Notes, 54: 



BIRDS. 



Unusual retreat for Grouse. — A singular incident was recorded 

 to me last week by a gentleman who had been shooting during the 

 Christmas week, as showing the severity of the gales that recently visited 

 the Irish coast. He mentioned that considerable numbers of living 

 grouse had been seen along the sea-shore at Bally waiter and at the Warren 

 at Donaghadee. The inhabitants in these neighbourhoods never 

 remember a similar occurrence, and they think that the birds must have 

 come from Donegal. The lighthouse-keepers on the Copeland Islands 

 report the visit of strange birds not known to them as visiting the islands 

 previously. Perhaps someone else may have similar occurrences to 

 record, and, as far as I can find from inquiries, there are no grouse 

 within a long radius of above-mentioned places. 



Arthur J. Coi,i.ins, Belfast. 



PROCEKDINGS OF IRISH SOCIKTIKS. 



RoYAi, Zooi<oGiCAi< Society. 

 Recent donations comprise a rat, from C J. Patten, Esq. ; a weaver- 

 bird, from Lady M'Kenna ; a Parrakeet, from Mrs. A. Hillas ; a Common 

 Fox, from Mr. Reed; and three Guinea Pigs, from E). M. Solomons, Esq. 

 • 3,870 persons visited the Gardens in December. 



BeIvFast Naturai, History and Phii,osophicai, Society. 



November 27TH.— An interesting illustrated lecture on "Sea Fish and 

 Fishing off the West of Ireland " was given by Rev. W. S. Green, M.A., 

 F.R.G.S., H.M. Inspector of Fisheries. The President (Mr. ROBERT 

 IvIvOYD Patterson, J. P., F.Iv.S.) occupied the chair. 



Mr. Green proceeded wnth his lecture, which he prefaced by 

 throwing on the screen a map of the British Isles, showing the depths 

 of the sea frorn near the coast down to the profound abysses of the 

 Atlantic. Fishing grounds were only found at moderate depths, these 

 extending to a distance of from ten to twenty miles off the West of 

 Ireland ; but in the North Sea immense fishing areas existed, each 

 having a depth of about fifty fathoms ; indeed, these were amongst the 

 finest fishing grounds in the world. While Mr. Balfour was Chief 

 Secretary for Ireland he made an effort with the Royal Dublin Society 

 to start an expedition with the view of developing the Irish fisheries. 

 They had worked for. two years from the south of Cork to the north of 

 Donegal and had done some good work. In addition to spring mackerel 

 fishing there was an autumn mackerel fishing carried on by the natives, 

 and the extent of it could be estimated froin the fact that last year as 

 much as ^50,000 worth of mackerel had been sent to America, and that 

 exportation had been going on for the -^past seven years. At several 

 places stations had been established for the curing of fish, these 

 numbering eighteen, and they had been successful on the west coast of 

 Kerry. The next branch of the subject, which was of a highly in- 

 teresting character, dealt with the development of several specie's offish. 

 The eggs, he pointed out, floated in the sea near the surface, the swing 

 of the sea being sufficient to keep them from coming to the surface 

 w^here they would be made the prey of various kinds of little enemies. 

 There was an exception to this in the case of the herring, which laid 

 its eggs in the bottom. 



Professor Fitzgerai^d proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Green, which 

 was seconded by Mr. John Bro^vn. 



January 8th.— An illustrated lecture on " Old Belfast ; the Origin and 

 Progress of the City," w^as given by Mr, J. J. Marshai,i<, assisted by 

 Messrs. Ai,i,en and Gray. The Secretary exhibited and described two 

 sepulchral urns recently presented to the Society. 



