66 The Irish Naturalist. April, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



January 30. — Annual General Meeting. — Held (by kind permis- 

 sion) in the Royal Dublin Society's Theatre, the President (Sir Fred. 

 Moore) in the Chair. 



The Secretary (Prof. G. H. Carpenter) presented the Annual Report 

 and moved its adoption, which was seconded by Dr. Cosgrave and 

 carried. The following is a summary : — 



The Council desires to express gratitude for all the support received in 

 the difficult task of keeping up, so far as conditions allow, the activities 

 of the Society. 



During the year 191 7 there were 9,430 members' and ticket admissions, 

 while the number of entrants paying at the gate was 127,190, yielding 

 a total cash receipt of ;^i,6oo 2s. 3d. In 1916 the number of paying entrants 

 was 130,043, and the cash received £1,426 14s. 7d. For the first time, 

 therefore, under war conditions the gate receipts show a decided increase, 

 though wounded soldiers are now admitted free, and avail themselves 

 largely of the privilege. This increase of £^173 7s. 8d. in the receipts is very 

 encouraging. 



Altogether fourteen life-members and twenty-eight annual members 

 have been admitted, besides nine garden svibscribers. 



The total income from subscriptions and entrance fees has been £^$9 14s. 

 during 191 7, as compared with /556 12s. in the previous year, an increase 

 of £103 2S. 



The increased payments for admission and by members, together with 

 a gift of £100 — due to the generosity of the Zoological Society ot London — 

 have brought the income during 191 7 within £60 of the expenditure, so 

 that while the year began with an adverse balance of £224 i6s. 2d., it 

 closes with one of £^285 is. 9d. The Council are glad to have avoided an 

 appeal to the members for special gifts, such as were asked for and liberally 

 given both in 191 5 and 19 16. By careful economy the expenditure has 

 been kept at the lowest possible point, despite the abnormally high prices 

 of provisions and fuel. 



No changes have taken place among the offtcers of the Society during 

 the year, but the Council wishes to express the deepest regret at the death 

 in November of their colleague, Prof. A. E. Mettam, Principal of the Royal 

 Veterinary College of Ireland. He had acted as honorary prosector to the 

 Society since 1902, and had served on the Council continuously from 1905. 

 His constant help in maintaining the animals in health, treating them in 

 sickness, and furnishing valuable reports on the causes of their deaths will 

 be very greatly missed. 



The stock of animals has now, after more than three years of increasingly 

 restricted imports, become seriously reduced. Only £2 has been spent 

 in the purchase of new specimens, which are almost unprocurable in the 

 present suspension of trade. The Council can only ask tlic indulgence of 



