1853.] Linnean Society. 24l5 



Mr. Borrer, jun., F.L.S., exhibited specimens of a rare British 

 bird, the continental White Wagtail {Motacilla alba), killed at 

 Lancing in Sussex in April 1853. 



Mr. Newman, F.L.S., exhibited specimens of two species of Ferns 

 found in Scotland, and not hitherto noticed as belonging to the 

 British Flora, one of which (the Polypodium rhceticum of the Flore 

 Fran^aise, but not of Linnaeus) he believes to be Polypodium alpestre 

 of Hoppe, the other he considers to be new. 



June 7. 

 Thomas Bell, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



The Rev. Thomas Hugo, M.A., was elected a Fellow. 



The President nominated Robert Brown, Esq., William Yarrell, 

 Esq., Nathaniel Wallich, Esq., M.D., and William Spence, Esq., to 

 be Vice-Presidents for the ensuing year. 



Mr. Yarrell, V.P.L.S., exhibited a specimen of the Dusky Petrel 

 i^Puffinus obscurus of modern authors). This bird, new to the 

 British Islands, flew on board a small sloop, off the Island of Va- 

 lentia, on the south coast of Ireland, on the evening of the 11th of 

 May last. The species having been frequently confounded with the 

 Manx Petrel (Puffinus Anglorum), from their close resemblance in 

 plumage, a specimen of the Manx Petrel, together with the eggs of 

 both, was also exhibited for comparison. 



Mr. Westwood, F.L.S., exhibited a volume of letters addressed 

 to Philip Miller by Linnaeus and various other naturalists and 

 others, the property of Mr. Edward Layton of Watford ; the more 

 interesting of which, he stated, will shortly be published in facsimile. 

 The volume contained, among others, letters from Dr. Richard 

 Richardson, Charles Alston, Boerhaave, De Jussieu, Gronovius, Du 

 Hamel du Monceau, George Clifford, Linnaeus, De Zieten, Lord 

 Petre, Hebenstreit, Van Royen, Guettard, Richard, Wachendorff, 

 Garden, John Bartram, Stephen Hales, Marsigli, Oder, Forskahl, 

 Schmidel, Pinard, Dr. John Hope, Sibthorp, Vandelli, and Dr. Tobias 

 SmoUct. 



