jd 
death, at the age of 36, now 100 years ago, in 1777, deprived 
Aberdeen of one who, had he lived, would doubtless have been 
famous in science. Dr. Murray, in his Northern Flora, has given 
a short sketch of Dr. Skene, and mentions that he had himself 
seen several of Dr. Skene’s manuscripts (including one on Zoo- 
logy), in the possession of Mr. Thomson of Banchory. As Mr. 
Thomson's library was presented to the Free Church College, 
I made application to Principal Brown to be permitted to con- 
sult these manuscripts ; but though I met with the utmost 
courtesy .and kindness, alike from Dr. Brown and from Mr. 
Henry, the librarian—for which I take this opportunity of 
thanking them—they could not give me any information about 
‘the manuscripts, which had not come to the College library. I 
afterwards found that the manuscripts had been presented to 
Marischal College by Miss Fraser, to whom they had been be- 
queathed by Mr. Thomson, and that they are now deposited in 
the safe at Mavischal College. They include several volumes, 
and among them are a volume of discourses on the pleasures and 
advantages of the study of Natural History, and a thick 8vo 
volume of notes (chiefly descriptions in Latin) on the Inverte- 
brata of the district, along with botanical and cther memoranda. 
It is quite possible to determine the species of many of the ani- 
mals irom his notes, and I intend to lay the results of my efforts 
at their identification before you at a future opportunity. Iwas 
permitted to consult a volume of correspondence that had passed 
between Linnaeus and Dr. Skene, in which are some remarks on 
the local fauna, seattered among points of general interest, and 
on specimens received by Dr. Skene from Demerara. Ellis, in 
his Natwral History of Zoophites, records the following species as 
sent to him by Dr. Skene, from Aberdeen :— 
Sertularia (Diphasia) Tamarisca. Millepora (Céllepora) Skene. 
5 (Halecium) muricata. 7 AS ) pumicosa. 
Pennatula phosphorea. Flustra Carbasea (Carbasea Papyracea). 
Cellaria (Crisia) ternata. 
The generic names now used are inserted between brackets. 
_ After Dr Skene a blank ensues for a good many years; at 
least I have been unable to find any published observations on 
the Zoology of the district prior to 1841, in which year the 
Edinburgh New Philosophical Jowrnal (Vol. XXXI1.), contains 
two papers, viz. :— 
1. “Description of a species of Skate new to the British 
Fauna,” by J. Fleming, D.D., giving a description and 
figure of a skate caught in Aberdeen Bay, and charac- 
terised by Dr. Fleming as new, under the name, Hierop- 
tera Aberdonensis, on account of the pectoral fins being 
detached from the head. (It is a monstrosity.) 
