Transactions. 35 
4th April, 1884. 
Dr Gitcarist, President, in the Chair. Forty 
members present. 
New Members.—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 Maximilian. 
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 fishes 
and sea urchins. Dr Grierson, Thornhill, brought for exhibition 
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. Orchardton Tower. By Mr J. Mattuewson. 
A short paper on this subject was read by Mr Barbour, in the 
absence of the author. Various measurements were given, and 
details of the structure ; but as Mr Matthewson purposes describ- 
ing it more fully at a future meeting, these particulars need not 
be given here. 
II. Surnames. 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. 
