IXA-i PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



instructed rather than for the millions of mankind. He admitted 

 that a scientific nomenclature and terminology were essential 

 among those who pursued botany as a definite study, but for 

 the lay public it was not essential, and he would undertake to 

 give a lecture to a popular audience, dealing even with some of 

 the moving questions of the science, which would be expressed 

 in plain English such as anyone could understand. 



On the motion of Mr. Joseph Sommerville, a cordial vote of 

 thanks was accorded to Professor Bower for his address. 



2iTH February, 1891. 



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

 the chair. 



Messrs. Adam Knox, 10 Clayton Terrace, Dennistoun, and John 

 Aitken TurnbuU, M.A., LL.B., 11 India Street, were elected 

 Ordinary ^lembers. 



Mrs. Henry G. Shepherd, Free Church Manse, Cambuslang, was 

 elected an Associate. 



The Chairman referred to the loss which the Society had re- 

 cently sustained in the death of Mr. Robert Mason, F.L.S., and it 

 was unanimously agreed that a memorial notice of the deceased 

 should be recorded in the minutes. 



/iV MEM0RIA3I— Robert Mason, F.L.S. 



Robert Mason was a native of Fifeshire, and came to Glasgow 

 many years ago to engage in business in the city. Although the 

 pressure of business duties left him little time for ciiltivating his 

 favourite study of natural history, yet his love of nature was so 

 strong as to lead him to embrace every opportunity of becoming 

 acquainted with the botany and geology of the district around 

 Glasgow. It is said that for a long period he was accustomed 

 regularly during the summer months to take early morning 

 rambles to places where he could collect some of the rarer plants. 

 Setting off about three o'clock, he was thus able to accomplish as 

 much work before business-hours as his associates could usually 

 overtake in the coiu'se of a Saturday afternoon. There were 

 probably few spots within six miles of the city which had not in 

 this way been visited and explored by him. He was on terms of 

 intimacy with the older generation of Glasgow botanists, and 

 especially with the late Mr. William Keddie, Lectm-er on Natural 

 Science in the Glasgow Free Church College, and formerly a 

 member of this Society. Although chiefly attached to the study 

 of botany, especially during the earlier years of his life, Mr. Mason 

 was also keenly interested in geology, and took a prominent part 

 in the business of the Geological Society of Glasgow, of which he 

 was a member. He was also a member of the Philosophical 



