150 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 
part of the dorsal fin, which were now faded. This species was distin- 
guished by the soft rajs 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 montifringillci, and of the Siskin, F. spinus, during 
the severe weather of the winter; and also to the multitudes of wood 
pigeons, Columba palumhus, which, from stress of weather and starvation, 
had been driven from the more open^ 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 .dl and Captain 
Orde for their communications and exhibitions of specimens. 
Wednesday, March 28, 18G0. — 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 
