140 The Irish Naturalist, [May, 



activity, whose results have made Antrim what it is, preserving many 

 rocks from denudation that have vanished in other parts of our island. 

 The weather was splendid, and a glorious sunset gratified the travellers 

 on the homeward journey. 



Aprii, 21. — The annual meeting of the Club was held, the outgoing 

 president (Mr. F. W. Lockwood) in the chair. Before the regular business 

 was proceeded with, Mr. Wii,i.iam Gray, m.r.i.a., delivered the report of 

 his visit to Dublin, Cork, and Limerick as the delegate of the Club under 

 the auspices of the Irish Field Club Union. A few slight additions to 

 the Club's rules were then agreed to, after which the president called 

 upon the honorary treasurer (Mr. W. H. Phii^IvIPS) to read the statement 

 of accounts, which were satisfactory, a small balance being to the credit 

 of the Society. The honorary secretary then read the annual report, of 

 which the following is an abstract. The Committee of the Belfast 

 Naturalists' Field Club now lay before the members the 33rd Annual 

 Report. The work of the Club has been steadily carried on during the 

 past year, some good results having been obtained especially by the 

 different sections of the Club, whilst an interesting co-operation with 

 the different other scientific Societies of Ireland has been maintained. 

 The Conference of all the Irish Field Clubs held in Galway during July 

 under the auspices of I. F. C. Union, was a hearty stimulus in this direc- 

 tion. The creation of an entrance fee has acted as desired in keeping 

 the membership of the Club within working bounds without materially 

 affecting the finances of the Club. The membership now stands at 

 480 — 32 new members having been elected during the year, and 68 

 having been struck off. During July the London Geologists' Association 

 visited Belfast, and were officially received and entertained by the Club. 

 During their stay different members of the Club acted as their guides 

 during their excursions, and their programme and arrangements were 

 attended to by the Honorary Secretaries. The Home Reading Union 

 was treated in a similar manner. During March a week's good geological 

 work was done m a systematic way under the instruction of Professor 

 Cole, there being an excursion to different places of interest each day and 

 a class each evening. The Geological Section with Miss S. M. Thompson 

 as Secretary has been most active during the Session. The Microscopical 

 Section has also been fairly active. The Celtic Class having been nurtured 

 to maturity under the sheltering care of the Club has now formed a 

 separate organization, " The Belfast Gaelic League," which is both 

 active and prosperous. The Botanical Section formed during the year 

 under the guidance of the Rev. C. H. Waddell, b.d., has made satisfactory 

 progress, and will doubtless continue to keep this important study in the 

 forefront of the Club's work. This section is the practical outcome of 

 Professor Johnson's course of botanical lectures last session. Your 

 Committee trust that during the coming session more individual research 

 will be done by the members. In conclusion, your Committee express 

 their satisfaction with the lengthened notices of the Club's proceedings 

 given from month to month in the Irish Naturalist. The officers were then 

 elected, as follow: — Lavens M. :^wart, m.r.i.a., President; Rev. C, H, 



