1896.] Field Club News. 165 



The following Officers and Committee were elected : — 

 W. H. Shaw, President ; Prof. M. Hartog, T. Farrington, Miss Martin, 

 J. H. Bennett, J. Gilbert, Vice-Presidents ; J. L. Copeman, Hon. Sec. and 

 Treasurer; R. A. Phillips, Curator; D. Franklin, H, Lund, Mrs. Peyton, 

 E. B. Hughes, F. R. Rolin, Committee, 



May 2nd. — The first excursion took place to Fota, Mr. A. Smith- 

 Barry's demesne, and proved a record one, about 50 members and 

 friends attending. Under the guidance of Mr. W. Osborne Stewart, the 

 grounds were viewed, and the various rare pines and palms with which 

 they abound examined. Some specimens of larvae, &c., were taken in 

 the ponds, including a " singing" Corixa, which seems to have been the 

 first noticed from near Cork, those noted by Mrs. Thompson all coming 

 from the Fermoy district. 



FIKI.D CLUB NEWS. 



Lavens M. Ewart, the new President of the Belfast Field Club, is 

 interested chiefly in the archaeological side of the Club's work. He is a 

 well-known collector of local prints, &c., and his collection of old maps 

 of the Belfast district is the finest in existence. Rev. C. H. Waddell, the 

 new Vice-President, has for many years devoted himself to botany, 

 particularly mosses and hepatics, and more recently to phanerogams 

 also. The formation of the new Botanical Section of the Club was largely 

 due to his influence. 



On the invitation of the Hon. R. B. Dillon, a party of naturalists will 

 spend a week in June at Clonbrock, Co. Galway, exploring eastern 

 Galway and Roscommon. This district is almost virgin ground to the 

 naturalist, and Mr. Dillon's startling discoveries among the Lepidoptera 

 there augur well for the success of the expedition. The publication of 

 the results will be looked forward to with interest. 



The Secretaries of the Belfast Club desire us to make it known that 

 a dredging excursion has been arranged for Saturday, July 4, of which 

 they invite members of the various Field Clubs to take advantage. A 

 paddle steamer from the Clyde has been engaged for the occasion. The 

 marine fauna of the waters adjoining Belfast Lough is rich and 

 interesting, and it is intended to pknider the treasures of the Turbot 

 Bank, made famous by the explorations of Hyndman and Waller. 



Cheering news comes from Cork, where Mr. Copeman, at the annual 

 meeting of the Field Club on April 21, was able to report a substantial 

 lise of membership, and increased interest in the work of the Club, 

 which he believed to be largely due to the formation of the Field Club 

 Union, and to its influence. The Cork Club has now passed the some- 

 what trying period of infancy, and naturalists in Ireland will watch with 

 satisfaction its continued progress. 



