HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
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heath, and a growth of low shrubs. The enclosure 
is surrounded with a fence of netting or boards, 
the bottom of which is buried in the ground to 
prevent the beasts from digging underneath, and 
the top furnished with an overhang to prevent 
their escape by climbing over. It is divided into 
several compartments, for the accommodation of 
males, females, and young, at such times as it is 
necessary to keep these separate, and finally, 
each compartment is furnished with a row of 
hutches like those used for rabbits, where the 
females take shelter to give birth to their litters 
and rear them, if they do not dig their own earths 
in the ground. 
The Skunks, which are naturally omnivorous, 
are fed on meats (dried, boiled or raw), poultry 
offal, butchers' waste, mashes of oatmeal or other 
meals, cooked potatoes, milk, bread and fruit; 
and the insects which they find within the limits 
of their run go far to keep them in health. A diet 
of raw meat only would kill them as surely as 
would a purely vegetable one. 
NOTE. — To those contemplating Skunk farming 
I beg to refer them to the advertisement on in- 
side cover. There are only twelve left. The 
only arrivals in Great Britain during the past 
three years. They were imported at very great 
expense, in consequence of the frequent enquir- 
ies and orders given for these animals. When 
they arrived, the usual thing happened : the 
supposed buyers began to make offers; when 
these liberal offers were refused, they hinted if 
they waited long enough they might get 
cheaper. I am pleased to say the price still 
remains the same. — En. 
ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF 
IRELAND. 
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. 
The annual meeting of the Royal Zoological 
Society of Ireland was held on January 27th in the 
Theatre of the Royal Dublin Society, Leinster 
House. It was largely attended. 
Mr. W. E. Peebles, J.P. , Senior Vice-President 
of the Society, occupied the chair, in the absence 
of the President, Sir Charles B. Ball, Bart., M.D. 
He was sorry to announce that Sir Charles Ball 
was unable to be present owing to illness. 
The Hon. Secretary (Professor G. H. Car- 
penter) submitted and moved the adoption of the 
Council's Report for 1915. The depressing in- 
fluence of the war on the Society's resources had 
been a feature emphasised in the report for the 
year 1914. During the year just passed the diffi- 
culties of the situation had not diminished, though, 
thanks to the generous response of members to 
the appeal made at the end of 1914 for special 
gifts, which amounted to an aggregate of £424, 
the financial position of the Society was slightly 
better than it had been twelve months previously. 
This was encouraging, when it was found that 
the gate receipts had fallen £241 during 1915 after 
the alarming drop of £270 in the preceding year. 
The total number of visitors in 1913 was 162,618; 
in 1914, 175,332; in 1915, 153,031. The receipts 
at gate in 1913 were £2,197 16s. 3d.; in 1914, 
£1,910 6s. 8d.; in 1915, £1,673 15s. 7d. The 
Council had come to realise that during war-time 
the support of the members was more than ever 
a deciding factor for the' Society's continued use- 
fulness. After the generous response made last 
year, it had been decided to issue no further ap- 
peals for contributions at present, but those mem- 
bers who were able and willing again to help the 
finances by special gifts were reminded that the 
Society closed the year £447 in debt. Sir Charles 
Ball, having held the Presidency for a term of 
five years, now relinquished the office according 
to the Society's by-law. For the vacant chair 
of the Society the Council confidently submitted 
the name of Mr. W. Ei. Peebles, J. P., whose in- 
valuable services during his thirty-six years' mem- 
bership of the Council were appreciated by all 
frequenters of the Gardens. The year 1915, with 
its sad memories for all, would be notable for the 
death of two prominent and highly-valued mem- 
bers of the Council — Mr. J. Nugent Lentaigne and 
Mr. R. M. Barrington. A good account of Mr. 
Barrington's life and a list of his numerous origi- 
nal contributions to zoology and botany, by his 
friend, Mr. C. B. Moffat, would be found in the 
"Irish Naturalist" for November, 1915. 
THE ANIMAL COLLECTIONS. 
Owing to the need for strict economy, addi- 
tions to the stock of animals (the report stated) 
had been made only by gifts, no money being 
available lor the purchase of specimens. During 
the summer, sea lions were offered to the Society, 
and, in view of the death of the Society's speci- 
mens, the Council gratefully accepted Mr. T. K. 
Laidlaw's offer to defray the cost of one. Vn- 
