132 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



but distinct in habits. At tbe time I advanced these views, I was not aware of the 

 extent to which Mr. Andrew Young, of Invershin, manager of the Duke of Su- 

 therland's salmon fisheries, had carried his experiments, nor of the writings of 

 41 Ephemera," of Sell's Life. I have read their works, and in which sound prac- 

 tical observations and masterly judgment of the subject appear throughout. For- 

 tunately for practical knowledge and for science, a well-organized series of experi- 

 ments were arranged, and the grounds adopted for the operations were the Stor- 

 montfield ponds, on the banks of the Tay, and these were skilfully managed by 

 Mr. Buistand others, of Perth. A rather early investigation into the subject this 

 year, led Mr. Wilson, a naturalist, of Edinburgh, and backed by several savans, 

 to at once adopt and laud Mr. Shaw's theories, and to promulgate such decision, to 

 the vast importance of the national fisheries. These were published by the Perth- 

 shire papers and the excellent editor of the Scotsman, in support of Messrs. Shaw, 

 Wilson, &c. But, lo ! in a little time, the ponds glittered with silver, the little 

 fish congregated, and an intelligent writer thus communicates to me the transi- 

 tion "The fry in the Perth ponds are all liberated they would not stop another 

 year, but threw themselves by scores on the banks, to escape imprisonment. Thus 

 has passed the glory of Shaw and his followers." And this I may say, has con- 

 firmed the sagacity of Andrew Young and " Ephemera." 



Mr. Andrews then exhibited and made remarks on some fresh specimens of parr, 

 taken two days since from the Bandon river, smolts taken from the Laune river, 

 county Kerry, early in May, and the true salmon-fry, taken October last. The 

 parr were of good size, and, from inquiries, not a single salmon-fry could be obtained 

 this month from the Laune, the Caragh, or the Bandon rivers. They had all gone 

 to the sea. 



Mr. Andrews said that he had examined many of the smolts, or true salmon- fry, 

 and could never detect the milt or the ova but in a rudimentary state. He would 

 take another opportunity of making more full remarks upon the subject, and have a 

 series of specimens present. 



Mr. Williams said he wished to have recorded in the Society the occurrence of 

 the turtle-dove (Columba turtur), seen in a potato field, between Howth and Bal- 

 doyle, on the 9th of July last. 



Dr. Farran mentioned its occurrence in Carrick-on-Suir, in September last; 

 Mr. Montgomery noticed its having been obtained in Donegal; and the Chairman 

 observed that he had seen a recent specimen, which was yesterday shot in the 

 neighbourhood of Castleknock. 



Mr. Andrews recorded the breeding of the scaup-duck, the nest, eggs, and the 

 old bird having been obtained in an inland lake, in the western parts of Kerry. 

 Fine specimens of the red-breasted merganser were also obtained, which inclined 

 him to believe that that bird also bred there. 



Dr. Farran exhibited a beautiful specimen of the Larus ridibundus in its adult 

 and most perfect plumage. 



Mr. Andrews observed that this beautiful bird, which was shot at Edenderry, 

 was in its fourth change, and most perfect state of plumage. The head had as- 

 sumed the dark hood, the back and wing coverts had lost the markings, and were 

 of an uniform pearl-gray colour, and the dark bar or band on the tail had disap- 

 peared, the tail having become pure white. At the approach of the breeding season 

 the feathers of the head became of a dark colour, forming a kind of hood or mask ; 

 and this change was caused, not by a process of moulting, but by an alteration of 

 colour. The autumnal moulting changed the colour of the plumage, the black 

 hood disappeared, and the head was perfectly white through the winter months. 



Dr. Carte made some excellent observations on the extravascular nature of fea- 

 thers, and of the influences of vitality which affect the changes of colour. It is 

 hoped that a paper upon that subject will be given by Dr. Carte. 



The Secretary stated that as this meeting closed the session, it was the intention 

 to hold the annual dinner of the Society as early as possible after it. Circulars, 

 therefore, would be sent to the members, informing them of the time and place the 

 annual dinner would be held. 



The Chairman then adjourned the meeting to the second Friday in November 



