xxvi proceedings of the 



26th March, 1889. 



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



Mr. Peter Denny, Dunibai'ton, was elected a Life Member. 



The following were elected Ordinary Members : Mr. J, A. S. 

 Little. M.A., 21 Elgin Terrace, Dowanhill ; Mr. C O. Sonntag, 

 36 Maxwell Road, Pollokshields ; and Mr. John Steel, 2.39 St. 

 Vincent Street. 



Mr. A. Somerville, B.Sc, F.L.S., Vice-President, Convener of 

 the Lectures Committee, reported that the fifth and concluding 

 Lecture of the Course had been delivered on 12th inst. by 

 Professor F. O. Bower, D.Sc, F R.S.E., F.L.S., Glasgow 

 University, on "Some evidences of the struggle for existence in 

 Plants of the Jungles of Ceylon." The Lecture, which was 

 illustx'ated with lime-light views and an extensive series of 

 specimens, was very largely attended, and was presided over by 

 Professor Sir William Thomson, LL.D., D.C.L., F.R.S., P.R S.E. 



Mr. Somerville made some remarks on the success which had 

 attended the Course of Lectures, and stated that the entire 

 expenses had been fully met by donations from Members of 

 the Society and other friends. He moved, and it was unani- 

 mously agreed, that the Society should place upon record an 

 expi'ession of its thanks to the respective Lecturers, for their 

 kind services so generously bestowed ; and to all who have 

 subscribed to the Lectures Fund or otherwise promoted the 

 success of the course ; also to Messrs. George Mason ^ Co., 

 Opticians, Glasgow, for the great care bestowed by them on 

 the successful manipulation of the lime-light apparatus which 

 had proved so valuable an adjunct to the Lectures. 



Mr. D. A. Boyd, exhibited specimens of Isotoma arborea, De 

 Geer, and Anuroplwrxis laricis, Nic. (Lipura corticina, Bour.), 

 two species of Collemboln, from West Kilbride. 



Mr. James Steel exhibited an extensive collection of shells, 

 chiefly of Land and Fresh-water Mollusca, collected by Mr. 

 James J. F. X. King in various parts of Ireland. 



On behalf of Mr. Henry M'Culloch, Mi-. Steel showed a very 

 large female Badger {Melcs taxiis), recently killed near Oban, 

 and still in the flesh. 



Mr A. Somerville, B.Sc, F.L.S., Vice-President, showed seed- 

 vessels of CollUjuaja odori/era, Molina, a Euphorbiaceous plant 

 from San Francisco, kindly lent bj^ Mrs. AV. Renny Watson 

 for exhibition to the Society. These seed-vessels, which are 

 about the size of a small horse-bean, possess a remarkable 

 power of movement by a series of sudden jerks when placed on 

 their convex surface. Although there is usually no external 

 sign of any defect within, their power of nwtion depends on 

 the presence of the larva of a small moth {Carpocapsa saltatoria, 

 Westw.), which ultim.-itely consumes the entire contents of the 



