45 



and described, styled Hyalonema. This is also one of the glass 

 Sponges.; and it was noticed by the lecturer that the scientific world 

 was indebted to two distinguished Irish naturalists for the discovery 

 of the first living specimens of these beautiful and extraordinary- 

 animal formations. These were Professor E. Percival Wright, of 

 Dublin, and Dr. Wyville Thomson, of Belfast — the former having 

 dredged up a living specimen of Hyalonema off the coast of Spain, 

 and the latter off the Faroe Islands, at a depth of over a hundred 

 fathoms, during the last summer. 



The lecturer concluded with some appropriate remarks on the 

 bearing of such studies on the important subject of natural 

 theology. 



ANNUAL CONVERSAZIONE. 



The Annual Conveksazione was held on the Sixth of May. 



(The following is extracted from the local Papers). 



The Annual Conversazione in connexion with this Society took 

 place in the Rooms of the Natural History Society, College 

 Square North, and was very largely and fashionably attended. 

 The re-union is of an exceedingly interesting and profitable 

 character ; for not only does it wind up the Club's Winter labours 

 in Essay- Writing, &c, in town, and inaugurates their series of 

 Summer Excursions to the country, but it also gives the members 

 an excellent opportunity of comparing the results of their in- 

 vestigations, and affords to themselves, and a large number of their 

 friends, an evening of very pleasant and profitable enjoyment. 

 The Meeting this year was of a highly satisfactory character, 

 and was attended by about 190 persons. The Museum was, as 

 usual, most elaborately decorated for the occasion, the staircases 

 were draped with a variety of banners, and the various apartments 

 were also embellished with evergreens, flags, shields, and devices in 

 harmony with the objects of the Society. The large room was 



