1887-8S.] Annual Business Meeting. 195 



F.E.S.E., Professor of Botany in the University of Edin- 

 burgh. At the meeting in January, Mr Symington Grieve, 

 President, paid a fitting tribute of respect to the memory of 

 these two honoured members of the Society. 



On the recommendation of the Council, it was unanimously 

 agreed to that Rule VIII., as far as it relates to the number 

 of the field meetings, be abolished, and that it be left in the 

 hands of the Council to make arrangements annually for the 

 field meetings, in respect both to their numl^er and dates of 

 meeting. The Meeting also unanimously adopted a recom-. 

 mendation of the Council to the effect that a Special Fund 

 be instituted for the purpose of assisting in the publication 

 of the ' Transactions ' — subscriptions for that purpose to be 

 handed to the Treasurer. 



A unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring 

 President, Mr Symington Grieve, who had so ably filled that 

 office during the past three years, as also for the stirring and 

 interesting addresses delivered to the Society, and which have 

 helped to enrich the pages of our ' Transactions ' from time to 

 time. 



At the first excursion of the Society for the season — viz., 

 to Craigmillar Castle, on May 5 — Thos. Eoss, Esq., of Messrs 

 M'Gibbon & Eoss, Architects, read a paper giving an account 

 of the history of the castle, and of the various events of which 

 it has been the scene, for several centuries past. The archi- 

 tectural features of the building, in particular, were carefully 

 described, and the different structural alterations which have 

 been made from time to time were noted. In illustration of 

 this part of the paper, a large number of drawings and plans 

 were exhibited on the walls. Mr T. A. D. Wood, r.S.A.Scot., 

 also read a paper bearing more especially on the archseology of 

 the castle. Both Mr Wood and Mr Eoss received a hearty 

 vote of thanks from the large company who had gathered to 

 listen to their valuable and interesting papers. It should also 

 be mentioned here that, by the kindness of the proprietor, 

 Eobert G. G. Gilmour, Esq. of Craigmillar, and of Mr and Mrs 

 Speedy, the members were afterwards supplied with refresh- 

 ments in the " Queen Mary Eoom " of the old pile. Before 

 separating, the company was photographed in front of the castle. 



