EEPOBT OF COUNCIL. 3 



The botanical papers were — ' Botanical Notes in the Midland Coun- 

 ties, by F.J. Foot, M. A., F. E. G. S. I. ; ' On the Geological Eolations 

 and Distribution of certain Ferns in the county of Donegal/ by Wil- 

 liam Harte, Corresponding Member, F. E. G. S. I.; 'On the Value of 

 Characters in the Protophyta, more especially in Desmidiaceae, by G. C. 

 Wallich, M. D., F. L. S. ; ' Observations on the Genera Cylindrocystis 

 (Meneghini), Mesotaenium (Nag.), and Spirotaenia (Breb.) = Palmogloea, 

 fcitz, pro maxime parte, mainly induced by a paper by Dr. J. B. 

 Hicks, F. E. S., F. L. S. ; ' On the Lower Forms of Algae,' in the 

 1 Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science,' October, 1854, p. 253, by 

 William Archer; Eeport of ' The Progress made in 1865 towards the 

 Collection of the Irish Lichens' (accompanying the presentation to the 

 Society of a further fasciculus of specimens) by Admiral T. Jones, 

 F. L. S., F. G. S. ; ' On some Mosses new to Britain, and on Neotinea 

 intacta? (Eeichenbach), by D. Moore, Ph. D., F. E. S., M. E. I. A. 



" The Papers will appear in full in the forthcoming part of the 

 ' Proceedings,' which will form ' Part III. of Yol. IY. ;' and it is now 

 at press, and will speedily be ready. 



" While your Council feels justified in congratulating the Society 

 on the production of so many interesting communications, and on its 

 ' Proceedings' being the channel of their publication, it is still the 

 wish of your Council to see a greater number of original papers 

 from Irish naturalists finding their way to the Journal of this Society — 

 a Journal which, from its extensive and varied circulation, forms un- 

 questionably so excellent and efficient a vehicle for the publication of 

 the result of the labours of students in the large field of natural science 

 in Ireland. There is, doubtless, many a note neglected, many an ob- 

 servation forgotten, many a fact unrecorded, which even casual ob- 

 servers might be induced to jot down and communicate, helping to add 

 to the interest of our pages ; whilst, should there be here and there a 

 student of any special branch of Natural History in our island who 

 keeps the result of his researches merely in his own note-book, should 

 these lines ever meet the eye of such, perhaps he might be induced to 

 adopt our ' Proceedings' as the channel to convey to his brother-searchers 

 the results of his experience. 



" The system of exchanges with kindred Societies at home and 

 abroad has been carried on as before during last year. The aggre- 

 gate amount of matter received during the last year does not equal the 

 preceding ; but this is mainly accounted for by the fact that so many 

 of the Societies who then acquiesced in the proposal to open up such an 

 interchange inaugurated these mutual relations by generously furnish- 

 ing their publications from the commencement, whereas during the late 

 Session they had but the current volume or number to contribute. 

 These interesting publications are, of course, as heretofore, open to the 

 use of the members ; and amongst their contents will be found many me- 

 moirs in very varied departments, and of exceeding value in different 

 branches of natural science. 



