612 [Pioc. B.N.F.C. 



On March 8, 1881, Mr. W. Gray, President, in the chair — 

 " Carnivorous Plants : their structure and habits, with notices 

 of some of the insects which frequent them." 



On January 13, 1887, Canon Grainger, President, in the 

 chair — " On the Reproduction of Ferns, specially on the 

 observed phenomenon called apospory, with some remarks on 

 hybridization." 



On March 27, 1888, Mr. Hugh Robinson, President, in the 

 chair — "Variations Observed in the Growth of Mistletoe; 

 illustrated by growing plants. 1 ' 



On February 19, 1890, Mr. W. Gray, President, in the chair 

 — "A Gossip about British Ferns and their Varieties, with 

 notices of local finds, with illustrations." 



On December 16, 1890, Mr. W. Gray, President, in the 

 chair — " Strange Pets I have had." 



At the annual meeting, 1900, Mr. Bigger, President, in the 

 chair — '' British Ferns and their varieties." 



In 1885-6 R. LI. Praeger and myself published as an 

 appendix to the proceedings of the Club, " The Ferns of 

 Ulster." 



The Belfast Naturalists' Field Club included a great many 

 botanists, but I am sorry to say not any special fern hunters, 

 and consequently I had no one with whom to compare notes, 

 and to be certain of species I had often to buy normal forms 

 from English nurseries, which I afterwards found w^re plenty 

 in this locality. 



Mr. Ferguson, then curator of the Belfast Botanic Gardens, 

 was very friendly, although not knowing much of British 

 ferns, and to encourage their growth had classes for ferns in- 

 cluded in the horticultural shows then held in the Botanic 

 Garde is. 



In i860 I had the honour of winning the first prize of £5 for 

 the best collection of 24 ferns in 12 inch pots. My competitors 

 included Sir W. Verner, Mr. Walkington, and Mr. Philip 

 Richardson, they having at that time the best collections of 

 ferns, I continued my fern hunting on all favourable oppor- 



