PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE, clxiii 
of mouth structure. Mr. Wylie recently presented another lot of 
Diptera, which are at present in the hands of Mr. P. Grimshaw, 
Edinburgh, for identification. For this case also there have been 
prepared and printed a series of labels setting forth the characters of 
the groups:—Neuroptera (nerve wings), Hymenoptera (bees, etc.), 
Diptera (flies), Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera (butterflies and 
moths), Hemiptera (bugs). From such a formidable looking list, and 
bearing in mind our additions from time to time, you might imagine 
that our insect collections are nearly complete—this is, however, far 
from being the case; especially does this remark apply to the Dragon¬ 
flies, Beetles, and Flies. I would, therefore, invite members to keep 
a lookout for insects of these groups, specimens of which I should 
be glad to acknowledge, and would undertake to set any which might 
be sent to me. 
Perthshire Vertebrates .—In this division our wants are not so 
numerous, but occasionally we remove a “wanted-to-complete” label. 
Some time ago Mr. C. L. Wood of Freeland sent in a Tench taken 
from the back waters of the Earn. The Tench is a fresh-water fish 
of wide geographical distribution, extending over Europe and part of 
Asia Minor; in England it is comparatively common, but in Scotland 
the records are few. I should, therefore, be glad of information and 
additional records for the county. 
Perthshire Birds .—Of birds we received a Greylag Goose and 
Mute Swan from Captain Drummond Hay of Seggieden; the latter 
bird is for maceration. I hope members who have the opportunity 
of collecting birds will bear in mind that I shall be glad of typical 
specimens for skeletons in order to illustrate each group. We have a 
young Kestrel Hawk from Mr. Dow, of Clathybeg; a Pin-tailed Duck 
from Colonel Campbell; also, a curious Pied Woodcock from the 
Right Hon. the Earl of Mansfield, K.T., and this specimen is particu¬ 
larly well marked, the primary feathers of the wings being white. 
Bidex Museum .—Here things are more in shape than last year. 
The plants, excepting a collection from Copper Island, are much as 
they were previously. The Geological cases, too, are as they were, 
except that they have been overhauled and cleaned. A very important 
donation was received from Mr. Herbert Bolton, of Owen’s College 
Museum, namely a series of geological labels prepared by him and 
very suitable for our purpose. The Economic Section has received a 
good deal of attention this year. In my last report I made mention 
of our intentions with regard to it. Dr. Smith devoted part of his 
holidays to its arrangement, and also presented a number of his more 
typical specimens. The case is now all but complete, and the few 
remaining blanks will be filled as material comes to hand. I asked 
Dr. Smith to give me a short account for publication of the main 
features exhibited. His report is as follows :— 
“The case of Economic Fungi in the Perthshire Natural History 
Museum is intended, in the first instance, to exhibit typical examples 
of Fungi likely to be of economic importance in Perthshire or 
its neighbourhood. The greater number of the exhibits are fungi 
