1 8 The Irish Naturalist - [January-, 



aud the debirability of having a set of the orduauce maps, geological 

 maps, and geological memoirs provided for reference in the Public 

 Library. As a free grant of these valuable documents could be had from 

 the Treasury, no further time should be lost in securing them. The want 

 of proper arrangement in the Public Museum was considered to be a 

 very serious loss to popular education. It was thought desirable that the 

 services of the members of the Club should be utilised in completing aud 

 arranging our local natural history and antiquarian collections. The 

 meeting was closed by the election of some new members. 



XovKMBKR 25. BoT.\NiCAi, SECTION.— The first meeting was well 

 attended. After some notes on grasses collected during the season, Rev. 

 C. H. Waddell gave an introductory lectnre on the Cyperacese, the 

 special subject chosen for study by the members of the section during 

 the winter meetings. 



ReIvI'ast Natural History and Phii.osophicai, Society. 

 December 5.— a lecture was given by Robert A. Mitcheix, i<i..ii. 

 on " Personal Impressions of the Transvaal, Natal, and Cape Colony." 



DuBUN Naturalists' Fieed Ceub. 

 Excursion to the Shannon. — Members of the Dublin Naturalists' 

 Field Club spent June 27-29 in exploring the flora and fauna of the 

 islands and shores of Lough Ree, with Athlone as a centre, finding many 

 interesting specimens. On the first day, half an hour after arrival, the 

 party left by sailing and rowing boats for Hare Island, where much of 

 interest was seen. On the second day Quaker Island was reached by the 

 steamer, the " Faerie Queen,"' and made the centre of explorations by 

 row-boat, &.c. The interesting Seven Churches were described in detail 

 by Mr. J. F. Bigger, M.R.I. A.. Vice-President of the Belfast Field Club. 

 This member gave a similar treat on the third day when the remark- 

 ably fine ruins of Cloumacnoise were visited. Here, too, the party was 

 hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Charlton, of Clonmacnoise 



House. 



Praise is due to the Shannon Development Company for the way in 

 which its oflScials worked to make the visit a success, some members 

 complaining the visit was much too short for full enjoyment. 



The botany of Lough Ree has been fully reported on by Messrs. 

 Barringtou and Vowell {^Proc. KJ.A.. i.2) iv., 18S7;. A number of the 

 more interesting plants were seen. On Hare Island Cephalanthcni 

 ensifolia was gathered in abundance, with it were Ophrys apifcra aud 

 Tcucriiim Sconiiuin. On limestone rocks on the adjoining mainland Mr, 

 Praeger gathered Cornus san^uinca, an addition to the Lough Ree flora. 

 A halt where the lake narrows into the river above Athlone enabled the 

 IxDtanists to gather Galium borca/e, Lathynis palustn's in great abundance 

 and beautiful flower, Lastrea Thclypttris^ &c. The Clonmacnoise district is 

 bare and bleak ; the most conspicuous plants were Anthrisciis vulgaris, 

 which grew in remarkable abundance on the eskers, and Khynchospora 

 fusca, which INIr. Praeger found in immense quantity in the bogs. On 

 the fine ruined castle near St. John's Point Orobanchc hederce was gathered 

 by Mr. Kane. 



