92 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE 



ing off tlie apices of the branches, which are often provided with 

 rootlets, and even a branchlet before reaching the ground. Mr 

 M'Kinlay stated that he had observed the same mode of pro- 

 pagation in C. lon.gi^nlus, a species, like the preceding, not found 

 with fruit, and communicated to the society a second locality 

 for C. auriculatus — Ben Ledi, where he had gathered it a few 

 days ago.* 



PAPEKS READ. 



I, — On Clay Beds of Boss Arden, on the banks of Loch Lomond. 

 By Mr David Eobertson. 



A box of clay from Ross Arden was placed in my hands for 

 examination a week or two ago by our Secretary, who obtained it 

 from our corresponding member, Mr M'5[iven, of Shemore, Loch 

 Lomond. I found the mass chiefly composed of vegetable matter, 

 packed with marine shells. Althougli the shells are in great 

 numbers, I have not observed over four or five species in all. The 

 common mussel, the common cockle, the common whelk; and, 

 I may say, the common Tellina solidula and the common Bissoa 

 idvae. The mussels are very soft, and greatly crowded to- 

 gether, and scarcely one of them to be seen entire. The 

 other shells are in a better state of preservation. Still they have 

 suffered much, and are very brittle. I could not detect any 

 entomostraca or polyzoa, although I looked for them with great 

 care, I met with a few of one species of foraminifera in very 

 fine condition. 



Being desirous of seeing the beds, Mr Gray and I arranged to go 

 to Loch Lomond on Saturday last. Mr M'Niven provided us with 

 the means of transport from Balloch to the beds of Eoss Arden, a 

 distance of about eight miles up the Loch, and, with a workman 

 and utensils, zealously superintended the operations himself. 

 The shells are in a small bay, at Eoss Arden, lying nearly north 

 and south. They are covered by a soft vegetable mould about 

 twenty inches thick ; the shell bed itself is fully that thickness, and 

 is resting on what seems to be vegetable mould; the shell stratum 

 is said to extend thirty or forty feet into the loch. Mr M'Niven 



* Tliis species is the same as C. Schimrzii, Scliimper, which was not then 

 published. Has since been found in very many localities both in Scotland and 

 Wales. 



