NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. iii 



Tlie Secretary (Mr, John Trotter) read a paper by Mr. P. 

 Ciuneron, F.E.S., Corresponding Member, on "The Natural 

 History of the Oceanic Islands." He described the various 

 agencies by which seeds, spores, etc., could be conveyed to such 

 islands, and stated that plants occur there which have long been 

 extinct in all other parts of the world. It was accordingly of 

 the utmost importance that a thorough investigation of this 

 subject should be made, as much valuable aid would thereby be 

 afforded towards the solution of some of the chief difficulties 

 connected with the theory of evolution. 



2Gth June, 1888. 



Mr. Thomas King, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Chairman exhibited specimens of several plants from the 

 Campsie district, including Sediun villosum, L., Gynmostomuin 

 inicrostomum, Hedw., Barbula subulata, L., Mnium rostratum, 

 Schrad., etc. 



Mr. W. N. Robinson exhibited two living specimens of the 

 Salamander, Salamandra maculosa, L,, a native of Southern 

 Europe. 



Mr. R. Broom, B.Sc, showed a series of microscopical prepara- 

 tions illustrating the development and structure of the epines 

 of the common Hedgehog, Erlnaceus europceus, L. In some 

 of these the structure of the root-sheaths was very clearly 

 exhibited, and in various logwood-stained sections the elongated 

 nuclei in Heule's layer were distinctly defined. Mr. Broom 

 made some interesting remarks on the specimens, and pointed 

 out the distinction between spines and haii-s. 



He also exhibited a large number of specimens of a small 

 tape-worm which he had recently taken from the intestines of 

 a Hedgehog. 



3l8T July, 1888. 



Mr. Thomas King, Vice President, in the Chair. 

 Mr. D. A. Boyd reported on an excursion made to Barrmill 

 on 23rd June. 



The Chairman exhibited specimens of plants recently collected 

 by hnn on Ben Lawers, including: Thalictruvi alpinum, L., 

 Draha rupestris, R.Br., Cochlearia officinalis, L., var. alpina 

 (Wats.) Bab., Silene acaulls, L., Cerastium alpinum, L., Sagin^ 

 saxatihs, Fr., S. nivalis, Fr., Potentilla maculata, Pourr., P. 

 Sibbaldi, Hall, f., Saxifraga oppositifolia, L., S. siellaris, L.', S 

 cernua, L., Myosotis alpest)%s, Schmidt, Salix^ herbacea, L., Juncus 



