lvi PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
zerland and Italy. That the time occupied by these wanderings was 
not entirely spent in sight-seeing we have abundant evidence in the 
memoirs published after his return to this country. Amongst these 
may be mentioned a paper on “The Botany of the Jardin of Mont 
Blanc,” published in the Transactions of the Edinburgh Botanical 
Society in 1868.* This evidently marks the beginning of his love for 
Alpine plants, which afterwards led him to form the magnificent Rock 
Garden at Annat Lodge, where, on many a summer evening, he would 
spend delightful hours with botanical friends, pointing out tiny floral 
treasures which had come from snowy heights in all parts of the 
world. The results of his observations with regard to Lepidoptera 
in Italy and Switzerland were communicated to the Entomo¬ 
logist's Monthly Magazine for 1867-68.! 
In the beginning of 1867 he returned to Scotland and went to 
reside at Kinloch-Rannoch, where he remained for more than six 
months. This appears to have been his first introduction to a 
locality which was already famous for its entomological rarities, and 
which he made more famous still by his discoveries. He returned 
to the same spot again in 1875 for other six months, besides paying 
occasional visits to it of shorter duration at other times. 
We have now arrived at the period when he commenced what we 
may regard as his chief life-work, namely, the founding and guiding 
of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science, whose twenty-eighth 
anniversary we are to-night met to celebrate. From this point, 
therefore, I shall trace the story of his connection with our Society, 
and of what he did for it, and shall afterwards notice some of his 
more general scientific work. 
On 28th February, 1867, fourteen gentlemen met in the back 
room of King James the Sixth’s Golf Club, in Charlotte Street, and 
agreed to form a Society “for the practical study of Natural Science 
in Perth.” At this meeting the present title of the Society was 
chosen, laws and regulations were drawn up, office-bearers were 
elected, and those present duly enrolled themselves as the original 
members of the Society. Mr. Stewart informs me that the first actual 
suggestion to form such a society came from the late Mr. John 
Dawson, the suggestion being made half in jest to some friends in 
the club-house. It is evident, however, from the fact of Dr. White 
being chosen as the first President, that he must have taken up the 
matter warmly from the very commencement. As the names of the 
fourteen original members have not yet appeared in our printed 
Proceedings, I think it is right that I should mention them here. 
They are as follows :— 
F. Buchanan White, M.D. 
Andrew Buist, M.D. 
George Stewart, V.S. 
J. A. Harker. 
John Dawson. 
John Stewart. 
John Bruce. 
Hugh Thomson. 
D. Brown. 
T. Brady. 
John Drummond 
Wm. Herd. 
Jas. M‘Farlane. 
James Trotter. 
Of these, four still survive—namely, Dr. Buist, Mr. Stewart, Mr. 
Brady, and Mr. Herd. 
* Vol. IX., p. 140. 
+ Vol. IV., p. 57 - 
