50 The Ifish Naiuralist. March, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



January 25. — Annual meeting in the lecture theatre of the Royal 

 Dublin Society, the President (Rt. Hon. Jonathan Hogg, D.L.). in the 

 chair. The Hon. Secretary (Dr. R. F. Scharff) read the Report of the 

 Council for 1909. There were 185,758 admissions to the gardens, and the 

 receipts amounted to ^2 245, both figures being very similar to those for 

 T908. The receipts from new members, ;^84o, show, however, a great 

 increase. 



A special appeal to the members was issued, asking them all to aid 

 the Council in making the aims of the Society better known and in 

 obtaining more subscribers to the Gardens and more members for the 

 Society, The response to this appeal was splendid. Never in the 

 history of the Society have so many new members joined, so that 

 nearly ;^ioo more than in any previous j'ear was realised from this 

 source of income. 



In response to many representations on the part of members of the 

 Society, it was decided to reduce the admission fee on Wednesdays to 

 sixpence instead of one shilling. This accounts for a great increase in 

 the sixpenny and threepenny takings during the year. Special facilities 

 are also now given to members of the Society who are either heads of 

 schools or large firms. They may obtain cheap tickets for their pupils 

 or employes available on any day of the week. 



The Society has sustained a great loss in the death of its past President, 

 Prof. D. J. Cunningham. Only a few years fgo the Council had to give 

 expression to their regret for his departure from Dublin when he took 

 up other duties in the Universit}^ of Edinburgh. But, though far 

 removed from the scene of his former activities, he never for a moment 

 lost his keen interest in the welfare of our Zoological Gardens. The 

 Council always felt that their past President and former Secretary 

 followed every step in the gradual development and progress of the 

 Society with the same attention and keen sympathy that he had dis- 

 played when still in Ireland. It is especially during the rebuilding of 

 the old Lion House that the Council were vividly reminded of Professor 

 Cunningham's devotion to the Zoological Gardens in connection with 

 the beautiful " Roberts House," w^hich was built largely after his 

 own ideas as an adjunct to the old house, the latter being only now 

 superseded. 



On the 24th March, Canon Carmichael kindly gave a lecture on the 

 subject of " Animals that I have known.'' Although no lantern slides 

 were shown on this occasion, the lecture was a splendid success, being 

 attended by crowds of visitors, including His Excellency the Lord 

 Lieutenant. As before, the Council of the Royal Dublin Society lent 

 their fine theatre for this lecture. 



Instead of having Military Band Performances, the Constabulary Baud 

 played once, on June 12th, while a small ladies' orchestra performed on 

 Saturday afternoons during the months of June, July, and August, on 

 the Haughtou House Balcony. This music seemed to be appreciated by 

 the public. 



