TllANSACTIONS. 1 i 1 



Baxter Bequest. 

 The following letter was sent by the Honoiv-iry Secretary to 

 the Town Clerk in answer to his letter, dated 22nd Jan., 1889 : — 



DriiFRiES, Gth February, 1889. 

 John Grier-son, Esq., Town Clerk. 

 Dear Sir, 



Referring to your letter of date 22nd January 

 last, a meeting of Council of this Society was held last night, 

 when Mr Davidson submitted a report on the cases of specimens be- 

 queathed to the to\ni of Dumfries by the late IMr William Baxter, which 

 I herewith enclose. After hearing the report the meeting unanimously 

 adopted the following resolution : — " That the Society agree to accept 

 custody of the Baxter specimens on the conditions following : That the 

 Town Council provide suitable cases in which to place and exhibit the 

 specimens, and otherwise do what is necessary to relieve the Society of 

 any expense connected with their reception and custody. That tho 

 Society shall have power to weed the collection of worthless material. 

 That the Society, while exercising the same care as they do with their 

 own property, shall not be further responsible for the specimens. That 

 the arrangement shall be terminable by either party on three montlis' 

 notice." 



I am. 



Yours faithfully, 



Robert Barbour, Hon. Secy. 



Is/ of March, 1889. 

 Mr James Barbour, Architect, in tlie Chair. 



Communication. 



The Practical Outcome of Fish Culture. By Mr J. J. ArmiSTEAD 

 of the Solway Fishery. 

 Mr Armistead mentioned that fish culture was known to tho 

 ancients, but it seemed to have been entirely forgotten, and was 

 re-discovered about a century ago in France by two peasants, and 

 about the same time in Germany. The discoveries at first were 

 regarded as of purely scientific interest, and no practical value was 

 attached to them until within quite recent years. Although a 

 beginning was made in France and Germany, really little was 

 done until the Americans took up the matter in real good earnest, 

 as they usually did with anything they took in hand. They were 

 now competing with us in ova, as they did in almost everything 



