1921. 



Irish Societies^ 



39 



but passes through its whole metamorphosis, being fed on material derived 

 from neighbouring eggs that have broken down. The lecture was illust- 

 rated by a fine series of excellent lantern views. 



T. Edens Osborne and W. M. Crawford were elected members of the 

 Club. 



Feb. I. — The Hon, Secretary (A. McI. Cleland) read a paper entitled 

 " The Pastor's Account Book : 1768- 1780," in which he gave an account 

 of the ministrations of the Rev. Joshua Symonds, minister in the Old 

 Meeting House, Bedford, 



DUBLIN NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



November ii, — The Vice-President (C. B, Moffat) in the Chair- 

 There was a large attendance. Miss M, G, Flood opened an extremely 

 interesting discussion with a short paper on " The Fauna and Flora of a 

 Rock-Pool," describing in popular terms the properties of many of the 

 more interesting sea-weeds (of which a series of beautifully mounted 

 specimens were exhibited on the table), after which she dealt in similar 

 fashion with the various animal inhabitants, and the complicated cosmos 

 of which they form the chief material. Discussion on Miss Flood's paper 

 was carried on by W. F, Gunn, R. LI. Praeger, E. Tenison Collins, Alex. 

 Williams, Miss West, and Professor Henry, and little time was left for the 

 carrying out of a further programme of exhibits, including an interesting 

 Saxifrage shown by R. LI. Praeger. A new member (Athole Harrison) was 

 elected. 



December 9. — The Vice-President in the Chair, Discussion was 

 •opened by Miss Sheila Saunderson with a paper on " Some Garden 

 Pests " which covered a wide field, dealing with slugs and snails, Oniscidae, 

 and the various insect-pests that gardeners have to deal with, and pre- 

 scribing treatment to meet the several emergencies. Discussion was 

 carried on by Messrs. E. Tenison Collins, W. F. Gunn, and A. Henry, the 

 subject of Fungi being imported by one of the speakers as an additional 

 pest to those mentioned by the lecturer. 



February 10. — The President in the chair. Athole Harrison read 

 a paper oh " Bird's Eggs." The paper dealt with the variations in number, 

 shape, size and colour which exist in birds' eggs. Birds such as the Titmice 

 and Goldcrest, which are not well able to survive severe weather, as was 

 shown in the winter of 1 916- 17, lay large clutches of eggs, up to ten or 

 even more. All eggs were probably originally white, and the presence of 

 colour is due to the need for a reduction in the visibility of the egg, the 

 most extreme form being known as " protective coloration." Some eggs, 

 not usually so regarded, come under this heading, although the colour is 

 not protective the colouration is. An example is the egg of the Missel 

 Thrush and, when a nest of this bird containing eggs is viewed from 

 above, it often appears to contain only dead leaves. 



