SCOTTISH SOCIETIES. 



Perthshire Society of Natural Science, 1st Sept., 1870.— J. Dawson, 

 Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. — Mr. T. Marshall exhibited a larva of Deile- 

 phila galii, found by him near Stanley, feeding on Galium verum. This insect 

 had not been taken in Perthshire since 1859. The Chairman intimated that 

 the volume of " Proceedings " of the Society, for 1869-70, was now ready for 

 issue. A vote of thanks was given to Mr. Dawson for editing the " Proceedings." 

 Mr. J. Allen Harker read a Paper upon the ' ' Work and Influence of Natural 

 History Societies." (Vide p. 9.) A Paper upon "Autumn Work," by Dr. 

 Buchanan White, was then read. 



7th October.— Dr. Buchanan White, President, in the Chuir. — The 

 President exhibited specimens of Sesia philanthiformis, Ls., from Galloway 

 and the Isle of Man, and remarked that the Gallovidian examples were 

 somewhat larger and more brightly coloured than the Manx. He also exhibited 

 specimens of a probably undescribed Gelechia, which he had reared from larvae 

 found in moss in the neighbourhood of Perth. Mr. T. Marshall mentioned 

 the capture of nineteen more larvae of Deilephila galii, and exhibited specimens 

 oiNoctua depuncta and Heliothis marginata, from the neighbourhood of Stanley. 

 These species had not been taken previously in Perthshire. Mr. J. Sadler, 

 F.R. P.S., read some notes on two plants new to the Scottish Flora — 1. Centaurea 

 pratensis, Thuill. Mr. Dawson, during an excursion in Strathearn, directed Mr. 

 Sadler's attention to a plant near Forgandenny, which Mr. Sadler first referred to 

 Centaurea tiigra b. radiata, but subsequently to C. jacea. To settle the question 

 (as there was some doubt about the plant), a specimen was sent to Dr. Boswell 

 Syme, who replied as follows : — " Your Centaurea is one of a series connecting 

 C. nigra with C. jacea, and which the French call C. pratensis. I got the 

 same plant, but not radiate, on the banks of the Tay, about a month ago." 

 Dr. Syme places it as a variety of C. nigra, while the continental bota- 

 nists make it a variety of C. jacea. 2. CEnanthe pimpinelloidcs, L., was found 

 by Professor Dickson and Mr. Sadler, in meadow ground near Hamilton House, 

 in the pass of Leny. It occurred sparingly, intermixed with Pimpinella magna. 

 Mr. Dawson remarked that there were a number of curious plants growing in 

 the neighbourhood of Hamilton House, probably introduced by the late Mr. 

 Buchanan Hamilton, and that possibly the occurrence of the plant in question 

 might be thus accounted for. Specimens of the plants were exhibited by Mr. 

 Sadler. The President said that Dr. Hooker, in his " Student's Flora," ignored 

 the occurrence of Pimpinella magna in Scotland. Mr. Sadler then gave an 

 account of a Botanical Excursion from Edinburgh to the neighbourhood of 

 Perth, on July 2, 1870. The party numbered about fifty, and went by the 

 Tay and Almond to Methven Bog. Upwards of 200 species of plants were 



