On the Composition of a Pseudo-Steatite. 445 



those parts which were considered worthy of more critical 

 examination. 



" Three years since, in the month of May, a somewhat 

 larger specimen than this was caught near Inchkeith, and 

 is now preserved in the Natural History Museum, Uni- 

 versity." 



In continuation of previous observations made during the 

 course of the last three or four years, reported annually to 

 the Society by this Committee, the Convener examined con- 

 tinuously the herrings and sprats brought to market during 

 the whole fishing season, and the result has shown that, 

 from the end of June to the end of September, and from 

 the beginning of December to the beginning of March, her- 

 rings were taken having spawn in all stages of development, 

 and the proportion of herring fry found among the sprats 

 was even smaller than on previous occasions, — so far as ob- 

 served, certainly not five per cent, on an average, — thus sup- 

 porting the deductions drawn in previous Eeports of this 

 Committee. The Pilchard, or Gipsey herring, appeared 

 along with the true herring occasionally or for short periods 

 during the winter, and about the month of February large 

 numbers of the sea bream were taken in the Firth. 



A vote of thanks was given to the Committee. 



VIII. On the Composition of a Pseado- Steatite. By Murray Thomson, 

 M.D., F.C.S., Lecturer on Chemistry, Edinburgh, and Mr Mord 

 Binney, Student in Dr Thomson's Laboratory. 



The mineral which is the subject of this short notice I 

 have ventured on denominating a Pseudo-Steatite ; it was 

 found by John Gellatly, Esq., late of the Chemical Works 

 at Bathgate, forming a joint between the masses of a kind of 

 serpentine ; which latter rock is esteemed of some value for 

 the construction of certain parts of bakers' ovens, and for 

 which purpose it is quarried close to the village of Blackburn, 

 Linlithgowshire. 



Mr Gellatly, while making a visit to this quarry, picked up 

 some pieces of the mineral, and sent them to my pupil, Mr 

 Mord Binney, simply with the view of furnishing material to 

 him for analytical practice, and not at first under any impres- 



