1917. Irish Societies. 49 



affairs through these trying days, cannot but express gratitude for the 

 support that has been accorded, and acknowledge with liearty thanlffuhiess 

 the generous action of the members at this time of need. During the 

 last few days of the year a promise of a further gift of ;(,ioo — as to the 

 source of which anonymity is enjoined — has been received ; this sum 

 will not be paid until 191 7, and cannot, therefore, be included in the 

 accounts now presented, which show a deficit of £2.2=,. The Council is 

 doing its best to ensure economy in administration, and feivourable 

 engagements have been made for the supply of coal, coke, and hay. 

 Nevertheless the coal bill is 50 per cent, higher than in 1915. 



A year ago, Sir Charles Ball, Bart., M.D., retired from the Presidency 

 of the Society, and ^Ir. W. E. Peebles was elected in his place. It is with 

 the deepest regret that the Council now record the death of both these 

 old and valued supporters of the Society, which has never before lost 

 an ex-President and a President within twelve months. 



Sir Charles Ball, whose failing health prevented him from taking the 

 chair at the last annual meeting, died on March 17th (St. Patrick's Day), 

 1916. The third son of Robert Ball, who was Secretary of the Society 

 from 1837 till 1857, Charles became a member in 1882, and he was elected 

 on the Council in 1S95, becoming President in 19 10. During the last 

 two years of his life he held a lieutenant-colonelcy in the Royal Army 

 Medical Corps, and there can be little doubt that the exertions and ex- 

 posure associated with his militar}^ duties contributed to the weakness 

 which caused his death at the comparatively early age of 65. A good 

 account of his life may be found in the Irish Naturalist for j\Iay, 1916. 



W, Edward Peebles was the " father " of the Royal Zoological Society, 

 which he joined in 1861. and on N\liose Council he has served continuously 

 since 1879. A barrister and a sportsman, with many varied interests, he 

 was an admirable t\pe of those men of leisure whose valuable help has 

 always been at the service of the Society. It may be doubted if any 

 member has visited the Gardens more constantly than he, and his counsel 

 was continually at his colleagues' disposal, while his gifts to the collections 

 were generous and frequent. The establishment of the Members' Room 

 in the Haughton House was first suggested by him, and later on he con- 

 tributed liberally to its enlargement. The Council has now been informed 

 that IMr. Peebles has becjueathed by will a sum of money for the further 

 improvement of the premises and for the erection of necessary buildings 

 in the Gardens in future ; all these advantages will therefore remain as 

 material evidence of his benefactions. In 1904 he was elected Honorary 

 Vice-President, and when the members of the Council a year ago unani- 

 mously chose him for the Presidency they little thought that he would 

 enjoy that honour for less than a year. 



Reference has already been made to the serious monetary loss which 

 the Society suftered as one result of the outbreak in Dublin in Easter week. 

 The dilficulty of bringing the collections safely through that week was 

 great, and it is hardly surprising that wild rumours of the shooting of 

 the lions and tigers, because no food could be procured for them, were 

 current, and were believed in some quarters. ^lembers of the Society 



