NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 3 



puffin {Mormon fratercula), the razor-bill (Aka tarda), and the 

 common gull (Larus canus). It would, therefore, appear that the 

 larger species of gull, aud the solan goose — birds of vagrant habits, 

 and possessing strong powers of flight, have been exempt. The 

 razor bill was found in extraordinary numbers, being in the pro- 

 portion of ten to one of the other species included in the mortality 

 list; while the guillemot predominated over the puffin, and the 

 species of gull referred to. They were all found much further up 

 the Firth than usual — as if in search of food, many birds being 

 obtained even at Eenfrew, and other places, in waters at a distance 

 from the sea. In these situations they darted eagerly at any food 

 which came in their way, rushing at baited hooks on a hand-line, 

 and otherwise exhilnting a tameness more like the result of starva- 

 tion than the effects of disease. They were all in a wasted condi- 

 tion, being almost reduced to skin and feathers, and were found 

 floating in thousands over a wide extent of sea from the mouth 

 of the river Clyde to the Irish coasts. 



PAPER READ. 



On the Physiology of Reproduction. By Dr Alexander Lindsay. 



November 29th, 1859. 



Alexander Lindsay, M.D., Vice-President, in the chair. The 

 following gentlemen were elected members: — Messrs Eoderick 

 A. Couper, Thomas Eussell, Stuart Manford, W. D. Hall, and 

 James Carsewell. 



SPECIMENS exhibited. 



Dr Dewar exhibited a specimen of the black-throated diver 

 {Colymhus arcticus), and its eggs, from a loch in Argyleshire. 



Mr David Eobertson exhibited specimens of Pagurus cuanensis, 

 from Cumbrae. 



Dr John Grieve exhibited specimens of Tomopteris Scolopendra, 

 of Eschscholtz, three of which he had obtained during the past 

 summer, along with Sagitta bijmndata, and also exhibited sketches 

 of parts of the animal. The largest was about an inch in length, 

 and one-third of an inch at its greatest breadth, whence it gradu- 

 ally became narrower to the tail. The colour is a clear white, 

 with red and orange dots scattered all over. The smallest was of 



