The Irish Field Clubs. 25 1 



modest allowance, but we must be content, and hope for 

 better things to come. It may be noted that the larger Field 

 Clubs are located on the east coast, whereas the most interest- 

 ing regions for the naturalist lie along the western seaboard ; 

 the future Field Clubs of Galway and Sligo will have a 

 glorious district for investigation lying at their very doors. 

 Yet the eastern districts offer a w r ide and varied scope for the 

 biologist, and the Clubs are steadily fulfilling their mission of 

 investigation. The " Flora of the North-east of Ireland," the 

 " Guide to Down and Antrim," and the " Systematic Lists," 

 published by the Belfast Club are worthy of any scientific 

 society, and the numerous papers which appear in these pages 

 from the pens of Dublin Field Club members show that that 

 Society is pursuing its appointed course. Nor have the mem- 

 bers of the Cork and Limerick Clubs failed to contribute to 

 the pages of the Irish Naturalist. 



Glancing generally at the story of the Irish Field Clubs one 

 or two facts become apparent. We note, for instance, that 

 financial matters, the stumbling block of so many organiza- 

 tions, have never been a source of difficulty ; the treasurer's 

 duty has always been plain sailing, and the crux — when crux 

 there was — has been the small number of members whose 

 interest in natural science was sufficiently keen to induce them 

 to support their Club by a regular attendance, \>y the steady 

 pursuit of some branch of research, and by the contributing of 

 papers at the winter meetings. 



Another prominent fact is that there is often a period in the 

 history of such Clubs, generally a few years after their founda- 

 tion, when the novelty of their existence has worn off, which 

 requires all the pluck and pertinacity of the executive to steer 

 their ship through. We have seen that the Dublin Club passed 

 through a most severe climax of this kind, which, fortunately, 

 it safely weathered, and emerged into a steady prosperity. 

 The successful and influential Field Club of Belfast also saw 

 its evil days during early years, and though matters never 

 assumed the critical condition that imperilled the existence 

 of the Dublin Club, still they had up-hill work for a while. 

 The two younger Clubs may still have difficulties of this kind 

 before them. The rapid fall in membership of the Cork Club 

 seems to show that there history is repeating itself ; but we 

 trust that the lowest ebb has been reached, and that Mr. 



