NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 169 



Council of Glasgow University to the anomalous position in which 

 the University stands relatively to the teaching of the sciences of 

 geology and zoology; these two subjects being still taught by one 

 professor, though either is more than sufficient to occupy the 

 whole time of the teacher. The Natural History Society of 

 Glasgow recognises with satisfaction the essential service rendered 

 to science by the separation of the two subjects in the University 

 of Edinburgh, and would urge upon the Senatus and the General 

 Council the necessity of adopting such steps as may be required 

 to procure a similar readjustment of the duties of the Chair of 

 Natural History, so that the University of Glasgow may maintain 

 its place among the schools of the country." 



PAPER READ. 



Notes on the Injury done to Vegetation hj the severe Frost of the 

 17th May, 1871, By Mr James Eai^isay, V.P. 



Most, if not all of you, will recollect that last winter was both 

 a severe and a protracted one : perhaps more protracted than 

 severe; for, although prolonged far into the spring, yet the 

 thermometer never fell remarkably low. The season was on the 

 whole very backward, ungenial weather prevailing till the year 

 was weU advanced. 



The cold disagreeable weather was accompanied by certain phe- 

 nomena, difficult to reconcile with the actual meteorological condi- 

 tions existing at the time. There is a proverb that " one swallow 

 does not make a summer;" neither does a dozen it would appear. 

 Saturday, the 22d April, was about as ungenial a day as ever I 

 recoUect, considering the time of year ; cold and blustering, with 

 constantly recurring sleety showers ; yet on that Saturday after- 

 noon I saw as many as a dozen Swallows (Hirundo rustica) skimming 

 over the surface of the Clyde, just above the new Albert Bridge. 

 The following day was no great improvement on its predecessor, 

 as regards the weather; but on that day also, I saw a perfect little 

 flock of Sand Martins [H. riparia^, with two or three Swallows 

 amongst them, sporting over the Langside dam on the Cart. I 

 do not remember having seen swallows much earlier, even in the 

 most favourable seasons ; and their appearance so soon last April 

 is all the more remarkable, from being accompanied, as well as 

 preceded and followed, by very ungenial weather. 



