable and unwilling to be engaged in the commission of any crime that requires exertion; on the contrary, spirits have a maddening exciting effect, they inflame the passions, give a false, though not less desperate courage, and instead of stupifying, animate and prepare the man for committing any act. He found by examination, that murderers and house-breakers, were particularly addicted to drinking spirits; the murderer of Mr. Baker attributed to it his encitement to the desperate act; and another criminal said to him," do you think, Sir, that I would go and break into your house, and expose myself to be shot, were I not first excited to it by drinking spirits." He spoke the language of many, and it should speak loud to our philanthropic individuals, societies, and legislators. The demoralized state of our country is the subject of much declamation, but of little exertion to endeavour a change in its character. Military

and legal execution may suppress it for a while, but the principle still exists, and is ready to break out, whenever circumstances allow, and opportunity is given; it is a radical change in the moral state of the people that is wanting, for the consent to crime belongs not to individuals, but to the great body of the lower orders. The shout of approbation resounded from cabin to cabin, on the murder of Mr. Baker in the neighbouring county; and within two years a magistrate has been fired at in the parish of Tullaroan; once he was severely wounded in the hands, another time he was fired at while going to church on Sunday morning, within half a mile of the village; and a man was shot within two fields of it, entering his own house: the men who have committed these acts, are well known in the country, but cannot be prosecuted from want of evidence, and feel no inconvenience from the discountenance of the people, for there is no law of reputation to oppose them; and there is among the lower orders if not a general consent, at least an indifference to the dreadful evil of this state of things. Quere, if it can in any wise be conducive in stopping the inclination to disorder and crime, should it not occupy the attention of individuals and societies to endeavour to substitute, as far as possible, the use of malt liquor in the place of spirits?

The state of the cabins differs according to the circumstances of the farmers and cottagers; there has been a desire for improvement in their houses among the better sort of farmers; they are introducing divisions of rooms, plastered walls, built up fire places and grates, and in this respect the houses