i885-i886.] 447 



mind, an active and valuable member, has left us at the 

 bidding of the great God of Nature, and we mourn the loss of 

 a kind and sincere friend. 



Several members having spoken of the kindly interest 

 taken in all the transactions of the Club by the late Canon 

 Macllwaine, 



Mr. Wm. Gray proposed, and it was unanimously passed, 

 that Mr. Lett's notice of his death be embodied in the Club's 

 *' Proceedings," and that copies of it be sent to his sons. 



The Chairman then called upon Mr. Praeger for his notes 

 of Lough Sheelin. 



Mr. Praeger commenced by describing the position of 

 Lough Sheelin, which lies on the southern border of County 

 Cavan, and is one of a chain of lakes through which the River 

 Inny flows, which joins the Shannon in Lough Ree. In May 

 last, the reader continued, he had an opportunity of visiting 

 these lakes, and he proceeded to describe two excursions, with 

 notes of some of the plants, birds, &c., observed during a short 

 stay in the neighbourhood. Lough Kinale was the first lake 

 visited. It is a fine fishing ground, trout being caught up to 

 lolb. and pike up to 30 or 401b. The weather was very 

 stormy on this day, and twice the party got a thorough drench- 

 ing in their boat, and were finally compelled to remain on 

 terra firma. In a wood on the edge of Lough Kinale the nest 

 of a long-eared owl was found, and the reader described how 

 he subsequently tamed two of the young brood. They became 

 the greatest of pets, and were most amusing in their habits. 

 The same wood yielded a sparrow-hawk's nest, and some 

 remarkable instances were given of this bird's destructive 

 tendencies, and of its daring. An instance was mentioned 

 where no less than twenty-nine dead birds were found in one 

 nest, including chickens, larks, bullfinches, and young pheasants 

 and patridges. The reader condemned the practice so common 

 with boys of robbing nests, remarking that, apart from cruelty, 

 it is a very injudicious thing to destroy the eggs of those birds 

 which are of such service to the farmer and gardener. On the 



