INTRODUCTION, 
By JOHN ROY. 
The present Natural History Society of Aberdeen held its 
first reeular meeting on November 24,1863. There were two 
Natural History Societies in Aberdeen before this date. 
The first of these seems to have originated about 1845, 
and the following gentlemen are known to have been members 
of it:—Professors M‘Gillivray, Dickie, and Blackie, Revs. Dr. 
Longmuir, Jas. Farquharson, and Dr. Beverly ; Alex. Thomson, 
Esq. of Banchory ; Messrs. Cruickshank, Martin, Stables, and 
Ravenscroft. At its meetings the late Professor M‘Gillivray 
read a series of papers, which after his death were printed for 
private distribution by Prince Albert, under the title of “ The 
Natural History of Deeside”. No other documents relating 
to this Society are known to have been preserved. 
Sometime after it had ceased to exist, another Natural 
History Society was formed, which held its meetings in Long- 
acre. The following gentlemen are known to have been 
connected with it:—Dr. Alex. Stephen, Messrs. Jas. Taylor, 
Alex. Clark, Arthur Beverly, Geo. Milne, John Wilson, Wm. 
Ewen, Earnest Donald, and Black. Of these, Mr. Ewen 
is known to have studied Fungi, and Mr. Black, Lepidoptera. 
There are no documents relating to this Society known to be 
in existence. 
Since the present Society was formied, it has met regularly 
during the winter months, and the following papers have 
been communicated to it :— , 
Mr. (now Dr.) Alex. M‘Rae—‘“ The Objects and Advantages 
of the Study of the Natural Sciences”. 
Dr Sutherland (who went to 8. Africa, and is now dead)— 
“On Welwitschia mirabilis ”. 
Mr. (now Dr.) Forbes—* On the Anatomy and Reproduc- 
tion of the Dragon Fly ”. 
Mr. (now Dr.) King—‘“.On the Calabar Ordeal Bean ”. 
Professor Nicol—“On the Geology of Aberdeenshire”. 
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