^S The Irish Nahir.ilUt. [ March, 



PROCEEDINGS OF IRISH SOCIETIES. 



RoYAi, Z001.0GICA1, Society of Irei^and. 



Recent gifts include an Ocellated Sand Skink from Dr. F. F. MacCabe, 

 a Long-eared Owl from Mr. C. K. Bushe, a Badger from Mr. A. Rotheram, 

 a pair of Pine Martens from Major J. H. Connellan, seven Ring-Snakes 

 from Judge Boyd, and a number of freshwater fish from Mr. F. Godden. 



3,581 persons visited the Gardens in January. 



The Sixty-fifth Annual Report adopted at a meeting held January 26th 

 shows encouraging progress. The number of admissions to the Gardens 

 during the year 1896 was 124,836, an increase of 12,000 on 1895, while the 

 receipts were ;^i,755 Sx. \d., as against ;^i,687 19^. 5^. the previous year. 

 Still better is the increase from member's entrance fees and subscriptions ; 

 the rise from ;^5i9 in 1895, to £']\^ last year, shows a marked accession 

 of new members, though it is considered that the very special efforts 

 put forward by the Council should have met with even greater success. 



The Council lost two of their number during the year ; — Mr. H- 

 Pennington by death and Gen. Sir R. Sankey by resignation ; Col. G. T. 

 Plunkett and Mr. G. A. Stephenson were co-opted to fill the vacancies 

 thus caused. 



Among the improvements carried out during 1896, the completion of 

 the new Goat House and Rockery is specially noticeable. The goats 

 and ibexes will now be shown among surroundings imitative of 

 their natural haunts, and the good stock of animals already acquired will 

 be added to this year. The cost of the undertaking has been great ; a 

 special donation of ;^io towards it by Dr. C. B. Ball is acknowledged. 



Another excellent piece of work has been the alteration of the Aqua- 

 rium House. Without interference with the fish tanks, a large Alligator 

 pond has been formed in the centre of the building, while at one end 

 have been erected heated compartments with plate-glass fronts for tro- 

 pical snakes and lizards, at the other end cages and a tank for diving birds, 

 such as Cormorants and Penguins. A glass front to this tank enables 

 the motions of the birds, while diving, to be observed and studied. It is 

 hoped that this house will shortly be opened to the public, when it will 

 doubtless prove a great attraction. 



Re-labelling of the animals has been carried out during the year on an 

 extensive scale. In cages where many creatures are kept together, it is 

 important to define which label refers to which animal, and this has 

 been done for the Aviary and Gull-enclosures, by means of a number of 

 water-colour drawings kindly executed by Mrs. Scharff and mounted 

 by Miss Dixon. 



This year it is intended to erect a new house and paddock for the 

 llamas and camels ; a plan of the intended structure is given and its com- 

 pletion will be a great gain to the Gardens. Unfortunately two camels died 

 last year in the old house. New quarters for the marsupials are also 

 contemplated. It is earnestly to be hoped that suflQcient funds will be 

 at the disposal of the Council for carrying out these important works 



