Forest and Wildlife ServiceAuthor(s): B. RogersSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 19, No. 5 (Jan., 1978), p. 167Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25538121 .

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Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 19. No. 5. 1978 167

FOREST AND WILDLIFE SERVICE In the Republic of Ireland, the Forest and Wildlife authorities have been

pursuing for several years past what they describe as "a gentle education of forest visitors in the ways of nature". With annual attendances in the State Forests now at the million and a half mark the educational effort obviously has potentially fertile ground in which to thrive and has been pursued through various Forest Park booklets, nature trail leaflets, mammal leaflets, lists of bird haunts, conducted tours for school parties, talks to organised groups, and, on an annual basis in September each year, guided forest

walks for the public organised through the north-south based Society of Irish Foresters. Several of the Republic's Forest Parks are close to the border areas (e.g. Ards,

Co Donegal, Killykeen and Dun a Ri, Co Cavan and Rossmore, Co Monaghan) as are

many of the developed amenity/recreational areas. All are listed in "The Open Forest" which the Forest and Wildlife Service, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2, will gladly send free and post free on request. The booklet also contains information about the Service's

publications. Forest and Wildlife Service, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2. B. ROGERS

REPORT ON THE FIRST IRISH MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NATURAL HISTORY

The first Irish meeting of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History, held in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin on 22 October 1977 was attended by SB people. Some members and friends gathered prior to lunch, to view a collection of books from the Gardens' Library dating from 1532, and some exhibits relating to the papers. The books on display included Gerard's Berhall (1596), Sibthorp's sumptuous Flora Graeca (vol. 1. 1806), Curtis' and Stone's Endemic Flora of Tasmania

and Threlkeld's Synopsis Stirpium Hibernicarum (2nd ed., 1727). In his welcoming address, the Director of the Botanic Gardens, Mr Aidan

Brady, talked about the history of Glasnevin in the eighteenth century before the estab lishment of the gardens, and noted briefly the history of the library. The first formal speaker was Dr Andrew Scott (Dept of Geology, Trinity College, Dublin) who spoke on the controversy between John Parkinson, and the Dublin naturalist Richard Kirwan on the origin of coal. Dr Scott noted that the argument could be related to the different types of coal known to the two protaganists and to their field experience (or lack of it!).

The second speaker was Dr Charles Nelson (National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin) who gave an account of the life and work of the Cumberland-born botanist, 'Preacher of the

Word' and 'physic" Caleb Threlkeld. Threlkeld's book, Synopsis Stirpium Hibernicarum, published in October 1726 was the first Irish flora, though it contains an amusing mixture of botany, politics, religion and morals, as well as unveiled attacks on contemporary

botany. This paper was followed by a lively account of the historical natural history of Irish fishes by Dr Arthur Went (formerly Dept. of Fisheries, Dublin). Dr Went noted pre-nineteenth century writing on Irish fishes including introduced species such as pike and carp. Irish geology prior to 1809 was discussed by Prof Gordon Davies (Dept. of

Geography, Trinity College, Dublin). Dr Davies recognised three strands in Irish geology concerned with geological theory especially the Neptunist-Vulcanist controversy, economic geology which resulted in the first published geological maps of Ireland, and the classification and display of earth-science material in which the acquisition of the

Leskean cabinet was the most notable event. Dr Davies pondered the association

between Irish science and the politico-religious history of Ireland especially the connec tion between scientific ideas and Irish revolutions. The final paper was an account of

the transit of botany from Ireland to America by Prof Joe Ewan (Tulane University, New Orleans). Dr Ewan paid tribute to the part played by Irish-bom botanists in the

exploration of the Americas, noting well-known people including Sir Hans Sloane and Patrick Browne, as well as botanists and horticulturalists like Bernard M'Mahon, James

Logan and Cadwaller Colden. In concluding the meeting Dr Nelson repeated the hope expressed by the

Society's President, Ray Desmond, in a message to Irish members, that the meeting would mark the beginning of regular meetings of the S.B.N.H. in Ireland. In thanking speakers and participants, Dr Nelson noted the importance of the study of the history of science in the overall view of the history of Ireland, and expressed the hope that research might be stimulated by the success of this first meeting.

The papers presented in Dublin will be published and details will be available

shortly. The next meeting of the Society will be held in the Ulster Museum, Belfast, on

Saturday 27 May, 1978. Details are available from Mr Philip Doughty, Geology Dept., Ulster Museum, Belfast 9 and from Dr Charles Nelson.

National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. E. C. NELSON

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