1902. 327 



NEWS GLEANINGS. 



Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society. 



This Society has issued its Report and Proceedings for 1901-2. The papers 

 read during the year embrace the subjects of technical instruction, 

 industries, engineering, history, and folklore, but no contribution on 

 natural history, unless Mr. Barcroft's paper on respiration, or Mr. 

 Brown's Delegate's Report on the British Association meeting at 

 Glasgow, be placed under this head. A circular just issued respecting 

 the programme of the coming session announces that papers will be 

 read by Messrs. George Coffey, John Finnegan, J. H. M'llwaine, John 

 M'Cormac, and Capt. Calwell— again a remarkable absence of natural 

 history contributors ; but we hear that, since the issue of this circular, 

 Prof. Symington and Prof Gregg Wilson have been asked to contribute 

 papers. 



Queen's College, Belfast. 



We are glad to announce that Dr. Gregg Wilson, of Edinburgh, has 

 been appointed to the Chair of Natural History in the Belfast College, 

 vacated by the retirement of Prof R. O. Cunningham. Dr. Wilson's 

 record as an enthusiastic teacher of biology, and an investigator in 

 marine zoology, lead us to look forward with confidence to a greatly 

 increased interest in natural science in the North as a result of his settle- 

 ment in Belfast. And we welcome him most heartily as a valuable fellow- 

 worker at the problems of the Irish flora and fauna. Mr. Gough has 

 been appointed assistant to Prof Gregg Wilson. We hope that this step 

 may indicate a speedy division of the work of these "chairs of creation" 

 between two or three naturalists. 



The Exploration of Ireland. 



Sir Harry Johnston, K.C.B., traveller and administrator, who has been 

 recently exploring the wilds of Ireland, and pursuing researches into its 

 tangled social and political condition, was, on the evening of October 31. 

 the guest of the Vice-President of the Belfast Field Club (W.J. Fenuell), 

 at the Museum, College Square North. In the presence of a large 

 assembly, the Special Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief of Uganda 

 showed a large series of slides, some of them never exhibited previously, 

 dealing with the natural history and native races of Central Africa. 



Irish Botany Popularised. 



During the last two years Mr. Praeger has contributed to every 

 alternate number of" Knowledge" an article on some botanical subject, 

 and in the course of the series the flora of Ireland has been frequently 

 referred to. The subjects treated of have been as follows : — Roots anci 



