Natural Histwy and Antiquarian Society. 5 



The Chairman then delivered his Presidential Address on the 

 subject of "The Scope and Spiiit of Scientific and Antiquarian 

 Inquiiies." The address was listened to with much interest by 

 the veiy full meeting, and at the close Dr GUchiist pi'oposed a 

 special vote of thanks to Mr Starke, which was heartily 

 accorded. 



Dr Grilchrist read " Notes on the [so-called] Druids' Circle at 

 Holywood," in which he gave an account, with the aid of a 

 diagram, of its measurements, the positions of the stones, and of 

 the geological formation to which each of them belongs. A short 

 discussion followed, and Dr Gilchrist promised to refer more fully 

 to the subject on an early date. 



Mr F. W. Grierson exhibited some very neat preparations of 

 the Dentition of the Echinodermata. The Secretaiy exhibited a 

 Falcon's Hood, belonging to Dr Grierson, Thornhill; a Female 

 Goosander, recently captured at Arbigland ; a pair of the Little 

 Grebe ; and a Kingfisher. The last two species, he explained, 

 had within the past two months become numerous in the locality. 

 The Seci-etary also exhibited specimens of a number of bii'ds he 

 had picked up dead during last month, and which had doubtless 

 been killed by privation in the severe frost. These consisted of 

 the Wren, Longtailed Tit, Water Hen, Fieldfare, and Redwing. 



A number of duplicate copies of the former Society's Transac- 

 tions were then distributed to the INIembers present. 



By the kindness of the President, cofiee and cakes were then 

 served, after which the Rev. Mr Dodds expressed the gi-eat satis- 

 faction with which the Members had partaken of the good things 

 provided for them by Mr Starke. 



February 1th, 1879. 



The Fifth Meeting of the Session was held in the Mechanics' 

 Institute — Mr J. Gibson Stai'ke in the chair. 



Messrs John Rutherford, Pleasance, Kirkmichael, and T. R. 

 Brace of Slogarie were elected Ordinary Members. 



Mr Houston exhibited a curious old document, being "a Report 

 presented to His Most Excellent Majesty King James I. of all 

 the Christenings and Buiials within the City of London, and the 

 liberties thei-eof." Mr Lennon exhibited a specimen of Sjihodrus 

 leucophthalmus, which is a rather scarce beetle in this district. 



