588 [P™c. B.N.F.C. 



WINTER SESSION. 



The first ordinary Meeting of the Winter Session was held 

 in the lecture-room of the Natural History Society's Museum, 

 on Tuesday evening, 27th November. Mr. Rodman exhibited 

 an excellent collection of very beautiful and rare lepidcptera. 

 Every specimen was in good condition, and mounted in a neat 

 and skilful manner. There was an animated discussion as to 

 the purposes served by the great variety of form and size of the 

 insects, their brilliant colouring, and the elaborate detail of 

 ornamental embellishment displayed both in their larval and 

 perfected stages. Miss Wheeler exhibited some very interesting 

 examples of humming birds' nests. At eight o'clock a most 

 interesting and exhaustive lecture was given by the President, 

 F. J. Bigger, M.R.I.A. : — on "Irish Ecclesiastical Architecture." 

 He dealt with the peculiarities of our primitive structures, 

 beehive huts, oratories, round towers, &c, of which Ireland is 

 so richly provided. The influence of the Norman invasion and 

 subsequent times were also very fully explained, and the lecture 

 was copiously illustrated by lantern slides produced by our very 

 best photographers, including a member of the Club, who is 

 photographer to the Queen. The meeting was closed by the 

 election of new members and an announcement of the time and 

 subject of the next meeting. 



igth December. 



W. J, FENNELL, M.R.I.A.I.— " WHERE THE MASTERS 



WROTE." 



The lecturer dealt in an interesting manner with the ruins 

 and historic associations connected with the Donegall Abbey of 

 St Francis of Assisi. Attention was drawn to the beautiful 

 situation of the Abbey, and regret expressed that the fabric 



