I 



Proceedings of Scientific Institutions, - 157 



PROVINCIAL. 



Northern Institution Meeting of 2Qth Jan. 1830 — (John Ross, Esq. 



Banker, in the Chair.) A large and most splendid collection of Tropical In- 

 sects, which has just arrived from Mr. William Fraser, watchmaker in Deme> 

 lara, (late of Inverness,) and corresponding member of the institution, was pre- 

 sented in his name. 



The first number of the Perth Literary and Scientific Jliscellany, was also 

 presented from the publisher, Mr. Morison ; and from Hugh Rose, Esq. of 

 Glastullich, a series of old and interesting manuscripts, chiefly relating to the 

 family of Munro of Fowlis, was laid on the table ; among which were, 



1. Letters of Caption, Munro against Munro, for 2120 merks, 18th June 

 1687. 



2. Original holograph Letter of Sir Robert Munro of Fowlis, to his brother, 

 Duncan Munro, Esq. of Opsdale, dated 2d June 1739. (Both these brothers 

 were killed at the battle of Falkirk, 17th January 1746; see Chalmers' Re- 

 bellion, and Inverness Courier of 30th December 1829.) 



3. Original Draft, offer of Service, Captain, afterwards Major George Munro 

 of Culcairn, to Sir John Cope, dated 16th August 1745. (See the interesting 

 Story of 3Iajor Munro's death, in Chambers' History of the Rebellion, Vol. II.) 



4. Route of Lord Sempil's Regiment from Ostend, in 1743. 



Mr. Adam, Rector of the Academy of Inverness, and Associate of the Society 

 of Arts for Scotland, afterwards exhibited two Rain Gauges of very different con- 

 struction, and read to the fleeting a clear and interesting description of their 

 construction and use, which he illustrated by brief, yet minute, calculations of the 

 areas of their respective wide mouths for the reception of rain, and of the areas 

 of circular sections of the comparatively small cylindrical brass and glass tubes 

 into which the rain was conducted, in order to determine the precise length of the 

 respective scales, which should indicate a depth of one inch, or of any subdivi- 

 sion of an inch deep, of rain falling around them. 



Mr. Adam's communication called forth expressions from the Meeting of their 

 high satisfaction with its details. 



• Meeting of 26th Feb A series of Chinese copper coins were presented from 



Mr. Davidson, writer in Inverness, and a one pound, or L. 12 Scots, note of 

 Messrs. Kellar and Co. of Glasgow, dated 3d October 1764, and a specimen of 

 the paper currency of the French Republic in 1793, from Mr. Grant, Balvonie. 



A very beautifully executed series of drawings, by a lady, done from the Etch- 

 ings of Mr. Pently, of the carved monumental stones at Nigg and Shandwick in 

 Ross-shire, were silso laid on the table, through Mr. Ross, Baliefearie. They 

 are intended for the Royal Antiquarian Society at Copenhagen, betwixt whom 

 and this Institution a correspondence has for some time subsisted through their 

 Secretaries. 



Mr. Anderson, General Secretary, read to the Meeting a paper drawn up by 

 him on the Vitrified Forts of this country, describing their general characters, 

 and enumerating the lines or chains of those most singular relics of antiquity 

 which exist in the neighbourhood of Inverness. 



The details of the paper were illustrated by specimens of all the varieties of 

 condition presented by the burnt or scorified stones, collected from the different 

 stations examined by the author, on whose communication some interesting re- 

 marks were made by Dr. Nicol. 



March 26 — John Macpherson, Esq. factor for Lovat, was elected an ordinary 

 member of the association. 



Several articles of dress, &c. made by the Indian tribes of the southern hemis- 

 phere, brought to Britain by Captain Cook, and by him presented to his friend 

 Captain Richard AUan, R.N. were laid on the table as a donation from John 

 Macdonald, Esq. Ness Castle. 



