19IO. PrAeger. — Field Club Conference^ Rosapenna, 165 



various clubs, which had an aggregate membership of about 

 750 persons. The attendance at the conferences had fallen 

 from 100 at Galwa}' in 1895 to 47 at Cork (1907) and Rosa- 

 penna ; but he thought this was a measure of the success of 

 these meetings rather than of their failure, for the dropping 

 off was due to the fact that the objects for which the confer- 

 ences were instituted were now largely accomplished. The 

 members of the different clubs now^ knew each other and each 

 others' districts ; and instead of working at their particular 

 studies within their own neighbourhoods, they had extended 

 their observations so as to include in many cases the whole 

 of Ireland. The important combined work which was now 

 going on in the countr}^ — the survey of Clare Island, for 

 instance — had to a great extent been made possible by these 

 conferences, and was accountable in many instances for the 

 non-attendance of those working members whose presence 

 was now missed. Since last conference Irish Field Club 

 work had sustained a grievous loss in the death of the veteran 

 Belfast naturalist, S. A. Stewart, and he called on Mr. Praeger, 

 who was intimatel}^ associated with Mr. Stewart in his later 

 work, to express the sense of the meeting in the loss which 

 his death entailed. 



R. IvL. Prakger said he was proud to be asked to offer a 

 tribute to the memory of Mr. Stewart. Few men had done a 

 better life's work in scientific field work in Ireland than he, 

 and it was fitting that this meeting of Irish naturalists, 

 meeting for field work, should do honour to his memory. 

 He proceeded briefly to sketch Mr. Stewart's life and labours, 

 and dwelt on his helpfulness to other workers, his un- 

 assuming modesty, and his intense love of truth and of con- 

 scientious work. 



Mrs. Bkrnal proposed and Rev. Sidney Smith seconded a 

 cordial vote of thanks to J. W. Manning, manager of the 

 Rosapenna Hotel, Mrs. Manning, and Mr. M'Donald, 

 assistant manager, for the excellent way they had seen to the 

 comfort of the party and the success of the excursion. 



J. W. Manning replied suitably. 



Rev. Canon Lett then spoke on the Mosses and Hepatics 

 found during the excursion, and exhibited specimens. 



A. W. SteIvFox followed, with notes on the I^and and Fresh- 

 water MoUusca. 



