268 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



rapidly over all the country. Mr. Mason described the methods 

 by which its distribution might be effected, and gave instances 

 of the annoyance caused by the rapid growth of the weed, choking 

 up what might otherwise be open pools or lakes ; and in the course 

 of his remarks he referred to the operations at present going on for 

 its removal from Hogganfield Loch, near Glasgow. 



28th November, 1882. 



Professor John Cleland, M.D., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the 

 chair. 



The following gentlemen were elected Ordinary Members of the 

 Society: — Messrs. Seton M. Thomson, Kinnaird House, Stirling- 

 shire; James Brown, Bendarroch, Garelochhead; John Rhind, 82 

 Hill Street, Garnethill; William Buchanan, 34 Steeple Street, 

 Kilbarchan; and George Douglas Gordon, 394 Duke Street. 



Mr. David Robertson, F.L.S., F.G.S., exhibited some Foramini- 

 fera, new to Britain. Mr. Robertson stated that in looking over 

 some of his old mountings of Foraminifera he had found a few 

 which, from various causes, had not been determined. By the kind 

 assistance of Mr. H. B. Brady, F.R.S., he was now able to exhibit 

 the following species, all of which were new to Britain : — 



Miliolina contorta, D'Orb. L. aperta, Sequenza. 



M. Auberiana, D'Orb. Polymorphina sororia, var. 



M. venusta, Reuss. cuspidata. 



M. labiosa, D'Orb. P. rotundata, Borneman. 



Lagena Rizzae, Sequenza. P. lanceolata, Reuss. 



The Chairman exhibited as specimens of spina bifida, illustrating 

 laws of growth, the skulls and Vertebral columns of three newly- 

 born infants. After explaining fully the causes which had led to 

 the divergence in the specimens from the normal character, he 

 remarked that there were always two factors in growth : first, the 

 influence which is internal and transmitted by heredity; and 

 secondly, the influence of external surroundings, sometimes of an 

 accidental description, yet very constant in action. 



Mr. John Young, F.G.S., exhibited a large and finely preserved 

 specimen of a recent Echinoderm, allied to Echinometra. The 

 specimen, which had been taken in the Red Sea, measured ten 

 inches in diameter across the spines. Mr. Young stated that it had 

 recently been presented to the Hunterian Museum. 



