186 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



affording thereby a sort of clue to the probable depth of the seas 

 in which these niollusca lived — yet the absence of coloured shells 

 in any group of strata was not always to l)e taken as a safe test, 

 for much depended on the nature of the sediment in which they 

 became entombed, and the mineralogical and chemical changes 

 which the shells have undergone during fossilisation. 



III. — Chemical Notes on the "Fiicacece." By Mr J. A. Mahony. 



The author referred to the composition of these sea-weeds, and 

 described the varying readiness with which the different salts 

 became separated from the organic matter by dialysis. 



November 2Gth, 1867. 

 Hugh Colquhoun, M.D., President, in the chair. Mr George 

 Thomson was elected a resident member. 



specimens exhibited. 



A specimen of the Little Bittern (Ardea minuta), shot at 

 Luffness, in East Lothian, in June last, and forwarded by Lord 

 Binning, corresponding member. 



Mr Eobert Gray exhibited a specimen of the Eared Grebe 

 {PocUceps cmritm), in spring plumage, shot in Loch Sunart, and 

 made some remarks on the geographical distribution of the species. 



A series of zoophytes from Peterhead, beautifully mounted, 

 and forwarded by the Rev. James Yuill, corresponding member. 

 The series embraced about thirty species, including specimens of 

 Thuaria ariiculata, Plunmlaria frutescens, Sertularia tamarisca, Sertu- 

 laria fusca, Flustra carbasea, Flustra Murrayana, Cellularia ternata, 

 and a beautiful variety of Sertularia jwlyzonias. 



Another collection of zoophytes, from Girvan, which had been 

 forwarded by Mr Thomas Anderson, corresponding member, and 

 several specimens of a Felella, which is probably new to British 

 seas. These had been found on the south beach of Girvan, in 

 considerable numbers, on the second week of September last. 



Professor Young exhibited several fisheg recently added to 

 the Hunterian Museum. 1st, A^sturgeon from the coast of Labra- 

 dor, presented by Mr R. Grieve, St John's, through the Provost 

 of Greenock. This fish was not known to the fishermen. It 



