of Edinlurgh, Session 1879-80. ix 



way in wliicli he had discharged the duties of assistant-secretary 

 for twenty-one years. The testimonial had been subscribed by a 

 large proportion of the members, and consisted of, besides a bracelet 

 for ]Mrs Sadler, a time-piece and a purse of sovereigns. 



Mr Dunn proposed that the thanks of the Society be recorded 

 to Dr AVilliam Craig for the great trouble he had taken iu this 

 matter. The motion was carried by acclamation. 



The following Communications were read : — 



I. On the British American Violacece. By Professor George 



Lawson, of Halifax, N.S. 



II. Exhihition and Description of Microscopic Slides of Fungus 



found on Fish, cdready hrought hcfore the notice of the 

 Society. By Mr Stirling, of the Anatomical Museum. 



A gift of twenty-one microscopic slides illustrative of the gi-owth 

 of the Saprolegnia ferax on salmon and other river fish, and held 

 by Mr Stirling of the Anatomical ]\Iuseum to be the cause of the 

 recent salmon epidemics, was presented by him to the Museum of 

 the Eoyal Botanic Garden. At the same time large jar specimens 

 of fish affected by this fungus in an unmistakable way, and 

 observable even by the naked eye, were exhibited. The various 

 specimens had been taken from the Tweed, from the Eden twelve 

 miles above Carlisle, and from Ightham Moat in Kent, in localities 

 thoroughly isolated from the sources of ordinary river pollution. 

 The further consideration of Mr Stirling's paper was deferred till the 

 May meeting. 



III. On the Pasturage of Wester Teviotclcde in Connection 

 tvith the " Loujying-ill " of Sheep. By Mr A. Brother- 

 STON, of Kelso. 



At the request of the local Farmers' Club the author made a 

 botanical examination of the pasturage of a number of sheep 

 farms in this high-lying district. On a spring visit he could not 

 trace any poisonous plants to which to attribute this disease. 

 On the other hand, when making another botanical inspection in 

 autumn, he found ergot very abundant. He detailed in the com- 



