1 889-9°-] l8 9 



had under consideration the reckless destruction of native 

 wild plants, especially ferns, many species of which, particularly 

 about our large towns, have practically ceased to exist. He re- 

 commended the members of the Club to devote their attention 

 to this subject. 



The President then called on Mr. Vinycomb to describe a 

 finely carved oak bedboard exhibited by Mr. Seaton F. Milligan, 

 M.R.I.A. The bed, of which it formed a part, was recently 

 sold by an old family in the County of Cavan. Mr. Vinycomb 

 pointed out that the coat of arms carved on the bedboard were 

 those of the Tudor dynasty. He described the arms and sup- 

 porters of the various English sovereigns, and pointed out that 

 with all but certainty this bed must have belonged to Queen 

 Elizabeth, and on her death may have been bequeathed, as was 

 customary in those days, to some connection, and brought to 

 Ireland early in the seventeenth century. 



Mr. John Hamilton then drew attention to some " weather 

 prophets " — two little green frogs in a glass case, natives of the 

 South of France, which in dry weather lie low in the moss and 

 grass, but on the approach of rain climb up the stems. They 

 seemed able to climb about the sides of the glass jar with the 

 greatest ease. 



Mr. Joseph Wright, F.G.S., then made a few remarks upon 

 the table of fossil fish, which formed a special subject of the 

 evening's exhibition, and traced the changes in structural 

 character from the earliest ganoid fishes of the Upper Silurian 

 period to the vertebrate and scaled fish of recent times. 



Mr. Robert Welch referred to a few photos recently taken 

 of eggs and nests of wild birds, chiefly in Rathlin Island. 



Next came the election of new members, among whom the name 

 of the most Reverend the Lord Bishop of Down, Connor, and 

 Dromore, so widely known as a distinguished archaeologist, 

 and already so intimately connected with the Club, was re- 

 ceived with loud applause. The company then scattered about 

 the rooms to examine the various objects lent for exhibition. 



