GLASGOW SOCIETY OF FIELD NATURALISTS. 141 



In conclusion I will only mention that the spectroscope has also 

 been combined with the microscope, and that such a combination 

 is termed a Micro-spectroscope. 



7th December, 1875. 



Mr. Alex. Noble in the chair. 



Mr. John M'Glashan, 114 Candleriggs, and Mr. George Sturrock, 

 were elected members of the Society. 



specimens exhibited. 



By Mr. R. H. Paterson. — Specimens of various edible fungi 

 from Cadder Wilderness. Among them were fine specimens of 

 the " Chantarelle" of the French {Cantharellus ciharius); two of 

 the Milky Fungi {Lactarius piperatus and L. insulsus); the Hedge- 

 hog Mushroom {Hydnum repand%im) ; Clavaria fiava^ and C. ame- 

 thystina, — the latter rare in Scotland. He also exhibited three of 

 the British sponges from the Dornoch Frith, and a specimen of 

 Lycopodium squamatum. This plant grows in the arid deserts of 

 Central South America, and is possessed of remarkable hygro- 

 metric properties. In the dry season it curls up its leaves and 

 contracts its roots so as to form a ball, which lies on the surface of 

 the sand and is blown about from place to place. As soon how- 

 ever as it meets with wet ground, or on return of wet weather, it 

 sends its roots down into the sand and unfolds its leaves, thus 

 exchanging death for life. 



PAPER READ. 



By Mr. Thomas King. — On the " Classification of the Mam- 

 malia." Beginning with the highest order, Bimana, in which we 

 had man, he went over the lower orders, describing the distin- 

 guishing characteristics of each, making some important remarks 

 on the habits and distribution of the more important animals 

 included under each order. Next to the Bimana we have the 

 Quadrumana, which includes the monkeys of the Old and New 

 Worlds. Some of the monkeys of the Old World had no tail, and 

 none of them had a prehensile one ; whereas all those of the New 

 World had a long tail, generally prehensile. In the former we had 

 the Orang-outang and Blue-faced Baboon, and in the latter such 



