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IRISH SOCIETIES, 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Silver Pheasant from Lady Constance Butler, 

 small Birds from Mr. W W. Despard and Miss K. Barlow, and a Wood- 

 cock from Mr. R. M. Barrington. A Golden x\gouti has been born in 

 the Gardens. The new young Elephant. " Padmahati," is now being 

 trained, and it is hoped that she will soon be able to carry visitors to 

 the Gardens for short rides. 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB 



February i6. — Prof. Gregg WiIvSON in the chair. R. Lloyd Praeger 

 read a paper on " Plant Associations, with special reference to the Flora 

 of Ireland." After referring to the vegetation of the world as a whole, 

 he dealt with the general conditions of life, and discussed the various 

 ecological factors and their influence. The special characters developed 

 by plants in response to peculiarities of environment were next 

 described. Plant associations were then discussed, and an account 

 given of a recent survey of the Dublin district by Dr. Pethj'bridge and 

 the speaker, A strong appeal was made to the members to start this 

 branch of botanical research. The paper was illustrated by lantern 

 slides, maps, and books. Rev. C. H. Waddell and R. Welch discussed 

 the paper. 



March 15.— The President, W. J. Fennei.Iv, M.R.I.A.I., in the 

 chair. There was a large attendance Previous to the meeting the 

 "science gossip half hour" was held in the new clubroom, when there 

 was an exhibit of British freshwater shells of the genus Hanorbis exhibited 

 by the conchological members, a special feature being a large locality- 

 series of those very troublesome species, P. carinatus and P. tnarginatus, 

 sent over by members of the Conchological Society in Lancashire to 

 assist in determining Irish examples, the difficult}- being that many 

 Irish specimens, especially those in the north-east, seem to be inter- 

 mediate forms. The English shells were found equally puzzling, and 

 judging by the names attached to a number of the shells, English 

 conchologists are as undecided on this question as their Irish brethren 

 The general conclusion arrived at was that really typical P. carinatus of 

 the text-books is excessively local in Ireland, and evidentl}' rare in 

 England. The B.N.F.C. collectors are lending their series to the Concho- 

 logical Society at an early date, as it is proposed to have a meeting on 

 this special subject. The President having taken the chair, an illuminated 

 address was presented to the Treasurer (W. H. Phillips), on the occasion 

 of his golden wedding. With a few years' interval Mr. Phillips has been 

 Treasurer of the Club since 1864. 



