The Scottish Naturalist. 137 



The fifth meeting was held on Friday, 6th February, when the following 

 communications were read :— (i) " The Botany of the Broads and 

 Pens of East Ang-lia," by Mr. A. Bennett, F.L.S. ; (2) " The In- 

 fluence of Trees on Climate or Rainfall," by Mr. Peter Gray. 



The sixth meeting was held on the 6th of March, when four papers were 

 read on the following subjects :— (1) " Early Notices of the Use of 

 Tobacco in Britain," by Rector Chinnock ; (2) " Notes on the 

 Rocks and Fossil Remains in the Moffat District," by Mr. J. 

 Dairon, F.G.S. ; (3) "Memoir of Mr. Gatt, Minister of Grait- 

 ney, 1730-87," by Mr. J. Gibson Starke, V.P. ; (4) "Modern 

 Egypt," by J. A. S. Grant, M.D., Bey. 



On April 3rd, the last winter meeting of the session was held. Dr. Gilchrist 

 (President) occupied the chair. There was a large attendance of members.— 

 Mr. Rutherford exhibited specimens of the Red Admiral ( Vanessa Atalanta) 

 and the Painted Lady {Cynthia Cardui) butterflies, and remarked that these 

 species were very rare in the district last summer. — Communications : — I. Mr. 

 F. R. Coles read an interesting paper entitled " A Leaflet from the 

 Book of Nature," in which he pointed out the necessity of careful obser- 

 vation on the part of the student of nature, and the benefits derived by those 

 who pursue the study. 2. A paper on the " Arctic Shell Beds of the 

 Clyde " was read by Mr. R. W. Macfadzean, in which he described the 

 different deposits found at Garvel Park, and compared them with those of 

 similar beds in Scandinavia and N.E. America. He contended that, after the 

 deposition of the Drift and Loess, there occurred, in this quarter of the globe, 

 a second and less severe glacial period, followed by a gradual rise, and subse- 

 quent fall, of sea level. These changes had been comparatively rapid, and 

 were accompanied by changes of climate. 3. Mr. G. F. Black contributed a 

 paper on the "Ancient Lake-Dwellings of Scotland," making 

 especial reference to those of Lochlea and Tarbolton. 4. Mr. Barbour, V.P., 

 read a short communication on " Lovely Polly Stewart," in which he 

 gave extracts from the will of Catherine Stewart referring to Polly, and also 

 particulars respecting her and her family, not generally known. 



The first field meeting of the session was held on May 2nd, when Spottes 

 Glen, the Policies, and the Moat of Urr, were visited. Vegetation was a 

 little more forward than at the same date last year, and plants of Veronica 

 Cha/ucrdrys, Lychnis diwna, Gen in rivale, and Buniunt flexuosum were found 

 in blossom ; but the only rarity was Geranium lucidum, which had not been 

 previously recorded from that locality. 



May 22nd, 1885. — A special meeting was held on this date, when it was 

 unanimously decided to complete the arrangement with the Presbytery, &c. of 

 Dumfries, for renting the Presbytery House for 15 years, for the purpose of 

 holding the Society's meetings in it, and of forming there a museum for the 

 specimens belonging to the Society. 



DUNDEE NATURALISTS' SOCIETY.-The following subjects 



were discussed since 1st January, 1SS5. On 14th January Mr. John Rattray, 

 M.A. read a paper on Diatoms. January 2%th, Prof. J. W. H. Trail 



