PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 387 
receives, ‘I'he following valuable gifts were announced :—(1) “ A 
Fauna of the Moray Basin,” from Mr, P. Mackinnon, Campbel- 
town ; (2) “Index Kewensis,” from Mr. G. H. Darwin, F.R.S., 
Professor of Astronomy in the University of Cambridge; (3) 
“Popular Lectures and Addresses,” by the Right Hon. Lord 
Kelvin, F.R.S., from the author ; and (4) a cheque for £5 towards 
the fund for illustrating the Transactions of the Society, from 
Mr. John Mackinnon, of Balinakill, Argyllshire. On the motion 
of the President, the thanks of the Society were heartily accorded 
to Lord Kelvin and the gentlemen above-named for their 
generosity. 
Professor King moved, and Mr. A. Somerville, B.Se., F.LS., 
seconded a proposal to grant £5 5s. to the Millport Marine 
Scientific Station. This was agreed to, 
The part of the Zransactions of the Society forming Part II., 
Vol. IV., New Series, for the period which ended on ist May, 
1895, was laid on the table. 
Mr. John Paterson exhibited a Bittern (Botawrus stellaris, 
Liun.), which had been brought to him in the flesh, and had met 
its death by coming in contact with the telegraph wires at Banton, 
Stirlingshire, at dusk on the afternoon of the 17th of February 
this year. Mr. Paterson also exhibited an example of Buffon’s 
Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus, Linn.), which he had seen in the 
collection of Mr. Drummond Pringle, Chapel, Braidwood, in whose 
possession it had remained unidentified for about thirty-five years. 
This rare straggler to Lanarkshire had been shot in Dalserf 
Parish, opposite Mauldslie Castle, and given by the gamekeeper 
who had shot it to Mr. Pringle, who preserved it. 
On behalf of Mr. H. M‘Culloch, taxidermist, a Common Scoter 
(Edemia nigra (Linn.)) was exhibited. It had been secured by a 
fisherman at the Dorling, a sandbank near Campbeltown. 
Dr. Robert Brown exhibited a collection of plants from the 
Swiss Alps. 
Mr. G. Russell, on behalf of Mr. J. B. Mirrlees, showed 
examples of the Sugar-cane from Trinidad, and gave a full descrip- 
tion of the various methods of cultivation and figures dealing with 
the sugar production in Demerara, Barbados, Java, Queensland, 
Louisiana, and Natal. 
Mr. Symers M. MacVicar sent for exhibition, from Moidart, 
