Vlll INTRODUCTION. 



has been the series of excursions undertaken each season for field 

 work, by means of which members have not only found mutual 

 advantage in collecting and observing as naturalists, but have 

 also become acquainted with many of the rural aspects and phases 

 of interest in the neighbourhood of Glasgow and even about 

 places so distant as Dailly and Tyndrum, Bute and Fife. The 

 photographic camera has been effectively used at many of these 

 excursions, with results not only in the form of happy mementoes, 

 but also frequently of scientific and scenic value. While the 

 botanical interest not unnaturally predominates in the Society, 

 other departments of natural history have also been cultivated, 

 as its records show; and at present sectional committees embracing 

 the following branches are a part of its working constitution: — 

 Botanical, Geological, Microscopical, Photographic, Entomological, 

 Ornithological, and general Zoology. 



The publication now issued is the first venture of the Society 

 at giving the permanence of print to some of the work it has done, 

 and the publishing committee desires to express its thanks and 

 obligations to the contributors of articles and illustrations, which 

 it is confident will prove acceptable to the subscribers and of 

 interest to all lovers of nature. From the material available 

 only a selection has been made, particularly as regards excursions, 

 some of the districts frequently visited being left untouched at 

 present. 



H. B. W. 



March, /Sgj. 



