i 26 The Irish Naturalist, [ May, 



The Eng^Ilsh Hare in Ireland. 



I am glad that Mr. Barrett-Hamiltou has given us an account of his 

 interesting observations r/m/i Naturalist^ March, 1898), on the introductions 

 of the Brown or English Hare {Lcpiis eiiropccus) into Ireland. They tend 

 on the whole to support the hypothesis, that a spirit of antagonism 

 exists between the English and the Irish Hare, but further observations 

 are needed on the subject. 



The success of the vStrabaue introduction, says Mr. Barrett-Hamilton, 

 is alone a sufficient proof of the power of the English Hare to become 

 permanently established. In this case, however, Mr. Herdman, who 

 introduced the hares, expressly states that, in his part of the country 

 there were no Irish Hares in the lowlands, so that the aliens had no 

 trouble with the native hare to start with. Altogether, the artificial 

 surroundings in which these introductions are generall}' made, do not 

 give us a good idea of what would happen if both species met under 

 perfectly natural conditions without human interference. 



R. F. SCHARFF. 



Science and Art Museum, Dublin. 



PROCKKDINGS OF IRISH SOCIKTIKS. 



RoYAi^ Zooi.oGiCAi, Society. 



Recent gifts include a pair of Manx Bantams and two Pekin Bantams 

 from Mr. J. B. O'Callaghan, a sparrow hawk from Master H. Neville, a 

 parrot from Miss K. Barlow, a monkey from Mr. V, Colin, and two 

 cockatoos from the Marquis of Ormonde. A striped Hyena, a Wapiti 

 Deer, two Golden Lion Monkeys, a Mantelli Apteryx, a Ganuet and a 

 Sea-lion have been bought, while two Golden Agoutis and two Aomdads 

 have been born in the Gardens. 



5,355 persons visited the Gardens during March. 



The Annual Report of the Society (for 1897) hds recently bieeii 

 issued. An increase of 6,000 in the number of visitors to the Gardens as 

 compared with the preceding year is an encouraging feature, but the 

 Council regret that the number of annual subscribers is by no means as 

 large as might reasonably be expected. A deputation to the Treasury 

 in February, 1897, to solicit a Government grant towards the erection of 

 necessary new buildings was uuhappil}^ not successful. The Aquarium 

 House, with its interesting collection of reptiles and diving-birds, was 

 opened in March, by the Countess Cadogan, and has been extremely 

 popular with visitors. One of the Jackass Penguins in this house laid 

 two eggs in May, but they did not hatch out. The new Camel and 

 Iflama House has been finished, and great pains having been taken to 

 secure a dry site, the health of the animals has greatlj' improved. The 

 Chimpanzee and the rare Hainan Gibbon, both of which have lived in 

 the Gardens since 1895, have received increased space and are in 



