6 Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire mul Galloway 



Dr Gilchrist exhibited a Prescription Book of 1731, and pointed 

 out that the medicines of those days were generally made up of 

 from ten to twelve different articles. Mr James Gibson exhibited a 

 specimen of the fossil Productus giganteus. Mr M'Veigh, Castle- 

 brae, sent an interesting collection of old books, coins, &c., amongst 

 which may be mentioned " The Lives of the Popes," 1588 ; St. 

 Jerome's Version of the Bible, 1498 ; an edition of the Bible 

 in six little volumes, 1671 ; and Hamilton of Gilbertsfield's 

 ""Wallace," in old Scottish verse, 1721. Specially noticeable 

 amongst the coins and seals were the Great and Small Seals of 

 James VI.; two Seals of William, Duke of Douglas and Turenue ; 

 the Seal of the Duke of Albany, Fife, and Monteith, 1396 ; some 

 silver pieces of Isabella the Catholic, of Spain ; a coin of Pope 

 Pius V. ; and a beautiful coin, of which six only were struck, to 

 commemorate the acquisition by George III. of the title of 

 King of Man. The remaining five are known to be — one in the 

 Mint, another in Windsor Castle, the third in the British Museum, 

 the fourth belongs to the Earl of Derby, and the fifth to the Duke 

 of Athole. The one in Mr M'Veigh's possession was presented 

 to him by Lady Margaret Murray, daughter of the last King 

 of Man. 



Dr Gilchrist read an account of "Our Bird-feeding Experiences," 

 consisting of some interesting notes on the habits of the birds 

 which had resorted to the Crichton Royal Institution to be fed 

 dui'ing the recent severe weather. 



Mr Davidson read a paper on " Alchemy and the Alchemists," 

 in which he gave an account of the numei'ous discoveries that 

 had been made by the alchemists whilst engaged in their 

 investigations. 



March 3rd, 1879. 



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

 Institute — Mr J. Gibson Starke in the chair. 



Mr Watt, Victoria Terrace, was elected an Ordinary Member. 



The Secretary read a i-eport from the Committee regarding the 

 distribution of the Proceedings and Transactions, 1877-78 (printed 

 copies of which were laid on the table^, recommending that one 

 copy should be presented to each Ordinary and Honorary Member 

 of the Society, and that extra copies be supplied at 6d each to 



