DFBLIM NATUBAL HISTORY SOCIETT. 73 



Vennes: — Eunice tubicola, 1855. 



Of Radiata, &c., seven ; all new to Ireland. 



In Botany. — Erica ciliaris, Potentilla floribunda, Arabia Crantziana, 

 Lonicera xylosteum, Saxifraga Andrcwsii, Spiraea filipendula, Simethis 

 bicolor, Allium Babingtonii, Equisetum elongatum, Lophodium spino- 

 sum, Morchella esculenta, Polyporus betulinus, Nitella hyalina, Chara 

 delicatula, Riccia natans, Kiccia fluitans, Berkeleyana fragilis, Chordaria 

 divaricata, Enteromorpha Hopkirkii, Tetraspora cylindrica, Staurocarpua 

 cterulescens, &c. 



So that the positive number of additional species given to the world 

 through this medium far exceeds 100. 



These results cannot but be looked on as bearing your Council out 

 in stating that the Natiteal History Society of Dublin has indeed 

 fulfilled the expectations of its founders, and it confidently appeals to 

 the volume now placed in the Members' hands as a proof that there 

 has been no falling off in interest during the past year. 



The Council, therefore, feels justified in making a strong appeal to 

 the lovers of the science in this country, to come forward and grant 

 such increased support as will enable the Society to carry out still fur- 

 ther the object for which it was formed, by placing it in a position 

 to illustrate papers recording new or rare species, and also to reprint 

 such of the papers read in fonner years as deserve a more permanent 

 and accessible record than the pages of a daily newspaper, especially 

 as, by a law passed last session, eveiy class of Members can obtain the 

 yearly Annals of the Society. 



The Museum of your Society at present contains, of Vertebrate 

 Mammals, 18 species, 20 specimens (only partially displayed), two 

 unique. Birds, 128 species (245 specimens), many of them rare, and 

 several unique as Irish (nearly aU exhibited). Reptiles, two species, 

 one unique. Batrachia, 3 species (six specimens). Fishes, only about 

 20 species (40 specimens), 7 of these, however, of extreme rarity. The 

 difficulty of preserving this group except as spirit preparations acts as a 

 bar to a full representation of the group. A large and varied collection 

 of birds' eggs is in the course of arrangement in this division. 



Of Mollusca, a large collection is in possession of the Society, bat 

 not as yet arranged. 



A nucleus of a collection of Insects has been formed during the past 

 year. 



In Crustacea the Society possesses nearly a perfect collection of 

 Decapods: 58 species (109 specimens), which have been arranged during 

 the past year, and there are many specimens of the other groups in course 

 of arrangement. 



The Radiata are represented by 24 species of star-fishes (42 spe- 

 cimens), partially arranged. 



Zoophytes, a large collection, but unfortunately in a bad condition, 

 and as yet not fully arranged. 



The Mineralogical collection includes some fine specimens of rare 



