216 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



descriptions of this species convey little notion of its beauty, I sub- 

 join the following notes made from living specimens. 



Adult male. — Length 17^ inches, of which the tail was 12. Head 

 and sides of neck pale reddish brown ; outer surface of fore-legs and 

 sides a deeper tint of the same hue ; medial portion of back light 

 green, brightest in front, where it runs up to a point ; posteriorly it 

 merges into a dusky hue. Upper part of tail and outer surface of 

 hind-legs dark brown. Throat, breast and under part of fore-legs 

 white ; belly and under surface of hind-legs pale blue ; under surface 

 of tail pale blue, medially white. On each shoulder two black spots. 

 The sides of the body and tail, and the front of the hind- legs and 

 feet, are studded with round spots of brilliant azure-blue. 



The female differs from the male only in inferior size. The young 

 has no green point on the back, but two rows of bright dots on each 

 side : the tail brilliant azure, metallic-green at the base. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



This Society held its last meeting for the session on Thursday the 

 13th of July, at the Royal Botanic Gardens. 



The Rev. Dr. Fleming, President, in the Chair. 



Donations to the Herbarium were announced from Dr. Philip W. 

 Maclagan, Canada ; Colonel Low, Penang ; and Chas. C. Babington, 

 Esq., Cambridge. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. " On the form of the Capsule and Seeds as affording a specific 

 character in Primula veris, Linn., P. vulgaris, Huds., and P. elatior, 

 Jacq." by the Rev. W. A. Leighton, B.A., Shrewsbury. (See p. 164 

 of the present number.) 



2. *' Algae Orientales : — Descriptions of new species belonging to 

 the genus Sargassum," by Dr. Greville (part 1).- (See p. 203 of the 

 present number.) 



3. " Notice of an Excursion to Lanark on 24th June 1848," by 

 Dr. Balfour. 



In this excursion Dr. Balfour was accompanied by upwards of 100 

 pupils. The party visited Cartland Crags, the Falls of Clyde, and 

 other interesting localities. Among the plants picked were Vicia 

 sylvatica, Neottia nidus avis, Melica nutans, Vicia Orobus, Jasione 

 montana^ Carex pendula, paniculata and intermedia, Aquilegia vulgaris, 

 Trollius europceus, Equisetum umhrosum, Asplenium viride, and Saxi- 

 fraga oppositifolia ; the two last-mentioned plants were found on the 

 rocks near the Falls at Corra Linn. 



4. '* Notes of an Excursion to Dunfermline with pupils, on July 8, 

 1848/* by Dr. Balfour. 



On this occasion the party visited Charleston, Limekilns, Dun- 

 fermline, the banks of the Black Devon, and Knock Hill. Among 

 the more interesting species gathered were Pyrola media and rotun- 

 difolia, Gymnadenia albida, Eleocharis multicaulis, Botrychium Lunaria, 

 Allosorus crispus, Lycopodium Selago, Trientalis europcea, Hieracium 



