The Irish Field Clubs. 213 



the Club, " in order (to use the words of the ensuing annual 

 report) to ascertain whether they set any value on its continued 

 existence," and this was done at a general meeting held on 

 20th November, 1888. This momentous action proved the turn- 

 ing-point of the Club's fortunes. The resolution was vigorously 

 opposed by a number of members, offers of assistance at the 

 coming winter meetings were tendered, and so evidently was 

 the feeling of the meeting against the termination of the 

 Club's existence, that the resolution was withdrawn. At the 

 succeeding evening meeting the attendance of members was 

 considerably larger, and the greater interest shown in the 

 agenda proved that the dormant energy of the members had 

 been aroused. 



The third annual meeting was held in January, 1889. The 

 report then presented contained, of course, a full reference to 

 the critical events of the previous year ; beyond this, there 

 was but little to call for remark, so much had the lack of in- 

 terest shown by members hampered the usefulness of the oper- 

 ations of the Club. At this meeting, Dr. Scharff succeeded 

 Dr. M'Weeney as Secretary ; the other officers were re-elected ; 

 the membership was reported as 94. 



The fourth year of the Club's existence brought a decided 

 revival of interest among members. The attendance at winter 

 meetings showed an encouraging increase, as also did the list 

 of members who read papers or exhibited objects of scientific 

 interest ; and the summer excursions also received an aug- 

 mented amount of support ; so that the Committee were able 

 to render at the end of the year a satisfactory account of their 

 stewardship, and to report, for the first time since the founda- 

 tion of the Club, a slight increase of membership. At the 

 beginning of the fifth year (1890), Professor Haddon succeeded 

 Mr. Pirn as President ; the Secretaryship devolved on Mr. G. 

 H. Carpenter ; and Mr. Barrington relinquished the post of 

 Treasurer, which he had held since the Club was founded, Mr. 

 R. S. Chandlee being elected in his place. Thus officered, 

 the Club continued to make satisfactory progress. The ex- 

 cursion programme was successfully carried out, with an 

 average attendance of about 35 members ; during this year 

 there was an increase both in the number of excursions held 

 and in the amount of field-work which was done on them ; and 

 the attendance at the winter meetings was most satisfactory. 



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