6 Annual Report. 



a paper on ' The Birds of Fortwilliam Park, Belfast,' and Mr. 

 John H. Davies another entitled c Notes on a Waterhen's 

 Nest.' The fourth meeting was held on February 7th, 1888, 

 when a paper was read by Dr. James A. Lindsay on ' The 

 Alleged Decay of National Physique.' A fifth meeting was 

 held on March 6th, 1888, when Mr. Seaton F. Milligan, 

 M.R.I.A., gave a paper on ' The Forts of Erin, from the Firbolg 

 to the Norman/ illustrated by a fine series of special limelight 

 views and antiquities. The sixth meeting was held on April 

 10th, 1888, when Professor Fitzgerald 'read a paper on 'The 

 Action of the Screw Propeller,' illustrated by diagrams, &c. 

 Mr. J. H. H. Swiney, B.E., also gave a paper on ' The 

 Mechanical Removal of Deposit from Water Mains,' illustrated 

 by maps, the actual machine used, &c. A short communication 

 relative to a recently discovered Ogham inscription in County 

 Tyrone was also read by Mr. Seaton F. Milligan, M.R.I.A. 



In addition to the ordinary meetings, your Council made 

 arrangements to continue the special series of popular scientific 

 lectures similar to those given for several years past. These 

 were very well attended, both by the members of the Society 

 (who were admitted free) and by the general public. The first 

 of these special meetings was held on October 5th 1887, in the 

 Y.M.C.A. Hall, Wellington Place, when Rev. J. G. Wood, 

 M.A., F.L.S., London, gave a lecture — subject, ' Ants ' ; 

 followed by a second lecture — subject, ' The Whale,' on 

 October 6th. The third meeting was held on January 2nd, 

 1888. in the Ulster Minor Hall, when Dr. A. W. Hare, 

 F.R.C.S., Edinburgh, kindly gave a lecture— subject, ' Facial 

 Expression,' illustrated by a special series of photographic 

 slides. The fourth meeting was held on February 9th, 1888, 

 in the Ulster Minor Hall, when Mr. John R. Wigham, J.P., 

 kindly gave a lecture — subject, ' Lighthouse Illuminants,' fully 

 illustrated by models, &c. The fifth meeting was held on 

 March 8th, 1888, when Sir Robert S. Ball, F.R.S., lectured on 

 'The Astronomical Theory of the Great Ice Age.' Mr. James 

 Meneely kindly lent his fine lantern for two of these lectures. 



The improved financial condition of the Society, mentioned 



