96 The Scottish Naturalist. 



The Transactions and Journal of the Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire 

 and Galloway Scientific, Antiquarian, and Natural History Society. Ses- 

 sions 1876-77 and 1877-78. Dumfries : 1879. 8vo, pp. 84. 



We are glad to find so much energy and activity amongst the south-western 

 naturalists as is evidenced by the contents of this, the first part of the " Trans- 

 actions " of the Society whose headquarters are in that warm little city, 

 " The Queen of the South." The Society was instituted in November 1876, 

 and by October 1878 had a membership of 100, and the very good (we 

 speak with knowledge) average attendance at the ordinary meetings of 27 

 members. 



This first part of Transactions contains — ist, An Account of the institution, 

 and the Rules, of the Society ; 2d, The Journal of the Proceedings ; 3d, Re- 

 port of the Field-meetings of 1877 and 1878; and 4th, Eight Selected "Papers" 

 that were read at the Ordinary Meetings, six of these relating to the biology 

 and geology of the Dumfries district. We hope from this that the Society is 

 quite aware what its own peculiar work ought to be — namely, the investiga- 

 tion of its own district. 



We do not ourselves much care for the combination of natural science and 

 archceology that most provincial societies "go in" for; but we daresay that 

 it would be difficult to keep an association restricted to one or other of these 

 studies going. But why separate "science "and "natural history," as the 

 title of the Dumfries Society implies ? To our mind a better title would have 

 been " Scientific and Antiquarian," or " Antiquarian and Natural History " 

 Society. This, however, is not of much moment. Of greater importance is 

 the use of the recognised scientific names of animals and plants. In several 

 cases we notice that the so-called English names are alone used, and in more 

 than one instance we confess our ignorance of what species is meant. Here 

 we may also notice that the spelling of a few of the scientific names, chiefly 

 of coleoptera, is defective. 



May we be allowed to suggest a work that seems peculiarly appropriate for 

 the Society to undertake — namely, the compiling and publishing of lists of 

 the fauna and flora of the district. By the district we mean that to which we 

 have applied the name of " Solway " in the catalogue of Scottish insects, at 

 present being published in this magazine, and which includes all tlie country 

 drained by rivers between the Borders and Girvan or Maybole. This district 

 may be divided into a number of sub-districts, and the animals and plants of 

 each carefully catalogued as opportunity offers. With the number of good 

 working naturalists that the Society possesses, no difficulty should be ex- 

 perienced in obtaining at least preliminary lists, which would form a founda- 

 tion hereafter for a more ambitious fauna and flora of the district. One 

 word of advice in compiling such lists. Let not the " common " animals and 

 l)lants be neglected. These are of as much, or perhaps more, importance in 

 throwing light upon the real nature of the fauna and flora as the rarer, and 

 what are often considered more interesting, species. Another important point 

 is, not to enter in the lists any species unless it is absolutely known to occur 

 ill tlie district. In conclusion, we heartily wish that the Dumfriesshire 

 Society may go on and prosper. 



