328 The Irish Naturalist. December, 1902. 



Stems, Leaves, Flowers, Fruits, Dispersal and Distribution, The Vegeta- 

 tion of Ireland, Plant Colonists, Notes on Plant Geograpby, Ferns, 

 The Protean Offspring of Ferns. On an Irish Bog, and The Life and Death 

 of Bogs. To the 1903 volume Mr. Praeger will contribute a series of 

 articles on Familiar BritivSh Wild-flowers and their Allies. 



New Free Library at Banbridge. 



This new Library and Technical Class Rooms, built by local subscrip- 

 tions with the addition of ;i^i,ooo from Mr. A. Carnegie, was opened to 

 the public by a five nights' scientific reception of Banbridge working 

 people and the general public. As the opening arrangements mark a 

 distinct advance on similar functions in Ireland, they may interest 

 readers of this Journal, especially those who may be connected with 

 village libraries in any way. Over 220 people of the working class attended 

 on each of the first four nights by special invitation, the invitation cards 

 admitting on a specified night only. The visitors were conducted in 

 parties of 25 to the microscope room, where each in turn inspected the 

 objects in ten microscopes, to which were attached large cards with 

 boldly printed notes of the objects shown. 



This method prevented confusion, and enabled each visitor to see 

 ever}' microscope. The same plan was adopted on the fifth night, wdien 

 the Urban Council and principal subscribers attended with their 

 families, 1,130 persons in all having availed themselves of the oppor- 

 tunity, so rare unfortunately in an Irish country town, of "seeing 

 through the microscope," the great majority having never done so 

 before. The exhibits were carefully selected by Mr. W. J. D. Walker to 

 not only interest but instruct the class for which the library was mainly 

 built, and to lead up to a lecture also given by him each night in the 

 Technical Hall on the Wonders of the Microscope, and the great part 

 the latter has played in the discovery of the germs of infectious disease, 

 discoveries which have placed medical treatment of such diseases on a 

 surer foundation, much to the benefit of humanit}'. In addition to the 

 slides of disease germs, including typhoid, diphtheria, &c., there were also 

 shown, both in the microscope and on the screen, a series showing " foul 

 brood" in beehives and the natural history of the bee generally'. 

 Foraminifera from ocean depths and shore gatherings (Irish), Poly- 

 cistinae, Vol vox in motion, water- fleas, and various other living 

 organisms in ordinary and impure water. The exhibits which excited 

 most interest, however, were the circulation in a frog's foot and the 

 potato-blight i^Phytophthora iiifestans), the fungoid growth which has pro- 

 duced such disastrous results in Ireland. A few members of the Belfast 

 Naturalists' Field Club assisted Mr. Walker by either lending slides or 

 microscopes, or helping with latter during the meetings. 



