30 I'rarmctctiuiis. 



wood, shaped like a small opera-glass case. It has a silver hoop, 

 with the words — " Jao : et Clemen : Dei Grra : Mag : Brit : Fra : 

 et Hib : Rex et Reg. Fidei Defensor. 1726." On the lid is a 

 heai't-shaped shield charged with a sphere, the ring of which is 

 dislocated, and over which is the legend " Spes Ultra." This 

 snuff-box was sent to the Kirkconnell family by the Chevalier 

 and his wife Clementina through Sir David Nairn, their Secre- 

 tary, whose name is imprinted on the bottom. 



Mr Watson, in moving the thanks of the Society be awarded 

 to Mr Witham, remarked that the grandfather of the present 

 Mrs Witham, James Maxwell, Esq. of Kirkconnell, was an officer 

 under Prince Charles Edward, and fought with him in all the 

 engagements, and afterwards accompanied him into exile. While 

 at St. Gerniains he wrote the narrative of the Rebellion, which 

 was so largely drawn upon by Sir Walter Scott. 



Communications. 



I. Atmospheric and other Injluences on the Migration of Fishen. 



By Mr J. J. Armistead. 



The following notes will apply chiefly to the Salmordda, as 

 that family of fishes has come chiefly under my notice. I may, 

 however, first remark with regret that the systematic arrange- 

 ments adopted for noting the movements of birds by means of 

 stations all over the world have not yet been extended to fishes, and 

 that our information on many points connected with their habits, 

 is therefore still very meagre. It is now almost impossible 

 for a flock of birds to cross the North Sea without being seen 

 leaving the land on the one side and approaching it on the other, 

 and the facts reported to a central committee. But, notwith- 

 standing this, some of our commonest birds have not been traced 

 to their breeding stations. I might take as an example the knot, 

 which is most abundant on the Solway during the winter 

 montlis. We know that this bird goes away to the Arctic 

 regions, but we know no more. It is much more diflicult to 

 follow the movement of fishes, and there is here a wide field 

 open for the observer. The more we work out the facts about 

 the migration of fishes, the more comj^lex very often does the 

 (juestion appear to become. Primarily there were two causes 

 which led to their migration — first, food supply ; second, repro- 

 duction of species. It has been asserted that salmon do not feed. 



