Iviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Seven Meetings were held during the Summer Session, at 

 which reports on Excursions were submitted, numerous 

 specimens exhibited, and short papers read. An Exhibition of 

 Microscopic Objects took place at the meetings on 20th May 

 and 26th August. 



Sixteen Excursions were made, as follows : 17th May, Over- 

 toun ; 31st May, Stii-ling ; 10th June, Killermont ; 14th June, 

 Lee ; 24th June, Cathkin ; 28th June, Inverkeithing ; 8th July, 

 Garscube ; 18th July, Tyndriim ; 26th July, Troon ; 9th August, 

 Luss and Rossdhu ; 16th August, Keir and Lecropt ; 23rd August, 

 Cartland Crags ; 6th September, Edinbarnet ; 13th September, 

 Glen Massan ; 20th September, Strathleven ; and ith October, 

 Killermont. 



The Council regret to report that the attendance at the 

 Excursions last siiramer could not be regarded as satisfactory, 

 and was especially disappointing to the Summer Connnittee, 

 in view of the great care taken by them in making most 

 advantageous arrangements. It may not be inappropriate to 

 remind the members that these Excursions afford favourable 

 ojjportunities for the study of Field Botany such as are not 

 usually available to solitary workers ; while beginners may 

 often acquire more practical instruction from attending a single 

 Excursion than can be attained by many days of unaided study, 

 as they may secure the assistance of experienced botanists 

 whose knowledge will at once resolve many apparent difificulties 

 in the determination of genei'a and species. Besides, an 

 Excursion may be rendered permanently useful if careful 

 observations be noted of the animals and plants seen, and the 

 utility of this work becomes much enhanced when the atten- 

 dance is so large as to enable such observations to cover a 

 wide range of departments of zoology and botany. 



Co it?icii.— Fourteen Meetings of Council were held between 

 24th September, 1889, and 19th September, 1890. 



In response to numerous suggestions which have been made 

 from time to time regarding the more efficient woi-king of 

 various departments of the Society's business, the Council have 

 framed Bye-Laws giving effect to such suggestions and proposals 

 as seemed practicable and worthy of adoption. These Bye- 

 Laws, which were adopted at a meeting held on 3rd June, 

 while relating chiefly to the work of the Council, and to the 

 departments of the Society's affairs under the charge of 

 individual Office-Bearers, pi-ovide inter alia for the appoint- 

 ment annually in November of the following Committees to 

 undertake certain specified duties : (1) Museum Committee, 

 (2) Research Committee, (3) Summer Committee, (4) Publishing 

 Committee, (5) Library Committee, (6) Photographical Com- 

 mittee, and (7) Microscopical Committee. Particulars of the 



