LIONS BHED IN CONFINEMENT. 
13 
and fifty-six females. The cubs at birth were distinctly 
spotted with dark brown on a light brown ground ; these 
spots generally disappear, but are sometimes to be found 
on the lower parts of the adult animals, especially of the 
lionesses. The spots were never arranged in bands, as some¬ 
times stated. 
Those who may wish for further particulars will do well 
to refer to an exhaustive article on the subject in the “Trans¬ 
actions of the Royal Irish Academy,” Vol. XXVIII., Part 24, 
Aug., 1880, entitled—“Observations on Lion Breeding in 
the Gardens of the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland,” by 
V. Ball, M.A., F.R.S., Director of the Science and Art 
Museum, Dublin, and Hon. Sec. of the Royal Zoological 
Societv of Ireland. 
A VISIT TO CHIRK. 
On Easter Monday last, April 26tli, about fifty members 
of the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical 
Society and their friends made their first excursion of the 
season to the interesting village of Chirk. Among those 
present were the Rev. H. Bonner, Messrs. W. P. Marshall, 
M.I.C.E., W. B. Grove, B.A., J. Potts, J. H. Wright, 
J. Rabone, W. H. France, W. B. Malins, W. Phillips 
(Shrewsbury), J. Morley (Hon. Sec.), and others, including 
many ladies. 
Proceeding by the 8.32 Birkenhead express train, they 
reached Chirk Station at 10.45. The rendezvous was the 
Chirk Castle Arms, or, as it is popularly called, the Hand 
Hotel. Some years ago it was known as the Red Hand, and 
a large signboard bore a representation of an open red hand. 
It was so called from the circumstance of the red hand being 
the crest of the Biddulpli family, who are the owners of 
Chirk Castle, and of large estates in the county. The only 
representation of the old “ red hand ” now to be seen at the 
hotel is a small bright golden hand displayed in the lamp over 
the door. The Hand is a favourite public-house sign in 
Montgomeryshire and Denbighshire, as, for example, the 
“ Hand ” at Llangollen and other places. The open red hand, 
which forms part of the arms of the Province of Ulster, 
commemorates the daring of a bold adventurer, one O’Neile, 
who made a vow to be the first to touch the shores of Ireland, 
but finding the boat in which he rowed outstripped by others, 
he cut off his hand and flung it ashore, to touch it before the 
others could make a landing. The open red hand in the 
