I897-] Proceedings of Irish Societies. 25 



BoTANiCAiv Section, November 28. — The course of study arranged 

 for this winter comprises the principal British Natural orders of Plants, 

 Oliver's well-known " Lessons " being used as the text-book. Ramm- 

 cidacea to Papaveracece were discussed by the aid of fresh and dried 

 specimens contributed by members. 



Dublin Naturai^ists' Fiei^d Ci,ub. 



November 17.— The President (Prof. Grenvii,i.e A. J. Coi*E) 

 delivered an address on " The Natural Rights of Scenery." It was 

 illustrated by numerous lantern-views. The speaker urged that natural 

 scenery should be treated with respect, if only on account of its mental 

 and moral eflfect on our own lives. We ourselves, as races of men, are 

 moulded by the lands in which we live ; and to use our surroundings for 

 purposes of commercial gain or self-advertisement is to appropriate to 

 ourselves, or to our own short generation, what is of world-wide and 

 perpetual importance. Roads, railways, mills, could be established 

 without permanent injury to scenery, if due care was taken by local 

 authorities to preserve the rights of the landscape. The vagaries of the 

 private owner were difficult to deal with, and the Scotch " Access to 

 Mountains Bill" failed to restore moorlands to public use. Nothing 

 short of nationalisation of scenery, a large scheme of land-nationalisa- 

 tion, could entirely safeguard such treasures as the Giants' Causeway. 

 Mr. Lavens Ewart, President of the Belfast Field Club, is one of the 

 defendants in the test- case now approaching. The charges for admission 

 to natural scenery in Scotland and in Switzerland should be indeed a 

 warning ; long might it be before Irishmen withheld the hand of welcome 

 to the stranger until sixpence dropped into its palm. 



The paper was discussed by Rev. M. H. Close, M.A., R. Ivloyd Praeger 

 and Endymion Porter. 



Prof. T. Johnson, d.Sc, then presented a report as Delegate from the 

 Club to the recent meeting of the British Association at Liverpool. He 

 stated that at the Corresponding Societies Committee the question of 

 local unions of scientific Societies was discussed, the subject being opened 

 by a paper by Dr. Abbott, Secretary of the S.E. Union of Scientific 

 Societies. A sub-committee was appointed to further consider the 

 question, and the Club's delegate acted on the sub-committee. Prof 

 Flinders Petrie read a paper " On a Federal Staff for Local Museums " ; 

 in the discussion which ensued the Club's delegate took part. {See above 

 under Belfast Nat. Hist, and Phil. Society). 



J. G. Robertson showed a beautifully preserved fossil amphibian from 

 the Jarrow colliery, the skeleton being quite complete ; also the jaw of a 

 larger amphibian. 



Limerick Naturawsts' FieivD Ci.ub. 

 November 17.— Mr. F. Neai^E read a paper on " Butterflies, when 

 and where to find them," dealing with the collection and preservatioi^ 

 of specimens, and illustrating his remarks by a fine series of insects, 

 mostly collected in the Limerick district. 



