1895-96.]; 2 %9 



The President said he had a very pleasant duty to perform 

 on that occasion in offering to William Gray. M.R.I. A., an 

 album of local photos, with an address, as a token of the high 

 esteem in which he is held by the Club and as a slight 

 recognition of the valuable services to science which he had 

 rendered for many years. The album and illuminated address 

 were very artistically produced by Marcus Ward & Co., the 

 photos being by R. Welch. The President called upon the 

 Secretary to read the address, and the album was then presented 

 to W. Gray amidst applause. 



W. Gray briefly replied, saying he would ever value the 

 presentation as another link connecting him with his many 

 friends in the Field Club and Belfast. 



One of the most valuable displays in the hall was the large 

 series of views, antiquarian and scientific, taken by R. Welch 

 during the past season, more especially those taken in Gal way 

 and Connamara on the occasion of the Field Club conference. 

 For imparting instruction and artistic effect these photos could 

 not be surpassed. This the most capable judges of such work 

 freely admitted. Each department of the Club was in charge 

 of some one or more members, around whom congregated a 

 group of listeners, eagerly waiting an opportunity of seeing 

 the microscopic slide, or animal, or whatever subject might be 

 under discussion. At one table D. M'Ardle and the Rev. C. H. 

 Waddell were in charge of their favourite mosses and liverworts, 

 the combined exhibit of these two gentlemen being unequalled 

 in this country. Close by, W. H. Phillips had the whole 

 breadth of the hall covered with nature prints, taken from some 

 of his famous ferns, and a table full of the ferns themselves. 

 J. Hamilton's toads afforded a frightened interest to the ladies 

 during the entire evening, whilst W. Gray's method of looking 

 at the time through a beetle's eye brought up a feeling of 

 wonder at such a lowly creature being provided with about 250 

 perfect lenses, through each of which the watch was visible. 

 Joseph Wright had, in company with R. Welch, a fine collection 

 of foraminifera from Connamara, from which 90 species had 



