2 Annual Meeting. 



1st February, when Miss Edith Oldham, honorary secretary, 

 Feis Cecil, Dublin, deHvered a lecture on " The Feis Ceoil and 

 the Eisteddfod," with musical illustrations. At the fifth 

 meeting, on the ist of March, Mr. W. H. Morris, M.I.C.E.T., 

 gave a lecture on " Railways and their Practical Working," 

 illustrated by lantern views. The sixth meeting was held on 

 26th April, when Mr. James Maxton, M.I.N.A., read a paper — 

 subject, " i he Evolution of Dry Docks " — followed by a dis- 

 cussion. Mr. Robert Young, J.P., gave " Notes on the Geo- 

 logical Bearings of recent Deep Borings at Belfast," illustrated 

 by specimens. The meetings continue to be well attended, and 

 the lectures attract the general public, particularly when dis- 

 cussions are invited. Kindred societies continue to make their 

 headquarters at the Museum, and the Feis Ceoil was added to 

 their number last autumn. 



From the Treasurer's Statement of Accounts it will be 

 seen that a satisfactory balance remains in his hands. All the 

 collections were thrown open to the public at a nominal charge 

 on Easter Monday and Tuesday, and the attendance was large. 

 As to the Museum specimens, there are no important changes 

 to report. The stone Inauguration Chair from Castlereagh has 

 been mounted on a stand, and has a suitable place amongst the 

 other Irish antiquities. The stand, however, is not a fixture, 

 but moveable, and the chair, though weighing some 6cwt., can 

 be shifted as required on special occasions. The valuable set of 

 Snakes from Assam, presented by Mr. A. de Wind, have had 

 the preservative spirit renewed, and will be permanently 

 arranged with the existing series of foreign reptiles. The 

 Society is to be congratulated on the acquisition of the ancient 

 stone chair of the O'Neills, of Castlereagh, which was purchased 

 from Mr. W. Walker, J.P., of Sligo, by a number of friends of 

 the Society, and presented on their behalf, to the Museum by 

 the late Sir Wm. M'Cammond, at the opening meeting of the 

 Session. A number of early Christian antiquities from Oxy- 

 rhynchus have been presented by the Egyptian Exploration 

 Fund. Several other notable donations have been made by 



