NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OP GLASGOW. xli 



Robertson, Dvinard, Dowanhill ; John Pye, 31 Renfield Street ; 

 Matthew Ballautine, 16 Glassford Street ; George AVatson, 175 

 yVest George Street; J. T. Moore, M.D., 151 Bath Street; and 

 John Orr, 10 Newhall Terrace. 



25th November. 1884. 



Mr. Henry E. Clark, M.R.C.S., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The following were elected Ordinary Members, viz. : Messrs. 

 James Robertson, -48 West Nile Street; Crawford B. Lucas, 13 

 Hamilton Drive, Hillhead ; and David N. Knox, M.A., M.B., 

 F.F.P.S.G., 8 India Street. 



The Chairman exhibited a collection of Human Skulls, many of 

 which were from the Museum of the late Dr. William M'Kenzie, 

 the celebrated oculist. The collection included Negro, Esqui- 

 maux, Malay, North American Indian, Hindoo, and South 

 African skulls. One of the Indian skulls showed marked 

 evidences of old-standing syphilitic ostitis, a condition seldom 

 found in the uncivilised races, and fortunately getting less 

 frequent in this country. The South African skulls were those 

 of a Basuto and a Karana,— the latter was executed for murder 

 about three years before the skull was disinterred. Mr. Clank 

 made some interesting remarks on the illustration which these 

 examples afforded of the variation in the shape and capacity 

 of the skull among the various races of mankind. 



Mr. T. J. Henderson exhibited some rock and heathej^-fre- 

 qiienting Lcpidoptcra, and in the course of some remarks he 

 drew attention to the resemblance which the markings of the 

 insects bore to the colour of the rock and heather which they 

 frequented. In some instances this resemblance was so striking 

 that when the moths were at rest they could only with diflGL- 

 culty be distinguished from their surroundings, and were thus 

 afforded a means of protection from their numerous enemies 

 which was not possessed by more gaudily-coloured species. 



Rev. John Muir exhibited a teratological specimen, gathered 

 near Ayr, of the common Buttercup (Ranunculus), which 

 afforded a striking example of stem-fasciation. 



Mr. Peter Ewing exhibited a specimen of Ranunculus reptans^ 

 L., from Loch Leven, Kinross-shire, and stated that he had for 

 some time, when visiting that district, been engaged in observ- 

 ing the growth of this plant. The result of his observations 

 had led him to regard the plant as merely a form of R. Flam- 

 mula, L., due to the situation in which it had grown ; and he 

 believed that in moist, sandy spots, such as the shores of Loch 

 Leven, where the plants are covered with water for the 

 greater part of the year, it would be found that R. Flam- 

 mula showed a tendency to pass into the form known as 



