36 



The Irish Naturalist. 



April, 1920. 



December ii. — C. B. Moffat in the chair. A letter was read from 

 Rev. W. Colgan thanking the Club for its message of sympathy. Prof. 

 A. Henry gave an address on " The Influence of Trees on Climate "— 

 developing the view that such influence is generally beneficial — and 

 R. Ll. Praeger one on " The Origin of Flowers," in the course of which 

 he gave some interesting particulars of contrivances to secure cross- 

 pollination. Both lectures led to some discussion in which various 

 members took part. 



January 15. — The Annual General Meeting was held in the Royal 

 Irish Academy House, Prof. A. Henry (and subsequently the new 

 President) in the chair. The annual report read by Mrs. Long, Hon. 

 Secretary, showed that the excursions held by the Club during the year 

 (six in number) had been highly successful, while a fair attendance had 

 favoured the evening meetings. The membership stood at 66, the 

 recruits practically balancing the losses. From the Hon. Treasurer's 

 statement it appeared that the Club's financial position had, in spite of 

 difficulties, improved during the year. The result of the election of 

 Officers for the Session was announced as follows : — President, G, C. 

 May, K.C. ;. Vice-President, C. B. Moffat; Hon. Treasurer, G. C. May; 

 Hon. Secretary, Mrs. Long. The formal proceedings were followed by 

 a lecture with lantern illustrations by J. La Touche, on the subject of 

 " Chinese Birds and their Haunts." Professor Henry added largely to 

 the interest of the evening's proceedings by a vivid account of the physical 

 features of those parts of China which he and the lecturer had explored. 



February 13. — The President in the chair. An address was delivered 

 by G. C. May (President) on the subject of " Bird Protection and its 

 Results and Advantages." i\Ir. May gave a clear and consecutive account 

 of the different statutes that have been passed for the purpose of securing 

 better protection for bird-life within the British Isles, and pointed out 

 how the present acknowledged need for increased agricultural production 

 liad had the effect of awakening public opinion in favour of more efficient 

 means for the preservation of useful birds. Gratifying instances of the 

 success of protective effort were also shown in the recent increase of tlio 

 Bittern and several other rare species, as well as in an apparent diminution 

 in the loss of bird-life at lighthouses, probably due to arrangements made 

 for the better accommodation of the bewildered migrants, enabling them 

 to rest in the gleams of the lanterns and resume their flight at daybreak. 

 A short discussion followed, in which Alex. Williams and C. B. Moffat 

 took part, the former bearing strong testimony to the useful services 

 rendered by that rather unpopular bird, the Sparrow, in tlie destruction 

 of garden pests. 



March ii.--The President in tlie cliair. C. B. Moffat read ;i paper 

 on " 'l lie Coloiirs ol P)ir(ls in relation to their llabits," showing in 

 ilhistration a number of sjiecimens kindly hMit b\- the .National Mnsonni. 

 This paper will be published in the next nunibei of th(> Irish K ahiralisl . 

 The President, Professor Henry, and Messrs. Williams and Dunloj), took 

 part in the discussion, which ranged from birds to botany and to (juestions 

 of pojmlar nomen( lat ure. Mr. [. La Touche was elected a nieinber. 



