Miscellaneous. 73 



HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



Deg. Deg. Deg. 



China Aster 28"30 Marigold 3840 Lupin ...4044 



Antirrhinum 2830 Rose Willow ... 3035 Phlox ... 40'48 



Ten-week Stock 35-33 Zinnia 23"25 Poppy ...2025 



Xeranthemum lucidum 18-20 Fuchsia 60 Verbena . 35"38 



Solidago Virgaurea 30 Valerian 25 Columbine 25*28 



Clarkia elegans 36-40 Salvia (red) ... 35 Mallow . . . 36-38 



Queen of the Meadow 30-35 Pentstemon ... 38 Alonsoa... 38 - 40 



Wild Geranium 5064 



In the leaves of many trees the small veins come off at a wider angle 

 than the large veins. But it may be observed that in several trees, the 

 small branches come off at a wider angle than the large branches, as 

 in the oak for instance. What woodmen in this part of the country 

 call spray, seems in the tree to correspond to the small veins in the 

 leaf. 



4. "On Fossil Woods from Antigua and Australia." by Mr. R. 

 Bryson. The author made some remarks on the process of silicifi- 

 cation, and pointed out the difference of appearance presented by the 

 woods. Some were completely opalized and hard throughout ; others 

 had portions either external or internal which were less completely 

 silicified, and in a friable state. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Notice of the Occurrence of the Black Tern, Sterna nigra, Linn., near 

 Coldstream. By John Alexander Smith, M.D.* 



The specimen of the black tern, Sterna nigra, Linn., which I now 

 exhibit to the Society was killed in the beginning of July last, near 

 Wark boat-house on the river Tweed, about two miles or so above 

 the town of Coldstream ; the person who shot it informed me that 

 it was flying in company with several other birds apparently of the 

 same kind, but the bird itself was quite unknown to him. It is 

 easily distinguished from the other terns by the dark character of its 

 plumage, and its tail being only slightly forked ; some naturalists 

 indeed, from this last character, and other slighter peculiarities, are 

 inclined to separate it into a distinct genus. In this individual the 

 bill, head and neck are black ; the upper parts of the body and tail 

 of a dingy bluish gray, very slightly tinged with brown ; outer web 

 of first quill nearly black, rest of quills grayish black, their shafts like 

 those of the tail-feathers white ; throat, breast, sides and abdomen of a 

 grayish black ; lower wing-coverts white, with a slight brownish tinge ; 

 vent and lower tail-coverts white ; legs and feet dark reddish brown, 

 and feet less webbed than other terns. The bird is about 9£ niches in 

 length, and the length of wing from carpal joint to extremity of first 

 primary is about 8£ inches. The male and female are said to be alike 

 in their plumage ; and the young have the forehead, cheeks, throat 

 and whole of the under surface pure white, and the colours of the 



* Read to the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh, Dec. 3, 1851. 



