34 The Scott is Ji Naturalist. 



MEETINGS AND PKOCEEDINQS OF SCOTTISH SCIENTIFIC 

 SOCIETIES. 



Note. — Accounts of meetings during the month preceding the date of issue of 

 any number of this Magazine are too late for that number, but will appear 

 in the next. 



THE CRYPTOGAMIC SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND held its tenth annual 

 conference at Kelso on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of September last, under the 

 prasidency of William B. Boyd, Esq. of Faldonside. 



It had been determined that there should not be a public show of fungi at 

 this meeting; and, fortunately so, as the supply of the larger fungi was altogether 

 insufficient to furnish an exhibition. With the exception of some districts in 

 the west of Scotland, the year has been a barren one. Excursions were made 

 on the three days, to Bowmont Forest, Stichill, and Springwood Park. 

 The beauty of the scenery and unclouded sunshine helped to mitigate the dis- 

 appointment which the absence of fungi created. The meeting was, on the 

 whole, a most enjoyable one. If fungi were absent, old friends were present, 

 and new interests were awakened, and at the close of the conference the mem- 

 bers parted with another green spot for memory to recall. 



In his annual address the President gave a clear and exhaustive account of 

 the progress and results of botanical research in the Border counties of Scot- 

 land. He traced minutely the labours of Johnston and Jerdon, and gave 

 ample evidence that since their time botanical study has been prosecuted with 

 zeal and success by the members of the Berwickshire Naturalsts' Club. When 

 Johnston's " Flora of Berwick-upon-Tweed" was published in 1829-31, little 

 attention had been paid to Cryptogamic botany ; but great advances were 

 made by Jerdon, whose valuable lists of the fungi of the district are contained 

 in the "Transactions of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club." The study of 

 ferns and mosses has hitherto attracted the chief notice of the Border Crypto- 

 gamists. The President referred specially to a list of mosses, drawn up by Mr. 

 Hardy in 1868, which contains 267 species. The address, which was a valu- 

 able contribution to the history of local research, was listened to throughout 

 with the greatest interest, and a hearty vote of thanks was awarded to the 

 President. 



Additions to Mycologia Scotica were laid upon the table. The following 

 figures will serve to show that Scottish Mycologists have not been idle in 

 recent years. In 1S79 (when Mycologia Sco/icawas published) there were 2154 

 species recorded for Scotland. During the last five years 891 species have 

 been added to the list, so that the species recorded for Scotland now amount 

 to 3045. Between the publication of Cook's Handbook in 187 1, and the pub- 

 lication of Mycologia Scotica in 1879, 192 species were recorded from Scotland 

 as new to the British Flora. During the last five years 66 species have been 

 added, so that species new to the British Flora reported from Scotland now 

 number 258. Between the same dates — 1871 and 1879 — 107 new species were 

 recorded for Scotland. Duiing the last five years 17 species have been 

 added, so that species from Scotland new to the Cryptogamic Flora now 

 number 124. 



