70 Royal Society of Edinburgh. 



far as can be traced, the only authentic specimen of the fish on record 

 as taken in the Scottish seas. 



ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



Dec. 19, 1842. — Read, " A Notice of the occurrence in Scotland 

 of the Tetrao medius ; showing that supposed Species to be a Hybrid." 

 By James Wilson, Esq. 



Mr. Wilson, after stating the opinions of the ornithologists who 

 consider the Tetrao medius of authors as a hybrid, and the views of 

 those who maintain it to be a species, exhibited a specimen shot in 

 Perthshire during the present winter, being the second which had 

 been killed. He observed, that previous to the extirpation of the 

 Capercailzie in the Highlands, a specimen of the T. medius had been 

 recorded as a native of Scotland, and that the re- appearance now in 

 the vicinity of the Breadalbane preserves, immediately after the re- 

 introduction of the Capercailzie by the exertions of the noble pro- 

 prietor, was a very convincing proof of the hybridity of the birds, 

 while dissection had shown that the generative organs were very 

 imperfect, or as they generally are found in hybrids ; in fact, that 

 now there could be little doubt upon the subject. The bird exhi- 

 bited was very similar to a continental specimen placed on the table 

 for comparison. 



Note. — Mr. Wilson deserves the acknowledgements of ornitholo- 

 gists for bringing this subject before them, but we would wish that 

 it should not yet be considered as closed, particularly at a time when 

 direct evidence is likely to be obtained. We are sure that the Earl 

 of Breadalbane will allow every facility in the interesting investiga- 

 tion ; and as the birds breed in captivity, it might be ascertained 

 either at Taymouth, or it would be a fitting subject of experiment 

 in the Edinburgh Zoological Gardens. 



The facts stated by Mr. Wilson are very strong circumstantial 

 evidence ; at the same time they amount only to the proof that the 

 T. medius, if a species, was extirpated from Scotland at a similar 

 period with the Capercailzie ; and we must be perfectly assured that 

 no specimens of the former were introduced either as eggs, or imma- 

 ture birds, among those procured by Lord Breadalbane. It is curious 

 also, that the specimens which reach this country in spring from 

 the continent, through the poulterers, are all exactly similar in plu- 

 mage, as much so as any true species ; and if proved to be a hybrid, 

 it will stand as a remarkable fact, that two distinct forms propagate 

 a cross, having almost an individual specific identity. — Ed. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



This Society held its first annual meeting for the season on Nov. 

 10th, Professor Graham in the chair. 



Mr. Brand read a paper by Mr. Edmonstone, jun., on the Botany 

 of Shetland, and instituted a comparison between the numbers of 

 genera and species existing in that region, and those which occur in 

 other districts of Scotland*.* 

 * See Mr. Edmonstonc's former remarks on this subject in vol. ix. p. 69. — Ed. 



