1:899- J Proceedings of Irish Societies. 47 



Dubinin NaTuraeisTj'Fieed Ceub. 



December 13.— The President, R, LE- Praeger, B.A., B.E., in the 

 chair. Eighty-nine members and friends were present. Dr. A. H. 

 Foord, F.G.S., read a paper on Irish fossil shells and their modern repre- 

 sentatives, which will be published in our next issue. The author des- 

 cribed a series of slides, some of which had been kindly lent to him by 

 Prof. Grenville Cole, of the Royal College of Science. These consisted 

 of characteristic fossils of the Carboniferous Limestone of Ireland, and 

 Cephalopods of the existing seas. They included also reproductions of 

 some of the beautiful pictures illustrating the admirable memoir on the 

 embr3'onic shells of the fossil Brachiopoda, by Mr. C. E. Beecher, of 

 Albany, in the State of New York. 



Dr. C. J. Patten gave an account of habits of our common sea-gulls, 

 with special reference to their variation of plumage according to age 

 and season. Gulls were described as being widely distributed, but little 

 affected by weather and able to fly straight into the very teeth of the 

 storm. They are extremely uniform in structure, and admirably 

 adapted for the capricious weather to which they are subjected. In 

 this respect they differ from such sea-birds as Cormorants and divers, 

 which are obliged to take refuge from high seas and furious gales. 

 They will eat anythiug and deserve their name of " sea scavengers." 

 The Common Gull is a breeder in Ireland only in small colonies of a 

 few pairs. The nestlings are first covered with down and may not 

 assume perfect adult plumage for some years. Dr. Patten then described 

 the variations of plumage, and the habits of the different kinds of gulls. 

 The lecture was illustrated by numerous lantern-slides and mounted 

 specimens. The Vice-President, Mr. J. E. Paemer, and Dr. N. H. 

 Aecock spoke on the paper, and congratulated Dr. Patten on his 

 interesting communication. The following exhibits were shown : — 

 Miss L- ShackeeTon, Spanish Chestnut in fruit ; Miss R. Hensman 

 peculiar marked birch bark ; Dr. Johnson, Hon. Sec, a collection of 

 fungi presented to the Science and Art Museum, by Dr. C. B. Plowright. 

 The following were elected members : — R. Bryers, Mrs. James Crawford, 

 Mrs. Robert Crawford, H. Bantry White, M.A., M.E. Five nominations 

 for membership were made- The Officers and Committee for 1899 were 

 nominated. Mr. H. K. G. Cuthbert (Hon. Treas.) gave notice of the 

 following proposal, Rule V : — 



" That the annual subscription be five shillings with an Entrance 

 Fee of five shillings ; all subscriptions shall be payable in advance, 

 shall become due on the 1st of January, and must be paid within three 

 months of that date, failing which the member's name shall be removed 

 from the list. Provided always that it shall be open to the Committee 

 to reinstate any member (upon payment) whose subscription shall be 

 overdue for unavoidable reasons ; and provided that members proposed 

 at or after the October meeting in each year shall not be liable for the 

 subscription of that year. Members who have formally resigned, should 

 their subscription be not in arrear at the date of resignation, may be 

 fe-elected without payment of a second Entrance Fee." 



