NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 197 



from this locality show the vascular structure of the internal woody- 

 cylinder of the plant in a finer state of preservation than any 

 that have previously been obtained from the Carboniferous strata 

 of the West of Scotland. 



Mr Young also exhibited a series of specimens of Carboniferous 

 limestone fossils from a quarry at present being worked on the lands 

 of Trearne, near Beith, in Ayrshire. The limestone of this quarry 

 is literally composed of organisms belonging to various genera and 

 species, some of which are in a measure restricted to distinct 

 horizons of the limestone stratum, which, in that locality, is of 

 considerable thickness. One portion of the bed is loaded with 

 the remains of large crinoids of various species, forming a fine 

 encrinal limestone ; another part is charged with various corals ; 

 while another, a fine light coloured layer, contain, in great 

 abundance the shells of various Brachiopods and the lace-like and 

 feathery fronds of various Polyzoons, which present a very beautiful 

 appearance on the stone. Mr Young stated that a visit to this 

 highly interesting quarry would afford a clear idea of the manner 

 in which many of our Carboniferous limestone strata had been 

 built up, and of the very great profusion of life that flourished 

 during this period over certain tracts of the sea bottom within 

 the Western Scottish coalfield. 



Mr James Thomson, of the Kelvingrove Museum, exhibited a 

 specimen of the Opah or King Fish (Lanipris luna), which was taken 

 last summer in the West of Scotland, and presented by Mr 

 McAllister ; and one of the members exhibited a collection of 

 four lizards, several insects, and several entire land shells, all 

 obtained in a bundle of esparto grass. Dr Young said that 

 Mr Taylor in John Street had sent him grubs and beetles, 

 found in the lignumvitae logs which he obtained for the 

 purposes of his business. 



In the course of the evening, Dr Grierson of Thornhill, at the 



request of the President, made some remarks on the subject of 



local museums, and referring to that at Thornhill, said that he 



was already able to trace to that institution important benefits. 



Young men had been led to take an interest in Natural History 



studies, and had found the benefit in the knowledge they obtained 



being directly applicable to their pursuits. Thus the careful study 



of the vine had led the gardeners of the district to a thorough 



knowledge of the habits of the Phylloxera, whose devastating 

 VOL. II. 



