204 The Irish Naturalist* June, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a number of freshwater Crayfish from Dr. H. C. 

 Drury, six Rudd from Mr. F. Godden, three Lizards from Mr. Stone, a 

 pair of Rheas from the Duke of Bedford, a Barn-Owl from Dr. M'Kenna, 

 a green Parrakeet from Mr. A. M'Cormack, two Goldfinches and six Red- 

 polls from Mr. W. W. Despard, a pair of Godwits from Mr. H. B. 

 Rathborne, a Hedgehog from Mr. F. Godden, and a Rhesus Monkey 

 from Mr. C. O'Xeil Carden. A Canadian Porcupine has been born in the 

 gardens, an occurrence of unusual interest. A yellow Baboon, a Mona 

 Monkey, a Marmoset, a pair of Mongooses, a Llama, a Hairy Armadillo 

 and a large number of birds have been purchased. 



DUBLIN MICROSCOPICAL CLUB. 



Aprie io. — The Club met at Leinster House, Prof. G. H. Carpenter 

 (President) in the chair. 



F. W. Moore showed stamens of Cyanotis Zanoni, a rare species of this 

 genus which is closely allied to Tradescantia. The filaments had many 

 very fine, multicellular collecting-hairs, in which numerous pollen-grains 

 had been caught. 



Prof. Carpenter showed specimens of the "biting-louse" of the 

 sheep — Trichodectes spharocephala from Co. Limerick. The characteristic 

 dentate mandibles of the parasite, holding a hair of the host-animal, 

 were demonstrated under the high power. 



BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHICAL 



SOCIETY. 



A meeting was held in the Museum on 16th April, 1907, when the 

 following papers were read : — '• The Scotch-Irish in America M by the 

 Hon. S. S. Knabenshue, and " Impressions of the * States ' by a Scotch- 

 Irishman " by E.J. Keeiott. 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



March 13. — Nevin H. Foster, M.B.O.U., Vice-President, in the chair. 

 A paper was read by Robert Patterson, M.R.I. A., on " The Nuptial 

 changes in the Bill of the Common Puffin." By means of diagrams the 

 various horny pieces that drop off the bill after the breeding season is 

 over, were shown. The following joined in the discussion at the close 

 of the paper :— The Chairman, Mrs. Patterson, H. L. Orr, W. J. C. Tom- 

 Unson, George Donaldson, and W. H. Gallway. 



