NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OK GLASGOW. J^ 



XXIX 



and In form and structure strongly resembled a young chick of 

 the third day. The three divisions of the primitive brain were 

 indicated : the cerebral lobes in front, the optic lobes behind 

 forming the prominent summit of the head (slightly sunken in 

 the specimen), and the cerebellum and medulla at the back of 

 the head. The eye, ear, and gill-ai-ches appeared, but the fins 

 were not discernible. The bend of the head (cranial flexure) was 

 distmct, and the tail had budded out. The umbilical connection 

 of the fish with the yolk was seen ; but even an expert, if shown 

 this specimen, could scarcely have distinguished it from a young 

 bird, so great was the resemblance. The anmit)n, or delicate l)ag 

 enclosing the bird, was absent from the fish, and that was perhaps 

 the mam distinctive point. The specimen was thus interesting 

 as showmg how strongly the higher and lower forms resemble 

 each other in their earliest stages of life. 



Professor Thomas King showed a small collection of Flower- 

 ing-plants from the Swiss Alps. 



Mr. George Russell showed some plants of Mustard (Sinapi» 

 alba, L.) several of which had been grown from seed previously 

 exposed to a temperature of 300 degrees below freezing-point 

 without in any way impairing its vitality. The other plants, 

 grown from seed not subjected to an unusual temperature, 

 were in no way distinguishable. Similar experiments had been 

 made with seeds of Onion and other plants, with a like result. 

 Mr. Kichard M'Kay showed a microscopic section through a 

 flower bud of LUium candidum, Willd., illustrating the structure 

 and arrangement of the various floral organs. 



Mr. D. A. Boyd exhibited specimens of Asteroma prunellce, 

 Purt., from West Kilbride. 



Mr. Boyd also read a Paper on Helotium marchaniice. Berk 

 a Fungus new to the West of Scotland, and showed specimens 

 found by him on the thallus of Conocephahis conicus (L.) near 

 SeamiU, Ayrshire.* 



26th April, 1892. 

 Mr. William Stewart, Vice-President, in the Chair 

 The Secretary (Mr. D. A. Boyd) read the draft of a proposed 

 Agreement between the Society and the Mitchell Library 

 Committee, Glasgow, relative to the custody, binding, and 

 maintenance of the collection of Transactions of other Societies 

 and Scientific Journals received in exchange for the Society's 

 Proceedings and TransacHons.i On the motion of Professor 

 Edward E Prince, B.A., F.L.S.. the proposed Agreement was 

 unanimously approved of, and the President, a Vice-President, 

 a Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Librarian were authorised 

 to sign the completed deed on behalf of the Society. 

 • rra7isaciion.<<, vol. hi., p. 272. 1 See page xcii. 



