NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. iii 



•class of phenomena, all of which he regarded as unsatisfactory 

 as they did not get over the question of how the first markings 

 and variations of the insects had originated. 



12th June, 1883. 



Mr. James J. F. X. King in the Chair. 



Mr. Richard M'Kay reported that an excursion had been 

 made to Cardross on 9th inst. Valerlaiut j^yrenaica, L., was 

 found growing on the banks of the Darleith Burn ; and several 

 mosses, including PhysconitHuni }^yriforine, B. and S., and 

 Fontinalis antipyretica, L., were gathered in fruit. 



The Chairman (Mr. King) exhibited a variety of Mesophylax 

 uspersus, Ramb., an addition to the British Trichoptera recently 

 taken by Mr. R. Service at Maxv/elltown, near Dumfries. This 

 insect forms an interesting addition to our Fauna in respect 

 that while the type of the species is owlj found in the south of 

 Europe, the variety, which is smaller in size, has been noticed 

 as far north as Bavaria.* 



Mr. Robert Turner read a paper on Dr. Robert Morison, a 

 Scottish botanist, who was born at Aberdeen in 1620, and was 

 for fourteen years Professor of Botany in Oxford University.' 



2()TH June, 1883. 



Mr. Peter Cameron in the Chair. 



Mr. Richard M'Kay reported tliat an excursion had been 

 made to Possil Marsh on 19th inst., when Carex terethcscula, 

 Good., which is rare in the district, was found on the east side 

 of the Marsh. 



Mr. D. A. Boyd reported on an excursion made to West Kil- 

 bride on 23rd inst. He also exhibited several very large speci- 

 mens of Trifolium striatum, L., with many branches more 

 than 12 inches in length, and remarked that although the 

 shores of the Firth at West Kilbride seem at present to be the 

 northern limit of the distribution of this plant on the West 

 Coast, it is in ail probability gradually extending northwards. 

 While common on the East Coast of Britain, it was not known 

 imtil recent years to grow north of the Solway on the West* 

 but from the way in which the plant had now established 

 itself and was spreading at West Kilbride, and the luxuriance 

 of the specimens exhibited, it seemed well fitted to maintain its 

 footing in the locality. 



* This supposed variety has since been raised to the rank of a species under 

 the name of Mesophylax impunctatus, M'Lach. 



