ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS 131 



above mentioned), on Aquatic Locomotion, affords two 

 instances, and the last to be given, of the curious adap- 

 tations of Nature. A colony of small animals appear to 

 establish for their use a sort of co-operative society boat, 

 the FennatulcB propelling the shell by a united oar-like 

 motion. Another, the Velellce, advance by the development 

 of a sail erected for the whole colony, the individual 

 members hanging below in the water. Although we are 

 familiar with combined action for a common purpose in 

 many creatures, as with bees and ants, and although 

 bidden to 



" Learn of the little nautilus to sail, 

 Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale," 



is there not something more in this case ? For this is 

 not an instance of a number of individuals doing each 

 his separate part, the labour culminating in the erection 

 of some mound or edifice, but a joint and simultaneous 

 movement of all hands, almost implying, as in navigation 

 by human beings, the presence of a boatswain (with or 

 without a whistle) to summon the crew, and a skipper 

 to give the course ! Without quoting further from the 

 compositions of lady scientists, I feel it a duty to at 

 least name our own distinguished member, Miss Russell 

 of Ashiesteil, whose contributions so largely enrich our 

 Transactions. In connection with anti(;juarian topics, the 

 Transactions of the Franco-Scottish Society for 1900 

 include a very interesting contribution by Mrs Sinclair, 

 entitled " Vocabulary of Scottish Words." The article is 

 intended to show the extent to which many old Scottish 

 words owe their origin to the French language, and it 

 concludes with a very full list of such words or expressions, 

 supported in every case by apt quotations. It may be 

 here incidentally mentioned that in the Transactions of 

 the same Society for the current year will be found a 

 notice of a paper on " The Roman Walls, entre L'Ecosse 



