PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 173 



of 3,000 feet possessing a plentiful insect fauna. Views of a 

 number of the fresh-water lakes of these islands, some still un- 

 named, were shown, most of them swarming with crustacean life, 

 as well as with salmon. The abundant flora of the islands was 

 shown by a series of slides and some very clever snapshots of the 

 varied avifauna. One view of the eider-duck, with its nest, 

 called forth the remark that there was a gradual destruction of 

 these valuable birds of commerce now in progress, and steps 

 should be taken to secure their preservation. The remains of 

 the early Dutch settlements, whose almost sole relic is a series of 

 graves dug 200 or 300 years ago, were contrasted with the 

 present fully-equipped Swedish station on Spitzbergen, from the 

 members of which the explorers received much kindness, par- 

 ticularly when on one occasion the "Princesse Alice" discovered 

 the presence of a submarine rock by running aground on it. The 

 whole routine work of an exploring ship was explained by the 

 use of the screen — the dredging, trawling, sounding, temperature- 

 finding, &c, and the difficulties attending such investigations in 

 Arctic waters were vividly shown by views of iceberg and icefield. 

 Again and again the traps set overnight, and buoyed up to secure 

 deep-water and pelagic fauna, were torn away by ice, and the 

 labour was in vain. The geological phenomena of the islands 

 were not passed unnoticed, the extraordinary terraces of 

 Carboniferous strata having been well shown, as also the series 

 of raised beaches, which prove that Spitzbergen is slowly being 

 elevated. On the motion of the Rev. G. A. F. Knight, M.A., 

 Vice-President, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the 

 lecturer. 



27th March, 1900. 



Mr. Alex. Somerville, B.Sc, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 



The Chairman intimated the death, on the 13th instant, of 

 Mr. John Young, LL.D., F.G.S., Keeper of the Hunterian 

 Museum in the University, who had long been a Member of the 

 Society; and a Memorial Notice was read by Mr. John Ren wick. 



Mr. Walter W. Blackie, B.Sc, 17 Stanhope Street, was elected 

 an Ordinary Member. 



Mr. John Paterson, Honorary Editor of Transactions, then 

 placed on the table the Transactions for last Session (Vol. V. 



