NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 137 



that this new branch of industry which is springing up in the 

 midst of our coal-fields may yet prove a great source of prosperity 

 and wealth to Scotland. 



April 24th, 1866. 



Mr James Home in the chair. A letter to the Secretary, from 

 Professor Schimper, the author of the " Bryologia Europse," accept- 

 ing the honorary membershij) of the society, was read to the 

 meeting. 



specimens exhibited. 

 Mr Alex. M'Kinlay exhibited specimens of an unpublished 

 species of sphagnum (*S^. mrvifolium — Wils. MSS.) This species 

 much resembles *S'. subsecundtim, and as such has probably been 

 overlooked, but is essentially distinct from that species in having 

 the branch leaves entire and curved upwards, and in the structure 

 of the stem, wliich has three or sometimes four layers of cortical 

 cellules. The hyaline cells of the branch leaves are also much 

 more elongated, and almost destitute of pores. It may be safely 

 distinguished from S. subsecundum at first sight by the pale, 

 reddish stem. The specimens exhibited were gathered by him in 

 Glen Falloch, in September, 1863. 



PAPER READ. 



Notes on the Habits arid Geographical Distribution of Trogon resplen- 

 dens {of Gould). By Mr Robert M'Dowall, Surgeon, 

 Taboga, Corresponding Member. 



The province of Chiriqui is the most northern part of New 

 Granada, or the United States of Columbia, as it is now styled, 

 forming, at the same time, the southern limit of the republic of 

 Costa Eica. Its lands principally lie between the Chiriqui 

 Lagoon on the Atlantic, and the coast of the Pacific on the west. 

 The high range of Cordilleras, which, between Colon and Panama, 

 becomes lowered so as to afford a summit level to the railroad of 

 only 115 feet, here rises again from 6000 to 8000 feet above the 

 sea, keeping, in its course through the province, nearer to the 

 Atlantic than the Pacific coast. Between the base of these moun- 

 tains and the latter, the land descends gradually to the sea, inter- 



s 



