222 [Proc- 13-N.F.C. 



Mr. Phillips replied as follows : — 



Ladies and Gentlemen, 



I feel it difficult to put in adequate language my 



thinks for the expression of your kindness, on the occasion of 



my Golden Wedding. This is an honour which I highly value, 



as it has never before been accorded to any member of the 



Club. I highly appreciate your kind references to my long 



connection with the Club as one of its earliest members, and 



my filling all the offices, and your recognition of the value of 



the services I have been able to render to the Club, always to 



me a great pleasure. I hope I may be able for some time to 



continue my services. On behalf of Mrs. Phillips I desire to 



thank you for your good wishes for the future; and I hope 



in the time to come the Club will flourish as it has done in 



the past. 



(Signed) W. H. Phillips. 



The first paper was read by Mr. R. Welch, on Helix 

 (JI elicella) Zakkarensis, Kobelt, who said — For many 

 years past naturalists who take an interest in land- 

 shells have carefully watched for any records of Helix 

 pisana in Co. Down. This is an exceedingly local species, 

 known in Ireland only on the coast sand-hills of the southern 

 half of Co. Louth and along the Meath Coast, but which has 

 never yet seemed to have succeeded in crossing Carlingford 

 Lough, nor, indeed, to have reached North Louth. While 

 Mr. Arthur W. Stelfox was collecting plants and land-shells 

 near Rostrevor, early in February, 1898, he noticed a shell 

 which looked like Helix pisana feeding among nettles in the 

 debris of an old ruined cottage. The locality was about a 

 mile or more inland on the road past Rostrevor House. The 

 shell was evidently not full grown, as the lip was not formed ; 

 and on examination at home it did not seem to be like the 

 species mentioned. The markings were quite different to 

 those on shells found in the adjacent County Louth; that, 

 however, in such a variable species would not have been of 

 great importance, but there were others more noticeable. 



