52 



The Irish Naturalist. 



May, 



vei"y attracti\p. 'J'he Pandas are nati\es of Ne])al, and 7.o()lugica]ly 

 are of much interest. 



A most graceful harnessed Antelope, the gift of C; C. Loko, Esq., 

 B.L., died after a few weeks' residence in the Gardens. A pair of Kheas 

 and a pair of Emus were received in the late autumn. Unfortimately, 

 one of the Rheas, which was in poor condition on its arrival, has died since. 



The stock of Lions and Lionesses remains almost as it was at the end 

 of 19 18. During the year " Red Hugh " died of old age. A litter of 

 cubs- — two in number- -born in May, from " Red Hugli " and " Maive," 

 chd not survive. Of three cubs, from " Oseni " and " Sheila," born on 

 September loth, two males are living, and are strong and well. Tlie 

 total stock now consists of fifteen animals, eight males and seven females. • 



The Lion " Seamus " has been ordered by the Societe Royale de 

 Zoologie at Antwerp, and is to be sent as soon as it is possible to secure 

 a suitable passage for him. The Council has promised to send with him 

 the Lioness (Crania " as a gift to the gardens at Antwerp from the Royal 

 Zoological Society of Ireland. This is in accordance with a resolution 

 passed by the Council in August, 191 when it announced that the Lions 

 at Antwerp had been destroyed lest they should escape as a result of the 

 bombardment of the city by tlie (ierman invaders. 



The Poultry E,xhibit lias attracted much interest during the year. 

 It is in charge of an expert instructress, pro\i(led by the Department 

 of Agriculture and Teclinical Instruction, towards whose salary the Society 

 has received from the Department a grant of /50. It is proposed in the 

 coming year to have a working display of the varicnis appliances useful 

 to urban and suburban poultry-keepers, and to have demonstrations 

 of the various methods Mhich can be employed usefully by amateurs. 

 The Council hopes and believes that the scheme will be appreciated by, 

 and ])rove a benefit to. ^Members of the Society and to the general public. 



At a very early period of the Society's history the encouragement 

 of animal drawing and sculpture was recorded among its activities ; and 

 during the past year an organized attem}U was made to interest Irish 

 artists and students in this special branch of nature-study. The Councd 

 offered certificates of merit, accompanied b\' ])remiums of one pounti. 

 in five classes. The competition was closed on the 30th September, and 

 the works sent in were exhibited at the Gardens from the ^th to the i.Sth 

 October. The interest taken in the competition encourages the Council 

 to continue it in 1920. Certificates and premiums are offered in the same 

 classes, and the students intending to vnXcr for coinjietition nia\- obtain 

 monthly tickets of admission to the (iartU-ns at a nominal rate of one 

 shilling. Works intended for coniiM'tition should reac li \ Su]XMint(Mident 

 on or before the last Tuesday in September. 



The Kej)ort was seconded by (i. Kt^ox-PPIKHI.KS and ado])ted. The 

 officers and Council for i()jo were elected, Lt.-Ciil. |. I'orrest, M. 1". 

 Ileadlani and A. Ih-elland being chosen to Hll vacancies. 



Pml. I. Ai IK I'll) Scoii. M.I)., sh()\\(Ml a sei-i(>s of anini.i] ]ilio(ograplis 

 and 1 inematonrapli lilnis. 



