
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 143 
Mr. John Paterson, Hon. Editor of Transactions, intimated, on 
behalf of the Publishing Committee, that the part completing 
Volume IV., New Series, of the Society’s Zransactions, was now 
in the hands of the Hon. Librarian for distribution. Mr. Paterson 
stated that thanks were specially due to Mr. Richard M‘Kay for 
his labours in preparing indices to the volume. 
A paper entitled “A List of the Algz of Lamlash Bay,” by the 
late Mr. David Robertson, LL.D., F.LS., F.G.S., was read 
(see page 62). This paper was in course of preparation by Dr. 
Robertson immediately before his last illness, and was completed 
by Mrs. Robertson after his death. 
A paper by Mr. R. S. Wishart, M.A., entitled “ Garden Slugs 
at Work,” was read. Slugs are well-known pests to gardeners, 
and recourse has been had to various means to extirpate them, or 
keep them within reasonable bounds. Though working mainly 
after sundown, in dull weather they may also be found “on duty” 
in the day-time. They seem to be pretty constant in their affec- 
tion for one plant at a time, and, if their tracks are to be taken as 
evidence, they seem to go by the same route morning and evening. 
Among plants most readily attacked by these pests, French Mari- 
_golds, Asters, and Cauliflower may be mentioned, but in Mr. 
Wishart’s experience the large-flowered Chrysanthemum inodorum 
plenissimum was to them the greatest favourite of all. The slugs 
seem to scent this plant from a considerable distance, and to make 
for it as long as a green leaf is left. Experiments to make 
them alter their course had only, for result, a little temporary 
confusion of their movements, which, however, was soon overcome. 
From all that could be seen of their ways and doings, it seemed 
evident that slugs do not just crawl out of the earth and move 
along at random till chance throws something in their way, but 
that their movements were guided by a fixed purpose, arising from 
a certain amount of intelligence. Sometimes their experience of 
one night determined their course for the next. When there was 
no pre-arranged plan, they used their senses to ascertain where 
the best food was to be found, and their faculties were so discri- 
minating that they made a choice even at a distance which, 
relatively to their size and their rate of locomotion, was very 
considerable. 
