224 The Irish Naturalist. November, 1912, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



EOYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Rabbit, a Guinea Pig, and four White Rats 

 from Mr. Felix Hughes, a Sparrow Hawk from Mrs, Mills, and an Indian 

 Frog from Prof. Bayley Butler. Five White-faced Capuchin Monkeys, 

 two Coypus, four Cockateels, and fourteen Waxbills have been purchased. 

 Three Ptarmigan from Spitzbergen have been temporarily deposited 

 in the Gardens by the Scottish Zoological Society. The work of en- 

 larging and improving the Haughton House is now in full operation. 

 A considerable increase in the size of the Members' room and its adjacent 

 balcony, and the provision of lavatory accommodation will make the 

 house far more convenient than at present, especially to members of the 

 Society. 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



September 14. Rossmore Castle. — Travelling from Belfast by the 

 9.30 a.m. train the party were met by W. F. De Vismes Kane, who acted 

 as conductor in the demesne with its many lakes, glens and woods, and 

 in the natural rock garden. In the glen can be seen the last remnant 

 of the old native woods, specimens of the Spindle-tree, Ash, and Oak. 

 Some members of the aboriginal fauna still linger here likewise in spite 

 of the presence of rhododendrons and other naturalised shrubs, the land 

 snails Acanthinula lamellata — an addition to the fauna of County Monaghan 

 — and Pupa anglica being taken plentifully with numerous other species 

 like Hyalinia alliaria, which do not shun altogether cultivated areas. 

 For the botanists the day proved rather disappointing, but Mr. Kane 

 kindly pointed out the habitat of Scirpus sylvaticus, which grows by 

 the stream- side below the wishing- well. Search of the greenhouses in the 

 garden yielded an interesting series of imported species. Among the 

 wood-lice the following five species, new to Monaghan, were taken ; — 

 Trichoniscus roseus, T. Stehhingi, Porcellio pictus, P. dilatatus, and Meto- 

 ponorthus pruinosus ; while in the palmhouse two young specimens of 

 the slug-snail Testacella haliotidea were captured. The ornithologists 

 reported having observed thirty-three species of birds during the day. 

 They were pleased to learn of the great increase of the Tufted Duck as 

 a nesting species in Lord Rossmore's demesne. Numbers of Siskins 

 were seen among the fir trees, and it is possible that this bird nests in the 

 park. About four o'clock the party made their way to Camla House, 

 for tea, on the invitation of Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Millard. They returned 

 by several routes to the railway station ; some going along the towpath 

 of the old disused canal, where some additional collecting was done. 



