1898-99- 495 



21 February. 



The Fifth Meeting for the Winter Session was held on 21st 

 February. Some members brought in exhibits to the popular 

 science gossip half-hour before the opening of meeting. 



Messrs. H. L. Orr and R. Welch exhibited a series of minute 

 land shells (genus vertigo) from various localities, including a 

 number of vertigo antivertigo, recently collected at Shaw's 

 Bridge, Belfast, where there is a very large colony in the marsh ; 

 also some small land and freshwater shells, which have not yet 

 been found in Ireland, though long known in England. 



Mr. M'Kinney exhibited coral found in clay nearGlenarm. 



Mr. Vinycomb taking the chair, the business of the evening 

 proceeded, when 



Mr. Gray submitted his report as delegate from the B.N.F.C. 

 to the meeting of the British Association at Bristol. He 

 described the object, constitution, and method of procedure of 

 t he Association, and stated that the Committee of Corresponding 

 Societies was framed for the purpose of securing the co-operation 

 of all such local scientific societies publishing transactions and 

 papers calculated to further the advancement of science. The 

 Belfast Naturalists' Field Club was one of the first local societies 

 registered as a corresponding society by the British Association. 

 The delegates meet in conference twice during the annual 

 meeting of this Society, when suggestions are given as to the 

 subjects calling for investigation during the coming year. At 

 the Bristol meeting the subject of coast erosion was recom- 

 mended for consideration, and the best methods of observation 

 and records were referred to, and the Council of the Association 

 was requested to bring the matter before the Admiralty, with 

 the view of obtaining the aid of the coastguard in furthering 

 the investigations of local societies and other scientific inquirers. 

 The question of geological photography was also considered, 

 and a very high compliment was paid to the B.N.F.C. for the 

 very excellent photographs already contributed by Mr Welch, 

 Mr. Phillips, and other members of the Field Club. 



