1 82 The Irish Naturalist. 



The combined party, in number over 130, were served with tea by the 

 Misses Gardiner, after which Mr. I<\ W. Lockwood, President of the 

 Belfast Club, expressed the pleasure of the members of his Society in 

 meeting their Dublin fellow-workers, and in having with them a large 

 party of friends from Staffordshire. Mr. G. H. Carpenter, b.sc, 

 President of the Dublin Club, acknowledged the compliment on behalf 

 of his Society, and joined with his brother President in welcoming the 

 English Field Club members. Dr. Hinde, President of the North 

 Staffordshire Field Club, gracefully returned thanks, and spoke in terms 

 of approval of the organization and scientific work of the Irish Clubs. 

 After a number of new members had been elected into the various 

 Societies, the Belfast and Staffordshire parties drove off to catch the train 

 for the North. The Dublin members spent a highly interesting and 

 instructive hour in examining the antiquities of Drogheda, and returned 

 to town by the eight o'clock train. 



Dublin, Cork, and Limerick Naturalists' Field Clubs. 



A very successful meeting, and one which it is hoped marks an epoch 

 in the history of Field Club work in Ireland, was held on July 5, 6, and 7, 

 when the Clubs of Dublin, Cork, and Limerick met to spend three days 

 in examining the district lying around Fermoy, and to confer on the 

 extension of Field Club work in Ireland. Dublin was represented by a 

 party of 19, Cork by 9, while it is a matter of regret that the able 

 Secretary alone represented the Limerick Society. An English con- 

 tingent who joined the party included Professor Carr, President Notting- 

 hamshire Naturalists' Society. Assembling from different directions at 

 Mallow shortly after mid-day on July 5, the joint party proceeded to 

 Fermoy, where no time was lost in starting along the river banks for the 

 woods of Castle Hyde. In the Blackwater Ranunculus penicillatus was 

 observed in quantity, and Anacharis Alsinaslrum with remarkably 

 abundant blossom. The Castle Hyde woods yielded Euonymus europa'us, 

 Epipactis latifolia, Lychnis dinrna, great profusion of Veronica montana, Carex 

 sylvatica, and C. remota. The Hop (Jiuiiiulus lupulus) was observed 

 naturalised in hedges. By the old castle at Craig fine specimens of 

 Orobanche Hederce were gathered. Among the beetles collected were 

 Orectochilus villosus, Hydrothassa marginella, Le/ua lichenis, Galerucella nymphcece, 

 Rhinoncus pericarpius, and R % perpendicular is. Of the hemiptera Pithanus 

 Maerkeli, Calocoris sex-gutlatus, and the local and handsome Paloniena pmsina. 

 The dragon-fly Calopieryx splendens and other neuroptera were abundant 

 along the river. The long-horned grasshopper Leptophycs punctatissima 

 was found in the meadows. The party .returned part by water and part 

 by road. 



On the following morning at 9 o'clock, all took their seats in wag- 

 onettes, and drove to the fine kistvaen known as the Hag's Bed, which 

 was examined with interest, and photographed. The fine spider Agelena 

 labyrinthica was observed in its snare in the stone wall. A little farther 

 on, Arabis hirsuta and Kcehleria cristata were gathered on walls, along with 

 quantities of Ceterach officinarum, Saxifraga tridactylites, Arenaria serpyllifolia, 

 and Geranium lucidum, which are very abundant in this district. Orchis 

 pyramidalis was seen in the adjacent meadows. Passing through the 

 village of Glanworth, time did not allow of inspection of the old bridge 

 and fine ruined castle. Hypericum dubium, Sambucus Ebulus, and Pastinaca 

 saliva were seen about the ruins. The next stop made was at Mitchels- 

 town Castle, where a short time was spent, after which the party drove 

 to Galtymore Castle, magnificently situated on the edge of a deep and 

 richly wooded glen at the foot of the Galtee mountains. Here Lastrea 

 anuria grew in profusion. There was much tempting collecting ground 

 in this vicinity, but time necessitated pushing on to Mitchelstown caves, 

 where lunch engaged attention for a short while, after which caudles 



