4^ [P*"oc. B. N. F. C, 



from all who are truly anxious for the advancement of popular 

 education, as has been the experience in the majority of the 

 towns in England and Scotland, where the Act has been adopted. 

 I need not further endeavour to fortify my statements, as I 

 might do, by a detailed reference to the history of similar move- 

 ments elsewhere ; for I am assured that in Belfast the same 

 generous spirit that has been manifested in connection with our 

 public charities, and all other objects worthy of support, will be 

 prominently exhibited in connection witn this movement, so as 

 to secure an establishment in every respect worthy of the prac- 

 tical ability, refined taste, and cultivated intelligence of " The 

 Athens of the North." 



Mr. Gray, on the conclusion of his address, invited the 

 expression of opinion on the matters which he had brought 

 forward, and in response Dr. James Moore, Mr. J. R. T. 

 Mulholland, Mr. James Wilson, jun. ] Mr. Lockwood, Mr. Joseph 

 Wright, F.G.S., and other gentlemen addressed the meeting, 

 the establishment of a free library and of a public aquarium 

 being strongly commended. 



Mr. S. A. Stewart then showed specimens of a very rare moss 

 — Gymnostomum teniie — hitherto only reported as occurring 

 on Brandon Mountain, County Kerry. The specimens exhibited 

 were found by Mr. J. H. Davies on sandstone at Glenmore, 

 near Lisburn. 



On 14th December — The second meeting of the society 

 was held in the Museum, College Square North — the President, 

 Mr. William Gray, M.R.I.A., in the chair — when a paper was 

 read by Mr. John Pim, entitled "An Account of his Three 

 Thousand Miles Summer Ramble in Norway and Round the 

 North Cape." 



Mr. Pim commenced with a brief description of the prettily- 

 situated town of Stavanger, where he landed early in July 

 of 1880. He noticed the interesting Norwegian custom of 

 ornamenting coffin and bier with beautiful flowers, so that the 



