The Scottish Naturalist. 271 



was also exhibited a finely carved iron stirrup found on Culloden Moor. These 

 two articles were sent -for the Society by Mr. Snowie. 



Mr. Ross also exhibited a splendid collection of 41 Mexican arrow heads of 

 quartz, obsidian, and flint. They were sent by Mr. Douglas of Ballin- 

 dalloch. 



On the New Station for Zoisite at Garve, by Dr. Aitken.— 



After mentioning Mr. Bell's discovery of the mineral in a Quartz block by the 

 side of the road, and Mr. Ivison Macadam's analysis of it, Dr. Aitken went 

 on to point out that the mineral really occurred in a Quartz vein in the Gneiss. 

 He then indicated the conditions under which the mineral had been found in 

 the district — always in relation to limestone — and the geological relations of the 

 vein at Garve, in which, however, it did not seem to stand in relation to lime. 

 The point of interest, therefore, in connection with the mineral in this locality 

 is the condition under which it has been found — that it is not to be looked for 

 merely associated with limestone, but in any vein of segregation in rocks, pro- 

 vided the materials exist for its formation in the surrounding rocks. 



PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OP NATURAL SCIENCE. 



Thursday ', Nov. 12th, 1885. — The President, Dr. Buchanan White, 'read an open- 

 ing address, in which he reviewed the work of the previous summer. He noticed 

 the discovery, by Mr. James Brebner of Dundee, of Schoenus ferrtigineus L., in 

 Strathtummel, Carexustulata Wahl. on Ben Heargarnich in Glen Lyon, of Poly- 

 podium flexile Moore in Glen Lyon, and of Astragalus alpinus L., in flower on 

 a hill in East Perthshire ; and by Mr. Meldrum, near Perth, of Cynoglossum 

 montamcm, Erythraea Centaurium\ Carex remota, Pammculus arvensis, &c. 

 Other scarce Perthshire plants observed during the summer are Campanula 

 glomerata, and Carex laevigata, the former near Linn of Campsie, the latter on 

 the Earn below Crieff. He then went on to bespeak assistance from the mem- 

 bers in preparing specimens for the herbarium, the geological collections, &c. ; 

 and quoted very favourable opinions of the museum expressed by Prof. Flower 

 of the British Museum, and by Canon Tristran. Dr. Trotter then read a paper 

 on " The Fossil Diatoms of the Tay Basin," being an account of 

 the alluvial beds of the Perth Basin, and of the microscopic organisms, chiefly 

 Diatoms, found in them. From an examination of these organisms and beds 

 he concluded that for a very long time the basin of the Tay was the estuary of 

 a large river, opening to the sea by a narrow mouth, and that there had been 

 two successive rapid upheavals of about 25 feet each. 



December 3rd. Mr. Coats exhibited several scarce species and varieties of 

 marine shells from the Firth of Forth, amongst which were Natica Islandica, 

 Trophon trzcncatus, Solen pellucidus, Purpura lapillus var. imbricata, and 

 Mytilus edulis var. pellucida. Mr. Pullar gave a report on the meeting of the 

 British Association in Aberdeen, and Dr. Buchanan White on the meeting of 

 the East of Scotland Union of Naturalists' Societies at Kirkcaldy, in September. 

 Dr. White called special attention to the prosecution of the local bibliography 

 of the East of Scotland, and to the necessity of co-operation in effecting the 

 work. Rev. R. Graham, LL.D., read a paper on The After-glow, or 

 Extraordinary Sunsets of 1883-84, in which he reviewed the 

 various theories proposed to account for the colours ; and upheld the theory 



