226 Reports and Proceedings. 
to the Council to permit the use of its rooms, museum, and books 
to such Sections as may hereafter be formed, for the purpose of 
illustrating their Meetings; but that no book be removed from 
the building, and no specimen from its case, without special per- 
mission from the Council—The President called their attention 
more particularly to the extreme liberality with which the Council 
had acted in this matter. He could conceive nothing more likely 
to extend the practical study of Science in this town. He hoped 
sincerely that this movement which the Council had started would 
be followed out by the Members, and that they would see many 
Sections rising up in connection with the Society. He was fortu- 
nately in a position to say that the wish which had been expressed 
by the Council had been acted upon by a certain number of Members, 
and that they had already one Section in full operation. A short time 
azo afew gentlemen met, and formed themselves into a Geological 
Section, which now consisted of 24 members (including seven who 
are not Members of the Society). To that Geological Section he 
wished particularly to call their attention, because it exemplified the 
principles for which their Council had contended. A mere nominal 
sum of half-a-crown and five shillings would be charged to Members 
and Non-members respectively. The Society would open its rooms 
to all who were anxious to embrace the study of any Science. The 
President then called upon C. C. Biaxe, Esq., F.G.S., Secretary to 
the Anthropological Society of London, to read his paper On the 
Lowest Races of Mankind.—Hull Times. 
DUMFRIESSHIRE AND GALLOWAY NaturaL History AND ANTI- 
QUARIAN Society.—This Society, which is now in its third year, 
has made rapid progress. ‘The number of Members is now nearly 
two hundred, including a great part of those residing in the South 
of Scotland who have a Scientific or Literary taste. Meetings are 
held during the winter on the first Tuesday of each month, in 
Dumfries ; and during the summer there are Monthly Excursions. 
I. At the Fourth Meeting of this Session, Sir W. Jardine, Bart., in 
the chair, the Chairman first made a very interesting communication 
on the finding of that rare British Bird, the Roller (Cracius gar- 
rula) near Dumfries. Sir William also exhibited a number of 
specimens of Birds allied to the Roller from various parts of the 
world.—Dr. Gitcurist then read a detailed account of the geo- 
logical observations made during the Excursions of the Society 
last summer.—Dr. Grierson then gave an account of the genus 
Arvicola, or Vole, exhibiting a series of specimens of strange 
varieties ; and he described the ravages that had been committed 
on the plantations in the Drumlanrig Estate by two species, A. 
agrestis and A. pratensis. Dy. Grierson also exhibited a strange 
abnormal formation of a pig’sfoot, which led to a lengthened dis- 
cussion.—A number of Donations to the Library of the Society were 
laid upon the table. 
II. March 7th; Sir W. Jardine, Bart., in the chair. At this 
(Fifth) Meeting of the Society, after Donations had been presented, 
