PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. ^ 143 



Mr. John Paterson, Hon. Editor of Transactions, intimated, on 

 behalf of the Publishing Committee, that the part completing 

 Volume TV., New Series, of the Society's T7'misactions, was now 

 in the hands of the Hon. Librarian for distribution. Mr. Paterson 

 stated that thanks were specially due to Mr. Richard M'Kay for 

 his labours in preparing indices to the volume. 



A paper entitled " A List of the Algae of Lamlash Bay," by the 

 late Mr. David Robertson, LL.D., F.L.S., F.G.S., was read 

 (see page 62). This paper was in course of preparation by Dr. 

 Robertson immediately before his last illness, and was completed 

 by Mrs. Robertson after his death. 



A paper by Mr. R. S. Wishart, M.A,, entitled •'•Garden Slugs 

 at Work," was read. Slugs are well-known pests to gardeners, 

 and recourse has been had to various means to extirpate them, or 

 keep them w^ithin reasonable bounds. Though working mainly 

 after sundown, in dull weather they may also be found "on duty" 

 in the day-time. They seem to be pretty constant in their affec- 

 tion for one plant at a time, and, if their tracks are to be taken as 

 evidence, they seem to go by the same route morning and evening. 

 Among plants most readily attacked by these pests, French Mari- 

 golds, Asters, and Cauliflower may be mentioned, but in Mr. 

 Wishart's experience the large-flowered Chrysanthemurti inodorum 

 ple7iissi7num was to them the greatest favourite of all. The slugs 

 seem to scent this plant from a considerable distance, and to make 

 for it as long as a green leaf is left. Experiments to make 

 them alter their course had only, for result, a little temporary 

 confusion of their movements, which, however, was soon overcome. 

 From all that could be seen of their wavs and doinors, it seemed 

 evident that slugs do not just crawl out of the earth and move 

 along at random till chance throws something in their way, but 

 that their movements were guided by a fixed purpose, arising from 

 a certain amount of intelligence. Sometimes their experience of 

 one night determined their course for the next. When there was 

 no pre-arranged plan, they used their senses to ascertain where 

 the best food was to be found, and their faculties were so discri- 

 minating that they made a choice even at a distance which, 

 relatively to their size and their rate of locomotion, was very 

 considerable. 



