The Irish Nattiralist. 



August, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include a Patas Monkey from Mr. T. K. Laidlaw, a pair of 

 Rabbits from Mrs. Dowling, a Peregrine Falcon from Mr. C. F. Stewart, 

 and a Jay from Mr. G. E. Low. A Puma cub has been born in the Gardens. 

 The musical performances given on Wednesday afternoons during the 

 summer by the excellent band of the South Irish Horse have attracted 

 many visitors on fine days. 



DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



July ioth. Excursion to the Glen of the Downs, — Eleven 

 members and visitors, leaving Westland Row at 1.28, started on cars 

 from Greystones and drove to the Glen of the Downs. The President 

 acted as conductor in the much regretted absence of Mr. Gunn, who, 

 though prevented from joining the excursion, had made all the previous 

 arrangements. Favoured by fine weather and a remarkable absence of 

 flies the Club found the wooded slopes of the glen full of interest, the flora 

 being almost exclusively that of undisturbed native woodland. On the 

 banks of the little stream at the foot, however, Mimulus guttaius was 

 flowering plentifully. This American colonist docs not seem to have 

 been previously recorded from this station, but has probably been there 

 for about ten years. Walking back towards Greystones, the party noticed 

 near Delgany a few plants of Ceterach officinarum, probably in the spot 

 where it was seen by Mr. Praeger in 1893 {Ir. Top. Bot.). Most birds, 

 except the persistent Chiffchaff, had ceased singing, but a few cones that 

 had evidently been opened by Crossbills were found under a Scotch Pine. 

 No evidence of the recent presence of Squirrels was observed, though it is 

 well known that these animals frequented the neighbourhood not long ago. 

 After tea at Greystones the party took the 6.45 train back to Dublin. 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



May 29. — Lisnagade and Loughbrickland. — Fifty members and 

 their friends left by the 10.50 a.m. train for Banbridge. On arrival there 

 the party drove to Lisnagade, where the first portion of the time was spent 

 in examining the various raths by permission of Mr. Wm. Taggart. The 

 earth -works are all in very perfect condition, and form an interesting 

 monument. 



After lunch the party rejoined the brakes and proceeded to Aghaderg 

 Glebe, where they were most hospitably entertained to tea by Canon and 

 Mrs. Lett. Those present had an opportunity of inspecting the many 

 rare and interesting botanical specimens collected by their host. In 

 addition to above, the botanical members collected during the day Rosa 

 arvensis, Ceterach ojfficinarum, Melampyrum pratense, MyosoHs versicolor, 

 Ophioglossum vulgatum, Galium erecium, as well as many other common 

 species. The zoologists were also busy, and made collections in several 

 groups of invertebrates, which will subsequently be worked out and 



