iqoi. Irish Field Club Union. 141 



all assembled at the Natural History Museum, where Dr. Scharff, Mr. 

 Carpenter, and Mr. Nichols demonstrated in turn the study collections, 

 the general collections of invertebrate and vertebrate animals, the 

 collection of Irish animals, and the geological and palseontological 

 collections. Dr. and Mrs. Scharff kindly entertained the party to tea. 

 In the evening the Field Club Conference was held. In the unavoidable 

 absence of Mr. F. J. Bigger, President of the senior Club, the chair was 

 taken by Prof. G. A. J. Cole. The short address which Mr. Bigger had 

 intended to deliver was read by the Secretary (Mr. Praeger). Mr. 

 Carpenter followed with a paper on " The Dublin Museum and Irish 

 Naturalists." Prof. Cole gave an address on " Scenery and Geology 

 in Dublin and Wicklow," pointing out, with the aid of a large series 

 of lantern slides, the geological significance of the various natural 

 features viewed on the excursions of the preceding days. Mr. Praeger 

 spoke on " The Present State of our Knowledge of the Irish Flora," 

 and exhibited a series of maps illustrating the history of botanical 

 research, and showing which portions of the country were now most in 

 need of attention at the hands of the field botanist. Mr. R. J. Ussher 

 drew attention to the important work that lay open to F A ield Club 

 members in the domain of ornithology, and especially emphasized the 

 desirability of extending our^ knowledge of the distribution of birds, 

 and of enlarging the collection of Irish bird skins in our National 

 Museum. The remaining speakers included Mr. W. H. Patterson 

 (Belfast), and Mr. Abraham Shackleton (Dublin). 



On Saturday morning the final excursion of the meeting was held. 

 The party took tram at 10 o'clock to Howth, and proceeded by the cliff 

 walk to above the Bailey lighthouse, whence they crossed the hill to the 

 cromleac, and descended through the demesne to Howth town, where 

 lunch was served at the St. Laurence Hotel. The 4.5 train brought the 

 members back to town, where the party broke up. 



NEWS GLEANINGS. 



The Cave Committee's Work. 



The work of exploring Irish caves has been successfully undertaken 

 this season in the County of Sligo. Keshcorran Mountain was visited 

 the third week in May by Dr. Scharff, Mr.^Coffey, Professor Cole, and Mr. 

 Ussher. Mr. Plunkett, of Enniskillen, also paid these members of the 

 Committee an opportune visit at their work. The digging out of one 

 cave was carried on for more than a fortnight, with satisfactory 

 results. Strata of different ages were discovered, and the objects 

 found in them respectively have been carefully labelled and kept 

 separate. The upper stratum yielded from all parts of the cave relics of 

 a human settlement ; among these objects were a stone celt, bronze pins, 

 and many other evidences of the earlier stages of civilization in Ireland. 



