134 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



24th November, 1896. 



Mr. Robert Kidston, F.R.S.E., F.G.S., President, in the chair. 



The Chairman referred to the great loss the Society had 

 sustained through the death of Mr. David Robertson, LL.D., 

 r.L,S., F.G.S., who had been an active member since 1852, and 

 had, during that long period, contributed many valuable papers 

 and important exhibits. The Hon. Secretary was instructed to 

 convey an expression of sympathy to Dr. Robertson's family. 



Mr. A. Somerville, B.Sc, F.L.S., the Society's delegate at the 

 opening of the Gatty Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, submitted 

 his report, which was read by the Rev. G. A. Frank Knight, 

 M.A. 



Mr. C. O. Sonntag, Edinburgh, was elected as a Corresponding 

 Member of the Society. Messrs. William Bowie, 188 Comely- 

 park Street ; W. A. Donnelly, Miltonhillj Milton of Colquhoun, 

 Bowling; Chas. Kirk, 156 Sauchiehall Street; John R. Lee, 42 

 Dundas Street; James Murray, 3 Campsie Yiew, Hamilton;- 

 John Robertson, Eastwood, Thornliebank ; and John Sloane, 201 

 Dumbarton Road, were elected as Ordinary Members. 



Mr. Geo. Russell, for Mr. J. B. Mirrlees, exhibited a number 

 of Orchids, and among them Angrcecum sesqui2Jedale, Thow,, which 

 bears a spur from a foot to eighteen inches in length. This plant 

 is referred to by Darwin in his work on the fertilisation of 

 orchids. In connection with this exhibit Mr. G. F. Scott Elliot, 

 M.A., B.Sc, F.L.S., F.R.G.S., communicated some notes. He 

 stated that it was not uncommon near Fort Dauphin, in the South- 

 east of Madaojascar. He had been oblifi^ed to remain there on one 

 occasion for three months, and during that time made some 

 attempts to find its fertiliser. He caught many varieties of 

 Sphinx Moth on it, some of them having proboscidea fully 

 eighteen inches long, but he was never able to catch one on the 

 flowers. These moths went eventually to Paris, and M. A. 

 Grandidier declared them to be all new forms. Angrcecum 

 superbum, Thow., was also common at Fort Dauphin, and with 

 this orchid Mr. Scott Elliot had been more fortunate, as he saw a 

 beautiful little Sun-bird [Cinnyris souimanga (Gm.) ) sipping its 

 honey. The flowers of this Angrcecum grow pretty densely along 

 the peduncle, and it was very interesting to watch the neat and 



