1904. 263 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a very fine Irish Goat and some Hedgehogs from 

 Mr. W. W. Despard, a .Alonkey from Mr. F. J. P. Kerr, a Guillemot 

 from Mr. II. St. G. Galway, and a pair of Spanish Newts from Dr. 

 O'Conuell. 



The Secretary, while recently in England, was able to secure for the 

 Society three Rhesus Monkeys, two young yellow Baboons, one brown 

 Capuchin, one young Drill Monkey, a young African Porcupine, two 

 Indian Fruit Bats, one Pacca from South America, and a large Indian 

 Python Snake, all of which arrived at the Gardens in excellent condition 

 and are now on view. 



The new ' Rodent enclosure " with its picturesque network and 

 shrubber}' lias now been finished and is tenanted by an interesting 

 collection of animals of the Rodent order — such as Coypus, Pacas, and 

 Rabbits. The Hedgehogs, though members of the Insectivora, also find 

 here a home well suited to their habits- 



DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



September 24.— Excursion to IvOughshinny.— Twenty-four 

 members and friends joined this excursion. The 12.30 train was taken 

 to Rush Station. Thence the party proceeded on cars to the pier at 

 Rush Harbour. The scientific conductor, C. A. MaTi^ey, D.Sc, F,G.S. 

 then assumed charge of the excursion, which had for its object an 

 examination of the geology of the coast between Rush and Skerries ; 

 fine exposures of rocks of Carboniferous age occurring between these 

 two points. The thick series of dark slates south of Rush Harbour were 

 first visited, Dr. Matley pointing out the well-developed cleavage The 

 overlying conglomerates at Rush were then studied, and were good 

 examples of this type of rock usually composed of a limestone matrix, 

 charged with pebbles and blocks of Silurian rocks, of all sizes- -from 

 gfrains of sand to blocks more than 2 feet in diameter. The beds of the 

 conglomerates are mainly calcareous, but of varying character. They 

 are mostly limestones, occurring in thin, thick, or occasionally massive 

 beds. Above them lies an upper series of black shales. The con- 

 glomerates near Skerries are remarkable for their coarseness. 



Perhaps the most interesting features which the rocks around Lougli- 

 shinny exhibit to the visitor are the numerous folds and contortions into 

 which the strata have been thrown by earth-movements. Beautiful 

 examples of anticlines, synclines, domes, &c., are to be seen ; and in places 

 the beds are inverted. Faults are not numerous, but several were pointed 

 out, as well as examples of the disappearance of the limestones in places 

 by solution. 



