The Scottish Naturalist. 59 



its internal organs were also shown, as the heart, the stomach with the intestines, 

 and the swimming bladder. The oesophagus is wide, short, and very rugged. 

 The stomach large and with strange ridges. The swimming bladder is fixed 

 above, to the back-bone, and has curious branched productions, along the sides, 

 some of them running between the ribs into the flesh. The Maigre is still sold 

 in the markets of Italy, and formerly was considered a great delicacy, the head 

 being the part most in request. The ear-bones are very large, and were at one 

 time worn as a cure for the colic. The specimen is now being preserved, and 

 will be placed in the University Museum." Mr. Jas Taylor read a paper on 

 some of the rarer Birds occasionally found in this district, and gave an account of 

 their habits from his own observations, both here and in the Arctic regions. 



Botanical Society of Edinburgh, 8th December, 1870. _ A. Buchan, 

 M.A., President, in the Chair. — The following business was transacted : (i) Prof- 

 Balfour recorded the results of several botanical excursions in July and August, 

 1870. The first excursion mentioned was to Loch Lubnaig and Ben Ledi, on 

 18th July, when CEiianthe pimpinclloides wzis found for the first time in Scotland 

 (see p. 24). The other excursions were to Loch Lomond, on 22d July, and to 

 the Breadalbane Mts., (for seven days), on 4th August. (2) A paper, by Dr. 

 Stirton, upon the Mosses of Ben Lawers. (3) " On the Varieties of Hieratium 

 stolonijlorum of Waldst. and Kit. at different seasons," by Professor Balfour. 

 Specimens of the different foims were exhibited. Mr. Sadler exhibited specimens 

 of a form of C nt..uieu "Jucea, from Forgandenny. Mr. John Sim recorded the 

 discovery of Dutomus umbellatus in abundance, by Col. Drummond Hay of 

 Seggieden, on the banks of the Tay.* Mr. \Y. Evans presented specimens of 

 Calamagrostis lanceolata, from Penicuik. 



12th January, 1871.— A. BUCHAN, M.A., President, in the Chair.— The 

 following papers were read, — (i) "On the Practical Application of Meteorology 

 to the Improvement of Climate," by the President. (2) "The Structure and 

 Measurements of Cells in Ifepaticcr," by Dr. J. E. Edmond. (3) "On the Dis- 

 tribution of Algce," by Professor Dickie, Aberdeen. (4) "On the Flora of the 

 South of France," by Mr. J. F. Robinson. (5) "Memoranda on Fir-cones in 

 the Museum at the Royal Botanic Garden," by Professor Dickson, Glasgow. 

 Various exhibitions were made. 



9th March— A. Buchan, M.A., President, in the Chair.— Professor Balfour 

 noticed the death of Dr. Franz Lagger, of Freiburg, a Foreign member of the 

 Society ; and also read a letter from Prof. Andersson, Stockholm, thanking the 

 Society for his election as a Foreign member. The following communications 

 were read : — (1) Report on the effects of the cutting down of Forests on the 

 Climate and Health of the Mauritius. By Dr. Rogers, Port Louis, Mauritius. 

 Communicated by Alexander Buchan, M.A., President. (2) On the Culti- 

 vation of New Zealand Flax {Phormium tenax.) By Dr. James Hector, 

 Wellington, N.Z. Communicated by Mr. Sadler. (3) Notes on the British 

 Batrachian Ranunculi. By James F. Robinson. — Illustrated by specimens 

 from the University Herbarium. (4) Report on the Open Air Vegetation at 

 the Royal Botanic Garden. By Mr M'Nab. (5) Statistics of the Botanical 

 Class in the University of Edinburgh, from i860 to 1870 inclusive. By Professor 



* Possibly a colony from Loch Cluny, where the Butomus occurs as an introduced 

 plant.— Ed. Se. Nat. 



