PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 109 



Stump- tailed Lizard (Trachysaurus rugosus). Gray, and gave an 

 interesting account of its structure and habits. For Mr. Wm. 

 Hunter, Dr. Henderson further exhibited one of the Sea Snakes 

 (Hydrus platurus, Boulenger, "Cat. Snakes," British Museum), 

 and compared it with young specimens of Platurus colubrinus, 

 Girard, brought by himself. 



Mr. A Somerville, B.Sc, F.L.S., exhibited, for Dr. T. F. 

 Gilmour, the Purple Mountain Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) 

 from rocks at sea-level on the coast of Islay, and read a paper 

 on the subject (p. 71). 



Mr. Alexander Patience read a paper entitled " Some Notes 

 on the distribution of the Clyde Crangonidae " (p. 64), and 

 exhibited some of the species referred to. 



Mr. Robert Henderson contributed a paper " On Some House- 

 hold Flies," which, in his absence, was read by Mr. Alex. Ross. 

 In this paper Mr. Henderson mentioned that in a country house 

 something like seventy-two different species had been recorded. 

 He, however, excluded all that were casual or accidental, and 

 confined himself to eight species, which in our district might be 

 considered household species or pests. Seven of these belonged 

 to the family Muscidae, and one to the family Anthomyidae. He 

 dwelt in detail on each of these species, giving a general descrip. 

 tion of their appearance and habits. He pointed out as worthy 

 of note that these flies were, in all cases, invaders, none of them 

 were home bred, but all had spent their early life and passed 

 through their metamorphoses out of doors. It would, indeed, be a 

 disgrace to our civilisation if the interior of our houses afforded 

 any suitable breeding ground for these creatures, whose larvae 

 are all nurtured among refuse matter. These larvae formed, 

 however, the great scavengers of the earth, and their labours in 

 this stage of their life contributed in no slight degree to the 

 purity of its atmosphere. With regard to the duration of life of 

 the Derfect fly, Mr. Henderson said it was hardly possible to speak 

 definitely. It would appear, however, to be longer than that of 

 the larvae and pupa, except where these exist through the winter. 

 The paper was illustrated by specimens of the flies mentioned. 



Mr. James Bartholomew, Kinnelhead, Beattock, was elected as 

 an Ordinary Member, and Miss Margaret A. Kennedy, 7 Howard 

 Street, Kilmarnock, as an Associate 



