98 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



PAPER READ. 



By Mr. James Allan, on "The Tendencies of Science." He 

 glanced at the growth of the Natural History Sciences particularly, 

 and traced their development from the simple observation of the 

 habits of animals and plants to the elaborate classification and 

 closer investigation of their reproduction and life history prevalent 

 in modern times. He advocated the desirability of carrying on 

 direct experiments such as those made by Mr. Darwin and Sir 

 John Lubbock, side by side with attentive observation of the 

 usual habits of animals and plants. 



13th April, 1875. 



Mr. Richard M'Kay, Vice-President, in the chair. 

 Mr. John Armstrong, 14 Kinning Street, was elected a resident 

 member. 



EXCURSION. 



Craigen Glen. — Mr. W. J. Milligan reported that at this excur- 

 sion many common fossils and several of those peculiar to this 

 locality had been found. They had yet to be arranged, and would 

 be exhibited at a future meeting. It was remarked that neither 

 in this district nor at the Loiip of Fintry, which had been recently 

 visited by several members of the Society, had any primroses been 

 found bitten through in the manner described by Mr. Darwin in 

 a recent number of Nature, and which he supposed had been 

 done by birds for the sake of the nectar of the flowers. Tt was 

 remarked in connection with the eagerness of some insects and 

 birds for nectar, that in some cases it has inebriating properties. 

 Moths get intoxicated by sipping it from the Sallow-blossoms, a 

 fact well-known to Lepidopterists. 



Some discussion followed the reading of an extract from the 

 Herald, in which it was asserted that the cuckoo was never heard 

 or seen in Scotland after the 25th of June at the latest. One 

 member said that in the previous year he had both seen and heard 

 this bird near Garelochhead early in July. 



PAPERS READ. 



By Mr. James Allan, " Some Notes on the Arrival of Migratory 



