25S 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
tance, but to those nearer home, many of whom coming, as we 
know they do, for information’s sake, and not for mere curiosity, 
we may hope do not go away disappointed. This X may say the 
more confidently, having received the most gratifying approval 
of the system in which the Museum (as on entirely local and edu¬ 
cational grounds) is being carried out from Professor Flower, of 
the British Museum, and Canon Tristram, most competent 
judges, both of whom made a most minute inspection of it; and 
I may in passing mention that Professor Flower was particularly 
pleased with the Index Collection and its arrangement. 
With regard to the Perthshire and Basin of theTay Collections, 
there have been various additions made in most of the depart¬ 
ments. 
In the Geological Section there is still a good deal to be done. 
Iu the Ornithological—more particularly under my charge—there 
have been several very rare and valuable additions made both to 
the birds and the nests and eggs. Thesel have lately brought under 
your notice, and therefore will not dwell on much now, further 
than to say that, since addressing you at the last meeting on this 
subject, I have had notice of another rarity recently shot on the 
Tay by a punt-gunner near Errol, which I have secured for the 
Society. This was Chenalopex Egyptiaca, the Egyptian Goose, a 
bird which only of late years has been admitted into the lists of 
British and Continental birds, and to which exception is even 
now occasionally made on the plea that the specimens, though 
killed at large, or apparently in a wild state, had probably 
escaped from waters in parks and pleasure grounds, where they 
had been bred and fostered. So many instances of their appear¬ 
ance have occurred, and in so maDy different localities, and more 
particularly in flocks of such numbers, —eighty having been seen 
together on one occasion in Hampshire, and many in different 
parts of Southern Europe,—that such men as Temminck and 
Gould have not hesitated in admitting it into their lists of European 
birds, and Yarrell includes it among the British ; and as several 
instances have occurred of its having been got on the Tay, as well 
as the Earn, in severe winters like the present, I think the 
Society may be congratulated on the possession of a Tay-shot 
specimen. 
With regard to the nests and eggs, a very large and valuable 
addition, as already reported, has been made through the inde¬ 
fatigable exertions of Mr J. Macdonald, keeper to Sir Hebert 
Menzies at Kannoch Lodge. I may here state that the Society 
is much indebted to Sir Kobert for the very great interest he 
has always taken in the increase of the Society’s collections, 
which he has so much promoted through the assistance of his 
gamekeepers both in Kannoch and Strathtay. 
In the Icthyological Department we have had some interesting 
additions, and I would particulai-ly mention two beautiful casts, 
the one of a salmon, the other a shad, both from the Tay—the 
latter opposite Seggieden, sent to me by Mr Geo. Pitcaithly. 
The casts are by Mr P. D. Malloch, High Street, Perth, who 
deserves much credit for tbe life-like and artistic execution of 
his work ; and were the Society enabled to obtain a collection of 
all the fish of the Tay basin in the same style it would be a most 
invaluable one. But I must state, that if the Society wish to 
carry out the original idea of obtaining and placing in their 
Museum a full collection of the fauna of the district, without 
which it cannot be said to be perfect in the educational light so 
much at heart, they must be prepared to make up their minds 
to building an addition, and that very shortly, as otherwise it 
will be of no use going on any more at present in the increase of 
our collections; for even as it is, in the very department we are 
speaking of, there are packages of fish for want of space un¬ 
opened. The same want of space dwells in the ornithological 
department as well, and the difficulty of displaying in any way 
effectively the eggs and nests recently received, when they come 
to be arranged, which they will have to be shortly, is a problem 
difficult to unravel. 
The present Museum room cannot contain more cabinets, and 
they are as full as they can possibly be; so that in many in¬ 
stances duplicates have continually to be taken out to make 
room for specimens not represented, thereby entirely (in respect 
to the birds) breaking that chain of locality, sex, and stage of 
plumage so desirable to have exemplified, and which was one of 
the great aims of the Society to attain. 
REPORT OF THE EDITOR. 
BY MR H. COATES. 
The only publication issued during the past year was the 
annual part of the “ Proceedings ” as usual. 
MONCREIFFE MEMORIAL MUSEUM FUND. 
REPORT BY DR F. BUCHANAN WHITE, TREASURER OF THE FUND. 
The Moncreiffe Memorial Museum Fund, the object ef which 
was to carry out the scheme repeatedly advocated by the late 
Sir Thomas Moncreiffe when President of the Society, and which 
was raised, after his lamented death, in commemoration of him, 
having been now all spent, I, a short time ago, placed the books 
and papers relating to it in the hands of a Committee of the 
Council, for the purpose of having them audited. As the 
auditors will lay a statement before you, it is unnecessary for 
me to enter into particulars. 
REPORT BY MR JAMES COATES, AUDITOR OF THE FUND. 
The income, which amounted to £35915s 8d, was detailed 
as follows Amount of subscriptions, £1495 13s lid ; 
donations received from Duncan’s Trust, £500 ; bazaar 
receipts, £1559 11s lid; amount of deficit subscribed by 
Messrs Pullar, Brown, and Coates, £35 19s lOd. The 
expenditure, which showed a sum of £3591 5s Sd, com¬ 
prised Buildings Account, £2040 14s 2d; furniture, 
cases, &c., £787 3s 4d; books and bookbinding, £205 3s 5d; 
specimens, carriage, &c., £205 10s 4d; printing, law, &c., 
£96 3s; bazaar charges, £244 5s 4d; sundry cash payments, 
£12 6s Id. 
On the motion of Mr A. Lumsden, tbe reports were 
I unanimously adopted. 
