344 '^^^ Irish Naturalist, 



One of the finest displays in the hall was the large series of views— 

 antiquarian and scientific— taken by Mr. R. Welch during the past season, 

 more especially those taken in Galway and Connemara on the occasion 

 of the Field Club conference. Each department of the Glub was in 

 charge of some one or more members, around whom congregated a group 

 of listeners. At one table Mr. D. M'Ardle and Rev. C. H. Waddell were 

 in charge of mosses and liverworts. Close by, Mr. W. H. Phillips had the 

 whole breadth of the hall covered with nature prints, of British ferns, 

 and a table full of the ferns themselves. Mr. Hamilton's toads afforded 

 interest during the evening, whilst Mr. Gray's method of looking at the 

 time through a beetle's eye brought up a feeling of wonder at such a 

 lowly creature being provided with about 250 perfect lenses, through each 

 of w'hicli the watch was visible. Mr. Joseph Wright had, in company 

 with Mr. Welch, a fine collection of foraminifera from Connemara, of 

 which 90 species had been identified. Further on, Mr. Lyster Jameson, 

 of Dublin, had skins of six out of seven known species of Irish bats ; also 

 some shrew mice and field mice. Beside him, Mr. Halbert, of Dublin, 

 had an extensive collection of rare in.sects, collected on the D.N.F.C. 

 excursions during the year ; whilst arranged around the central dais were 

 the exhibits of the geological section. The polished blocks of Conne- 

 mara and Menlough marble looked very well. Mr. R. Bell's trilobites, 

 from Pomeroy, were a surprise to many, being so well preserved ; and 

 Mr. M'l^ean's blocks of pure white gypsum were very handsome ; whilst 

 Miss vS. M. Thompson and Mr. W. J. Fennell had both varied and interest- 

 ing exhibits of rocks and fossils. Mr. Morrissey exhibited a model of 

 the Giant's Causeway. 



On the large central table Professor T. Johnson was in charge of a 

 large collection of seaweeds, and showed the best methods of examining 

 them ; also a well-mounted series of Alpine plants preserved by Lady 

 Rachel Saunderson. Professor M'Weeney, m.d., of Dublin, at the next 

 table exhibited variously coloured masses in little tubes, which proved 

 to be a series of bacilli. Professor Cole's Tardree rhyolites, illustrated 

 by samples from all the other well-known rhyolites and obsidians, were 

 full of interest, as were the paintings of sea anemones displayed on 

 the walls by Professor A. C. Haddon, of Dublin. Besides these, the 

 following gentlemen exhibited: — Rev. J. Andrew, General Subjects; 

 J. C. Carson, Micros. Apparatus: J. H. Davies, Flax injured by larva of 

 Eristalis, with specimens of the insect ; W. D. Dorman, m.b.. Diving 

 Rotifers; W. B. Drummond, Marine Life; W. A. P'irth, Diatoms; P. F. 

 Gulbrausen, Pond Dife; H. M'Cleery, Hydrozoa and Polyzoa; W. S. 

 M'Kee, Diving Fresh Water Organisms; A. Speers, B..SC., Vegetable 

 Tissues ; J. Stetfox, Diving Fresh Water Organisms : Wm. Swanston, 

 p\G.S., Echinodermata : and Miss Andrews, Rock Sections. A good 

 exhibit was that of Mr. Alex. G. Wilson, hon. sec, of models of the Aran 

 curragh and pack-saddle, and the primitive style of living in these 

 islands, as exemplified by the raw-hide sandals and the simple form of 

 lamps, one being a scallop shell. Dr. Lorrain Smith and Mrs. Smith had 

 a collection of disease germs, such as diphtheria and scarlet fever, in 

 bottles, and also a "Cambridge" rocking microtome, which was kept busy 

 cutting sections during most of the evening. Dr. Thompson had a 

 number of tests for colour vision and optical illusions in colour — also 

 an ingenious method of measuring small spaces of time, and a pulse- 

 recording instrument. Dr. Cecil Shaw's microtome came in for a good 

 deal of attention. Professor S3^mington's exhibit was an apparatus for 

 drawing pictures of sections under the microscope. 



In addition to the microscopical exhibits there were two series of 

 lantern displays, at 8 30 and 9.30, from photos taken on the Galway and 

 other excursions. The first of these was described by Mr. Gray, and the 

 second by Mr. Fennell, who pointed out the features of the pictures, which 

 v/ere Excellently shown by Messrs. Lizars' best lantern. At ten o'clock a 

 short business meeting was held, and seventeen new members elected. 



