52 The Irish Naturalists February, 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Grey-lag Goose from Mr. R. M. Harrington, a 

 pair of Sheldrake from Capt. Boxer, a Peacock from Lady Inglis, a 

 Leopard from the Zoological Society of London, a Monkey from Lady 

 M'Calmont, and a Lemur from Mrs. Skimin. 



DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



DECEMBER 6. — Winter Excursion.— The first of the winter excur- 

 sions which the Committee are experimentally carrying out took place. 

 The weather was favourable— cold, but dry. A party of nineteen assembled 

 at Terenure. at 1.30, and entered the grounds of Bushy Park (by kind 

 permission of Sir Frederick Shaw, Bart.). D. Houston, who acted as 

 conductor, demonstrated in botany, and G. H. Carpenter in zoology. 

 Much of interest was seen. Among the subjects studied were climbing 

 plants (^Clematis, Vicia, Hedera, Ruhus), dispersal of fruit {Clematis, Cra- 

 tcegus, Geranium^ Galium, Fraxiiius), galls (on Qtcenus, Fraxinus), rooting 

 of tips of Bramble shoots, and shoots arising from roots {Cratcegus). 

 Brown withered patches occurring on the centre of Holly leaves were 

 found by Mr. Carpenter to be caused by the maggot of the minute two- 

 winged fly, Chromatomyia ilicis Curt. R. LI- Praeger pointed out fine 

 examples of river terraces along the Dodder. An enjoyable and 

 instructive afternoon was spent, and the party subsequently had tea with 

 Mrs. Praeger. 



December 8.— Prof. Coi,E in the chair. Thirty-two members and 

 visitors were present. The Hon. Secretary read out the names of those 

 proposed by the Committee as the Officers and Committee for 1903, as 

 follows :— President— W. F. de V. Kane ; Vice-President— F. W. 

 Burbidge; Hon. Secs. — G. H. Pethybridge and J. de Witt Hinch ; Hon. 



TrEAS H. K. G. Cuthbert; Committee— Miss Knowles, MissM'Intosh, 



Miss MahafFy, Miss Massy, G. H Carpenter, W. F. Guun, J. N. Halbert, 

 D. Houston, D. M'Ardle, R. LI. Praeger, H. J. Seymour, and W. B. Wright. 



W. H. PhiIvI^ipS (Field Club Union Lecturer from the Belfast Natural- 

 ists' Field Club), then read a paper entitled " A Gossip about British 

 Ferns." The paper was illustrated by numerous prints of ferns, and also 

 by fresh fronds. G. H. Pethybridge, D. Houston, R. Lr^. Praeger. 

 and F. O'B. Ei/i^iSON discussed the paper. 



An informal account was then given by D. Houston, G. H. Pethy- 

 bridge, and R. Li.. Praeger of the winter excursion held on the 

 previous Saturday, with demonstrations on the specimens collected. 



Mr. J. Adams, B.A., was elected a member of the Club. 



CORK NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



December 9. — W. H. Phili^ips, who came from the Belfast Club 

 under the Field Club Union lecture exchange scheme, read a paper 

 entitled "A Gossip about British Ferns." The paper was illustrated with 

 a fine series of nature prints and fresh fronds. 



