252 JVerncrian "hatiiral History Society. 



fathoms, in the coal-formation at Govan ; communicated 

 by Mr. Dixon of Govan-hill. — 3. An instance of remarkable 

 intrepidity displayed by an old male and female otter, (at 

 the river Dart, near Totness, Devonshire,) in defending their 

 young, although the Otter is generally accounted a very 

 timid animal; communicated by Mr. Laskey ofCrediton. 



At this meeting also, Mr. Laskey (who is at present with 

 his regiment in Scotland, and who is well known in the 

 scientific world as an eminent conchologist,) presented to 

 the Society a very valuable and well arranged collection of 

 British shells, and likewise a curious mineral from New 

 Holland. 



At the meeting of this Society on the 11th of March, 

 Dr. Yule read an interesting memoir on the natural order 

 Gramineae, with introductory observations on monocotyle- 

 donous plants, in which he contrasted these with the dico- 

 tyledonous class, from the period of germination to the 

 complete evolution of their stems. The Doctor is to con- 

 tinue the subject in a future paper. 



Capt. Laskey laid before the Society a list of Scottish 

 Testacea, as far as they had fallen under his own observa- 

 tion ; with remarks on the new and rare species. Of the 

 genus Chiton he enumerated 4 species; of Lepas 3; Bala- 

 nus 6 ; Pholas 4 ; My a 9> including 3 new species ; of Li- 

 gula, (a lately constituted genus,) 1 species ; Solen 6 ; 

 Tellina 15, including a new species, named by Col. Mon- 

 tagu, T. Laskeiji ; Cardium 10; Mactra 6; Donax 3 ; Venus 

 23, including 9 new species ; Chama 1 ; Area 6* ; Pecten 6; 

 Ostrea 1 ; Anomia 4 ; Mytilus 1 1 ; Pinna 1 ; Nautilus 3 ; 

 Cypraea 1 ; Bulla 13, including 2 new species ; Voluta 8, 

 4 of them new ; Buccinum 8 ; Strombus 2 ; Murex 23, 

 comprehending the rare carinatus, and 3 new ones; Tro- 

 chus4; Turbo 32, 5 new ; Helix 17; Nerita7; Haliotis 1 ; 

 Patella 1 1 \ Dentalium 2 ; Serpula 7 ; Vermiculum 3. This 

 is the most ample catalogue of Scottish testacea hitherto 

 formed; containing 126 species of multivalvc and bivalve, 

 and 142 species of univalve shells ; in all 2G8. 



At the same meeting the Secretary read a communication 

 from George Montagu, esq., of Knowei House, giving an 



account 



