6o The Irish Naturalist. May, 1922. 



The Lions, which have always been the pride of DubUn, and in many 

 ways the chief attraction to the Gardens, are, as regards numbers, almost 

 exactly as in December, 1920. The only change in the list is due to the 

 departure of the young Lioness sent to Toronto. Only one cub was born 

 during the year, and it unfortunately did not survive. The Council 

 hopes that in the near future it may be possible to secure one or more young 

 forest-bred Lions, so that the excellence of the stock as a whole may be 

 maintained. The Council is very grateful to many friends of the Society 

 who most kindly provided horseflesh for the carnivora during a period 

 when it was difficult to obtain in Dublin. Thanks to this kind help, 

 during the whole year there was never any shortage. 



The Fishery Conservators, Dublin District, generously made a donation 

 of £10 towards the expenses of the Fish Hatchery in February, 1921 ; 

 and the Riparian Owners' Association handed to the Council in March 

 a sum of £j\^ 9s. id. When accepting the latter gift, the Council formally 

 resolved that the practice of placing all the young fish in the Liff ey should 

 be continued. Lord Dunraven presented 10,000 Brown Trout ova in 

 January last, and 18,000 young Brown Trout were successfully transferred 

 from the Hatchery to the waters of the Liffey at Newbridge. At the 

 moment there are 5,000 Salmon ova and 15,000 Trout ova in the Hatchery. 

 The salmon ova are a gift from the Fisheries Branch of the Department 

 of Agriculture and Technical Instruction. 



A series of six classes for Girl Guides was held on Saturday afternoons 

 in May and June. Several members of the Council and the Superintendent 

 shared the work connected with the classes, which were attended by an 

 average of just seventy Guides. At the conclusion of the course an 

 examination was held. Thirty-one Guides presented themselves and 

 twenty-nine passed. The answering of Miss Nunan, Miss D. Stanuel 

 (Guiders), and of Miss Noel Klingner and Miss Dorothy Steele (Guides) 

 received special commendation from the examiners. 



DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



October 8, 1921. — Excursion to Bray Head. The concluding 

 excursion of the summer of 1921 was favoured by the same genial weather 

 as had been enjoyed on most of the excursions of the past season. Con- 

 ducted by W. F. Rogers Brambell, the party visited that part of the cliffs 

 noted for the presence of the famous fossil Oldhamia, of which some 

 good examples were collected. Much information as to the birds 

 frequenting the Head and the surrounding sea was imparted by the 

 conductor, and the unusual sight of several Gannets resting on the water 

 close to the rocks excited much interest. A Raven was also seen by some 

 of the members. Among the local plants still in flower were the Tree- 

 Mallow {Lavatera arborea) and Rock Sandwort {Spergularia rupestHs). 

 The large party were afterwards most hospitably entertained by Mrs. 

 Brambell, at Ashbury, where some interesting ornithological specimens 

 were shown by the conductor of the excursion. 



