PROCEEDINGS 
OF THE 
PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
SESSION 18 8 25—3 Q. 
November 9tL, 1882. 
Colonel Drummond Hay, C.M.Z.S., in the Chair. 
New Members. 
The following were nominated as ordinary members:— 
Mr Alex. Menzies, Rector of Webster’s Seminaries, 
Kirriemuir; Mr William Cochrane Young, solicitor, 
Perth; Mr James Thomson, C.E., Edinburgh; Mr C. S. 
France, Balboughty; and Mr Athole Macgregor, East- 
wood, Dunkeld. On the recommendation of the Council, 
Dr James Croll, LL.D., F.R.S., of H.M. Geological 
Survey, a distinguished native of Perthshire, was pro¬ 
posed as an honorary member. 
DONATIONS. 
It was intimated that the following donations had been 
received :—Index Collection. Minerals from Dr White and 
Dr Buchanan White ; rock specimens, from Professor 
James Geikie and Dr Buchanan White ; drawings, from 
Mr Ellison; Venus’ flower-basket (a silicious sponge), from 
Mr J. Stuart, Cumbrae; various zoological specimens, from 
Dr Buchanan White, Messrs John Stewart, Jas. Stewart, 
Ellison, Gatherer, Keith, &c. Perthshire Collection. 
Birds’ nests and eggs, from Dr Buchanan White, and 
Messrs Herd and Ellison ; geological specimens, from 
Professor J. Geikie, Dr Buchanan White, and Messrs 
Crichton and J. Coates ; insects, from Dr Buchanan 
White, and Messrs J. Stewart, Ellison, and Herd (par¬ 
ticularly noticeable in this collection being a pair of 
Perthshire specimens of Deilephila galii from Mr John 
Stewart); shells, from Dr Buchanan White; plants, 
from Dr Buchanan White, and Messrs Coates and 
Herd ; two nightjars, from Mr MTntosh, Aberuchill; 
one do., from Mr James Keay, Murthly; one barn- 
swallow and one sparrow, from Dr Buchanan White; 
two merlin hawks, from Mr Alex. Stewart, Logie- 
almond ; two dunlins and one ringed plover, from Mr 
J. G. Millais, Murthly; one perch, from Mr Speedie, 
Perth ; one cuckoo and one sparrow-hawk, from Mr 
James Dow, Clathybeg; one common buzzard, from 
Sir Robert Menzies; one do., from Mr D. Watson, 
Castle Menzies ; and one hare, from Mr George Gray, 
Bowerswell. The following donations were made by Mr 
P. D. Malloch, bird-stuffer:—Two long-tailed ducks ; one 
black-throated diver ; two ptarmigan ; two knots ; two 
water-rails ; two red-throated divers ; and one puffin. 
Library. Annual Reports of the British Association for 
the Advancement of Science; Report of Smithsonian 
Institute for 1880 ; and pamphlets, from Mr Patrick 
Geddes and Mr W. J. Harrison. 
The Chairman exhibited, and presented as a donation 
to the Society, a specimen of haematite iron which was 
found upon the Binn Hill at Seggieden. He said that 
there had been a large quantity of these specimens found, 
and in consequence two or three years ago he asked Dr 
Geikie to come and look at the ground. He did come, 
and several places where he supposed there might be a 
vein of this hsematite were turned up, but he did not 
succeed in finding any. Id the ploughing of the fields 
specimens were frequently turned up, and there could be 
no doubt that there was a small vein somewhere in the 
locality. Dr Geikie was of opinion that there was about 
75 per cent, of pure iron in the specimen. 
The Chairman afterwards stated that Sir Robert Mon- 
creiffe had deposited in the Museum a quail which was 
shot by Sir Thomas about 25 years ago, and Mr T. G. 
Harry Moncreiffe had also lent a little auk. 
The following paper was read :— 
“ The Present Condition of the Museum By Dr 
F. Buchanan White, F.L.S. 
The object of every Museum was, or ought to be, educa- 
