38 The Irish Naturalist. Mareh, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



January 30.— Annual General Meeting, held (by kind permission) 

 in the Lecture Theatre of the Royal Dublin Society. The President 

 (Sir Frederick Moore) took the chair. The Secretary (Prof. G. H. 

 Carpenter) proposed the adoption of the Report for 191 8, of which a 

 summary follows : — 



The year 191 8 has been, like its near predecessors, a time of much 

 difficulty for the Society. It has been impossible to avoid further 

 depletion of the stock ; yet much encouragement has been afforded "by 

 the support of members in various ways, and the conclusion of the 

 armistice in November, followed by the removal of at least many of 

 the war-conditions prevalent for four years past, gives cause for hopeful 

 confidence. 



The increase in the gate receipts noted in the Report for 191 7 has 

 been well maintained during 191 8, the amount being £1,764 14s., as 

 compared with ;^i,6oo 25. 3^., an increase of ;^i64 115. gd. The revival 

 in the number of visitors thus shown is particularly encouraging in the 

 absence of any unusual cause of attraction, like the great frost of 

 February, 191 7. 



An increase in membership has again to be recorded : the year has 

 been signalised by the accession of twenty-five life-members, thirty-six 

 annual members, and five garden subscribers. The amount paid in 

 members' entrance fees and subscriptions was ;^666 7s., as compared 

 with ;/^657 13s. in 19 17. The increase is less than might have been 

 expected, but, unfortunately, some annual members have not renewed 

 their subscriptions. 



In spite of the increase in the Society's income from the gate receipts 

 and membership fees, the financial position in the autumn appeared 

 unpromising on account of the great advance in the prices of food-stuffs 

 and fuel, even as compared with the prices during 191 7. It was also 

 found both just and necessary to raise further the wages of most of the 

 keepers. The Council decided, therefore, that another special appeal 

 to the members and friends of the Society could not be avoided if the year 

 were to close without a heavy debt. As a possible alternative to a 

 direct request for money contributions, it was suggested that a Fete, 

 lasting three or four days, might be held in the Gardens during the summer 

 of 1919. By means of a circular letter and a special general meeting, 

 held at the Royal College of Surgeons (by kind permission of the President 

 and Council) on November 14th, the opinion of the Society's members 

 was asked, with the result that an immediate appeal for contributions 

 for the clearance of the debt has been made, and a Fete, to be held in 

 the Gardens in June is being prepared for. The amount already subscribed 

 towards the extinction of the debt is £2^0 ; for this generous support 

 the Council desire to return hearty thanks to the donors. This amount 



