150 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



part of the dorsal fin, which were now faded. This species was distin- 

 guished by the soft rays of the dorsal fin, measuring twice the length of 

 the twenty (first) spinous ones. The Society had been indebted at various 

 times to Captain Orde for the exhibition of specimens of interest. The 

 ballan wrasse was a rare fish in our Firth, and was found generally on 

 rocky coasts. Dr Smith had seen some large ones last autumn, caught at 

 the rocks beside the Lizard Light in Cornwall. 



VI. Dr John Alex. Smith exhibited a specimen of a female Gadwall 

 duck, Querquedula strepera, one of our very rare winter visitors. It was 

 shot near Cromarty in the end of January, and was sent to Dr Smith by 

 Mr Muirhead, Queen Street. 



Dr Smith referred to the great abundance in this neighbourhood of the 

 Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla, and of the Siskin, F. spinus, during 

 the severe weather of the winter ; and also to the multitudes of wood 

 pigeons, Columba palumbus, which, from stress of weather and starvation, 

 had been driven from the more operi. and wooded districts to the neigh- 

 bourhood of our gardens and towns, and had eaten up, with the exception 

 of the leek, all kinds of garden produce. 



The thanks of the Society were given to the Rev. Mr B ill and Captain 

 Orde for their communications and exhibitions of specimens. 



Wednesday, March 28, 1860. — Alexander Bryson, Esq., President, 

 in the chair. 



William S. Young, Esq., Fillieside House, was elected a member of 

 the Society. 



The following donations to the library were laid on the table, and 

 thanks voted to the donors : — ■ 



The Canadian Journal of Industry, Science, and Art, New Series, No. 

 20, January 1860. Toronto. — By the Canadian Institute. Proceedings 

 of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1858. — From the 

 Academy. The Rocks of Kansas (with description of Permian Fossils). 

 By G. C. Swallow and F. Harvie, St Louis, U.S., 1858. Descriptions of 

 New Fossils from the Coal Measures of Missouri and Kansas. By B. F. 

 Shumard and G. C. Swallow, St Louis, U.S., 1858.— From G. C. 

 Swallow, Esq. 



Proposed Subscription for a Monument or Memorial to 

 the late Professor Fleming. 



The Secretary, Dr John Alex. Smith, laid on the table a 

 communication in reference to a proposed subscription for 

 the purpose of erecting a monument to the memory of the 

 late Professor Fleming, one of the fathers of Scottish Natural 

 History, and one of the most zealous promoters and distin- 

 guished presidents of this Society. Dr Smith said he would 



