374 Reports and Proceedings. 
Assembly-street Club Rooms,—Dr. Gilchrist, Vice-President, in the 
chair. ‘There wasa‘very numerous attendance of Members. Several 
new Members having been admitted, and other preliminary business 
transacted, Mr. W. M‘Diarmid read an account of the Lady Devor- 
gilla, the mother of John Balliol, King of Scotland, founder of 
Sweetheart Abbey, and builder of the Old Bridge over the Nith at 
Dumfries. 
The Secretary then read a paper, contributed by Dr. Crisp, ‘On 
the Anatomy and Habits of the Spoonbill (Platalea Leucorodia.y 
Dr. Gilchrist then read a short paper in continuation of his re- 
searches on the ancient sea-beaches of the Nith valley. His atten- 
tion had been confined to the terrace which was seen commencing on 
the left bank of the Nith, immediately below the caul at Dumfries. 
The corresponding terrace on the other side was that which formed 
St. Michael’s Street. He was of opinion that these terraces were of 
marine origin, as he had certain information that marine shells had 
been discovered in the soil near the brickworks at the shooting range. 
He was still in the midst of his researches, and would communicate 
the results from time to time to the Society. Dr. Grierson also ex- 
hibited some interesting fossils from the Silurian rocks at Dunscore. 
In one there was a circular marking that reminded him of the mark- 
ings noticed in a paper which had recently been sent them from the 
Isle of Man. He had also been supplied by Mr. Corner, of Fraser- 
ford, with a specimen of Graptolite from the Silurian strata near 
Dunscore, which was the first time, he believed, that they had been 
found there, although they abounded in the valley of Moffat Water. 
A lengthened paper on the Fire-clay of Edinburgh, contributed by 
Mr. Marshall, was presented, but was only partially read, owing to 
the lateness of the hour. 
Dr. Grierson, Thornhill, exhibited a number of skeletons, &c.—also 
two specimens of muslin of very fine texture, made from the leaves 
of the Pine-apple, from the Island of Penang. 
The first Field-meeting was fixed for the Ist of June, when the 
Society is to visit the ancient camp at STDS Tan in Annandale.— 
Dumfries Herald. 
NortH STAFFORDSHIRE Fietp Nartoura.ists’ Sociery.— On 
Saturday, the 13th of May, the North Staffordshire Field Natural- 
ists’ Society commenced their summer rambles by an excursion to 
Biddulph and its vicinity. The Society has been recently established, 
and this was its first field-day. There was a muster of about forty 
Members from Stoke, by train to Gillow Heath, where it arrived 
about 1.30 p.m. A walk to the top of Cloud, a distance of about 
three miles, in order to examine its botany and geology, was a part 
of the day’s programme; but this project was abandoned in conse- 
quence of the lateness of the hour of arrival, and the company con- 
fined themselves to viewing the gardens at Biddulph Grange, which 
are of world-wide reputation, and likewise of examining the fine 
collection of fossils in the geological gallery. They afterwards 
proceeded to inspect the picturesque ruins of the castle, which is 
