Trausaction^. 'J*^ 



4<A April, 1884. 



Dr Gilchrist, President, in the Chair. Forty 

 members present. 



Xew Aleuibers.— Messrs R. Barbour, St. Christopher's, Dum- 

 fries; J. Craig, Solicitor, Dumfries; J. Patterson, The School 

 House, St. Mungo, were elected Ordinary Members ; Mr R. 

 Turner, Glasgow, an Honorary Member. 



Exhibits.— Mr F. Armstrong exhibited, on behalf of Mrs 

 Hutton, a large silver coin of the Mexican Empire of :\Iaximilian. 

 Dr Gilchrist exhibited fine specimens of the lily encrinite, obtained 

 by Mr Macfadzean at Matlock. Mr J. J. Clark exhibited two 

 large cases of European shells, and several species of star tishes 

 and sea urchins. Dr Grierson, Tliornhill, brought for exliibition 

 a number of natural history specimens, which he had recently 

 received from South America. One of these was a monkey— name 

 of species unknown -a little larger than the common one, having 

 a very small round head, covered with light brown hair, and the 

 body, legs, and arms densely coated with dark brown, almost 

 black. He had shown it to Professor Traill, Aberdeen, who had 

 failed to classify it. 



Communications. 

 I. Orchardlon Tower. By Mr J. Matthewsox. 

 A short paper on this subject was read by Mr Barbour, in the 

 absence of the author. Various measurements were given, and 

 details of tlie structure ; but as Mr Matthewson purposes describ- 

 ing it more fully at a future meeting, tliese particulars need not 

 be given here. 



II. Suriuimes. By Mr T. Brown, M.A. 

 After examining the modes of naming adopted by our Scan, 

 dinavian ancestors, into whose nomenclature the wolf and the 

 bear enter largely, as types of ferocity and sagacity, he referred to 

 the patronymics of ancient Greece and Rome, of the Hebrews, 

 and of the European nations of the present time ; and showed 

 how the personal characteristics contributed largely to swell the 

 list of surnames. 



