Proceedings of Irish Societies. 173 



Belfast Naturamsts' Fiiii.D CIvUb. 



Aprii, 26th.— Annual Meeting. The President (Mr. J. Vinycomb, 

 M.R.I. A.,) in the chair. The report and statement of accounts were sub- 

 mitted and adopted. The report showed a steady increase in all depart- 

 ments of the club's work. The membership, which last year was 323 

 now stands at 404; the statement of accounts showed an increased 

 balance to the credit of the club. The announcement that in July 

 members would have an opportunity of spending three days in the 

 company of their fellow-members of the Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, 

 was greeted with satisfaction. Mr. William Swanston, F.G.S., was 

 elected President for the ensuing year, and Mr. F. W. Lockwood, Vice- 

 President, and the other officers were, with some slight changes, re- 

 elected. Club prizes were awarded to Miss Clara Patterson, Miss vS. IM. 

 Thompson, Miss Jeanie Rea, and Mr. W. D. Donnan, for sets of micro- 

 scopic slides, flowering plants, and beetles respectively. 



DtTBiviN Naturawsts' FiEIvD Ci^ub. 



April 30th. — The first excursion of the season took place. Twenty- 

 four members left town by the Blessington steam tram, and alighted at 

 Balrothery, where the end of a fine Esker, two miles long, was examined 

 under the direction of Rev. M. H. Close. The party then proceeded by 

 tram to Tallaght, and walked to Friarstown Glen, where collecting was 

 carried on, but the botanical specimens were not noteworthy. Among 

 the poleoptera, Mr. H. R. G. Cuthbert obtained with other common 

 species: — Benbidhun ptinctulaUim, B. iibiale, B. saxatile, B. decorum, Amara 

 irivialis, Chlccniiis vestitus, Homalota ctirrax, Stenus giiiUila, Hydroporus rttji/rons, 

 Laccobius alutacetis, and Otiotrhynchus ligneiis. Among Hymenoptera, 

 Vespa go-maiiica, and Ammophila sabulosa were noted, the latter being 

 specially early. 



Cork Naturalists' Field Club. 



April 17th.— Dr. W. J. Knight in the chair. The annual report of 

 this club was read by the Secretary and showed a highly creditable con- 

 dition. Officers for the ensuing year were elected, and some ordinary 

 business transacted. 



Miss H. Martin and Miss Abbott exhibited some fine specimens of 

 plants obtained near Glengariff, Co. Cork. Miti-ula paludosa Fries, a 

 beautiful little saffron-coloured fungus, floating in bog pools— local ; 

 HymenophylliDfi tunbridgejise in fruit — abundant; H. Jinilaterale, Willd. 

 {H. zuilsojii, Hook. ) also in fruit, local ; Ranunculus ccenosus, Guss. (Float- 

 ing Crow-foot), local ; also Gentiana verna, ly., received from Gal way. 



April 26th. — The President, Prof. Marcus M. Hartog, F.Iv.S., in 

 the chair. Mr. R. A. Phillips read a paper on "The Land and Fresh- 

 water Shells of County Cork," illustrated by lantern slides, and a fine 

 collection of shells collected in the district. 



First explaining the life of snails and slugs in general, their different 

 classes, and the formation and shapes of shells, Mr. Phillips gave a very 

 full and exhaustive description of each species, its characteristics, 

 haunts, and habits, pointing out the species most likely to be found in 

 the county, and the best localities for research. The theories as to the 

 original use of the love-darts of the snail were dwelt on. 



Several members exhibited objects of interest. 



May loth.— The first excursion of the season to Rochestown took 

 place, when Cynoglossum officinale, Tourn. (Hound's Tongue), so rare as 

 an Irish plant, was found by Miss Harriett A. Martin. 



