PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
151 
Relieve, stands unrivalled), the colour soon began to fade. It has since been sent 
to a stuffer; the last account I heard, was that he was spoiling it.” 
Mr. Yarrell says of Lamprisguttatus ( Br. Fishes, Yol. I.,p. 173), “this fish 
is as beautiful as it is rare. At the date of the first edition of Pennant’s British 
Zoology , only about five examples were recorded as having been taken in different 
parts of the British Islands; four of them in the North and one at Brixham* 
Since that time three others have been obtained, one of which is now preserved 
at the British Museum.” According to Nilsson, the Opah has occurred in 
Scandinavia; Prof. Reinhardt states that three specimens have been captured 
in Denmark. From the testimony of an African prince, as stated in the Royal 
Society’s Transactions, it appears that this fish is common on the West coast of 
Africa; and it is also found figured in Chinese drawings, proving it to be a 
native of the Eastern seas (Yarr. Br. Fishes , p. 174). The above facts are 
sufficient evidence of the extensive geographical range which this splendid “ denizen 
of the waters” inhabits—rare and valuable as it is on the British shores. 
Believe me, very truly yours, 
Bewsey House, Warrington , Peter Rylands. 
Aug. 10, 1839. 
PROCEEDINGS OF NATURAL-PIISTORY SOCIETIES. 
CALEDONIAN GARDENER’S SOCIETY. 
The Caledonian Gardener’s Society of Edinburgh held their annual competition 
and dinner on the 16th of July, in the Calton Convening Rooms, which ivere 
splendidly and tastefully decorated for the occasion. The rooms were thrown 
open at twelve o’clock, and with the prize fruits on the tables, and an extensive 
collection of flowers and flowering shrubs, from the different nurseries, presented 
a scene not often equalled, to which Mackenzie’s excellent band gave an 
additional charm, by the performance of^many favourite airs, waltzes, &c. The 
rooms were kept open till four, and many hundreds of the fair citizens enjoyed 
in them a delightful promenade. There were upwards of eighteen competitors 
for the different fruits, &c., and the prizes were awarded as follows -For the best 
two bunches of black Hamburgh grapes,—First prize to Mr. James Goodall, 
gardener to the Marquis of Lothian, Newbattle Abbey; second prize to Mr. 
Thomas Inglis, gardener to W. R. Ramsey, Esq., of Barnton, who also gained 
the first prizes for peaches, nectarines, and strawberries. The second prize, for 
