158 Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh. 



with other species, so that the distinction here indicated by the 

 name is incorrect. The difference between Quercus Robnr and 

 sessiliflora could not be ascertained by the botanical characters, 

 but it was well known that a great difference existed between the 

 wood of these two species. The former was called the white oak, 

 and the latter the red, and in some districts the white was consi- 

 dered of double the value of the red as a timber. He offered these 

 observations merely to draw the attention of botanists to this genus, 

 and to endeavour to find some new characters by which they might 

 be distinguished. It was of great value to this country that the best 

 oak should always be planted, and he hoped that some characters 

 would be ascertained by which to distinguish them. Dr. Greville 

 had not examined specimens from any district south of Cumber- 

 land and Westmoreland. The terms "red and white oak" have 

 been applied evidently by various authors, sometimes to one, some- 

 times to the other; and the redness described by some writers is 

 evidently a disease, not a specific difference, in the timber. The 

 whole subject requires a careful and strict examination. 



Communications were also read from Mr. George Gardner, dated 

 Rio de Janeiro, December 3rJ, 1840.- with some account of his re- 

 cent collections in Brazil ; and a notice of Lecanora rubra (of which 

 specimens were presented), found near Richmond, Yorkshire, by Mr. 

 James Ward. 



Thursday being the night of the anniversary, a large number of 

 the members and their friends sat down to supper in the Hopetoun 

 Rooms, Professor Graham in the chair, and Dr. Neill acting as 

 croupier for Dr. Christison, who was absent from indisposition. 



WERNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



At the meeting of this Society, held on the 20th ult.. Professor 

 Traill read a Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Rev. George 

 Low, minister of Birsay, in Orkney, author of * Fauna Orcadensis,' 

 and the friend and correspondent of Sir Joseph Banks and Mr. 

 Pennant. This memoir will appear in the next part of the Society's 

 Transactions. 



At the same meeting, Mr. Goodsir described a new species of 

 Gymnorhynchus, and exhibited specimens and drawings of the 

 animal. The most interesting circumstance in the history of this 

 Entozoon is the manner in which it is enclosed in a firm cyst, al- 

 though armed with powerful toothed jaws. 



At the meeting held on the 6th of March, a paper was read by Mr. 

 Torrie, on the recent 'Travels in Turkey' of Dr. Boue, the geologist ; 

 in which a summary was given of the observations and discoveries 

 made by him during the last four years in the geography, geology, 

 botany and zoology of the more remote portions of that compara- 

 tively little-known country. 



At the same meeting, a communication was read by the Secretary 

 from Professor Fleming, of King's College, Aberdeen, on a new 

 species of the Ray family, or Skate tribe, discovered by him last 

 summer on the coast of Aberdeen, and which he proposes to place 



