1903-1904.] 205 



It is a mistake to imagine that the real work of the Club 

 is made up of gay summer excursions through woods, by rivers, 

 over mountains, or along the rugged capes of the North — or 

 by reading papers, or inflicting an inaugural address. The 

 real power is like the blood, ever moving and throbbing along 

 the unseen veins, in the full flow of life, and when it stops, the 

 structure will fall and its existence will be a thing — a memory 

 — of the past. 



I must glance hastily over the years of the third decade, 

 and I find that of marked importance are the restoration of 

 the Dromore High Cross and the investigation of the Lame 

 Gravels and Estuarine Clays, on which a report was sub- 

 mitted by Mr. R. LI. Praeger on the 19th November, 1899, 

 illustrated by photographs, diagrams, fossils, samples of all 

 beds, and flint implements. On the same date the same 

 gentleman gave a notice of the occurrence of the Stock-Dove 

 in the County Antrim. It will be seen that Mr. Praeger, m 

 his manly share of the Club building,' was a many-sided 

 worker, keenly alive in his numerous specialities and indomit- 

 able in his perseverance to gain the right end of all he put 

 his hand to. 



I find that this decade was full of hard-toiling workers in 

 every section, and the minutes in consequence are teemingly 

 full of interest, but it is as impossible a task in this brief, 

 imperfect glance to touch on all as it would be to mention 

 each brick in the construction of a house. We may, however, 

 mention the Microscopic Section as strongly to the fore, and 

 the Botanical work was active and productive, and at times 

 lively and festive. 



The Archaeological Section was as sharply on the look-out 

 as ever and did good work. 



In the year 1892 a decided step in advance was attained 

 when the Club recognised the advent of the Irish Naturalist, 

 edited by G. H. Carpenter and R. LI. Praeger, and constituted 

 it our official organ, which it has been ever since, with its 

 pages generously open to all who wish to contribute to it. 



This decade (the third) produced lectures from, amongst 



