48 The Irish Naturalist. March, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Badger from Mrs. Lendrum, Cavies from Miss 

 Grattan Bellew, and a Ring-necked Parrakeet from Mrs. Newman. A 

 Diana ^Vlonke}-, a Mona ^lonkey, and a Woolly Monkey have been received 

 on deposit, and three White-Collared Mangabeys and two Sooty Mangabeys 

 in exchange. A pair of Swans have been acquired by purchase. 



January 31. — Annual General Meeting held in the theatre of the 

 Royal Dublin Society (by permission), the Rt. Hon. Jonathan Hogg, 

 ex-President, in the chair. In opening the proceedings, he referred to the 

 loss sustained by the Society through the deaths within the 3^ear of two 

 Presidents : Sir Charles Ball, Bart., and W. E. Peebles. J. P. 



Prof. G. H. Carpenter (Hon. Secretary) moved the adoption of the 

 Council's Report. 



This is the third Report presented to the Society since the outbreak 

 of war. Another year of much difficulty, on account of reduced attendance 

 and diminished receipts from ordinary sources of income, has passed ; 

 the Council desires to record thankfully that, through the generous support 

 of members, the Society closes the year in a distinctly stronger position 

 than was the case twelve months ago. At the end of December, 191 3, 

 there was an adverse balance of ,^447 ; this has now been reduced to 

 ^225. The decrease of gate receipts during the past year is attributable to 

 the continuance of war conditions, intensified by the abnormal loss on 

 account of the Easter-week rebellion, to which reference is made below. 

 The Easter holiday entrance payments in 1915 amounted to /132, whereas 

 they were barely £62 in 1916. But the number of visitors to Dublin 

 was lower than ever all through the summer, so that another fall of ^250 

 in the gate receipts has to be recorded. All soldiers and sailors in uniform 

 are now admitted at half-price on week-da)'s, and this privilege is utilized 

 to a gratifying extent. 



The increasing economic strain has also reduced seriously the number 

 of members ; it is satisfactory to record the admission of ten new life- 

 members. Thirt)'-f()ur annual members and ten garden subscribers 

 joined during 1916, and several have reluctantly resigned their member- 

 ship. The result is a decrease of /54 in entrance fees and subscription. 



A year ago it was hoped that further appeals to members of the Society 

 for monetary help might be avoided. Jkit the loss incurred during Easter 

 week, the falling off of admission payments throughout the summer, 

 and the continual increase in the cost of food and fuel combined to produce 

 a financial situation so threatening that the Council felt it necessary 

 to lay the needs of the Society again before its supporters by means of 

 a circular letter. The appeal of 1914 l)rought in gifts amounting to /-|20. 

 This encouraging result was far surpassed during the last six months of 

 1916, when contributions reaching a total of £575 were sent, in many cases 

 with cheering letters expressing true concern for the welfare of the Society. 

 The Council, on whom has fallen the responsibility of guiding the Society's 



