J .Q The Irish Naturalist. June, 1909. 



remarkable rock garden of the Burreh in Co. Clare. Afterwards the 

 cultivation of rock plants and alpines was dealt with, and the building 

 of rock gardens. 



March 24.— Geologicai. Section.— Wii,i.iam Gray, M.R.I.A., read 

 a paper entitled ''A Gossiping Geological Speculation on Cavehill." 



DUBLIN NATURALISTS FIELD CLUB. 



Aprii, 6.— C. B. Moffat, M.A., in the chair.— Prof. G. II. Carpenter 

 lectured on *' The Darwinian Theory after fifty years," giving examples 

 of facts discovered in receiit years that afford support to the general 

 doctrine of evolution, and discussing the theory of Natural Selection as 

 offering a rational explanation of the process of evolution. A short 

 account of contributions to the problem made by Romanes, Mendel, 

 Batesou, and other investigators followed. A discussion ensued in which 

 the chairman and J. Bayley Butler took part, the former laying 

 stress on the importance of sexual selection, and the latter calling atten- 

 tion to some evidence and arguments in favour of use-inheritance recently 

 brought forward by Prof, M. M. Hartog, of Cork. 



NOTES. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Ascidicola rosea in Belfast Lough. 



During the past year I have come across several specimens oi Ascidicola 

 rosea^ Thorell, in the branchial sacs of Ascidia virginea, and other species 

 from Belfast Lough. This copepod is not included in Pearson's " List of 

 Irish Copepoda," nor have I been able to find any definite record of its 

 occurrence in Irish waters, though it is probable that this was one of the 

 forms originally described by Allman under the name of Notodephys 

 ascidicola. 



W. RiDDEIylv. 



Belfast. 



Early appearance of Macroglossa stellatarum. 



A Humming-bird Moth was seen here in March in a conservatory, and 

 on the 15th April a fine specimen was seen in the garden hovering over 

 the flowers. This moth does not usually show here till late summer. 



M. J. DEI.AP. 



Valentia, co. Kerry. 



