50 TJie Irish Kaiuralisi. May, 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL 50CIRTY. 



Janpauv _>S.— Annual M kktinc. The Presidenl (Sik Moork) in 

 the chair. The lion. Secrelar>- (T'rof. A. V. Dixon) read the Keport and 

 moved its adoption. 



The \ ear ic^k) was one of considerabh^ activity at the Cardens. Al- 

 though (htticulties connected with shipping, and the continued liigh prices 

 of food stuffs, have prevented the ac(piisition of many of the larger maili- 

 mals to WW ga})s in the collection, it has been possible to secure several 

 interesting animals for the Gardens. Much useful work in reconstructing 

 and rent)vating the existing houses has been accomplished, an(J in the near 

 future it is hoped that all tlie houses will have been put into tliorough 

 re])air. Tlie l^eautiful grounds lia\'e been cleaned and brought into 

 order thanks to tlie work of demobilized men made available h\ the 

 Ministry of Labour. Tlicre has been a most gratifying increase in the » 

 number of visitors and in the gate receipts, in spite of the increased cost 

 of travelling and the continued absence of facilities for excursions to 

 Dublin. During the year the total gate receipts, e\clusi\-e of the five 

 days of the pf^te, amounted to f.i.^i - },s. ~d. 



As a direct result of the Special Appeal, a.nd of the interest created 

 !)y tfie Summer l^'ete, there has been a welcome increase in the number 

 of new members. During tlie \ear tifty-nine Annual Members, fortv 

 Life Members, and four Carden Subscribers were elected. The sum of 

 {878 was received in entrance fees and subscriptions. 



The outstanding event of the year was the very successful fete held 

 in the (iardens on June nth, 12th, 13th, i.jth, and i()th. Thanks to the 

 kind and generous support of the Members and friends of the Society, 

 the special appeal and fete have, by proxiding a sum of over /4,ooo, 

 extinguished the debt which existed at the coiulusion of the war, and 

 furnished funds for the necessar\- repairs aud reconstructu)n of tlie houses. 

 l'\irther, the wides])read interest which it has excited has been of the 

 greatest service to the Gardens in attracting new nu-mbers ami xisitors. 

 The Council feels that the Soeie(\- owes a \ery deep debt of gratitmlc 

 to all those friends who so generoush- gaxc. their time and energies, or 

 subscri])tions, in order to secure for tlu" trie I he great succ(\ss which it 

 achieved. Thanks are i's|)e( iall\ due to \\\v stallholders, the Organizing 

 Committee, and to Alfred MillcM', the II(>iu)rary Secretary of the fete. 



In June Professor ('.. 11. Carpenter, to the deep regret of Council, 

 resigned the Honorary Secretarxsliip of liu> Socictw Miss Cree, who 

 Wiis appointed .\ssistaiit Set retary in loo i, t(M iuinated her eugag»MiuM)t 

 in Septend)er last. .\t the reciuest of tlie Council, Professoi" .\. 1-'. Dixon 

 a((<'plcd I he Sccictai yshi p in .\iigust. i'lu' oitu c of tlie Society li.is becMi 

 moved from the Koyal College of Sci<'nce lo \ (iardens, and is sitnated 

 in ( omforlabic cpiartors on tiu' ground lloor of Ihe llaughton Mouse. 



