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THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



of the capture by a friend of a sound-producing lepidopteron in the Gerakhpur 

 Woods, India. Mr. T. D. Cockerall contributed a paper on "Variation/* 

 which was illustrated by a number of specimens of British Mollusca. — 

 H. W. Barker, Hon. Sec. 



CLYDESDALE NATURALISTS' SOCIETY. 

 The usual monthly meeting of this society was held on Wedneday evening,- 

 20th April, at 207, Bath Street, Mr. T. J. Henderson, President, in the chair. 

 The following gentlemen were admitted as members : — (Honorary member) 

 Mr. Nathaniel Dunlop, 76, Great Clyde Street; (corresponding member) 

 Rev. A. B. Watson, Kurrachee, India; (ordinary members) Messrs. John 

 Young, E.G.S., Hunterian Museum, University; Chris. Meadows arid Robt. 

 Meadows, 256, West George Street; and D. C. Glen, F.G.S., 14, Annfield 

 Terrace. Mr. Robert Mason, E.L.S., exhibited a fine collection of plants 

 from Norway, and for comparison showed specimens of the same species 

 found in Scotland and other countries. He made some very interesting 

 observations bearing on the similarity of the flora of Scotland and Norway, 

 which is looked upon as an argument in favour of the theory that the two 

 countries were at one time part of one Continent. Among other noteworthy 

 specimens he showed Comus suecica, Trientalis europcea, Linncea borealis, 

 Andromeda polifolici, and a great many others. Mr. J. M. Campbell ex- 

 hibited legumes, or seed-pods of the sword bean, of a very large size, from 

 Burmah ; also living specimens of the garter snake \T. ordinatus), from 

 Canada, regarding which he made some explanatory remarks. He also showed 

 a very curious series of nests, ten in all, of the spotted fly-catcher, Muscicapa 

 grisola, Linn, from Kirkcudbrightshire. The nests had been all built by one 

 pair of birds, on a small shelf at the back of a rustic seat or arbour at Cally- 

 house, each nest being in itself complete, and all connected to each other, 

 covering the complete length of the shelf. Five eggs were laid, one in No. 

 5 nest, one in No. 6, and three in No. 1, all of which were put together in 

 one nest, and in due time safely hatched. The incident is considered by 

 ornithologists to be a remarkable one, and they can offer no decisive expla- 

 nation of the phenomenon, no similar instance of the kind being on record. 

 This nest is now in Kelvingrove Museum. Mr. C. B. Cross and Mr. A. 

 A. Dalglish exhibited interesting boxes of lepidoptera, containing, among 

 others, several species of local lepidoptera taken during the present month. 

 Mr. Robt. J. Bennett read a highly interesting paper on " The A B C of Bee- 

 keeping as a hobby or for profit." In illustration of the subject the essayest 

 showed large coloured diagrams, and several of the more interesting articles 

 connected with bee-keeping. The paper will be published in the Young 

 Naturalist next month. — John Mackay, Hon. Sec. 



