lvi PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



28th February. 188s. 



Mr. James Dairon, F.G.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The following were elected Ordinary Members : Mr. John Borland, 

 jun., Etruria, Kilmarnock ; Mr. William M'Alister, M.B., CM., 

 Struan Villas, Kilmarnock ; Mr. Alexander P. Dickie, Wallace 

 Bank, Kilmarnock; Mr. William Hodge, 5 North Albert Road, 

 Pollokshields ; Mrs. William Hodge, 5 North Albert Road, Pollok- 

 shields ; Mrs. P. C Hart, 25 Hamilton Park Terrace, Hillhead ; 

 Mrs. Charles W. White, 2 Woodrow Circus, Pollokshields ; Mr. 

 James Rigg, Cross Arthurlie, Barrhead ; Dr. John Archibald, 

 F.R.C.S.E., M.R.C.P.E., F.R S.E., 7 Bruntsfield Place, Edin- 

 burgh; Mr. Malcolm M'Murrich, M.A., M.B., CM., Riccartsbar 

 Asylum, Paisley; Rev. Alexander Skene, M.A., G Knowe Terrace, 

 Pollokshields; Mr. Alexander Hill, 13 Herriot Street, Pollokshields; 

 Mr. Thomas Carlile, 2 Lancaster Terrace, Kelvinside ; Mr. 

 Fountain Clarbour, 7 Oxford Drive, Kelvinside ; Mr. Alexander 

 A. Fergusson, 1 1 Grosvenor Terrace, Kelvinside ; Mr. Alexander 

 Scouler, 6 Ailsa Terrace, Hillhead ; Mr. John Cruickshank, 15 

 South Portland Street; Mr. Adam M'Murtrie, 7 Church Place, 

 Anderston; Mr. Robert Pollok, M.B., CM., Laurieston House, 

 Pollokshields; Mr. John Dunlop, 4 Abbotsford Place. 



The Secretary (Mr. D. A. Boyd) drew the attention of the 

 Society to the meetings of the International Geological Congress to 

 be held at London during the week commencing 17th September, 

 1888. 



The Secretary announced that in view of the early necessity for 

 reprinting the Constitution of the Society, certain alterations had 

 been suggested by several Members of Council. He moved : 

 " That the proposed alterations be remitted to the Council to be 

 considered and reported on at next meeting of the Society." Dr. 

 Thomas F. Gilmour seconded the motion, which was unanimously 

 adopted. 



Dr. Marcus Calder, Secretary of the Greenock Natural History 

 Society, exhibited living specimens of the Black Rat, Mus rattus, 

 L., a species which was at one time abundant in this country, but 

 has become almost extinct within recent years, although single in- 

 dividuals are sometimes obtained in the vicinity of seaports. It is 

 believed to have been extirpated by the common Brown Rat, Mus 

 decuman us, L., a larger and more powerful species which has rapidly 

 spread over the country. Dr. Calder stated that the specimens had 



