1887-1888.] 29 



mission to establish a Natural History Society. The permission 

 was given, and the first meeting held on 29th April in that 

 year. The Society had a successful career for many years, but 

 as its records are not available, I cannot say when it ceased to 

 exist. As a practical outcome of the attention given in the 

 Institution to those subjects which come within our own 

 province, it is interesting to note that essays upon them were 

 frequently submitted by the students of the Collegiate depart- 

 ment for the sessional class prizes. A few of these essays still 

 exist in the archives of the Institution, unfortunately, in most 

 instances, without the author's names. Amongst them maybe 

 noted " A History of the Ancient and Present State of the 

 Town of Newry," statistical accounts of the parishes of Carrick- 

 fergus; Billy, Co. Antrim ; Aghamullan, Co. Monaghan ; and 

 Aghadowey ; and also li A Statistical of Lough Neagh." 

 Several of these are illustrated by maps and drawings, the work 

 of the authors, and each makes particular reference to the 

 antiquities, minerals, petrifications, and to the Flora of the 

 localities treated upon. In connection wj^h this subject it is 

 interesting to note that "Benn's History of Belfast" first 

 appeared as a class essay, while Mr. Benn was a pupil at the 

 Institution, he having been awarded a sessional prize for it in 

 1821. 



The establishment of the Medical School in a complete form 

 in 1835, ana " the appointment of a complete staff of Professors, 

 placed the subjects of Botany, Comparative Anatomy, and 

 Natural History upon a more solid basis, and the appointment 

 to these Chairs of Dr. James L. Drummond, who had already 

 done so much service with regard to these subjects, ensured 

 thorough attention being devoted to them. The recognition 

 of this school by the different licensing bodies, gave to it, 

 notwithstanding the withdrawal of the Parliamentary grant 

 which the Institution had enjoyed for many years, a successful 

 career ; in fact, until the transfer of the school to the Queen's 

 College in 1849. Several of the Institution Professors were 

 appointed to Chairs in the Queen's, of whom Professor Hodges 

 is the only one retaining his position. 



