90 DUBLIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



ing home that way the other evening, I found, as I had expected, the 

 stares assembling in a young fir plantation, in a deep ravine due west 

 of Newcastle, and about one mile to the north of Bamagh Hill. On the 

 road from Newcastle to Abbeyfeale I have observed the birds going to 

 their roost ; from Abbeyfeale, ten miles to the west ; from Shanagolden, 

 eight miles to the north; and from Eathkeale, eleven miles to the 

 east. The flights occur about sundown. — G. H. K., Rathkeale, Feb. 24, 

 1858.] 



Dr. Kinahan thought the communication just read most interesting. 

 It would be advisable if observations were to be made in all the diifer- 

 yit parts of the country which these birds frequented, as to whether, as 

 na& been stated by Mr. R. J. Montgomery in his paper on the last even- 

 ing, starlings returned to the same roosting-place each year. There 

 were many points of interest connected with the habits of partial mi- 

 grants — that is, such birds which, as the wild duck, snipe, starling, 

 &c., were resident in small numbers in this country throughout the 

 year, but received a great accession to their numbers in the winter 

 months ; and perhaps not the least interesting would be to ascertain 

 whether they, like the gregarious summer visitants, return to their old 

 localities or not. 



Mr. Grubb exhibited a microscope of his own construction, which 

 combined a steady stage, the power of placing the tube in either a ver- 

 tical or horizontal position, and of applying every kind of illumination 

 seriatim, without taking the eye off the object. He entered fully into 

 the history of the improvements introduced in illuminators as regarded 

 illumination, and the azimuth as regards the object, explaining the 

 nature of Shadbolt's illuminator, as modified by Mr. F. Bergin, the 

 objections to the method, and his own improvement of a mirror revolv- 

 ing on an arc. 



Mr. Grubb explained and exhibited to the Meeting a series of beau- 

 tiful manipulations illustrative of the improvements in the microscope 

 he had made. 



After the ballot, the Chairman declared Henry P. Heney, Esq., duly 

 elected Ordinary Member. 



ThefMeeting adjourned to the first Friday in March. 



FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, 1868. 



R. Callwell, Esq., M. R. I. A., in the Chair. 

 The previous Minutes having been read and confirmed, — 



Professor Haughton exhibited specimens of Lepidomelane from the 

 county of Donegal. 



