NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OP GLASGOW. y 



is abundant under stones. He stated that a Blindworm with 

 legs developed externally had recently been captured on the 

 island, showing clearly that in spite of its serpentiform appear- 

 ance this reptile belongs to the Lacertilia or Lizard order. 



Mr. Steel exhibited a living specimen of the Great Water- 

 newt, Triion cristahis, Laurent, which he had had in an 

 aquarium for over five years. 



He also showed some very large specimens of the common 

 Periwinkle, Littorina Uttorea, L., from Ailsa Craig, including 

 a variety peculiar to the island, and found only at a consider- 

 able depth among the boulders. In this fQrm the lip is white, 

 the remainder of the external surface of the shell being of a 

 very dark colour. 



Mr. R. Broom, B.Sc, exhibited a specimen of the skull of 

 the Capybara, the largest of living rodents. This species, which 

 is a native of Brazil, is remarkable for the complicated structure 

 of the last upper molar, the enamel being arranged in much the 

 same manner as in the molar of the elephant, a specimen of 

 which tooth, as well as a skull of the Guinea Pig, was also 

 shown for comparison. 



28th August, 1888. 



Sir. John Renwick in the Chair. 



Mr. R. Turner referred to the loss which the Society had 

 sustained in the death of Mr. Robert Robertson, Thornliebank ; 

 and it was resolved to place upon record an expression of the 

 regret of the Members at the announcement of Mr. Robertson's 

 decease, and of their sympathy with his family in their bereave- 

 ment. 



Mr. Donald Farquhar reported on an excursion made to 

 Carluke on 25th inst. 



Mr. Christopher Sherry exhibited a specimen of Ancistro- 

 cladiis (Wonnia) Burhidgei, one of the Dipterace«, a small 

 order consisting of twelve genera, comprising upwards of one 

 hundred species. These consist of large trees, or more rarely 

 climbing shrubs, growing in the forests of tropical Asia. The 

 leaves are alternate and strongly feather-ribbed, with large decid- 

 uous stipules; the calyx is five-lobed, persistent, and afterwards 

 so enlarged as to resemble wings ; the petals are five ; the stamens 

 are hypogynous, indefinite, and irregularly polyadelphous. The 

 large deciduous stipules resemble those of Magnolia, but the 

 most characteristic feature of the order is the enlarged persistent 

 calyx, which forms long winged lobes crowning the fruit. 



Mr. Sherry also showed a specimen of Begonia socotHna, 

 discovered a few years ago by Professor Bayley Balfour in 



