238 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



CLYDESDALE NATURALISTS' SOCIETY. 



The third monthly meeting of the session was held on Wednesday evening, 

 16th November, at 102, Bath Street. Mr. Eobt. Mason, P.L.S., vice-presi- 

 dent, in the chair. Mr. Angus Sinclair, 207, Parliamentary Road, and Mr. 

 Millar Tompson, 1, Stanley Street, West, were elected ordinary members. 

 Mr. J. A. Harvie-Brown, F.Z.S., F.R.S.E., sent for exhibition a series of 

 albino specimens of the common guillemot (Uria troile), and of the puffin 

 (Fralercula urtica), showing a remarkable variety of plumage, regarding which 

 a short paper was read. Mr. George E. Paterson exhibited a fine specimen 

 of an albino mar vis (Turdus musicus), which was shot on Mr. Harvie-Brown's 

 estate at Quarter, Stirlingshire, in July, 1871. Mr. Paterson also exhibited 

 an egg and two nests of the shoveller duck (Anas clypeata), taken by him on 

 the 7th of June this year, on a loch in the district. In making some remarks 

 on the exhibit, he stated that at this locality two broods of this rare species 

 have been safely reared, and he also noted that the pochard duck had also 

 bred at the same place this season. Mr. James Lumsden, F.Z.S., exhibited 

 a specimen of the shoveller duck (Anas clypeata), from Loch Lomond, which 

 was shot on 23rd Eebruary 1887, by Mr. Robert How, gamekeeper to Sir 

 George H. Leith Buchanan, Bart., of Ross. The specimen was a male, show- 

 ing very clearly the change of plumage which takes place in this species 

 between autumn and winter. Mr. Lumsden made some remarks on the great 

 importance of giving in all notices of rare birds fall particulars, and, if possi- 

 ble, the name of the person who had taken the specimen. He also exhibited 

 the head of a rook [Corvus frugilegas), showing a curious malformation of the 

 bill. Mr. John M. Campbell exhibited live specimens of the Massasanga or 

 prairie rattlesnake (G. tergeminus) , ribbon or swift garter snake (T. saurita), 

 and of the American black snake or racer (Coluber alleghaniensisj, measuring 

 five feet in length, from the United States. Mr. Campbell read a short paper 

 giving a brief account of the peculiarities and habits of each species. Mr. 

 D. C. Glen, F.G.S., exhibited two large rattles which had been taken from a 

 specimen of the deadly American rattlesnake. Mr. Robert J. Bennett read 

 a most interesting paper, entitled "Apiarian Notes in Argyllshire for 1887/' 

 in which he gave a very minute account of his experiences in bee-keeping 

 during the past year, and he also drew an instructive comparison between the 

 progress made in apiarian matters in the United States, Canada, and this 

 country, from which it seems that our British bee-keepers are quite able to 

 hold their own. He expressed satisfaction at the decrease which had taken 

 place in imports of honey during the past year. Mr. A. H. Shepherd, 

 (corresponding member) contributed a paper on i( New Forest Collecting, 

 1887/' giving his entomological experiences at the famous locality during the 



