1903. Proceedings of Irish Societies. 169 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



ApriIv 28.— Annuai. Meeting. — The chair was occupied by W. J. 

 FenneIvI^, Vice-President. The Secretary read the annual report, which 

 dealt with the ordinary work of the Club, and detailed the special labours 

 undertaken by the members in connection with the recent visit to 

 Belfast of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. 

 The summer excursions of the Club were to Glenarm, Stormount glen, 

 Newry, Buniskillen and L/Ough Erne, Giant's Ring, Monkstown and 

 Ballyclare. and Gobbin's cliff path. The average attendance at these 

 excursions was well sustained. The winter session was inaugurated by 

 a successful conversazione in the Exhibition Hall on the 12th November. 

 During the winter months the evening meetings were held, and a number 

 of papers were read by members and friends. On 31st October 

 the Vice-President gave an " at home," inviting all the members 

 of the Club to meet Sir Harry Johnston, K.C.B , who gave an 

 interesting account of his travels in Uganda. The Club was invited in 

 December toco-operate with the Queen's. College and Natural History 

 Society in forming a society for the special study of marine biology. 

 This resulted in the formation of the Ulster Fisheries and Biology 

 Association, on the Council of which the Club is represented. In con- 

 nection with the competition for the prizes offered by the Club, W. A. 

 Green was awarded a prize for photographs of archaeological subjects. 

 A short synopsis of the work done by the Club in connection with the 

 British Association meeting was then given. The movement to invite 

 the British Association to meet in Belfast had been formally initiated 

 at a committee meeting of the Club held in the Museum on loth 

 December, 1897. All the officials and many members of the Club were 

 elected on the Local or Citizens' Committee ; some occupied responsible 

 positions on various sub-committees, notably on the Publications or 

 Handbook Committee and the Excursions Committee. The movement 

 for the preparation of the handbook had been originated by the Club. 

 They had representatives on the General Committee of the British 

 Association and on many of the sectional committees. The two Secre- 

 taries, J. St. J. Phillips and Robert Patterson, were elected respectively 

 secretaries of Section C (geology) and Section D (zoology) An ex- 

 President (Rev. C. H. Waddell) was a secretary of Section K (botany). 

 During the Association week the Club, represented by William Gray, 

 organised and conducted several afternoon excursions. After the 

 official meetings were over, the Club conducted one-day trips to Down- 

 patrick and the Gobbin's cliff path, and a four-day excursion to the 

 Antrim Coast and Giant's Causeway. All these excursions had been 

 largely attended and much appreciated. In connection with Section C, 

 J. St. J. Phillips organised and carried through four afternoon and one 

 whole day excursions. Rev. C. H. Waddell conducted Section K on an 

 excursion to Colin Glen. The Treasurer (W. H. Phillips) submitted his 

 annual balance-sheet, which showed a satisfactory condition of the 

 finances. Reports from the L/ibrarian and the Botanical Section were 



