86 The Irish Naturalist. [March, 



winter meetings of the Club in its House, as usual, and, on the motion 

 of Mr. MiTCHEiviv, seconded by Miss Singi,eton, to the Dublin Press for 

 regularly reporting the Club's proceedings. 



Professor COT^E, F.G.S.. showed a series of lantern slides illustrating 

 some features of geological interest in Co. Kerry. 



The Rev. Maxwell Ci^OSE, M.A., F.G.S., moved, and the Rev. W. S. 

 Green, M.A., F.R.G.S., seconded the following resolution :— "That the 

 Dublin Naturalists' Field Club presses upon the Boards of Primary and 

 Intermediate Education in Ireland the importance to education and to 

 the country of introducing Natural Science as a subject to be 

 encouraged in Irish schools." 



Mr. Ci^oSE, in moving this resolution, said that most people were, as 

 Wordsworth had it, •' moving about in worlds unrealised." They might 

 be called anthropocentric Philistines. Natural Science, introduced into 

 the school curriculum would, as the resolution stated, be distinctly 

 beneficial both to student and country. In seconding the resolution, 

 Mr. Green said that unless the students v/ere brought into direct 

 contact with nature and natural objects, the introduction of the subject 

 into schools would be more or less useless. As things were at present 

 he was afraid not much could be done. The teachers in the schools 

 must first be trained to give the kind of instruction in Natural Science 

 necessary. Dr. C. H. Hurst said that if Natural Science were taught as 

 a literary subject it would be better to exclude it altogether from 

 schools. Mr. F. W. BurbidgE, M.A., F.I^.S., said visits of scholars to the 

 fields, the public gardens, and to museums were necessary. He was 

 astonished, when in Borneo, at the knowledge of the plants and 

 animals the natives, old and young, possessed. The idea that a 

 knowledge of Natural Science was inimical to religion was now almost 

 dead. 



Colonel Pi^UNKETl^ said he heartily supported the resolution on the 

 understanding that the subject would be taught practically, and not as 

 mere book knowledge. Dr. T. Johnson said students of science held that 

 Natural Science was as effective an instrument of education as many 

 subjects at present in the school curriculum, in training powers of 

 observation, deduction, expression, etc., that it was also utilitarinn, and 

 also helped one towards a fuller realisation of the world. Mr. Praeger 

 in putting the resolution, mentioned a collection of plants he had 

 recently seen made by a young American scholar, as an illustration of 

 one of the objects to be aimed at. The resolution was adopted. The 

 following were elected members :— J. G. M'Nab, W. R. M'Nab, A. G. 

 Ryder, C.E., and one candidate for election was nominated. 



The alterations in the rules, of which due notice had been given, were 

 proposed by the Secretary, seconded by the Treasurer, and adopted. 



February 8.— The President (R. Li.. Praeger, B.A.), in the chair 

 Seventy-three members and their friends were present. Dr. N. H. 

 Alcock read a paper on the structure and habits of bats. Commencing 

 with a short account of the zoological affinities of the group, the general 

 anatomy of the bats was next described The departure of the skeleton 



