*9 01 - Proceedings of Irish Societies. 17 



candlesticks ; R. May, old Irish lamps ; W. J. Fennell, F. J. Bigger, and 

 H. Hughes, plans, drawings, and rubbings made in 1900; J. Vinycomb, 

 Basin Loaning. 



At nine o'clock the President (Mr. Francis J. Bigger, M.R.I. A.), in 

 opening the proceedings, cordially welcomed the many friends of the 

 Club, and hoped that the exhibition had given them every satisfaction. 



The lights having been turned down, a number of beautiful views 

 were thrown on the screen by Messrs. Fennell, Hogg, Welch, M'Kinney, 

 and Win. Gra}^. The pictures were those taken by members of the 

 Club during their summer excursions to Downpatrick, Carrickfergus, 

 the Valley of the Boyne. During the evening microscopic demons- 

 trations were given by Messrs Donaldson, M'Cleery, Phillips, Stelfox, 

 Wright, Welch, and Gray, while relics and mementoes relative to South 

 Africa were taken charge of by Messrs. G. Donaldson and W. Swanston. 

 The art collection on the upper floor of the Library attracted consider- 

 able attention. It may be mentioned that before the close of the 

 proceedings a special vote of thanks was passed to Dr. G. Abbott, of 

 Tunbridge Wells, who sent an excellent" series of concretions of the 

 magnesian limestone of Durham. 



November 27. —The Winter Session of this Society was opened. Mr. 

 Rodman exhibited an excellent collection of lepidoptera. Miss Wheeler 

 exhibited some interesting examples of humming-birds' nests At 

 eight o'clock the President delivered a lecture oti " Irish Ecclesiastical 

 Architecture," dealing with the peculiarities of our primitive structures, 

 beehive huts, oratories, round towers, &c, with which Ireland is so richly 

 provided. The influence of the Norman invasion and subsequent times 

 was also very fully explained, and the lecture was copiously illustrated 

 by lantern slides produced by our best photographers. The meeting 

 was closed by the election of new members. 



DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



November 20.— The chair was taken by Mr. W. de V. Kane in the 

 absence of the President. Forty-two members and visitors were present. 



Mr. G. W. Nicholson read a paper on " Natural history observations 

 made on a visit to the marine floating laboratory of the Royal Dublin 

 Society, at Ballynakill Bay." The speaker gave a most interesting 

 account of the work done in the floating laboratory. He described the 

 various measures adopted for the capture, preservation, and classification 

 of marine zoological specimens. The interior of the laboratory, its 

 appointments and contents were also described. Many very beautiful 

 marine organisms are frequently obtained, and while still alive and 

 active are submitted for examination. 



Mr. Nicholson referred to the importance of studying the structure 

 of animals as Well as their habits. The paper was one of general 

 interest, for it dealt not only with the natural history of marine animals 

 but also with the land fauna of Ballynakill. Mr. Nicholson enumerated 



