144 The Irish Naturalist. 



1875 also witnesses the adoption of the title of "Annual 

 Report and Proceedings " for the Club's publication, which 

 had by this time assumed the proportions of an annual instal- 

 ment of 80 to 100 pages. 



The years 1875 to 1890 provide a record of steady prosperity, 

 and good work, as witnessed by the numerous "Appendices," 

 so that in 1886, a volume of these was published in collected 

 form, comprising twenty-one papers illustrated by twenty- 

 seven plates, and dealing with the Foraminifera, Coleoptera, 

 Ostracoda ; Post-tertiary, Glacial, Cretaceous, Liassic, Carboni- 

 ferous, and Silurian Fossils ; Fungi and Mosses ; and Cromlechs 

 of the North of Ireland. The summer excursions and winter 

 meetings went on regularly, with good attendances, while the 

 membership fluctuated between 220 and 300. The Presidents 

 during the first decade had been Canon Grainger, d.d., George 

 C. Hyndman, and Professor James Thomson, f.r.s. ; during 

 the second decade the office was held in succession by John 

 Anderson, f.g.s., Canon M'llwaine, d.d,, William Gray, Robert 

 Young, and Lieut. -General Smyth, f.r.s. ; while the interval 

 up to 1890 was filled by W. H. Patterson and Hugh Robinson, 

 two of the original office-bearers of 1863. 



In 1890 the retirement of Mr. Swanston from the post which 

 he had so honourably held for 15 j-ears, led to the appointment 

 of the writer to the Secretaryship ; and when a year later Mr. 

 Lockwood asked to be relieved of his duties, Mr. F. J. Bigger 

 was selected to fill the vacant place. It was about this time 

 that there began that increase of interest in Irish science of 

 which I have already spoken, and which is witnessed by the 

 establishment of the three other Irish Field Clubs, and also of 

 the Irish Natiualist. Its influence soon became apparent in 

 the Belfast Club, and taking advantage of the flowing tide, the 

 Club rapidly advanced in numbers and in popularity, so that, 

 with a membership of 250 in 1890, the list at the time of 

 writing stands within one or two units of 500. This great in- 

 crease of membership has been accompanied by a correspond- 

 ing widening of the sphere of scientific work, and of the 

 amount of work done. It has been found desirable to form 

 sections for the prosecution of special branches of research, 

 and at present there are five .such sections in operation. The 

 Microscopical Section is the oldest, being started in 1891, 

 and under the Secretaryship of Dr. St. Clair Boyd is doing good 



