^Ije girtelj Jtaturaltet^ 



Vol. IV. SEPTEMBER, 1895. No. 9. 



IRISH FIELD CLUB UNION. 



REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE AND EXCURSION 

 HELD AT GALWAY, JULY iiTh to lyto, 1895. 



l.—GENERAL ACCOUNT. 



BY R. IvLOYD PRAKGKR, B.B-, 

 Secretary Irish Field Club Union. 



It may be desirable to preface the present account of the Galway Field 

 Club Conference with a note on the history and objects of the Irish Field 

 Club Union, under the auspices of which the Conference was held. In 

 July, 1894, a three-day joint excursion of the Dublin, Cork, and Ivimerick 

 Field Clubs was carried out, F^'ermoy being the headquarters of the 

 party. At a conference held on the evening of the second day, for the 

 discussion of Field Club matters, emphasis was laid on the isolation of 

 the southern Field Clubs, and on the desirability of bringing all the 

 Irish Field Clubs into closer contact. The suggestions made on this 

 occasion, and in subsequent discussions among the Secretaries of the 

 Clubs represented, were not lost sight of, and after some correspondence, 

 the following memorandum was submitted to the Committees of the 

 Belfast, Dublin, Cork, and Limerick Field Clubs : — 



Memorandum. 



In the carrying out of the duties connected with their offices, the 

 Secretaries of the four Irish Naturalists' Field Clubs have for some time felt 

 the want of closer connection between the Clubs, by which more frequent 

 meetings might be arranged, and by which the Clubs might assist each 

 other by the occasional interchange of lecturers, and by the loan of papers, 

 specimens, lantern slides, &c. At present the Clubs have but a slight 

 knowledge of each other, and of each others' resources, and such aids 

 to their work as the above-mentioned can now only be carried out after 

 much enquiry and correspondence. With a view to facilitate these and 

 kindred objects, the Secretaries suggest that a joint committee be 

 formed, consisting of the President and Secretary of each Club, and that 

 these officers be empowered by the Committee of each Club to repre- 

 sent them on this joint committee, theit actions being in all cases 

 subject to the approval of the committee of their Club. The Secretaries 

 suggest that this organization be called the Irish Field Club Union, and 

 they feel convinced that such a bond between the Clubs will strengthen 

 each, and greatly assist the cause of Field Club work in Ireland. 



(Signed), Francis Joseph Bigger, Sec B.N.F.C. 



R. Iyi,OYD Praeger, Sec. D.N.F.C. 



John L. Copeman, Sec. C.N.F.C 



FRANCIS NEAI.E, Sec. ly.N.F.C. 

 Dublitl, 23. II. 94. 



A 



