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BRITISH ASSOCIATION NEWS. 



AMiilst some officials of the British Association were being photographed 

 at DubUn, they were informed by the operator that if they faced to the 

 right, and turned their eyes to the left, it would give them quite an intelli- 

 gent appearance ! 



The students at Trinity College, in common with most other people at 

 Dublin, took exception to the large hoarding in front of their building, 

 which had the words ' British Association ' upon it. In the night the 

 letters ' ociation ' were removed, the remainder being left for the benefit 

 of the visitors. 



The Irish Press certainly rose to the occasion in connection with the 

 meeting of the Association. In ' The Irish Independent ' for the opening 

 day was the line of blocks here reproduced on a smaller scale, evidently 

 issued for the benefit of the visitors. The first photograph is supposed 

 represent ' Sir E. Ray Lankester, one of the most prolific of scien. -fl 



authors ' ; the second is ' Lord Rayleigh, Chancellor of Cambridge, and 

 Scientific Advisor to Trinity House, author of numerous scientific papers.' 

 The third is a ' Curious-shaped egg laid by a Tipperary hen ' ; and the 

 fourth is labelled ' Freak Potato, resembling human figure, recently dug 

 by Mr. Francis Camp, County Kerry.' Above the blocks were the words 

 ' Pictures of Freaks,' but in fairness to ' The Irish Independent ' and the 

 two ' Scientific Authors,' we ought to state that the heading apparently 

 referred only to the last two blocks ! 



The Rev. George Furlong read a paper on ' Unique Experiences at the 

 Birth of a Volcano ' to section E. 



The mention of the word ' Silurian ' in a paper on the underground rocks 

 of Kent, gave a Canadian visitor an opportunity of occupying the time of 

 section C to a considerable length, whilst he spoke of the charms and attrac- 

 tions of Canada. 



The ' Daily Mail ' reports that ' when Mr. Francis Darwin stood up to 

 deliver his address, every seat was taken ! ' To this ' Punch adds : 

 ' Study for the Descent of Man ; Mr. Darwin trying to sit down again.' 

 In the same journal, bearing on the Presidential Address, is an article on 

 ' Cruelty to Vegetables : Remarkable meeting of Protest.' In this, the 

 evidences which Mr. Darwin ' had been able to furnish, which pointed to 

 the existence of consciousness in plants — their intelligent habits, irrita- 

 bility, powers of sleep, and so on — has suddenly awakened the national 

 conscience to the horrible iniquities of vegetarians, and above all, fruit- 

 arians,' who indulged in ' the barbarous habit of eating the raw flesh of 

 live fruit.' 



Naturalist, 



