natural history society of glasgow. 17 



February 22d, 1870. 



Mr David Eobertson, F.G.S., Vice-President, in the chair. 

 Mr Henry E. Clark was elected a resident member. 



SPECIMENS EXHIBITED. 



Mr Thomas Chapman exhibited specimens of Venilia macularia, 

 which lie had captured in June last in the Pass of Leny, Perth- 

 shire; and the Rev. James E. Somerville stated that he had taken 

 the species in some numbers in Argyllshire, both at Loch Awe 

 and Oban. 



Mr Robert Gray exhibited a small collection of Star-fishes which 

 had been forwarded from Girvan by Mr Thomas Anderson, 

 corresponding member. In this series, which showed the relative 

 numbers found in deep water off that part of Ayrshire, there 

 were specimens of Goniaster Templetoni and Asterias aurantiaca in 

 equal numbers; Solaster endeca, which is a common species in 

 some parts of the east coast, but is rather scarce in the west ; and 

 Palmi])cs memhranaceiis, three specimens of which had previously 

 been forwarded for exhibition by Mr Anderson, being probably 

 the rarest of the Girvan Star-fishes. 



Mr Duncan M'Lellan exhibited monstrosities of the common 

 Ash and Hawthorn, from the Queen's Park, the former shewing the 

 twigs flattened like the horns of a reindeer; the latter having its 

 branches tortuous like a cork-screw. Both specimens presented a 

 very abnormal appearance. 



Mr Alexander Donaldson exhibited an example of malformation 

 in the bill of a Rook, regarding which Mr Gray observed that the 

 specimen possessed additional interest from the fact that it showed 

 only a partial abrasion at the base of the bill, and that its growth 

 had been arrested probably in consequence of the malformation. 

 Drawings of others were exhibited by Mr Gray, from which it was 

 seen that, when the mandibles were crossed to any extent, the 

 deformity effectually prevented the bird from digging into the 

 ground, as it is habitually known to do, and that, as a result, the 

 nostrils, forehead, and chin were fully clothed with feathers like 

 those of a Carrion Crow. In examples, however, where the upper 

 mandible projected over the lower, even twice its length, the 

 abrasion was found to be perfect like that seen in an ordinary 

 specimen. This he explained on the ground that the prolonga- 



VOL. II. B 



