1922. Irish Societies. yi 



There was on view during the evening a fine collection of mounted 

 photographs on loan from the North Staffordshire Field Club. The Hon. 

 Secretary showed an Orthoceras recently taken from local boulder clay. 

 R. J. Welch, M.K.I. A., exhibited an album containing almost one hundred 

 book plates designed by John Vinycomb, M.R.I. A., an hon. member and 

 ex-President of the Club. These included a number of book plates of 

 well-known Irish naturalists and antiquaries. With the election of two 

 new members the meeting was brought to a close. 



March 21. — ^Nevin H. Foster gave a lecture on " Birds, extinct 

 and living." The Chair was occupied by the President (S. A. Bennett), 

 who, before introducing the lecturer, referred to the fact that two of the 

 members (A. Deane and Professor J. Small) had recently been elected 

 to the Royal Irish Academy. 



Mr. Foster said that birds had evolved from reptiles, for the skeletons 

 of both bear a close affinity ; bat birds had progressed much further, as, 

 owing to their possessing a four-chambered heart, they were able to keep 

 their bodies at a uniform temperature despite the varying heat of their 

 surroundings. Birds and mammals agreed in this respect, and together 

 were classed as warm-blooded animals. The covering of reptiles consisted 

 of scales, and it was probable that the feather had been developed from 

 a frayed scale. Though of this no actual proof could be advanced, it 

 was worthy of note that the feet and legs of birds are still covered with 

 scales similar to those borne by reptiles. From fossils which had been 

 found it was possible to make the picture of the oldest-known bird, the 

 Archaeopteryx. This bird, which was about the size of a Rook, was 

 clothed in feathers precisely the same as are found on all birds, but it 

 showed remarkable differences to all living birds in the possession of true 

 teeth in the jaws and the structure of the tail. Other extinct birds alluded 

 to included the Hesperornis, Ichthyornis, Moa, Dodo, and the Garefowl, 

 or Great Auk, &c. — bones of the last-named of which had been found in 

 County Antrim. 



Mr. Foster then proceeded to speak about some living birds, choosing 

 for representation a few species found respectively in Europe, Asia, Africa, 

 and Australasia. 



The lecture was illustrated by a series of very fine slides, and at its 

 conclusion a discussion followed, in which J. A. S. Stendall, J. Holness, 

 and S. M. Macoun took part. The meeting concluded with the election 

 of John Vinycomb, M.R.I. A., as honorary member, and G. W\ C. Porter 

 and W. J. Knight as ordinary members. 



March 28. — Annual Conversazione. — The members held their fifty- 

 ninth annual conversazione and exhibition, when a company of 160 

 members and friends met at 6 o'clock in the Carlton Hall. A large series 

 of zoological, botanical, geological, archaeological, and historical exhibits 

 were shown. The President (S. A. Bennett) in a short address, reviewed 

 the work of the past session. Five new members were elected. 



