I920, 



Irish Societies. 



67 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



BELFAST NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



May 17, 1919. — Excursion to Broadwater. — An interesting day 

 was spent by 25 members and visitors. The great profusion of Bog- 

 bean (Menyanthes) in full bloom was the most striking feature of the 

 canal vegetation. The mollusca of the Broadwater were carefully 

 collected. 



May 31, 1919. — Excursion to the Flush. —The party numbered 

 56, and the interests were mainly botanical. 



June 14, 1919. — Excursion to Mahee Island. — Motor char-a-bancs 

 conveyed a party of 33 to the shores of Strangford Lough, where a motor 

 launch was ready for visits to the islands. Beautiful weather enabled 

 much botanical and archaeological observation to be carried out. 



June 28, 1919. — Excursion to Carngaver. — A party of 20, in the 

 course of an eight-mile walk, explored this hill. The Lesser Wintergreen, 

 Pyrola minor, was seen in several clumps. 



July 26, 1919. — Excursion to St. John's Point. — A very enjoyable 

 afternoon was spent by a party of 17, ending with tea at the lighthouse. 

 Geology and botany both claimed attention. 



August 16, 191 9. — Excursion to Glenoe. — An uneventful though 

 pleasant afternoon. 16 present. 



August 30, 1919. — Excursion to Hillsborough. — A party of 33 

 spent an enjoyable day in the Downshire demesne, chiefly in the study 

 of trees. 



October 21, 1919. — Conversazione. — A good assortment of scientific 

 exhibits was on view. The attendance numbered 150. 



November 18, 1919. — The President {A. MT. Cleland) delivered his 

 presidential address. Taking the motto on the Club's seal (" Fiat lux ") 

 as his text, he traced the development of the spirit of discovery, exploration 

 and scientific research from the fifteenth century to the presenl^ay. 



December 2, 1919. — A technical paper on " The Ecology of the 

 Lower Plants," prepared by the late Rev. C. H. Waddell, was read by 

 S. A. Bennett. 



December 16, 191 9. — R. Ll. Praeger read a paper entitled " Some 

 Aspects of Plant Life." 



January 6, 1920. — J. A. S. Stendall read a paper, well illustrated 

 by lantern slides, on " Bygone Punishments." 



January 20. — C. B. Horsbrugh read a paper entitled " Hunting for 

 the Living Bird of Paradise in British New Guinea," in which graphic 

 descriptions of tropical wild life were given. 



February 3. — Paper by J. R. H, Graves on " Place-names of 

 Strangford Lough," which displayed much industrious research. 



February 17. — G. C. Reilly dealt with " Salt Industries of the 

 World " in an interesting and exhaustive manner. 



