272 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



before it was ripe. This, together with the unfavourable weather, 

 may have lowered the vitality of the plants, and so have predisposed 

 them to the attacks of the fungus. 



9th January, 1883. 



Mr. John Kirsop, F.S.A. Scot., Vice-President, in the chair. 



The following gentlemen were elected Ordinary Members of the 

 Society: — Messrs. Alexander Yuill, 259 Hope Street; Robert 

 Philson, 41 Robertson Street; and George R. Lawson, A. T. & C. 

 Bank, Golspie. 



Mr. Richard M'Kay exhibited a collection of Mosses, prepared 

 by the Museum Committee for the Kelvingrove Museum ; and, in 

 handing over the collection, he read, on behalf of the Museum 

 Committee, the following statement : — 



The Sub-Committee for Mosses, in submitting the mounted 

 collection which they have prepared, trust that it may prove the 

 nucleus of a complete one, so far as British species are concerned. 



Its value from a scientific point of view may be held to depend 

 mainly on the number of representative specimens it includes, and 

 on the way in which these have been manipulated, so as to afford 

 the utmost possible facility for public reference. The Committee 

 are confident that, considering the limited period during which they 

 have been at work, the number of species and varieties — 544 in all 

 — comprised in the collection constitutes a decided success — a first 

 adventure towards supplying our Glasgow Museum with satisfactory 

 herbaria of British plants. This reference collection of Mosses can 

 hardly fail to be of great service to all who wish to study these 

 beautiful little plants ; and the very fact of its existence ought to 

 increase the number of such students, and stimulate and incite 

 those who have already set themselves to the work. There is 

 another matter of some interest from a personal point of view, and 

 one not wholly without an educational bearing as well. Many of 

 the specimens have been gathered by men who have won immortal 

 names for themselves in this and kindred departments of Botany, 

 — men such as Dr. Greville, Dr. W. Wilson, Professor Dickie, and 

 Professor Schimper ; others by some who may not have obtained 

 such widespread fame, but whose work speaks of their desert, — 

 several of these of our own city and Society, who, having gone from 



