TRANSACTIONS. 141 
BAxtTeR BEQUEST. 
The following letter was sent by the Honorary Secretary to 
the Town Clerk in answer to his a ii dated 22nd Jan., 1889 :— 
Doumrrizs, 6th February, 1889. 
Joun Grierson, 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 he- 
queathed to the town of Dumfries by the late Mr 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 the 
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 months’ 
notice.” 
I am, 
Yours faithfully, 
Rogert Barzsour, Hon. Secy. 
Ist of March, 1889. 
Mr JAmEs Bargour, Architect, in the 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 the 
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 
