1902-1903.] 97 



the volunteer ships of England, a fragment of the great Armada 

 — broken, strained and leaking at every joint — beat up against 

 the Western shores of Ireland. How were they to be received ? 

 Were their friends in the country, their co-religionists, and 

 perhaps sympathisers, going to extend to them any assistance, 

 or even hospitality or shelter ? Charity as it is now under- 

 stood, would say that that might easily have been done with- 

 out any risk to the State, but times were too hard, and life 

 was too cheap, and plunder too irresistible for the men of that 

 period. In almost every case where a Spaniard landed, or a 

 great galleon was dashed to pieces, the Irish swept down as 

 ruthless as the English soldiery, butchering and plundering at 

 every ojjportunity. They had one or two instances, however, 

 of a more cheerful nature, proving that all chivalry was not 

 dead amongst Irish chieftains. The President, in conclusion, 

 said the period of which he had spoken was the time when 

 old territorial arrangements, the chieftainry, and the religious 

 houses were broken and dissolved for ever, and a new order 

 of things initiated. They might lament the past, but they 

 must accept the present. The burnings and the slaughters 

 and the rivalries and the usurpations had gone, but to have 

 a proj^er understanding of their present position, their pros- 

 pects and their aspirations, it was essential that they should 

 know these facts, and from them learn what might guide and 

 instruct them in the paths that lay before them, 



A most comprehensive series of slides illustrated each 

 scene described and person alluded to, many of them being 

 from rare contemporary prints. 



At the conclusion of the lecture, on the motion of Mr. 

 John M. Dickson, seconded by Mr. W. J. Fennell, and sup- 

 ported by Messrs. F. R. Lepper and William Gray, a hearty 

 vote of thanks was accorded to the President, who suitably 

 acknowledged the compliment, and the proceedings terminated. 



"BIRDS AND THEIR BREEDING HABITS." 



The second meeting of the Winter Session was held on 

 16th December, when Mr. R. J. Ussher, M.B.O.U., delivered 



