396 Proceedings of the Wemerian Society. 



alogous living species are considerably modified. As we do not 

 find in the fishes of the first great period, differences correspond- 

 ing to those which we observe at the present day between fresh 

 water and salt water fishes, it appears to me that it is going be- 

 yond the facts we possess to admit in the oolitic series and lower 

 down, the existence of distinct fresh water and marine forma- 

 tions. I think rather that the waters of these remote periods, 

 circumscribed in basins less completely shut in, did not then pre- 

 sent the marked distinctions which we remark at the present time."" 



At the same meeting of the Society an extract was read of a 

 report by the lighthouse keeper at Lismore, of a small flock of 

 brent geese having been attracted by the light in a dark and 

 stormy night, and killed by tlie violence with which they struck 

 the building. One of the birds happening to strike a pane of 

 the light-room, formed of plate-glass a quarter of an inch thick, 

 passed through it like a shot, with such amazing force, that 

 pimples were raised on the polished metallic reflectors by the par- 

 ticles of the shivered glass. 



A model of the head of the Dodo, which is preserved in the 

 Tradescant collection at Oxford, presented to the College Mu- 

 seum by Mr Duncan of Oxford, was exhibited at this meeting, 

 and an account was given by Professor Jameson of what is 

 known respecting that bird, described by Clusius in 1598 as in- 

 habiting the Mauritius, but which appears to be now extinct. 



Feb. 21. Sir Patrick Walker, V. P. in the chair. — Mr 

 Macgillivray read Remarks on varieties of the Fox observed 

 in Scotland. The author distinguished four races or varieties : 

 1st, The Hound Fox, tall, slender in the limbs, with a very at- 

 tenuated muzzle, a bright reddish-yellow fur, the lower parts of 

 the body greyish-white, the tail yellowish-grey, with long black 

 hairs scattered towards its extremity, and about three inches of 

 the tip white. S. The Cur Fox, similar to the Hound Fox, 

 but smaller, with the body deeper, the legs shorter, the tip of 

 the tail white. These two races seem to pass into each other, 

 and can scarcely be distinguished, excepting in the extremes. 

 3. The Dog Fox, compact in form, with comparatively short 

 limbs, the head rather broad, the muzzle pointed, the fur deep 

 red, the lower parts brownish-red, the tail yellowish-grey, dark- 



