174 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



presented by Miss Kingsford, Barton House, Canterbury, and a vote 

 of thanks was accorded to Miss Kingsford for the gift. 



On the motion of Mr. Robert Kidston, it was resolved that a 

 notice of the death of Mr. Arthur Pratt should be placed on the 

 record, and that an extract of this portion of the minutes be sent 

 to the widow and family of the deceased, with an expression of the 

 sympathy of the members with them in their bereavement. 



Mr. Pratt, who joined the Society in 1875, had, in early life, 

 acquired a taste for the study of nature from his uncle, who was a 

 diligent collector of specimens (which were at that time looked 

 upon very much as curiosities, their scientific character being little 

 understood). In after life all the time at his own disposal was 

 devoted to scientific pursuits. His chief study was palaeontology, and 

 he had formed a well-furnished cabinet of the fossils of the district. 

 Of late years his attention had been principally directed to petrology, 

 and he had, with steady perseverance and considerable labour, 

 made hundreds of microscopical sections of the igneous rocks of the 

 West of Scotland. But, although with leanings in such directions, 

 Mr. Pratt was warmly interested in all branches of natural history, 

 and made varied contributions to the business of the meetings of 

 the Society. He served for some years on the Council, of which 

 he was a member at the time of his death. He was of an amiable 

 and modest disposition, and was much regarded and esteemed by 

 all who were acquainted with him, while those who enjoyed his 

 more intimate friendship valued him for his many excellent qualities, 

 and will long continue to lament his loss. Mr. Pratt, after a 

 protracted and severe illness, died at his residence in Renfrew 

 Street, on 25th August last. 



The President delivered an address "On the Relations of 

 Natural History to Medicine." In the course of his remarks, he 

 referred to the infectious diseases by which the stock of the 

 agriculturist was decimated, and in discussing the cause of these 

 diseases he argued against the theory that they were the result of 

 microscopic vegetable germs. Referring to preventive medicine, 

 he made numerous references to the experiments of Pasteur, 

 Naegeli, and others. At the close of the address, on the motion 

 of Mr. Kirsop, a hearty vote of thanks was awarded to Dr. Young. 



Mr. Robert Turner exhibited a collection of plants from Fife and 

 the Lothians. Among these were many species rare or unknown 

 in the Clyde district, and several seldom found in Britain, as the 



