Ill 



A copy of the ' Transactions of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club ' 

 was presented from Dr. George Johnstone. 

 The following communications were read : — 



1. Short notice of the Geographical Distribution of Species in 

 the Braemar District, by Professor Balfour. In this paper Dr. Bal- 

 four concluded his remarks on his Excursion to Braemar, &c, by 

 noticing the geographical distribution of the plants as regards soil and 

 altitude; and illustrated his observations by a series of specimens so 

 arranged as to exhibit, at one view, the plants found at various eleva- 

 tions from the level of the sea to the summit of Ben na Muich Dhui. 



The phanerogamous plants which attained the highest elevation 

 were Luzula arcuata and spicata, Juncus trifidus, Carex leporina, 

 vaginata, and rigida, Silene acaulis, Salix herbacea, Empetrum nigrum, 

 Festuca ovina, var. vivipara, Aira caespitosa, var. vivipara (alpine 

 form), and Azalea procumbens. 



In the districts visited, the greater number of rare species were as- 

 sociated with moist, crumbling, micaceous rocks, such as gneiss and 

 mica-slate, — the granitic rocks presenting large tracts of dry, stony, 

 unproductive soil. Some species seem to be confined to peculiar 

 rocks, — thus Lychnis alpina has been found only on serpentine; and 

 the rock on which Oxytropis campestris grows appears to be different 

 from those in the immediate vicinity. Luzula arcuata seems to pre- 

 fer granite. 



2. List of Algee found on the West Coast of Scotland, with remarks, 

 by the Rev. D. Landsborough. In this communication the author 

 enumerated the various species of Algae found on the coast of Ayrshire, 

 the Island of Arran, &c, and made remarks on their comparative 

 rarity. Among some of the more interesting species noticed were 

 Cystoseira ericoides, Asperococcus Turneri, Gloiosiphonia capillaris, 

 remarkable for the fine crimson hue which it assumes when exposed 

 to the air, Polysiphonia parasitica and formosa, Ceramium Deslong- 

 champsii, acanthonotum, echinatum, Griffithsia corallina, Oscillatoria 

 thermalis, Petalonema alatum, found by Professor Balfour on Goatfell, 

 in Arran, Batrachospermum moniliforme and alatum, &c. Beauti- 

 fully prepared specimens,^ from Mr. Landsborough's collection, were 

 shown by Dr. Fleming. 



3. Notes of DiatomaceaB found in the Stomachs of certain Mollusca, 

 by Dr. Dickie, King's College, Aberdeen. In this paper the author 

 enumerated fifteen Diatomaceae found in the stomachs of different 

 species of Ascidia, many of them having been found in a living state. 

 He also mentioned several species which had been found in the 



