1892-93.] 499 



and the Belfast Water Commissioners. One of the most 

 interesting and valuable exhibits was a sketch-book of the late 

 A. Nicholl, R.H.A., lent by Mrs. Andrews, which was quite a 

 treasure-house of local scenes. Mr. J. Simms' list of old Belfast 

 merchants, dated 1803, who formed our first Insurance Com- 

 pany, attracted considerable attention, as did also his plan of 

 the Volunteer Review held in the Bog Meadows about 1782. 

 A most valuable and representative collection of Belfast-printed 

 books was displayed by Mr. Ewart ; whilst Mr. Swanston and 

 Mr. Malcolm showed the manuscript records of the Belfast 

 Yeomanry Corps. 



The Club's new albums, containing over three hundred 

 platinotype photographs of local antiquities and geological 

 subjects, were much admired, their arrangement by the 

 secretaries having been just completed in time for the meeting. 

 The walls were also enhanced by the fine geological prize set of 

 sketches by Miss S. M. Thompson, the geological prize photos, 

 of Miss Tate, and photos, of the Ballyrudder gravels by Mr. 

 George Donaldson. Some fine photos, of rude stone monu- 

 ments near Warrenpoint were shown by Dr. Douglas ; 

 whilst the Club's photographic benefactor, Mr. R. Welch, con- 

 tributed a series of views, taken on excursions, unsurpassable for 

 beauty and excellence of workmanship, and at the same time 

 presented a set of his Sligo antiquities to the Club's albums, to 

 augment his previous gifts made on the starting of these local 

 records. 



In the section devoted to Natural History a number of highly 

 interesting exhibits were on view. Conspicuous among these 

 were two handsome cases illustrative of native wild life, the 

 work of Mr. J. Sheals, taxidermist, Belfast, and deserving of 

 high praise from both a zoological and an artistic point of view. 

 The one consisted of a pair of corn-crakes {Crex pratensis), 

 with their infant brood, seeking for food amid the congenial 

 shelter of tall grass; the other of a pine marten [Maries abietinum), 

 which is very cleverly set up as standing on a large branch, 

 holding in its teeth a squirrel which it has just captured : both 



