48 
The Irish Naturalist. 
March, 
IRISH SOCIETIES. 
BOYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
January 27. — Annual Meeting held in the Royal Dublin Society's 
Lecture Theatre, W. E. Peebles (Vice-President) in the Chair. 
Professor G. H. Carpenter (Hon. Secretary) submitted the Report. 
The depressing influence of the war on the Society's resources was a 
feature emphasised in the Report for the year 1914. The Council regrets 
to find that during the year just passed the difficulties of the situation 
have not diminished, though, thanks to the generous response of Members 
to the appeal made, at the end of 19 14, for special gifts — which amounted 
to an aggregate of i^^^ — the financial position of the Society is slightly 
better than it was twelve months ago. This is encouraging, when we find 
that the gate receipts have fallen ;^24i during 191 5 after the alarming 
drop of ;^270 in the preceding year, the amount being ;^i,682 as compared 
with ;^i,923 in 1914. 
In the present condition of the country, a large influx of Members is 
hardly to be expected, and the Council are glad to record the enrolment of 
twelve new Life Members, as many as joined in 1914. 
With the view of increasing the number of applicants for Annual 
Membership the Council announced that candidates up to fifty in number 
would be elected during July without payment of the usual entrance fee. 
This resulted in the addition of thirty -three new names to the roll, and it 
is gratifying to find that altogether fifty -two Annual Members and nine 
Garden Subscribers have joined during the year. To meet the wishes 
of some mihtary ofiicers stationed in Dublin for short periods, it has been 
decided in such cases to make half the contribution of a Garden Subscriber 
payable for a six -monthly term. 
The Marquis of Aberdeen relinquished his office as Lord Lieutenant 
of Ireland early in the year. He is a Life Member of the Society ; together 
with Lady Aberdeen he had often visited the Gardens and taken interest 
in their working. His successor, Lord Wimbome, kindly came specially 
to the Gardens on May 4th in order to receive an address from the President 
and Council. The Royal Hibernian School Band and Scouts' Troop 
attended, by kind permission of the Commandant. The address read by 
the Secretary gave a brief account of the Society's work and expressed 
the hope that His Excellency would favour us with his interest and support. 
Lord Wimborne read an encouraging reply. 
Sir Charles Ball, Bart., having held the Presidency for a term of five 
years, now relinquishes the office according to the Society's bye -law. 
The Council wish to pay a hearty and unanimous tribute to his unfailing 
kindliness to his colleagues, his keen interest in the Society's welfare, and 
his zealous efforts on its behalf. In the future, as an ex -President resident 
in Dublin, it is hoped that he will continue to attend often the meetings 
of the Council, with which his family has been so long and so honourably 
connected. For the vacant chair of the Society the Council confidently 
submit the name of Mr. W. E. Peebles, J. P., whose invaluable services 
during his thirty -six years' membership of the Council are appreciated by 
all frequenters of the Gardens. 
