[ H5 ] 

 PROCEEDINGS OF IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAIy ZOOI^OCxIC-Vr^ SOCIICTV. 



Recent donations comprise a Sparrow-IIawk from Master Phillips; 

 two gulls from A. M. Harper, Esq. ; a Guinea-Fowl from Mr. Brady; a 

 Golden-headed Marmoset from Miss S. Roberts; and some freshwater 

 fish from A. Godden, Esq. A Bactrian (two-humped) Camel, an Axis 

 Deer, and a Nylt^haie, have been purchased. 



7,500 persons visited the Gardens in March. 



Armagh Naturat^ History and Phii^osopiiicaIv Society. 



March 20th.— The President (Rev. W. F. Johnson, M.A., F.E.vS.) in 

 the chair. Mr. R. L1.0YD Praeger, M.R.I. A., delivered a lecture on 

 "Botanical Rambles in Co. Armagh." The results of Mr. Praeger's in- 

 vestigations are at present appearing in these pages. 



BEI.FAST NaTURAI^ISTS' FlElvD C1.UB. 



March 21st.— The President (Mr. John Vinycomb) in the chair. The 

 evening was devoted to a display of microscopical objects and apparatus. 

 This being the second Annual Meeting of the Microscopical vSection, the 

 Secretar}^ (Mr. H. M'Ci^EERY) presented the report of the section, which 

 was adopted. The microscopes then claimed attention. The exhibitors 

 were — Miss C. M. Patterson, Messrs. J. J. Andrew, S. Cunningham, 

 Henry Davis, W. D. Donnan, \Vm. Gray, M.R.I.A. ; P. F. Gulbransen, 

 W. Hanna, B.A.; Adam Speers, B.Sc; Alex. Tate, C.E.; R. Welch and 

 Joseph Wright, F.G.S. At nine o'clock a short business meeting was 

 held, at which a number of new members were elected. 



Aprii^ 5th. — The President in the chair. The evening was devoted to 

 Irish folk-lore. The following papers were read: — " Pishogues from Tip- 

 perary," Miss LiIvY S. M01.1.AN ; "A Notice of Irish Fairies," Mr. W. H. 

 Patterson, M.R.I.A. ; " Notes from Co. Down," Mrs. Bi,air. 



Dubinin Naturai^ists' Fiei.d Ci.ub. 



March 21st.— The Rev. Maxwei.1. C1.0SE, M.A., in the chair. Dr. 

 VAI.ENT1NE Bai.1., C.B., F.R.S., gave a lecture entitled, " Notes on some 

 Animals and Plants observed in the Valley of the Nile." Having de- 

 scribed the natural features of the country, its geology, climate, and 

 irrigation, and illustrated his remarks by means of limelight photo- 

 graphs, which included many views of architectural ruins and animal 

 life in the Nile Valley, Dr. Ball referred to the influence which the inroad 

 of the Camel has had on the nature of the soil in destroying the herbage, 

 and rendering the land a desert. He then alluded to the customs of the 

 ancient Egyptians, and showed how certain animals, such as the Ibis and 

 the Cat were worshipped, only by certain sections of the people — one 

 creature being held sacred in one region, and another in a different one. 

 The Chairman having thanked Dr. Ball for his lecture, discussed several 

 points of the geology of Egypt, and then spoke of the worship of the 

 ancient Egyptian peoples, showing that it is ver}- probable that they 

 possessed other obscure religious ideas than those commonly credited to 

 them. 



Mr. H. Lyster Jameson exhibited a variety of the Swallow {Hiriindo 

 rustica) as an example of albinism. 



Mr. D. M'ArdIvE exhibited specimens of Saracenia flava maxima, a 

 hybrid, being the first production of this variety in Ireland, and having 

 been grown in the Glasnevin gardens. 



