292 The Irish Naturalist. November, 



EXCURSIONS. 



Though the number of excursions on the official programme 

 was limited to five on the Saturday of the meeting, a large 

 number of unofficial trips to places of interest, some for 

 general and some for special objects, took place. The Council 

 of the Association imposed upon the Local Committee the 

 unusual condition that the number of official excursions 

 should be limited to five. This increased the difficulty of 

 procuring suitable accommodation. This difficulty was met 

 by the Excursion Committee, and arrangements were made 

 for the first time by which any member could, on paying the 

 fare, procure a ticket for the excursion he desired, without 

 the usual formality of making a special application and await- 

 ing allotment. The organising of the official excursions was 

 carried out by William Graj^ M.R.I. A., Ex-President of the 

 Belfast Naturalists' Field Club, and all the excursions were 

 conducted by members of that energetic Society. The en- 

 thusiasm displayed by many members as regards ensuring the 

 enjoyment of the visitors deserves high praise. Thus, William 

 Gray, in addition to conducting a three-day and two whole- 

 day excursions, organised and conducted four afternoon trips 

 on the business days of the meeting — a; new feature at the 

 gatherings of the Association. W. J. Fennell prepared and 

 presented to members a special pamphlet illustrating his ex- 

 cursion to the Gobbins, and J. J. Phillips did the same for 

 the Downpatrick excursion. J. St. J. Phillips arranged several 

 special geological excursions for Section C, and Robert Patter- 

 son spent Saturday at the reception-room, giving local infor- 

 mation and sending off many car-loads of visitors to various 

 places of interest. Most of the excursions were carried out 

 with that punctuality and smoothness which is a tradition 

 with the Belfast Field Club. The Glenarifif excursion (attend- 

 ance 113), conducted by W. J. Fennell and J. St. J. Phillips, 

 and the three-day Antrim Coast excursion, conducted by Messrs 

 Fennell, Gray and Phillips, were models of good management. 

 It is to be regretted that some of the other outings 

 were not up to the standard. At the official excursion to 

 Newcastle the programme was not carried out as arranged, 

 the party got out of hand, and to unpunctUality succeeded 

 hitches in the catering arrangements. But worse ha[»peued 



