igi2. Irish Societies. 57 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



January 31. — Annual Meeting, Sir C. Ball (President) in the chair. 

 The Secretary (Prof. G. H. Carpenter) submitted and proposed the Report, 

 which inchided the following statement : — 



The amount of the gate receipts for the year 191 1 was £2,191, i^\^ more 

 than for 1910, exceeding the amount for any year since 1907. In the 

 acquisition of new Members the Council has also to record an increase as 

 compared with last year, but as a relatively small proportion of these have 

 joined as Life Members the amount of sutecriptions received shows some 

 falling off. The Council hope that during 191 2 the number of Members, 

 both annual and life, will be largely increased. Such increase will enable 

 the Council not only to maintain the Gardens efficiently, but also to im- 

 prove the buildings and collections. Further, as Members and their 

 families naturally enter the Gardens frequently, they derive more 

 benefit, through constant study of the animals, than do casual visitors, 

 and thus spread interest in, and knowledge of, natural history. 



The financial position of the Society has been rendered most satisfactory 

 for the present at least, through Viscount Iveagh's generous gift of ;^5oo. 

 The Council feel deeply grateful for this much valued help. A legacy of 

 ;^ioo has also been received under the will of the late Mr. L. O. Hutton, for 

 many years an active member of the Council. The year w-as begun with a 

 balance of only £2^, and closed with over £900 on deposit. Much of this 

 is, however, hypothecated for work in progress. 



An important change has taken place in the staff. Captain L. C. 

 Arbuthnot, who has held the post of Superintendent for four years, re- 

 signed in July and left in October. In accepting his resignation, the 

 Council expressed admiration for his great energy and zeal on behalf of the 

 animals under his care. The Council decided not to advertise the vacancy, 

 but to appoint a small Committee who might make enquiries as to suitable 

 candidates. As a result, five or six well-qualified men offered their services, 

 and from these Dr. B. B. Ferrar, of Armagh, was unanimously chosen. Dr. 

 Ferrar took up his duties on November ist, and under his direction con- 

 tinued, and even increased, efficiency in management is confidently hoped 

 for. 



In the last Report it was recorded that a site between the Superin- 

 tendent's House and the Lion House had been chosen for the much needed 

 Hospital and Isolation pens. It was feared that no start with this work 

 could have been made during 191 1, but Viscount Iveagh's generous gift 

 of ;^500 empowered the Council to accept a contract for the building in 

 August, and we are able to start the New Year with the long-desired 

 hospital complete and ready for use. In the neighbourhood of the hospital 

 a small mess-room for the Keepers, and a kitchen where food, both for them 

 and for the animals, can be cooked and prepared, have been built opening 

 on the yard. 



