38 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



PAPERS READ. 



I. — On the Animals and Plants familiar to the Ancient GhxeJcs and 

 Romans, re^oresented on their Coins as Types and Mint-marks. 

 By Mr John Gray, Vice-President. 

 This paper was illustrated by a series of examples, ciidc 

 and regal, of these ancient coins; and the remarks upon them 

 were confined to the proof they afforded of the attention 

 which the ancients directed to the natural objects which sur- 

 rounded them. The coins of Velia, Thurium, and Agrigentum, 

 were specially noted as evidencing the correct and spirited 

 way in which the artists engraved the subjects represented; the 

 whole subject tending to show that natural history was cultivated 

 then, and that perhaps in a more general way than now, as at 

 least a study of observation ; and that the genius of a Landseer, a 

 SAvainson, or a Wolf, was not reserved for modem days alone. 



II. — On some of the rare Mosses recently detected in the West of Scotland. 

 By Mr Alexander M'Kinlay. 



He commenced by stating generally that few branches of crypto- 

 gamic botany had made such strides recently as bryology. This 

 was due not only to the greater zeal of its votaries, but also to the 

 introduction of a more enlightened system of classification. In 

 Scotland, however, which was wont to take the lead in tliis de- 

 partment, there has been very little done for many years. The 

 present position of British bryology is almost entirely owing to 

 the exertions of Englishmen. With the exception of districts sur- 

 rounding large towns, the Breadalbane mountains, Airth rendered 

 famous by Mr Lyle, and Dailly by Mr Shaw, there is no district 

 in Scotland satisfactorily explored. The west of Scotland has 

 fared worse than the east; indeed, bryology at its present stage 

 seems altogether to be ignored by our botanists. Mr M'Kinlay, 

 to cite an example of this, referred to a recent list of the jjlants of 

 the Cumbraes, where the mosses represented are, with the excep- 

 tion of perhaps three, such as may be found in any maritime dis- 

 trict. He stated that there were at least 30 found in these islands 

 not named in the catalogue. Having introduced his subject by 

 these remarks, he went on to name and describe some of the rarest 

 species he had observed, — among others. Sphagnum Mougeotii, from 

 Milngavie ; Nechera Philippeana, from Lanrick Castle in Perthshire, 

 with numerous forms linking that species to Ncckera Pumilas. 



