PROCEEDINGS OF THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
45 
Seven monthly meetings were held, at which seven papers 
were read. Three excursions .were made. In addition to the 
monthly meetings, a course of lectures was arranged and carried 
out. 
THIRTEENTH YEAR (1879-80.) 
President—Sir Thomas Moncreiffe, Bart.; Secretary—Mr J. 
Young - ; Treasurer—Mr J. M‘Gregor. 
Five monthly meetings were held, at which eight papers were 
read. Pour excursions were arranged, but owing to inclement 
weather only two were carried out. 
In August, 1879, the Society had the great misfortune to lose 
by death its President, than whom no member had more at 
heart the true interests of the Society, or had done more—both 
by example and precept—to promote itsobjects. To him is due 
the elaboration of the Museum Scheme which has resulted in the 
noble building in which we are now assembled, and with which 
his memory will ever be associated. 
FOURTEENTH YEAR (1880-81.) 
President—Dr James Geikie, F.R.S.; Secretary—Mr J. Young; 
Treasurer-Mr J. M‘Gregor, 
Seven monthly meetings were held, at which eleven papers 
were read. Four excursions were made. 
FIFTEENTH YEAR (AS YET UNCOMPLETED.) 
President—Dr James Geikie, F.R.S.; Secretary—Mr J. Young; 
Treasurer—Mr J. M'Gregor. 
Only two meetings of this session have been held, at which 
three papers were read. Four excursions were made. During 
this year the first part of a volume of “ Proceedings ” of the 
Society was printed, and the year will be, moreover, ever 
memorable as that in which the Society entered into possession 
of its new building. 
From the statistics given above, it will be seen that, in the 
fourteen and one-half years of its existence, the Society has held 
(in addition to many Committee and other meetings), 114 
ordinary monthly meetings, at which 169 papers (including 15 
Presidential addresses), have been read. It has, moreover, given 
two very successful conversaziones; superintended various 
lectures; and for the instruction of its members in field work 
made 57 excursions, of which some record has been kept; as well 
as many other shorter excursions of which no mention is made 
in the minute-book. Amongst the latter were two series of 
open-air botanical demonstrations, which seem to have been 
much appreciated at the time. 
But the Society has not restricted itself to work of the kind 
just mentioned. It has during the past fourteen years brought 
out several publications, and taken in hand several others 
which are not yet completed. 
The first of its publications was the inaugural address 
delivered by the President at the first meeting, which was 
followed in little more than a year by a small volume of “ Pro¬ 
ceedings,” a continuation of which was, however, abandoned in 
favour of its quarterly journal,—the Scottish Naturalist,—the 
first number of which appeared in January, 1871. A few parti¬ 
culars regarding the progress of this magazine may prove 
interesting, Since its foundation a number has appeare 
regularly every three mouths, so that the forty-fourth has now 
been reached, making altogether five and a-half volumes, 
containing upwards of 2000 pages, and nearly 650 articles, which 
for the most part bear upon the Natural History of Scotland. 
After retaining the publication in its own hands till the end of 
1877, the Society made it over in 1878 to Messrs Blackwood & 
Sons, the conducting of it remaining, however, in charge of the 
Editor of our Society. That the Scottish Naturalist has far 
surpassed the most sanguine expectations of its founders need 
scarcely he said. It would hardly become me to launch forth in 
its praises, but, judging from the unsolicited offers to take it, in 
exchange for their own publications, made by a number of 
Societies, &c., in this country, on the Continent of Europe, and 
in North America, it seems not to be altogether unappreciated. 
But, like all magazines of a similar kind, its progress has not 
been one unattended with difficulty. Like them, the ranks both 
of its subscribers and contributors are not unlimited, and it may 
be that some day, from lack of one or the other, its career may 
be cut short. How many subscribers there may be to it in our 
Society I am unable to say, but I have little doubt but that there 
might be many more, and, considering its origin and the low 
price, may say that there ought to be many more. 
Another publication of the Society was the first part of a cata¬ 
logue of the animals of Perthshire, which, under the title of the 
“ Fauna Perthensis,” appeared in 1871, in the form of a catalogue 
raisonea of the Perthshire Lepidoptera. This met with a favour¬ 
able reception, and bas long been out of print. 
Passing- over several reprints of papers which first appeared iu 
the Scottish Naturalist, and were afterwards published by the 
Society, we come to the latest venture, “ The Proceedings of the 
Perthshire Society of Natural Science,” of which Yolume I.—Part 
I. is published to-day. I say “venture,” for it depends on its 
reception by the members if the publication of it is to be con¬ 
tinued. Apart from the papers which, after having- been com. 
munieated to the Society, have appeared in the Scottish 
Naturalist, no record of the meetings of the Society (with the 
exception of occasional Annual Reports) have been made in per¬ 
manent form, and it was thought that the members might like 
to preserve an account of the meetings and of the excursions, if 
such could be provided for them at no great expense. Should a 
sufficieut number of members purchase copies of the part now 
published, your Council will he encouraged to continue it in 
future years; hut unless such is the case, it must he abandoned, 
as the possession of then’ new buildings will bring with it an 
increased annual expenditure to the Society. It might be 
worthy of consideration whether it is not desirable that a very 
few pence should he added to the annual subscription, and a 
copy of the “ Proceedings” sent to each member as a matter of 
course. 
Having now sketched the history of the Society from its foun¬ 
dation up to the present time, we may advantageously devote a 
few minutes to a consideration of the lessons to be derived from 
our experience of the past, and allude to a few points in which 
improvement seems to he needed. 
Of these the most important is that relating- to “papers” and 
