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(UAL REP
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NATURALISTS’ SOCIETY.
eC LCCC
FOURTH
meonUAL REPORT,
BEING FOR THE YEAR
DUNDEE:
PRINTED AT THE ADVERTISER OFFICE, BANK STREET.
——
1878.
Honorary Preside wt.
Proressor H. A. NICHOLSON, M.D., D.Sc., F.R.S.E., &c.
President.
ALBERT GROTHE.
WVice-Drvesidents.
W. M. OGILVIE, F.S.A. Scor.
JAMES DURHAM, F.G.S.
Trenswurer.
ALLAN MATHEWSON, C.M.S.A. Scor., 21 Union STREE?.
Secretary.
JOHN THOMSON, Etmpanx, PertH Roap.
Gouncillors.
A. C. LAMB, F.S.A., Scot.
FRANK W. YOUNG, F.C.S.
JOHN W. JAFFRAY.
Curator.
JOHN HOOD.
INTRODUCTORY.
a presenting to the Members, for the first time in a printed
form, a short account of the work done by the Society, it was
thought desirable that something should be said of the origin of
the DUNDEE NATURALISTS’ SOCIETY, and of its progress to the
time when the Fourth Annual Report takes up the tale.
Attempts have been made at various times within the last
dozen years, by various individuals, to establish in Dundee a
Scientific Society; but, through lack of persevering energy on the
part of the promoters, the first efforts were not followed up, and
generally the schemes fell through. The shop of Mr Lowpoy,
Optician, a favourite resort of the scientifically inclined, was the
scene of many a talk on the matter. But nothing definite was
done until the advent on the scene in 1873 of Mr STEPHEN
CooKg, at that time Science Teacher in Dundee, now Professor
of Chemistry in the Glasgow Veterinary College. Mr Cooker
had long been desirous to see such a Society set agoing, and had
consulted with Mr Lownon as to the possibility of accomplishing
such an object. After sundry conversations between Mr Lowpon,
Mr W. M. Octryiz, Mr AtrreD GuTHRIE, and Mr Cooks, the
last-named gentleman undertook the work of bringing together
a number of those likely to interest themselves in the scheme,
and whose names had been supplied to him by the others. He
called on several, and wrote to others; and having obtained from
a few promises of support, he invited them to meet together on
Thursday evening, the 22d January 1874, in the premises of the
Young Men’s Christian Association, Constitution Road. At that
meeting it was unanimously resolved that a Naturalists’ Society
should be formed, to be called “Tue DunDEE NATURALISTS’
4
SocteTy”; and at an adjourned meeting, held in the same place
on the 5th of February, a set of Rules and Regulations were
agreed to, and a President and other Office-bearers were elected.
The first Office-bearers of the Society were :—
President,
W. M. OGILVIE.
Wice-Presidents,
DAVID BROWN, ALFRED GUTHRIE.
Secretary.
STEPHEN COOKE.
Trensurer,
JOHN THOMSON.
atlembers of Gowncil.
JAMES BREBNER, JOHN HOOD, W. B. SIMSON.
Shortly afterwards application was made to the Free Library
Committee for accommodation in the Albert Institute Buildings
for the Society's Meetings and proposed Museum. This appli-
cation was favourably received by the Committee, and at a
meeting held in June they generously granted to the Society for
these purposes the use of a large room on the upper floor, on
condition that the Museum, when sufficiently advanced, would
be open to the public.
At the end of the first financial year there were 42 members
on the roll.
During the Society’s second year, in addition to the usual
Meetings, four Lectures, free to the public, were given in the
Lecture Hall of the Albert Institute. They were as follows :-—
1875.
March 30. Rev. Wm. Knicut.
Niagara, and the River Scenery of Canada.
April 6. ALFRED GUTHRIE.
Wonders of Insect Life.
5)
April 13. Wm. M. Oaitvie,
Structure and Functions of the Leaf.
eee 20: Dr F. Bucuanan Wuire.
Mushrooms, Toadstools, and Fungus Shows,
These Lectures were all well attended; they served to bring the
Society and its aims more into public notice, and were largely
instrumental in increasing its membership.
In January 1876 the Society held its first Conversazione in
the Albert Institute, to which were invited a great many of the
inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood. It proved to be an
eminently successful affair, and was much lauded in the news-
papers. Like the lectures of the previous year, but in a very
much greater degree, did the Conversazione bring the Society
again into notice ; and again was there a very large accession to
the list of members.
Of course, during the first three years of the Society’s existence,
in addition to the facts mentioned above, the ordinary meetings
were held regularly every fortnight during the winter, at which
many excellent and valuable papers were read; and, during
summer, botanical and geological excursions were organized ; but
it is no part of the plan to go into the details of these. In
writing the above the intention has been simply to give a bare
outline of the Society’s birth and growth—something in the
nature of an introduction to the “ Fourth Annual Report,” which
is the first Report that has been printed for circulation among
the members.
The following shows the number of members on the roll at the
close of the several financial years :—
1874, - - - - - 42
1874-5, - - - - - 102
1875-6, - - - - - 232
6
OFFICE-BEARERS.
1874-5.
President, Wu. M. Ocitviz; Vice-Presidents, Davin Brown, ALFRED
GurTurie; Secretary, Wm. Morrison; Treasurer, JOHN DONALDSON ;
Councillors, James Brepner, Joun Hoop, W. B. Simson.
1:3 7-6,
President, ALFRED GUTHRIE; Vice-Presidents, ALBERT GROTHE, JOHN
Hoop; Secretary, Wm. Morrison; Treasurer, Jonny DoNna.pson ;
Councillors, Jas. DurHAm, ALLAN MarHewson, Jonn THomson.
1876-7.
President, ALBERT GrotHE; Vice-Presidents, Jas. DurHam, JOHN
Doyapson ; Secretary, Wm. Morrison ; Treasurer, ALLAN MATHEWSON ;
Councillors, A. C. Lams, Joun Hoop, Jonny Tuomson.
Papers and Communications read at meetings during the first
three Sessions :—
First SEssion—1874.
W. M. Ocitvie, President—The objects of the Society ; ALFRED GUTHRIE
—Entomology; SterHen Cooxe-—The Action of some Ferments in Plants
and Animals; Ricwarp Rarrray—Diatomacee; Davin Brown—The
Study of Natural Science ; JamMES BREBNER—Alpine Flora.
SECOND SEssion—1874-5.
Joun Hoop—The Circulation of Protoplasm in Vegetable Cells; Wm.
Morrison—Natural History of the Auchmithie Coast and District ; ALFRED
GutTHRrie—Oollecting and Mounting Entomological Specimens; RicHarp
Rairrray— Collecting and Mounting Diatoms ; W. M. Ocitvis—Zoophytes ;
James Brespner—Ascent of Matterhorn ; Joun THomson—Methods of pro-
moting the Society’s usefulness; Frank W. Youne—Milk Analysis; Wm.
Morrison—Local Scientific Societies; Joun Hoop—Distinction between
Plants and Animals; James Durnam—Greology of the Bed of the Firth of
Tay; Joun Netson—Birds of the Firth of Tay.
7
TuHirRD SeEssion—1875-6.
Professor H. Atteyne Nicnotson—The Dawn of Life, with special
reference to the Laurentian Rocks and Eozodn Canadense ; ALFRED GUTHRIE
—Presidential Address, Introductory; Freprrick Smita—Life of the
Cretaceous Age; James Durnam—Physical Geology of Scotland; ALBERT
GrotHE—Physical Features and Natwral History of Java (two papers) ;
A. Grorue and Wm. Morrison—Diseussion: The Theory of Evolution ;
Joan Hoop—How to Construct and Maintain an Aquarium; Joun W.
Jarrray—Structure of the House Fly; Roserr SHEPHERD—Structure of
the Saw Fly; G. D. Macpoucatp—Detection of Adulterants in the more
common Articles of Food; Wm. Morrison—The Structural Basis of
Classification in Flowering Plants.
DUNDEE NATURALISTS’ SOCIETY.
THE FourtH ANNUAL MEETING was held in Lamb’s Hotel on
Thursday Evening, November 1, 1877—Mr Grorue, President,
in the chair.
After the transaction of some ordinary business, the Report and
Treasurer's Statement were read and adopted, and it was ordered
that they should be printed and ci1culated among the members.
The election of Officers and Council was then proceeded with,
and resulted as shown on another page.
The Secretaries of Sections read reports of their departments
to the meeting. These were adopted; and the proceedings then
closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.
oll PO: ya:
THE Council which you appointed on the 3d November last year,
in presenting the Fourth Annual Report of the Society, are glad
to be able to say at the outset that, viewed from whatever point
we may, the year just closed has been one of wonderful
prosperity.
Beginning the session with a membership, including all classes,
of 232, our growth during the year might be called extraordinary,
for at the close our books show the membership to be 401, the
increase being much greater than that of the previous year. Of
this number 253 are Ordinary Members, and 148 are Associates ;
93 Ordinary Members and 76 Associates having been added
during the year. Your Council feel highly gratified with this
result ; they believe that it is to some extent an indication that
the broad and enlightened policy pursued by them in the man-
agement of the Society’s aftairs has had the effect of making it
more widely known, and its influence more powerfully felt.
The property of the Society has also been considerably
increased during the year, chiefly by gifts of books and specimens
to the Library and Museum, for which the donors have received
the thanks of the Society. One notable and valuable gift was a
complete set of the British Museum Natural History Catalogue,
presented by the Trustees of the British Museum.
It might be thought that more should have been done towards
displaying in our cases those specimens which we possess. Your
Council had taken steps to have this done, when notice was
received from the Free Library Committee to quit our rooms
from 1st October until further notice, as it was required for an
Exhibition of Fine Arts. This put a stop to the plans for having
y
our Museum arranged. We trust, however, that when access to
our room is regained the work will be proceeded with ener-
getically. This notice to quit was accompanied by an intimation
that the Committee would do what they could to give us
accommodation for our meetings during the time we were shut
out of our own room; and it was subsequently arranged with the
Chief Librarian that we should get the use of the Lecture Hall
in the Albert Institute on Wednesday evenin gs.
During the winter session nine papers by members were read
at the ordinary meetings of the Society. They were as follows,
viz. :-—
1876.
10th Nov.—By James Durnam, on Kames, and Traces of Old Sea-
Levels, in the neighbourhood of
Newport.
24th Nov. ,, A. Gurure, My Aquarium, and the Life His-
tory of some of its Inhabitants,
8th Dec. », JoHN THomMson, The Spectroscope.
1877.
12th Jan. ,, Atperr Grorne, The Distribution of Heat on the
Larth’s Surface, in time past
and present.
26th Jan. ,, Wm. Rarrr, Structure and Habits of the Honey
Bee.
9th Feb. ,, Wma. Morrison, Circulation of the Blood.
23d Feb. ,, Joun Rosertson, Spirit Photography.
9th March. °,, THEODORE DeLprat, Sensation of Hearing.
6th April. ,, ALLAN MATHEWSON, Lhe Sands of Culbin: their His-
tory and Antiquities,
These papers were all of a popular character, were mostly
illustrated with diagrams, &c., and were generally well suited to
the kind of audience that is to be expected at a general meeting
of the Society. Your Council believe that it was in a large
degree owing to the attractiveness of the papers that they have
to record a gratifying increase in the average attendance at these
meetings. There is still room for improvement, however, and
they would be glad to see an interest taken in these meetings by
a greater number of the members. They would also like to see
more of them coming forward with papers. Hitherto this burden
10
has lain on the shoulders of a few; but, from the membership
we now have, we are entitled to expect that a greater number
will show their willingness to help in this department.
For the summer session an attractive programme of excursions
was made out. There were eight in all, extending over the
months of June, July, August, and September, as follows :—
2d June, . : - To Wormit Bay
16th ,, - : : »; Aberlemno.
30th ,, : : 3, Baldovan Woods.
18th and 19th J oa : », Clova.
4th August, . ; », Tent’s Muir.
Sth, 45, : : Dredging Expedition.
1st September, : F », Red Head.
15th A ; : ») Rescobie.
Two of these deserve special notice, as being of a more
ambitious character than any we have had hitherto, and cer-
tainly far more successful. One of them was a_ botanical
excursion to Clova, extending over two days, which proved to
be a very pleasant as well as profitable excursion to all who
joined in it. In connection with this, special mention must
be made of Colonel Drummond Hay of Seggieden, who
took part in it, and rendered valuable aid to our members.
The other excursion referred to was the Dredging Expedition,
which took place on the 18th of August; it was, perhaps, the
more important of the two, inasmuch as it made an opening in a
new field—one which your Council consider this Society ought to
follow up. Situated, as we are, on the seaboard, it ought to be
one of our chief branches of work as a Society to elucidate the
marine fauna and flora of the neighbouring coast. This parti-
cular excursion was admirably arranged, and its equipment was
very complete ; and had the weather proved more favourable on
the occasion, no doubt some very valuable results would have
been obtained. Notwithstanding the bad weather, however, some
very good specimens were secured ; and members were initiated
into the handling and proper working of the apparatus, so that
in future ae expeditions, with more favourable weather, we
may expect large results. Your Council ‘earnestly hope to see this
11
branch of work followed up by the-Society. For the facilities
enjoyed at this excursion the special thanks of the Society are
due, first, to Mr Grothe, for having granted for the day the use
of the steamer “ Excelsior” ; and next, to Dr M‘Intosh, of Murthly,
a very distinguished naturalist, for his valuable personal assistance,
and for the use of his dredges and other apparatus. Your Council
are of opinion that not the least valuable result of this expedition
was the bringing of the Society and Dr M‘Intosh together; and
it will be greatly for the interests of the Society to maintain and
develope this connection so agreeably begun, and to avail our-
selves as much as possible of the kind assistance which the
Doctor has expressed his willingness to afford at all times in his
power.
At all the other excursions the attendance was very small, and
it comes to be matter for consideration whether it would not be
an improvement to have fewer excursions during the season.
Your Council think it would be much better to have two or three
thoroughly well organized excursions, than to have a large
number where it is impossible to bestow the time necessary for
their proper organization.
During the winter a short course of popular Science Lectures,
by eminent scientists, arranged for by your previous Council, was
given in the Kinnaird Hall. They were as follows :—
1876. :
On 13th Nov.—By R. A. Procror, F.R.A.S., on
The Sun.
On 14th Dec.—By Prof. A. Gerxin, LL.D., F.R.S., &e., on
Geological History of Forfarshire.
1877.
On 22d Jan.—By W. Pence.ty, F.R.S., F.G.S., on
Kent’s Cavern Explorations.
On 20th Feb.—By Prof. H. A. Nicuotson, M.D., F.R.S.E., &., on
Geology and Evolution.
These Lectures were an experiment, and were offered to the
public at charges for admission of 2s., 1s., and 6d.—tickets for the
course being offered at a slight reduction, viz. :—6s. and 3s. 6d.
It cannot be reported that they have been altogether a success if
we judge from the attendance point of view. At the first
lecture the attendance might be considered fair; but instead of
12
improving at subsequent ones it grew smaller, until ultimately it
became very meagre indeed, and utterly unworthy a town like
Dundee. It was specially notable that the cheapest tickets were
hardly taken advantage of at all, showing that in the class for
which these cheap prices were intended a taste for science had
yet to be awakened. Though our success in this first experiment
may not be very encouraging, yet your Council look upon it as
one of the principal duties of our Society to do all in our power
to spread a knowledge of science. This must be done in a
popular way, and if we persevere there can be no doubt of our
ultimate success. Knowledge is always elevating, but a know-
ledge of natural science is especially so. If, then, we devote a
part of our energies to the diffusion of such knowledge, we not
only enlighten the minds, but we improve the morals, of those
whom it reaches. Carrying out to some extent these ideas, and
also with the view of making the Society more widely known,
your Council, soon after taking office, asked for and obtained
your sanction to a scheme for holding a Conversazione and
Exhibition. In January 1876 the Society’s first Conversazione was
held in the Albert Institute, the use of which was kindly granted
for the occasion by the Free Library Committee. In connection
with this there was one serious drawback, viz., the Society could
only get possession for a single afternoon, thus entailing an
enormous labour on those who had the preparations in charge—
these preparations having all to be made and completed within a
very few hours. Your Council, therefore, having these incon-
veniences in mind, determined this time to remedy them as far
as possible; and, with the view of allowing time for more
elaborate arrangements than had been possible before, they
engaged the Kinnaird Hall for a whole week in January. This
was done with the intention of getting together as good a
Scientific Exhibition as possible, so that, after the Members’
Conversazione was over, the Exhibition could be thrown open to
the public during the remainder of the week, at a small charge.
A full report of this has already been laid before the Society, and
it is therefore unnecessary to say much here. Your Council
would now simply express the opinion that it was a great success.
They believe that to it alone we are indebted for a large share
13
of the increase in membership; and, in support of this, they would
simply point to the fact that at the first ordinary meeting of the
Society which was held after the Exhibition there were brought
forward no fewer than twenty-six candidates for membership.
At the very commencement of the session it was resolved to
form Sections, “in order,’ in the words of the resolution, “to
secure a more exhaustive and systematic treatment of the various
branches of Natural Science.” About the same time it was
resolved to add to the catalogue of the Society’s studies Physics
and Chemistry, and also Anthropology. It was left to the
Council to carry out the details of the work which these resolu-
tions involved; but, owing to the large amount of other work
that had to be undertaken, it was not until the winter session
‘was well over that they were able to take up this matter. The
scheme they proposed was laid before a meeting of the Society
on the 20th April, and approved of. This scheme provided that
three Sections should be formed, viz. :—
Ist. Puysics and CHEMISTRY.
2d. GEOLOGY.
3d. BroLoay.
Steps were at once taken to have these Sections properly formed,
and on the 27th April they were actually in existence.
The main object in forming these Sections was to bring
together those members who possessed a somewhat advanced
knowledge of the various branches; to afford them opportunities
for intercommunication, which general meetings of the Society
are not calculated to give; and that they might co-operate and
help each other in the performance of real work. These Sections
must get time to become consolidated before they can be expected
to do much work of real value; but it is hoped that the session
now begun will see them set to work in earnest.
On the 20th April Mr Wm. Morrison, Secretary, resigned his
office. The resignation was considered at an adjourned meeting
held on 4th May, and was accepted; and it was unanimously
resolved to convey to him the thanks of the Society for his past
services.
14
At the same meeting the Council were empowered to appoint
another to the office, and, at a meeting which they held on the
15th May, Mr John Gases undertook to perform the duties at
their request.
In concluding, your Council would now tender you their thanks
for the honour you conferred upon them in electing them to office.
They have met 31 times during the year to transact the Socicty’s
business ; and they venture to believe that the Society’s interests
have not suffered in their hands. In all their dealings the
honour and interests of the Society were made their first care.
The Dundee Naturalists’ Society is now a recognised institu-
tion in the town. It has been acknowledged by the press as one
of the chief agencies engaged in the diffusion of scientific
education ; and it occupies a very high position in the estimation
of the more enlightened portion of the community. Your
Council leave it in a very healthy and vigorous condition; and
they feel assured that, if their successors pursue in the manage-
ment of its affairs a policy similar to that which has guided
them, by the end of another year the membership of the Society
and its power for good will be very largely increased.
JOHN THOMSON,
Secretary.
Ist Novemsper 1877.
TREASURER’S REPORT—1876-7.
avconre.
To Balance from last year, . ; ? é £60 15 5
», 233 Members’ Subscriptions, : 2 : 58 5: - 0
», 139 Associates’ do., ‘ : 73 16 6
», Proceeds of Conversazione and Belihition, ; 79 14 O
,, Proceeds of Public Lectures, ; : , Ab ONG
», Donation (from A. C. Lamb, Esq.), ; : a Ora@
», Interest on Bank Account, : : 1 is eae
Total, . ; RE ea |
Gxpenditure.
By Stationery, Printing, &c., F ‘ j £4 3 0
» Preparing Specimens for Museum, : ; a) “SN Eo
», Museum Cases, . : : : : 52). Oe60
,, Advertising, ‘ ‘ ; : : 23 13 6
,, Lecture Expenses, : ‘ 69 15 0
», Conversazione and Exhibition oe : : 145-25 9
», Attendance and Cleaning, 210 0
», Collector’s Commission, : ; : Oto in
», Sundries (Postages, &c.), . ; F : yeas) il
» Books for Library, : : : ; 318 0
», Balance in National Bank, F £2 4 It
= Do. Treasurer’s hands, ; 8 16 10
-— Li Ais
Total, . é ; £322 5 1
ALLAN MATHEWSON,
F Treasurer.
830th September 1877.
Locurr, 13th October 1877.—We have examined the foregoing
statement, with relative vouchers, and find the same correct.
W. M. OGILVIE,
ROBERT N. KERR, } ee
he
TRALISTS' SOCIET
} PIETH AND, SIXTH ©
“DUNDEE
D AT THE ADVERTISER OFFICE,
EeN D Hf
Peer listS SOCIETY.
PRET AND SiATH
ANNUAL REPORTS,
BEING FOR THE YEARS
1877-8 and 1878-9.
DURANT Brain.
PRINTED AT THE ADVERTISER OFFICE, BANK STREET,
| Ro By ha
FTH ANNUAL REPORT,
BEING FOR THE YEAR
PFFICE-BEARERS, 1878-9.
President.
W. M. OGILVIE, F.B.S. Epry.
Gice-Dresidvents,
ALFRED GUTHRIE.
W. B. IRVINE.
Grewsurer.
ALLAN MATHEWSON, C.M.S.A.
Secretary.
JOHN THOMSON, Exmpank, Pertw Roan.
Gouncillors.
FRANK W. YOUNG, F.C.S.
A. ©. LAMB, F.S.A.
JOHN NELSON.
Curator.
JOHN HOOD.
Pee Poe) RT:
Dunrine the past year the Society has accomplished a good deal of work
of one kind or another; and, in presenting the Fifth Annual Report,
your Council believe that it will be found to compare very favourably
with any previous one.
The first of the ordinary fortnightly meetings for the session was held
on the 10th October, in the Lecture Hall of the Albert Institute. It
will be remembered that at this time, and for some months after, the
Society’s room was required in connection with an Exhibition of Fine
Art, then being held in the Albert Institute; but the Free Library
Committee did their best to accommodate us, and by arrangement with
Mr Maclauchlan, the Chief Librarian, we got the use of the long room
on the ground floor of the building, usually styled the Lecture Room, on
Wednesday evenings. This room was, on trial, found very unsuitable,
chiefly because of the noises made in the adjoining cloak-room of the
Exhibition, and your Council were obliged to look about for some more
suitable place. Application was made to the Directors of the High
School for permission to use, for meeting purposes, the Mathematical
Class-room in the High School. The Directors, with the greatest
kindness, granted the request ; the only conditions attached being that
they should be relieved of all expense in connection with our occupancy.
Our removal to the High School was attended with most beneficial
results: both Speaker and hearer found the room a very comfortable
one, its general arrangement being admirably suited for lecture
purposes ; and it has been of great advantage to the Society throughout
the session to be able to meet in such an eminently suitable and central
place. Your Council desire to express in this place their warmest
thanks to the High School Directors for their kindness and liberality.
There has been this year a most gratifying increase in the average
attendance at the ordinary meetings. On no occasion could the
attendance be said to be small, while on several occasions the room was
quite filled. Your Council have been very pleased with this evidence
6
of increasing interest in these meetings, and they hope that the new
session will see no abatement of it, but rather a steady increase.
The following is a list of the lectures, &c., given at the ordinary
meetings :—
1877.
10th Oct. —TZhe Mixing of Colow's. Illus-
trated with experiments. By A. Grorue, Pres.
24th Oct. —Arrangement of Scotch Rocks.
Illustrated with Be a
and Specimens, - » JAMES Duruay, F.G.S.
7th Nov. —A few Hints on the Study of
Natural History by means of
the Microscope. With prac- :
tical Illustrations, - - ,, JoHn Hoon.
21st Nov. —Sculptured Stones of the District.
Illustrated with Photographs
and Diagrams, - - - ,, ALLAN MATHEWSON.
5th Dec. —Fernsof the District. Illustrated
with Specimens, - - - ,, JoHN DonaLpson,
19th Dec. —Gases and Liquids under different
temperatures and pressures. :
jabs Illustrated with Experiments, ,, G. D. MacpouGaLp,
23d Jan. —The Muckle Stane o’ Glenballoch.
Illustrated, - - - - ,, Rev. W. Herpmay, of Rattray.
13th Feb. —Heat and Radiation. LIlustrated
with Experiments, - - ,, Frank W. Youna, F.C.S.
27th Feb. —Mountainsand Mountain-making.
Illustrated with Diagrams, » Prof. H. A. NicHotson, M.D.,
D.Sc., &e
13th March.—Scotland during the Ice Age.
Illustrated with Diagrams, » JAMES GrrKIE, LL.D., F.R.S.
27th March.—Polarised Light, and its use in
the Microscope. Illustrated
with Experiments, - - , JOHN THomson.
10th April. —Alpine Plants of Forfarshire.
Illustrated with Specimens, ,, Epwarp Morr.
24th April. —Bog Mosses of Forfarshire.
Illustrated with Specimens, ,, W. M. Ocixvir, F.B.S.
—Some Lxperiments in Telephonic
Electricity, - - - - , FE. W. Youne, F.C.S.
Tt will be very difficult to surpass the above programme ; and there
can be little doubt that to its superiority over all previous ones a large
share of the better attendance at the meetings was due. The attractive-
ness of the subjects, and the popular way in which they were treated
and illustrated, could not fail in bringing out the members in large
7
numbers. The best thanks of the Society are due tu all those gentle-
men who have so kindly contributed to the instruction of their fellow-
members ; and we are especially indebted to Professor Nicholson, Dr
Geikie, and the Rev. Mr Herdman, for their lectures, entailing, as they
did, much trouble and personal inconvenience to the lecturers.
Stimulated by the success which attended the Exhibition in the
Kinnaird Hall in January last year, and having in mind the fact that it
had to be closed when at the very height of its popularity, your
Council, almost immediately on entering on their duties, determined to
repeat the experiment on a larger scale than before ; and, in order that
the whole Dundee public might have an opportunity of seeing it, to
keep it open a week longer than was done last year. Assisted by
several able members, your Council entered heartily on the work of
preparation, leaving no stone unturned to make the Exhibition as com-
plete and attractive as possible. The result of their labours was seen
by the members on Wednesday, the 31st of January this year, when
the Exhibition was opened by Provost Robertson at the Members’
Conversazione. Of the Conversazione it need only be said here that
it passed off with perfect smoothness, and il seemed to be the
unanimous opinion that it surpassed all those that had preceded it in
pleasant attractiveness. On the evening of Ist February the Exhibition
was opened to the public, and continued open nightly up to and includ-
ing Saturday the 9th February. During that time it was visited by
several thousands—many coming over and over again. As an Exhibition
it must be admitted an entire success. Nothing like it had ever been
seen in Dundee before. As a means of educating, its value must be put
very high, for visitors had there the opportunity of seeing, and hearing
explained by competent specialists, objects and phenomena, from which,
at ordinary times, they are quite shut out, thus having their ideas
enlarged and their minds stored with useful information. But it is
needless to dilate here on this head. Every member had the oppor-
tunity, and no doubt availed himself of it, of forming his own judgment
of the value of the Exhibition. Only one opinion has reached your
Council, and that is, that it was an entire success. Such a result, it
must be evident, could only be attained by a great deal of labour on
the part of those actively engaged in the preparations, and where so
many did well it might be invidious to mention any names. But there
is one name we cannot pass over without mention, namely, that of Mr
A.C. Lamb. This gentleman took a pre-eminent position among those
whose work it was to organise the Exhibition; he threw his whole
8
soul into the work, sparing neither time, trouble, nor expense to make
it successful; and to him is due a very large share of the credit of
bringing together such a splendid Exhibition.
Whether there shall be another Exhibition next year or no must be
left to your new Council to decide; but your retiring Council would
like to express the opinion that a year or two ought to elapse before
the experiment is repeated. The labour of organisation is enormous ;
there have already been two in successive years ; and it will be found
very difficult to introduce sufficient novelty into another so early as to
ensure success.
The Summer Excursion Programme was printed and circulated
among the members early in June, and contained a list of five excur-
sions, as follows :—
June 24 and 25, é a : To Clova.
July 18, , * : : Sea Dredging.
ena 1 : : ‘ , To Fotheringham.
Aug. 10, ; : : : », Kinkel Braes.
Sept. 7, : : : : », Tent’s Muir.
It has been remarked in previous Reports that there seemed to be a
want of interest in this branch of the Society’s work. No improvement
in this respect can be reported this year. Only one, in fact, could be
called really successful, namely, the Sea-Dredging one. From thirty to
forty joined in it ; and so successful did it prove, that a second one was
organised for the 21st of August, which was even more successful. At
these two excursions some valuable marine specimens were secured, a
number of which have been preserved and placed in the Society’s
Museum.
Our Museum has made rapid advance since the time (in February
last) when we were again permitted the use of our room. As stated in
our last year’s Report, we were for a time deprived of the use of our
room, because it was required in connection with an Exhibition of
Fine Art. This necessitated the removal of all our specimens, and the
entire suspension of the work of arrangement. Nothing whatever
could be done to our Museum until February, when everything had to
be re-arranged. Since then, however, very rapid progress has been
made by our Curator, Mr Hood, in putting the collection again in
order. Your Council feel that they have been exceedingly fortunate in
their choice of a Curator. Mr Hood may be found almost nightly in
the Museum, quietly and steadily at work. In some of the departments
he has had the advantage of assistance from members possessing special
9
knowledge ; and the result of the combined labours of the Curator and
those who have assisted him must be considered highly satisfactory.
Since the date of last Report the Society’s collection has very largely
increased. Some of the additions have had to be purchased, but the
far greater portion have been presented to the Society by various
members, to all of whom the best thanks of the Society are due. Your
Council would like to urge upon members the claims of the Museum
for a share of their attention and help. The desire is to make it
thoroughly local and educational in character : to contain, not a hetero-
geneous collection gathered from all parts of the earth, but rather a
number of representative specimens of the natural products of the
district. This is the aim your Council have had, and this they hope
may be the aim of their successors. In addition to the Society’s own
property there are exhibited in the Museum a fine Archeological collec-
tion, and a remarkably fine collection of British Lepidoptera, on loan
from members. Should we keep on accumulating property at the rate
we have been doing for some time, we shall very soon be in a position
to have the collection thrown open to the public.
In February Mr Grothe resigned the office of President of the Society.
This was intimated at the meeting held on 27th February, in the
following terms :—
“Your Council regret to inform you that our valued President, Mr Grothe,
has resigned his office. In making this intimation your Council wish to express
their high appreciation of Mr Grothe’s services since he was first elected a
member of their body, and the extreme regret they feel at having to accept his
resignation.”
Nothing need be added to this now, beyond an expression of belief
that in Mr Grothe’s retirement the Society has met with a loss that
will not be easily filled.
Jt is very pleasant again to have to record an increase in the number
of members since last Report. At the close of the Financial Year
1877-8 the Roll shows 460 members of all classes :—
292 of these are Ordinary Members ;
8 » are Hon. and Cor. do. ;
160 - ,, Associates.
The additions during the year have been—
74 Ordinary Memhers ;
3 Honorary % 3; and
37 Associates ;
—— making a total of
114 names added during the year.
10
To go against this, however, there has been a falling off of old
members to the extent of—
30 Ordinary Members ; and
25 Associates ;
55 in all.
This leaves a nett gain of—
47 Members ; and
12 Associates ;
— or a total of
59
In conclusion, your Council have now to thank you for the honour
you did them in electing them to office. They have met 23 times for
the purpose of transacting the business and carrying on the work of
the Society. They may not have been able to achieve great things,
but they did their best; and all they have undertaken has had an
honest and good purpose. They have, at all events, the satisfaction of
knowing that they leave the Society better and stronger than they
found it. j
JOHN THOMSON,
Hon. Secretary.
7th NovemBer 1878S.
Et
TREASURER’S REPORT—1877-
aco ne.
To Balance from last year,
, 264 Members’ Subscriptions,
”
”
)
134 Associates’ Subscriptions,
Members’ Subscriptions for 1876-7,
Subscriptions for Dredging Apparatus, .
Proceeds of Conversazione and Exhibition,
Donations,
Interest on Bank hecnint
Total,
Gxpendsitwre.
By Advertising,
Printing and Stationery, . :
Conversazione and Exhibition Reepenaes:
Dredying Apparatus,
Museum and Library,
Sundries (Postages, &c.),
Lecture Expenses,
Attendance and Cleaning,
High School Expenses,
Collector’s Commission, ‘ : ‘ ;
Cash in National Bank, . : : £19 3 10
Do. Treasurer’s hands, : ; 3 11 11
Total,
8.
Si 1g
66 0 O
TES
015 0
16) (0) al
159 4 2
2 2 6
0 10 11
£324 12 11
£20 12 3
22 11 6
202: 1 11
21 3 6
12 17 11
12 6 1
314 0
210 O
2 10
119 O
22 15 9
£324 12 11
ALLAN MATHEWSON,
Hon. Treasurer.
30th September 1878.
Donvberx, 28th October 1878.—We have examined the foregoing Statement,
with relative Vouchers, and find the same correct,
ROBERT NIMMO KERR,
JOHN NELSON,
Auditors.
SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT,
fhe oO estos
PFFICE-B EARERS, 1879-80.
president.
W. M. OGILVIE, F.B.S. Epr.
Wice-Presidvents.
Wm. B. IRVINE.
JAMES RORIE, M.D.
Trensurer,
ALLAN MATHEWSON, C.M.S.A., SEAGATE.
Secretaries.
JOHN THOMSON, Exmpank, PertH Roan.
ROBERT N. KERR, 19 Krvne Street.
Councillors.
FRANK W. YOUNG, F.C.S.
JOHN NELSON.
A. C, LAMB, F.S.A.
Curator.
JOHN HOOD,
eee ey in” Pe
Art the Annual Business Mecting held on 7th November last year
several alterations were made on the Rules of the Society. Only one
of these could be considered of any importance, namely, that one
which fixes the time at which the Annual Business Meeting shall be
held. Formerly this meeting was held in November; now, Rule X.
provides that it shall be held on the third Thursday in May. It is
expected that this alteration will allow of better and more systematic
attention being given to the conduct of the Society’s affairs by the
Council.
By the liberality of the High School Directors we have again during
the past winter been enabled to hold our regular meetings in the
Mathematical Class-room of the High School, and the Society is under
great obligations to the Directors for so kindly permitting the free use
of it.
The attendance at these meetings must have been a source of gratifi-
eation to all who take an active interest in the Society's work. On
more than one occasion during the past session the room, which holds
250, has been quite full, and at no time did the attendance fall below
50. This shows that our Society is in a very healthy state. It speaks
well for the members generally that they turn out as they do to these
meetings, and the regular and large attendances must be accounted
good evidence that the lectures were of a superior order. Thirteen
ordinary fortnightly meetings have been held during the Sessicn, at
which 16 papers or lectures have been given, all by members of the
Society. These were as follows :—
1878.
9th Oct. —WNotes on an ancient “ Kitchen
Midden” found at Stanner-
gate, - - - - - By James Dornan, F.G.S.
ss —WNotes on the Discovery of Stone
Cists and an Urn at Stanner-
gare. ~ sf - E - ,, ALLAN Maruewsoy, C.M.S.A,
Scot,
16
1878.
23d Oct. —WNotes on a few of the finds at
the Society's Dredging Excur-
sions, - - - - - ,, Wm. B. IRVINE.
6th Noy. —Some Experiments in Electricity
produced by Friction, - - ,, Frank W. Youn, F.C.S.
20th Nov. —Wotes on the Insessores, - - , R.N. Kerr.
4th Dec. —Polarisation of Light (Second
Lecture), - - : - ,, JoHN THomson.
18th Dec. —Fermentation and Putrefaction, ,, F. W. Youne.
s —The Pterygotus Anglicus, - ,, ALLAN MATHEWSON.
1879.
15th Jan. —Sculptured Stones of the District
(Second Lecture), - - ,, AtLAN MATHEWSON.
29th Jan. —WNotes on Orkney and Shetland, ,, Wm. B, IRVINE.
19th Feb. —Thoughts onthe Evolution Theory
of Creation, - - - - ,, The Rev. Joun ANDREW.
12th March.— What is a Volcano? - - ,, JAMES DURHAM.
3 —The Ancient Volcano and
Geology of Mull, - - - ,, W. Nets WALKER.
26th March.—On Entomological Clossification, ,, ALFRED GUTHRIE.
9th April. —The Mechanical Principle of
Work, - - - - - ,, RoBert CHALMERS, Jr.
23d April. — Notes on the Colymbide and
Alcade, : - - - ,, Joun NELSON.
A Conversazione was held in the Kinnaird Hall on the evening of
February 12th, at which a great many objects of scientific interest,
including most of the recent novelties in electrical and acoustical
science, were exhibited. The meeting proved a very successful and
enjoyable one; and no doubt a good deal of the success was due to the
fact that Professor W. C. Williamson honoured us on the occasion by
presiding.
Your Council are strongly imbued with the idea that one of the
chief functions of the Society should be an educational one; that,
by means of lectures or otherwise, it should give, not only to members
themselves, but to all outside the Society as well, opportunities of be-
coming acquainted with the beautiful truths of Natural Science.
Acting upon this idea, your Council determined to arrange with the
most eminent scientific teachers they could secure to give a short series
of popular lectures to the public; and on the 11th January they were
enabled to intimate to the members by circular that they had arranged
ww
17
for a course of lectures to be delivered in the Kinnaird Hall as
follows :—
1879.
On 13th Feb.—By Professor W. C. Wrixtamson, F.R.S., &c., Owen’s College,
Manchester, on The Age of Salt.
On 21st Feb.—By Professor ALLEYNE Nicuorson, M.D., D.Sce., F.R.S.E., &e., on
The Relations between Birds and Reptiles.
On 26th Feb.—JAmes Grrxiz, LL.D., F.R.S., &c., H.M. Geological Survey, on
The Antiquity of Man in Europe.
On 7th Mar.—W. B. Carpenter, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S., &c., London, on
Animal Life of the Deep Sea.
The prices of admission to the public were 2s., 1s., and 6d. for a
single lecture, with the option of buying a ticket for the course at 5s.,
2s. 6d., and 1s. Special privileges were given to members of the
Society. Knowing from former experience the apathy with which such
lectures were regarded by the public, it was expected from the beginning
that to meet the necessarily heavy expenses of these lectures the pro-
ceeds would require to be supplemented by a considerable sum from
our funds. The result, however, has proved far better than was antici-
pated, and is inreality, when everything is ccnsidered, very encouraging.
The attendance throughout was indeed very good, when compared with
a former venture, and it is to be hoped that in future the Society may
be looked to to provide a course of public popular Science lectures every
year.
Of course, as the Session just closed included only winter months,
there were no Excursions.
The property of the Society, in the shape of Museum specimens and
books, has been constantly accumulating, and we are much indebted to
various gentlemen, both outside and inside the Society, for valuable
donations. Among the additions to the library your Council would
draw attention to a work which will be found of great value to all
interested in Lotany, namely, “Sowerby’s English Botany,” a book
consisting of 11 volumes, and containing a life-sized coloured portrait
and description of every British plant. By its means Students will be
enabled to compare and name their finds when in doubt. <A consider-
able sum has this Session been expended on the preservation of speci-
mens for the Museum, and the purchase of cases and books; and the
collection, especially as regards local birds, is rapidly becoming a very
valuable one. The operations in this department, however, are again
thrown considerably backward. It is well known that another Fine
18
Art Exhibition is to be opened in the Albert Institute next month,
In preparation for this a good many alterations are being made on the
internal arrangements of the building, and these alterations have neces-
sitated the removal of our Museum from the room granted us by the
Free Library Board in 1874 to another, newly made, on the attic floor.
This removal is understood to be permanent. The arrangement,
though an advantage in so far as it does away with the necessity of
interfering with our collection during any subsequent Exhibition that
may be held in the building, and also in so far as the Society gets the
sole use of the room, yet there is connected with it the rather serious
disadvantage that the new room is much too small for even our present
requirements. At present our collection is in a condition of great dis-
order, and it will be a long while ere it can again be put in the same
orderly state in which our hard-working Curator and those other gentle-
men who assisted him had it before the removal. Our Society is now
a large one. Why should we not aim at getting premises of our own ?
The present time, when trade is so bad, is perhaps not the best to go
actively to work to secure that end, but it is an end which should be
kept in view; and so soon as trade improves, and men’s minds are
relieved from the anxieties which at present assail them, we should
work for its attainment. Housed in a home of our own, our Society
would have attractions and our members privileges which neither at
present possess; then would we be freed from many drawbacks which
affect us now, and only then could we regard our Society as permanently
established.
At the date of last Report the membership was 460 of all classes ; at
this date the Roll shows 458, or 2 less*. Owing to the depression in
trade, Societies of all kinds in Dundee have suffered in their member-
ship during the past winter, and in the circumstances, considering our
numbers have remained almost stationary, we ought to congratulate
ourselves. An analysis of the Roll shows that we have-—
297 Ordinary Members ;
10 Hon. and Cor. Members ;
151 Associate F
458
* Since this Report was read the Treasurer explains that the membership for the previous
year, 1877-8, was overstated in the Report for that year. At the time that Report was made
he had not taken off the roll the names of all the defaulters, consequently they are included in
the “‘ falling off” shown above. Keeping this explanation in view, it will be understood that,
instead of the apparent reduction of two in the membership this year, there is in reality an
increase in the numbers since last Report.—J. T.
19
52 Ordinary Members ;
2 Honorary % 3; and
16 Associate Pe ; or
70 in all have been added since last Report, but against
this there has to be placed a falling off of
47 Ordinary Members and
25 Associate 93 or
72 in all,
Two new Honorary Members have been elected this Session ; they
are, our ex-President, Mr Albert Grothe, who has left this country for
Spain, and James Geikie, LL.D., F.R.S.
Among our Ordinary Members we have the pleasure to include 20
ladies.
When it is kept in mind that, owing to the alteration made in Rule
X. at last Annual Meeting, this Report covers an actual period of only
six months, it will no doubt be admitted that, as regards work done, it
will compare very favourably with any previous Report.
‘ JOHN THOMSON,
Hon. Secretary,
15tTa May 1879,
20
TREASURER’S REPORT—1878-9.
Ancome,
To Balance from 1877-8, ; ‘ : : : £22 15 9
», 278 Members’ Subscriptions, . i : : 69 10 0
5, 144 Associates’ Subscriptions, . 5 E : 77 14 0
», subscriptions for 1877-8, : ee Tee : 1 Sb iG:
», Conversazione Tickets Sold, 5 : : ‘ 7 1040
», Proceeds of Lectures, . . : ; é 58 0 3
», Interest on Bank Account, . ; é : 010 4
», Received from Section I., P : : ‘ 1 3 ii
Total, : ; : £237 19 9
Expenditure,
By Lecture Expenses, : . : - . £106 4 5
», Conversazione Expenses, 5 é ° 58 15 8
», Preparing Specimens for viteesana: : - : 23.19 3
», Books for Library, : “ ° : “ 17 10 0
,», Printing, Stationery, and Postages, : : : 10 5 6
,, Advertising, 4 1 0
;, Attendance, : : ¢ ; ; ; 2 6, 10
», High School Expenses, . : : . : I 16520
5, Collector’s Commission, 3.8 6
», Liabilities of Section L., 215 10
», Sundries, . c : . : : oe 2
,, Cash in National Bank, : : : £4 5 5
», Cash in Treasurer’s hands, ;: A 01 0
4 6 5
Total, : : > S2alon9
ALLAN MATHEWSON,
Hon. Treas.
30th April 1879.
Dunper, 9th May 1879.—We have examined the foregoing Statement, with
relative vouchers, and find the same correct.
ROBERT N. KERR,
GEO. MACKENZIE, | 4¢@“078.
18 ee FEB 1888
DUNDEE
Pe URALISTS SOCIETY:
abe, Ve IN ee
ANNUAL REPORT,
BEING FOR THE YEAR
DUNDEE:
=i a
aoe PRINTED AT THE ADVERTISER OFFICE, BANK STREBRT.
1880,
DAN DE EF
Per URALISTS=<S.0 CE TY,
See ay i EL
mM NNUAL REPORT,
BEING FOR THE YEAR
a, Serge So) = (See).
DUNDEE:
PRINTED AT THE ADVERTISER OFFICE, BANK STREET.
1880.
PFFICE-BEARERS, 1880-81.
President,
W. M. OGILVIE, F.B.S., F.S.A. Scor.
Wice-Presidents.
W. B. IRVINE.
JAMES RORTE, M.D.
Drensurer.
ALEXANDER SIMPSON, Accountant, 104 CommerciaL STREET.
Secretary.
FRANK W. YOUNG, F.C.S., 2 Alrite TERRACE.
Countillors.
JAMES DURHAM, F.G.S.
A, C. LAMB, F.S.A. Scor.
ALLAN MATHEWSON, C.M.S.A. Scor.
tp Ey , Qrckwotdsie
Your Council have pleasure in laying before you the Seventh Annual
Report of this Society.
Their term of office began, according to the new arrangement, last May,
and they hope that they have been able since then to continue to some
extent the good work of their predecessors in advancing the best interests
of the Society, and so to encourage the study of Natural Science in
Dundee.
Early in June last the following programme of excursions was
issued :—
June 14, : Sea Dredging, - - St Andrews Bay.
July 12, - Geological and Botanical, Tealing.
Aug. 6, - Sea Dredging, - - Bell Rock.
Aug. 23, - Geological and Botanical, Kinkel Braes.
It is to be regretted that sufficient interest was not awakened amongst
the Botanists and Geologists to start the excursions to Tealing and Kinkel
Braes. The Dredging Excursions were, however, largely attended, well
conducted, and in many respects very successful. These expeditions
afford not only marine specimens to museums, and profitable improve-
ment in marine zoology, but in the opinion of all who join in them a
most enjoyable holiday, beneficial alike to health and energies. Urged
by their popularity, your Council Lave already inaugurated the year’s
work in this direction by instituting dredging operations yesterday (19th
May) beyond the Bell Rock, with favourable weather, and some success.
Much credit is due to Mr Allan Mathewson, the Convener of the
Excursion Committee, for the care and trouble taken in the organisa-
tion and equipment of these expeditions.
In September the Treasurer, Secretary, and Assistant Secretary
appointed at last meeting resigned their charge of these important offices.
This was intimated to the members at the first ordinary meeting of
the Society, on October 22d last, in the following terms :—
“Tt is with very great regret your Council intimate to you that
Messrs Thomson, Mathewson, and Kerr have resigned the offices of
Secretary, Treasurer, and Assistant Secretary respectively, the reasons
given in their letters of resignation being lack of time to carry out the
increasing work of the Society. Their firm adherence to this resolu-
L
tion, after urgent requests for a favourable reconsideration, left your
Council no other alternative but reluctantly to accept the resignations.
In giving notice of this decision to each, the Clerk of Council meeting
of 24th September, added an extract from minute of that date, which,
we think, will be endorsed by all who know anything of the painstaking
work of our late Secretary and Treasurer :—
‘The Members of Council desire to express and record their high sense of
the many and important services rendered by you to the Society, and their great
regret that the causes mentioned by you in your letter of resignation should
have led you to follow the course therein intimated.’
Your Council have further to intimate the appointment of two of
their number to the vacant offices :—
Mr Joun Ne son, as interim Hon. Treasurer.
Mr Frank W. Young, as interim Hon. Secretary.”
Mr Allan Mathewson and Mr James Durham were afterwards elected
to fill the two vacancies in the Council, and it is only right to add that
the late Secretary and Treasurer (the latter by his presence in the
Council) have both willingly guided and aided their successors in the
proper discharge of their onerous duties.
Happily we have again to express our great indebtedness to the
High School Directors for generously giving us the use of their excellent
Mathematical Class-room for ordinary meetings of the Society. For
three sessions now we have had the great privilege of a room in every
way most admirably adapted for the purposes of our fortnightly
meetings. Experiments and diagrams in illustration of lectures and
papers are both easily arranged for and well seen from every part of it.
Your Council trust that a continuation of this favour will be further
granted to the Society.
In all fourteen lectures and papers have been given at thirteen
meetings held during the past session. These were as follows :-—
1879.
22d Oct. —The Nervous System considered
in relation to the manifestation
of Mental Phenomena, - - By James Rortz, M.D.
5th Novy. —Crustaceans, - - - - , W. B. IRvINE.
19th Nov. --Natural Laws applied to Venti-
lation and Warming. LIlus-
trated with Models and Dia-
grams, - - - - - ,, CHARLES OweEr, C.E.
3d Dec. —Musical Sound in Nature, - - , Henry NAGEL,
“ —WNotes on some of the Relations
between Animals and Plants, ,, F. W. Youne, F.C.S.
———————————— =
5
17th Dec. —A Chapter on Heat. Illustrated
by Experiments, - : - ,, JoHN THOMsoN.
1880.
14th Jan. —TZhe Farie Islands, - . - , JAMES Geraie, LL.D., F.R.S.
&e,
4th Feb. —Zermatt and its Environs. — Il-
lustrated with Views and
Photographic Transparencies, ,, JAMES BREBNER, M.A.
llth Feb. —Some Cycles of Chemical Opera-
tions in Nature, With Experi-
ments, - : - - - , F. W. Youne, F.C.S.
25th Feb. —Hvolution and the Geological
, Record. With Diagrams and
Lime Light Illustrations, - ,, JAmes DurHam, F.G.S.
10th March.—£volution Past and Present, - ,, W.NrIsH WALKER, F.G.S.
24th March.—Some Principles of Evolution, - ,, Davip Cunnincuam, M. Inst.
C.E.
7th April. —The Religion and Romance of
Science, - - - - ,, Rev. HueH Grorce Wart,
M.A., B.D.
2ist April. —The Organisation of Scientific
Instruction in our Large
Towns, iA conc : - Joun B. Cares, M.A.
A very important feature of these lectures and papers should not be
overlooked here, nor want our best thanks—the time and trouble
which is evidently taken in the preparation of experiments, diagrams,
and lime light transparencies for the better elucidation of, and certainly
adding greater interest to, the various subjects. The attendance of
members and friends throughout has been on the whole good, but it
is to be hoped that the number of those who take advantage of the
meetings will rather tend to increase, and so encourage those who take
the great trouble of bringing matters of interest before the Society.
Many of the papers were of great practical value, and your Council
feel that the time has now arrived for consideration whether these com-
- munications, or at least abstracts of them, should not be published in
the form of a Journal or Transactions of our Society.
A short course of popular lectures was delivered in the Kinnaird
Hall, under the auspices of the Society, as under :—
1880.
3d Feb. — Professor W. C. Williamson, F.R.S, &c., Owen’s College, Man-
chester, on “ Insect-Eating Plants.”
18th Feb. — James Geikie, Esq., LL.D., F.R.S., &c., of H.M. Geological
Survey, on ‘‘ The Geological History of the Tay Valley.”
3d Mar. — G. J. Romanes, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S., &c., on ‘* The Beginning of
Nerves in the Animal Kingdom,”
6
Your Council feel sorry that these excellent lectures were neither so
well attended by the general public, nor the members and associates of
the Society, as the interest of the subjects and the eminence of the
lecturers demanded. They are convinced that were a greater number
of our members to take an active interest in bringing this branch of the
Society’s work under the notice of others, there would be far less likeli-
hood of a deficit (as heretofore) in our public lecture account.
Your Council would point out that in particular the working classes
have as yet shown little interest in these lectures. It has been urged
over and again that this is due to the comparatively high charges of
admission necessitated by the heavy expenses incurred in bringing
eminent men and really good lecturers from a distance. To overcome
to some extent this difficulty, and open up a way to interest the masses
in scientific subjects, your Council have of late been endeavouring to
secure for Dundee the benefits of the Gilchrist Educational Trust.
The Trustees of this Fund apply yearly the interest of a large sum of
money to encourage and establish courses of popular science lectures in
our large towns, by supplying able lecturers, or giving substantial aid in
payment of lecture expenses, on the sole condition that 800 seats be
provided at ld. each. Your Council were advised to arrange for the
co-operation of several other towns in our district, so that a joint appli-
cation could be made for the delivery of the same course of lectures in
these places during the same journey, and thus reduce expense. In
this matter Lecture Committees or Societies similar to our own,
in Aberdeen, Brechin, Kirkcaldy, and Perth, at once united with the
Council. The arrangements, however, are only now in progress, and
the furtherance of this most desirable object they leave in the hands of
their successors, with some hopes of a favourable conclusion.*
In view of the great expense involved in previous conversaziones and
scientific exhibitions held in the Kinnaird Hall, your present Council
were at first afraid that nothing could be done in this direction during
their term of office. Thanks, however, to the kindly and well-directed
efforts of Mr John Kennedy, the late Mr David Jobson (in whose un-
timely death by the falling of the Tay Bridge the Society has to deplore
the loss of an active and intelligent member), and Mr John Maclauchlan,
* Since the above Report was read, a letter, of which the following is an important
extract, has been received from Dr W. B. Carpenter, F.R.S. :—‘‘I regret to have to
inform you that, at a recent meeting of the Gilchrist Trustees, they found themselves
precluded by the state of their finances (which have most seriously suffered by the
Scottish banking crisis of 1878-9) from making any grants for lectures during the
ensuing session.”—F, W. Y.
7
the clerk and librarian to the Free Library Board, the great hall of the
Albert Institute was most generously placed by the Board at the disposal
of the Society for some weeks.
Your Council immediately thereafter set about collecting from all
parts of the country scientific apparatus, natural history specimens, &c.,
&e.—many objects of great general interest being thus got together.
In this work, as well as in the arrangement, your Council was greatly
aided by a number of members, who proved themselves most zealous
and active workers, and who deserve well of the Society ; in particular,
your Council must mention Mr A. C. Lamb, who undertook the general
superintendence of the whole exhibition, bestowing much time, energy,
and talent in making the arrangements most complete.
The exhibition was felicitously opened by ex-Provost Robertson on
the 21st of January, at a conversazione of members, associates, and
their friends, on which occasion the whole of the Albert Institute, in-
cluding the picture gallery and museum, was thrown open to the excep-
tionally large company that thronged the rooms. The exhibition was
kept open for two weeks thereafter, from 22d January to 4th February
inclusive, and was visited nightly by great numbers of interested and
intelligent enquirers after natural knowledge—on several evenings being
so inconveniently crowded that arrangements had to be made for
opening the picture gallery and ante-rooms in order to relieve the pres-
sure in the Great Hall. It is pleasant to record that many of these
visitors expressed themselves as grateful to the Society for thus afford-
ing them the means of becoming acquainted not only with the pheno-
mena by which in our own day science has been enriched, but the
appliances by which scientific men have widened its boundaries.
Your Council cannot speak too highly of the members who out of
their own enthusiasm for science gave so abundantly to those who
visited the exhibition night after night. Many, willing and able, were
found by the tables looking after the microscopes, and explaining the
numerous objects, keeping the apparatus in order, or pointing out their
various uses and applications, seeking no other reward than to interest
and instruct. Two experimental lectures were also given in the long
room of the Institute—one on “Polarisation,” the other on “Magnets
and Magnetic Curves”—hboth being attended by large audiences ; as was
also Mr James Brebner’s lecture on “ Zermatt, and its environs,” given
in the same room, and illustrated with numerous beautiful views.
These table demonstrations and experimental lectures have always
been an interesting feature of our exhibitions, and have given them a
8
high educational value in Dundee, where until a few years ago the
study of natural science has, in spite of its manifest advantages, formed
no part of the work of our educational institutions, and where there is
still great need of a complete permanent collection of scientific apparatus.
In view of this, your Council offered some special inducements to
school pupils, which were largely taken advantage of, upwards of 3000
scholars having been admitted at small charges.
Although open for three days longer than was originally intended,
your Council had yet to consider numerous representations made to
continue the Exhibition for some time longer. They felt, however, they
could not further tax the time and energies of those who had already
given both so unsparingly. The exhibition was, therefore, finally closed
on Wednesday, 4th February, by ex-Bailie Robertson, the Convener of
the Free Library Committee, who referred in the most kindly manner
to the work and objects of the Society.
After what has appeared in the daily papers, and already been said in
this Report, it is hardly necessary to add that we must join in considering
the Conversazione and Exhibition a great success—we are happy to say,
for the first time in the experience of our Society—even financially.
Your Treasurer was able to report that, after all expenses were paid, a
balance of £4 9s. was left in his hands. This very favourable state of
matters must be due not only to the care and economy exercised in
fittings by our excellent Superintendent of the Exhibition, Mr Lamb,
but to the public-spirited liberality which marked the Free Library
Board, in so freely granting the use of their buildings, and even magnani-
mously declining the offer made them of the balance of the proceeds.
To the members of the Board, and its indefatigable and courteous
clerk and librarian, Mr Maclauchlan, the most sincere thanks of the
Society are due.
Your Council have resolved that the balance of £4 9s. go towards
making some improvements in the Society’s Library and Museum, in
order to make that a more comfortable resort to the members.
During the year several additions of some importance have been
made to the Society’s collections both of books and specimens. Worthy
of note amongst other books are :—
10 vols, Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, with plates, the gift of Mr A. C. Lamb.
2 vols. Our Native Ferns, with coloured plates, from Mr W. B. Irvine.
Another 7 vols. of the valuable British Museum Catalogues, with coloured plates,
the gift of the British Museum Trustees.
2 vols. Buckland’s Geology, from Mr D. Hodge.
6 vols. Phytologist ; 1 vol. Microscopical Journal ; and
1 vol, Microscopical Transactions, from W. M. Ogilvie, Esq., the President,
9
There has also been purchased—
Gardner’s Flora of Forfarshire. Stevenson’s Mycologia Scotica.
9 volumes Microscopical Journal.
3 volumes of the Monographs of Palsontographical Society for 1847, 1850, and
1879.
25 volumes of the Ray Society’s Monographs, including, amongst others—
Allman’s valuable Fresh Water Polyzoa and Tubularian Hydroids.
2 vols. Alder & Hancock’s Nudibranchiate Mollusca.
Huxley’s Oceanic Hydrozoa ; and Dr M‘Intosh’s British Annelids.
Notice has also been given of the intention of the Society to sub-
scribe to the Reports of the Challenger Expedition shortly to be issued,
and which may be expected to contain results of great value to all
Naturalists.
Throughout the winter the following publications have been regularly
laid upon the Library Table for the use of the members :—
Weekly, - Nature, The Athenzeum, The Field, and the English Mechanic.
Monthly, - Science Gossip, The Geological Magazine, The Journal of
Botany, The Nineteenth Century.
Quarterly, - The Scottish Naturalist.
It may be well to mention here, in regard to the gradually increasing
and already valuable library of the Society, that it is proposed shortly
to issue a full catalogue. of all the volumes, and to classify them under
two heads :—
(1) Works of reference, such as Sowerby’s Botany, which must on no account be
removed from the Museum.
(2) Works, such as the Ray and Palceontographical Society’s Monographs, and the
British Museum Natural History Catalogues, which may be obtained for
private study by members on application to the Secretary, who is respon-
sible to the Council for the safe custody of these important works.
In the Museum Department many additions have been made to our
collection of birds of the Tay Valley and local marine fauna. Your
Council have also been fortunate in purchasing the extremely fine
collection of moths and butterflies which has been exhibited for some
time in our Museum.
Last year your Treasurer reported having received subscriptions from
278 ordinary members and
144 associates, which, added to
10 honorary and corresponding members, gave a total of
432 members of all classes.
10
This session, we are happy to say,
296 ordinary members and
154 associates have subscribed, giving, with
10 honorary and corresponding members, a total of
460 members, or an increase of
18 ordinary members and
10 associates.
28 in all.
In concluding this Report, your Council would here beg to thank all
who have aided them in the proper carrying out of the important work
of the Society. More especially would they record their indebtedness
and best thanks to the following gentlemen :—
Ex-Provost Robertson, who presided at the Conversazione, and formally opened
the Scientific Exhibition.
Ex-Bailie Robertson, who formally closed the Exhibition.
Sheriff Cheyne, who presided at Professor Williamson’s Lecture.
W. O. Dalgleish, Esq. of Mayfield, who presided at Dr Geikie’s Lecture.
Dr Nimmo, who presided at Mr G. J. Romanes’ Lectnre.
Your Council desire further to thank you cordially for having
honoured them with your utmost confidence during their tenure of
office.
They have met altogether 21 times for the transaction of the business
of the Society, and they are hopeful that this Report will show that your
best interests have not been neglected, nor your confidence altogether
misplaced.
W. M. OGILVIE, President.
FRANK W. YOUNG, Hon. Secretary.
11
TREASURER’S REPORT—1879-80.
ee
ancome,
To Balance from 1878-79, - - c
Subscriptions from 296 Members, -
Subscriptions from 154 Associates, -
Over-due Subscriptions for 1878-79, -
Proceeds of Conversazione and Exhibition,
Proceeds of Lectures, - - -
Funds of Biological Section, - -
Subscriptions for Dredging Apparatus, -
Periodicals sold, - - - -
Interest on Bank Account, - -
Gependitwre.
By Expenses of Conversazione and Exhibition,*
LP)
,, Amount Expended on Museum, Purchasing and ae
”
: ”
| ”
”
”
”
”
”
2)
Expenses of Lectures, - - -
Specimens, - - - -
Books for Library, - - -
Dredging Apparatus, - - -
Periodicals, - - - -
Printing, Stationery, and Postages, -
Advertising, - - - -
High School Expenses, - -
Sundry Expenses, - - -
Collectors’ Commission, - -
Balance, { Cash in Treasurer’s hands,
5, National Bank of Scotland,
£012 5h
1818 6
ee
£4 6
74 0
82 8
1 16
152 18
24 18
2 10
7 12
0 10
SGAAPMHFOACe
=
oO
=
Oo
£352 1 4
£165 10 5
70 10 5
29 6 0
20 9 3
19 10 114
£352 1 4
JOHN NELSON,
Hon. Treasurer.
We have examined the Accounts of the Dundee Naturalists’ Society for the year
from May 1879 to May 1880, and find that they are correct, and satisfactorily
vouched,
DAVID CUNNINGHAM.
ROBERT N. KERR.
DunvbeEn, 20th May, 1880,
*From this sum there falls to be deducted £17 1s. 43d., charges made for Fittings, now the
property of the Society, and for certain eaves in connection with Conversazione not charge-
able upon the Exhibition account.—F. W. Y,
ES des Oe
Adamson, John, Exchange Place.
Alexander, A., St Andrews Street,
Allan, D. M., Reform Street.
Anderson, Peter, Lindsay Street.
Arnot, David, 10 Garland Place.
Blair, William, Wellgate.
Boase, G. W., Royal Bank, Castle Street.
Boase, Henry S., Magdalen Place
Bradford, J.S., Albany Terrace.
Brand, J., Newport.
Brown, P.
Bruce, J. D., 116 Seagate.
Buik, Henry, 17 Dock Street.
Butchart, John, 14 Panmure Street.
Campbell, Dr, Nethergate.
Cargill, David, Longhaugh.
Carmichael, D., 10 Dudhope Terrace.
Carmichael, G., 11 Dudhope Terrace.
Carmichael, J. S., Springhill.
Carmichael, P. (Baxter Bros. & Co.)
Charles, J. B., M.A., High School.
Cheyne, Sheriff, Airlie Place.
Cleghorn, William, Logie House.
Colville, John, National Bank, Reform
Street.
Connell, Rev. A. B., Lochee.
Coupar, James O., 30 Princes Street.
Cox, James, Clement Park, Lochee.
Crighton, James, Mains, Inchture.
Dalgleish, W. O., Mayfield, Ferry Road.
Dawson, D. R., India Buildings.
Dixon, H. G., 41 High Street.
Doctor, William, Meadowside.
Dott, George, High School.
Douglas, William, Panmure Street.
Drummond, A. 8., 67 Nethergate.
Duncan, P, M., Dock Street.
Esplin, A., 8 Cowgate.
Ferrier, Thomas M., Tayview House,
Newport.
Fleming, James A., Somerville Place.
Fleming, James, 6 St Phillans Place,
Newport.
Fleming, R., 1 Royal Exchange Place.
Fraenkl, V., 134 Seagate.
Gilchrist, Alexander, Somerville Place.
Gourlay, Gershom, Dundee Foundry.
Gourlay, Henry, Balgay House.
Gourlay, H. G., The Gows, Dundee.
Greig, Dr, Tay Street.
ASSOCIATES.
Grimond, A. D., Whiteleys, Nethergate.
Hamilton, James, 98 Nethergate.
Hay, William, Town House.
Henderson, Alexander, West Park.
Henderson, Frank, M.P., Clarendon
Terrace,
Henderson, John G., Park Place.
Henderson, John, Park Place.
Henderson, William, Park Place.
Henderson, Richard, Nethergate.
Ireland, James, 81 Murraygate.
Jenkins, Edward, London.
Johnstone, Alexander, 20 Reform Street,
Johnstone, William, 61 Reform Street.
Johnstone, James, Murraygate.
Jones, John, 197 Princes Street.
Kennedy, R. G., 10 Panmure Street.
Kerr, Charles, Nethergate.
Laing, Robert, Greenfield Place.
Laing, Rev. Mr, 8 Panmure Terrace.
Law, David, 68 Bell Street.
Lawson, J. B., Lindsay Street.
Lindsay, William, 1 Allan Street.
taney William (Butchart, Lindsay, &
0
Low, J ames, Allan Street.
Luis, J. H., Cidhmore, Perth Road.
Luke, James, Bain Square.
Mackay, J. H., Castle Street.
Mackenzie, George, Royal Bank, Castle
Street.
Martin, W. M., Meadowside.
Martin, W. Y. Blyth, Newport.
Mathewson, A., Union Terrace.
Methven, T. E., Broughty Ferry.
Millar, Dr J. W., Tay Street.
Miller, R. A., Westtield Place.
Moir, William, Bank of Scotland,
Reform Street. -
Moon, Dr Steel, King Street.
Moon, Dr Charles, Nethergate.
Murdoch, Thomas, St Andrews Street.
M‘Cosh, Dr, Royal Infirmary.
M‘Ginnes, Rev. James, Powrie Place.
Ann Street,
M‘Grady, H., Lindsay Street.
M‘Kenzie, M., Grocer, Murraygate.
Nagel, Henry, Tay Street.
Neish, John, Laws.
Nimmo, Dr, Airlie Place.
Nucator, P., Meadowside.
Orchar, James G., West Ferry.
Osborne, R., Ramsay Works.
Pattullo, James, Bank Street,
Peacock, Thomas P., Panmure Street.
Phillip, Joseph, 7 Shore Terrace.
Powrie, James, Reswallie, by Forfar.
Reid, Lyle, Meadowside.
Reid, J. C., B. L. Bank, Murraygate.
Reoch, James, Newport.
Rhind, H.8., Bain Square.
Rhind, John, Bain Square.
Ritchie, William, Elmslea.
Ritchie, William, Jr., Elmslea.
Robertson, Charles, Castle Street.
Robertson, John, Craigie Works.
Robertson, T. S., Bank Street.
Robertson, William, Balmore, Newport.
Russel, David, 23 Cowgate.
Scrimgeour, John, Nethergate.
Sharp, Andrew, St Mary’s Terrace.
Shaw, James (Shaw, Baxter, & Co.).
Shepherd, W., Union Mount.
Sidey, D., Clydesdale Bank,
Small, W. J., Bank Street.
Small, J. M., Gray House.
Smith, James, Ashwood, Harecraig.
Smith, Thomas, Ashwood, Harecraig.
Smith, Allan, Newport.
13
Smith, Thomas, Mains of Fowlis.
Smith, J. P., High Street.
Smith, James, Mains of Gray.
Speed, A., Solicitor, Euclid Crescent.
Stevenson, James, 1 Woodville Place,
Marvtield.
Stevenson, James, Nelson Terrace.
Stewart, D., 61 Reform Street.
Stewart, Charles, 6 Constitution Terrace,
Stewart, James, Constitution Terrace,
Stiven, James, 20 East Dock Street.
Strong, William, Dock Street.
Sturrock, William, West Ferry.
Thomson, W., Euclid Crescent.
Thomson, J. W., Bank Street.
Todd, Charles E., Royal Exchange
Place.
Turnbull, William, William Street.
Unna, J., Meadowside.
Urquhart, W. W., Blackness Foundry.
Walker, Harry, Caldrum Works.
Walker, J. H., do.
Walker, P. G., 2 Airlie Place.
Watson, D. A., 17 Perth Road.
Watson, J. 8., 76 Seagate.
Watson, R. L., 76 Seagate.
Watson, Thomas, 7 Shore Terrace.
Weinberg, J. J., Fernbrae.
Yeaman, James, Craigie Cliff.
Young, W. E. R., 7 Ward Road,
Lb Sox FeeM E MB E RS.
THESE MARKED * ARE HONORARY MEMBERS.
Adams, D., Meadow Entry.
Adie, Wm., 8 Cherryfield.
Allen, Leonard, Trinity House.
Anderson, A. B., Princes Street.
Angus, Thomas, Argyle House, Broughty
Ferry.
Arnold, John P,, High School.
Arrott, Dr, Nethergate.
Baird, George, Schoolhouse, Liff.
Banks, William, 21 Constitution Road.
Baxter, Charles, Horse Wynd.
Baxter, Colin, Eden Lodge.
Baxter, Henry, Newport.
Baxter, George, Waterloo House, Ann-
field Road.
Begg, David, Reform Street.
Begg, Frank, Somerville Place.
Bell, E. W., Belmont.
Bell, G. J., Belmont.
Bell, Herbert, Hawkhill House.
Bell, J. F., Somerville Place.
Berg, E. P., Panmure Street.
Berry, Thomas, 55 Cowgate.
Boswell, David, 31 Crescent Street.
Brown, David, Bloomfield, East New-
port.
Brown, William, Duncarse.
Brown, John, 7 King Street.
Briggs, William, East Dock Street.
Brebner, J., M.A., Tay Square.
Brew, William, Nethergate.
Buchan, Miss, Nethergate.
Buchan, J. 8., Bank Street.
Buik, Andrew, 125 Nethergate.
Butchart, W. P., 9 Wellington Street.
Cameron, Rev. D. B., Garland Place.
Campbell, Alexander, Newport,
Campbell, W. S., Tay Street.
Campbell, W., Tay Street.
Campbell, Miss, Tay Street.
Campbell, R., 4 Victoria Place, Broughty
Ferry.
Campbell, Rev. George, 4 Lorne Terrace.
Carmichael, James, Somerville Place.
Carmichael, Charles, Somerville Place.
Carmichael, William, Dudhope Terrace.
Chalmers. R., Jr., 3 Craigie Terrace,
Chalmers, D. F., 32 Long Wynd.
Clapperton, Rey. R., 150 Nethergate.
Colquhoun, D., Carnoustie.
Comar, Louis, Newport.
*Cooke, Stephen, F.C.S., Veterinary
College, Glasgow.
Cooper, Rev. James, Broughty Ferry,
Cowe, Geo., Balhousie, Carnoustie.
Cowie, John, Renny Place.
Corr, James, 12 Thorn Place.
Cox, James D., Panmure Street.
Cox, James C., Beechwood, Lochee.
Craik, George, 116 Hawkhill.
Cunningham, D., M. Inst. C.E., Har-
bour Chambers.
Cunningham, James, Jr., Royal Ex-
change.
Cunningham, James, Douglas House,
West Ferry.
+ Daniell, Alfred, School of Medicine,
Minto House, Edinburgh.
Dewar, Dr J. A., Hill Terrace, Arbroath,
Dick, John, Panmure Street.
Dingwall, William, Strathmartin Road.
Dodds, James D., Lochee.
Donaldson, John, Meadow Entry.
Douglas, James, Annan Terrace.
*Drummond-Hay, Colonel, Seggieden,
Perth.
Drysdale, Mrs, Dudhope Bank.
Duncan, George, Craigie.
Duncan, P. M., Jr., 1 Constitution
Terrace.
Duncan, Miss, 1 Constitution Terrace.
Duncan, Miss M., 1 Constitution Terrace.
Duncan, Miss J., 1 Constitution Terrace.
Duncan, Dr A. J., 144 Nethergate.
Durham, James, F.G.5., High Street.
Ewan, Alexander, West Port.
Fairweather, James, Murraygate.
Fairweather, Joseph, Arbroath Road.
Falconer, C. M., Dock Street.
Farquharson, Thomas, Dock Street.
Feathers, Peter, Somerville House,
Broughty Ferry.
Feathers, James, Dock Street.
Ferguson, Thomas, Bell Street.
Ferguson, Dr, Royal Infirmary.
Fleming, J. R., D., P., & L. Shipping Co.
Fleming, A. D., Nelson Street.
Fleming, John, Jr., West Dock Street.
Foggie, John, St Andrews Square.
Frain, William, Castle Street.
Freeland, William, Bank of Scotland,
Reform Street.
Freeland, G. W. H., Do. do.
Galloway, Rey. 8., Lochee.
* Geikie, James, LL.D, F.RS., &e.,
Balbraith, Perth,
+ Corresponding Member.
George. Rev. James, Nelson Street.
Gibb, James, 22 Lilybank Road.
Gibb, William, Post Ovfice,
Gilruth, F., Tay Square Institution.
Girdwood, D., Meadowside.
Glass, R. W., Candle Lane.
Goodall, A. A. E., Thomson Street.
Grant, John, Manse, Perth Road. f
Graham, James, Sea View, Carnoustie.
Gray, Baxter, Fort Street, Bro, Ferry.
Greig, D. M., Tay Street.
* Grothe, Albert, Tharsis Mines, Spain.
Guthrie, Alfred, Lindsay Street.
Guthrie, Mrs A., 11 Lindsay Street.
Guthrie, Geo., 11 Lindsay Street.
Guthrie, Henry, 11 Lindsay Street.
Halley, William, 4 Blackness Terrace.
Halley, Miss E. J., 4 Blackness Terrace.
Hamilton, George, 36 Tait’s Lane.
Hamilton, James, 36 Tait’s Lane.
Hardie, R. A., Panmure Street.
Hardie, James, 73 Nethergate.
Hay, George, Perth Road.
Hay, William, Jr., 23 Magdalen Yard
Road.
Henderson, J. H. F.,5 S. George Street.
Henderson, John, National Bank.
Henderson, P., Tally Street.
Hill, Howard, Ladywell Calender,
Hill, E. W., Ladywell Calender.
Hood, John, Dallfield Walk.
Hood, James, Gladstone Terrace, Bro,
Ferry.
Hodge, D. S., 4 Laurence Street.
Hodge, James, Surgeon, Tay Street.
Hodge, Miss, Constitution Terrace.
Howie, Miss J., 23 Crescent Street.
Hutchison, Alexander, Reform Street.
Hutton, Alexander, Royal Bank, Ar-
broath.
Hynd, James, Dock Street.
Imper, Albert, Airlie Terrace.
Inglis, J. T., Dock Street.
Ireland, David, Commercial Street.
Ireland, David, Jr, Vine Cottage,
Broughty Ferry.
Irvine, W. B., Tay Street.
Isles, James, Blairgowrie.
Jafiray, J. W., Macgill Street.
Jobson, Mrs, 17 Dock Street.
Johnstone, J. J., Bank Street.
Keir, R. B., High Street, Lochee.
ey, William (W. & H. Scott, Mid
n
ynd).
Kennedy, John, Riversdale, Perth Road.
Kerr, J. S., Forebank.
Kerr, Mrs, 19 King Street.
Kerr, P., Jr., Forebank.
Kerr, R. N., King Street.
Kidd, William, Nethergate.
Kidd, John, Landsdowne Place.
Kidd, A, G., Princes Street.
15
Kidd, W. J., Victoria Place, W. Ferry.
Kidd, George, Victoria Place, W. Ferry.
King, David, 145 Princes Street,
Kinnison, Mrs, 1 Commercial Street,
*Knight, Professor, University, St
Andrews.
Kyd, Thomas, 36 Thomson Street.
Kydd, David, Links Place, Bro. Ferry.
Laird, David, Wallace Foundry.
Lamb, A.C.,F.S.A. Scot., Reform Street.
Lamb, Mrs A. C., Reform Street.
Lamb, Miss, Reform Street.
Lamb, Mrs James, Reform Street.
Lamb, James, Reform Street.
Low, William, Bank Street.
Low, Robert, 5 Taymouth Place, W.
Ferry.
Lowdon, William, Constitution Terrace.
Lowdon, George, Nethergate.
Lowdon, J. W., Nethergate.
Lowdon, Edward, Nethergate.
Luke, James, Jr., Hillbank Works.
Lundie, Robert, 73 High Street,
Macgregor, Thomas, 12 Dallfield Terrace.
Mackay, D., 2 Union Street.
Mackenzie, George, 26 Garland Place.
Mackenzie, G.S., Ph. D., Craiglee, West
Ferry.
Mackenzie, W. L., Do., do.
Macrae, James, 11 Lindsay Street.
Macveigh, W. A., Tay View, Newport.
Malcolm, D. R., 2 Dudhope Place.
Malcolm, George, Inverlaw.
Malcolm, H. A., Marrbank.
Malcolm, Alexander, Marrbank.
Malcolm, George, Collingwood Terrace,
Barnhill.
Martin, Thomas (D. Martin & Co.).
Mathewson, Allan, C,.M.S,A., Scot.,
26 Seagate.
Mathewson, John, 26 Seagate.
Mathewson, Miss, Union Terrace,
Mathewson, Miss V., Union Terrace.
Mathewson, A. P., Union Terrace.
Matthew, Alexander, Jr., 61 Princes
Street.
Maxwell, Alexander, Magdalen Green.
Maxwell, G. F., Magdalen Green,
Melville, W. 8., Cooper’s Alley.
Millar, Robert, R., Bank, Castle Street,
Millar, Miss, Tay Street.
Miller, Andrew, M.A., High School.
Milne, Robert, Beach, W. Ferry.
Mills, Rev. J., 10 Somerville Piace.
Mitchell, T. E., 228 Perth Road.
Mitchell, D. K., do.
Mitchell, D, R., Meadowside.
Moir, Edward, 27 Cowgate.
Moodie, D., Balmuir.
Morris, George, 72 High Street.
Morrison, W. B., 30 Cowgate,
Murray, Peter, 1 Nelson Street.
Mudie, John, 17 William St., Forebank.
Myles, A. B., 22 Airlie Place.
Mylne, H. C., Dens Works.
M‘Culloch, A., Euclid Crescent.
M‘Farlane, John, 6 Craigie Street.
M'Glashan, James, South Dudhope
Works.
M‘Inlay, James, 8 Lawrence Place.
*M‘Intosh, W. C., M.D., F.R.S., &.,
Murtbhly.
M‘Kay, William, Inglewood Terrace.
M‘Kay, David, Beaconsfield Place.
M‘Kechnie, James, Union Bank, Lochee.
M‘Kelvie, W. R., Euclid Crescent.
M‘Laren, D., 2 Strawberry Bank.
M'‘Millan, John, Tay Bridge Station.
M‘Nab, George, Meadowside.
*M‘Nicoll, Walter, Tealing.
Nagel, David, Tay Street.
Nairn, Boswell L., (W. B. Ritchie’s,
Commercial Street).
Nelson, John, 7 King Street.
Nicholson, James, Carnoustie.
* Nicholson, Prof. H. A., F.R.S.E., &e.,
University, St Andrews.
Nicoll, G. H., Bank Street.
Nicoll, Thomas, Monifieth.
Noble, Henry, Newport.
Noble, David, Lochee Road.
Ogilvie, W. M., F.B.S., F.S.A., Scot,
Royal Bank, Lochee.
Ogilvie, Mrs W. M.; Lochee.
Ogilvie, William, Jr., Royal Bank, Castle
Street.
Orchar, James, West Ferry.
Orchar, Robert, Madeira Street.
Ower, Charles, C.HE,, Commercial
Street.
Ower, Leslie, C.E., Commercial Street.
‘Paterson, James, Magdalen Yard Road.
Patrick, William, 13 Mid Wynd.
Patterson, Peter, 50 Ferry Road.
Peyton, Rev. W. W., Broughty Ferry.
Plenderleath, H., 1 Commercial Street.
Powrie, George, Meadowside,
Pyott, D. W., Dens Works.
Ramsay, David, 3 Balfour Street.
Rattray, Richard, Balfour Street.
Rattray, Robert, Constitution Road.
Reid, R. C., National Bank, Hilltown,
Reid, David, Rankin’s Court.
Reid, W. P., 68 St Andrews Street.
Robertson, Robert, 202 Overgate.
Robertson, David, Union Grove.
Robertson, John, Millar’s Wynd.
Robertson, James, 106 Annfield Road.
Robertson, Robert, Blairgowrie.
Robertson, John, Balmore, Newport.
Robertson, R. C., High School.
Rorie, Dr, Lunatic Asylum.
Salmond, Frank, C.E., High Street.
Salmond, William, Commercial Street,
Scott, David, Rosslyn Terrace.
Scott, Richard, 8 Airlie Terrace.
Scrimgeour, Andrew, 51 Victoria Road.
Scroggie, David, Paradise Road,
ee x
| 2)
16
Seroggie, W., Viewbank, Blackness
Road.
shaw puerles Adderley House, Moni-
ieth.
Shearer, William, 7 King Street.
Sim, William, teacher, Broughty Ferry.
Sime, George, King Street, Dundee.
Simpson, Alexander, Woodriffe Terrace,
Newport.
Simpson, G. B., Seafield, Broughty Ferry.
Simpson, R, T.,_ do., do.
Simson, W. B., Eastern Club,
Sinclair, Andrew, 73 Nethergate.
Smith, A. T., Union Street.
Smith, Mitchell, 15 West Dock Street.
Smith, Robert, Meadowside.
Smith, W. R., Gladstone Place, Lindsay
Street Works.
Smith, William, High Street.
Somerville, Rev. J. E., Broughty Ferry.
Stephenson, George, Meadow Entry.
Stevenson, F., Nelson Street.
eter eran, G., Woodville Place, Mary-
field.
Stewart, D., Dallfield Terrace,
Storrie, D., 73 Nethergate.
Sturrock, James, Bank Street.
Sturrock, John, Barrack Street.
Tait, Rev. A. D., Strathkinnes.
Tennant, James, Carlogie Road, Car-
noustie.
Thomson, Andrew, M.A., Dundee Insti-
tution, Tay Square.
Thomson, D., 10 Garland Place.
Thomson, James, Springhill,
Thomson, James, Somerville Place.
Thomson, John, Elmbank, Perth Road.
Thomson, Robert, Somerville Place.
Ure, George, Shore Terrace.
Walker, James, 1 Allan Street.
Walker, R., 2 Victoria Street.
Walker, W.N ., F.G.5., Newport.
Watt, George, Solicitor, High Street,
Watt, Rev. H. G., M.A., B.D., Windsor
Terrace.
Welch, John, Royal Bank, Castle
Street.
* White, Buchanan, M.D., F.L.S., &c.,
Perth.
Whyte, George, Campbell Street,
Lochee.
Wighton, Thomas, 57 Meadowside,
Williamson, Rey. H., Cupar Street,
Lochee.
Wilson, John, 29 Nethergate.
Wilson, J. R., Castle Street.
Wilson, Adam, M.A., High School.
Wilson, Mrs Alexander, Westfield Place.
Wilson, Alexander, 29 Nethergate.
Worrall, Samuel, 7 Airlie Place.
Wright, Alexander, HighStreet, Lochee.
Young, Frank W., Science Department,
High School.
Young, William, 118 Ann Street.
Fe
Eg 1889
ae 2 Se N Do
2 NATURALISTS SOCIETY:
21ST pe lige Sted cs I a a
BEING FOR THE YEAR
DUNDEE:
PRINTED BY JOHN LENG & CO., BANK STREET.
a
Leek
UN DEE
RetURALISTS’ SOCIETY
oe) 2 Gee a er
eNNUAL REPORT.
BEING FOR THE YEAR
DUNDEE:
PRINTED BY JOHN LENG & CO., BANK STREET,
—_.
1881.
OFFICE-BEARERS, 1881-82.
Puesident,
W. M. OGILVIE, F.B.S., F.S.A. Scor.
Vice-Pyesidents.
W. B. IRVINE.
JAMES RORIE, M.D.
Gyeasuyer.
ALEXANDER SIMPSON, Accountant, 104 CommErctaL STREET.
Secyetany.
FRANK W. YOUNG, F.C.S., 4 Argurz TERRACE.
Assistant Hecretayy.
ROBERT LOW, 5 TaymourH Piacr, Broucuty Frrry.
Gouncilloys.
JAMES DURHAM, F.G.S.
A. C. LAMB, F.S.A. Scor.
GEORGE LOWDON.
ALLAN MATHEWSON, C.M.S.A. Scor.
W. NEISH WALKER, F.G.S.
J. MARTIN WHITE.
fe EO RT.
Your Council have pleasure in submitting to you the Eighth Annual
Report.
The work of the Society during the past Session may be conveniently
described under the three following heads :—
I. Fortnightly Meetings.
IT. Conversazione and Exhibition.
ITI. Excursions.
I. Fortyicutty Meetrnes.
' Thirteen Fortnightly Meetings were held during the Session, and at
these fourteen papers or lectures were read or delivered, as under :—
1880.
13th Oct.—The Perceptive Faculties, - By James Rortg, M.D., L.R.C.S.E.,
Vice-President of the Society.
27th Oct.—Some Sound Phenomena, Illus-
trated by Experiments, - », ROBERT Low.
10th Nov.—Stone Implements. Illustrated
with Numerous Specimens, - », ALLAN Marurwson, Cor. Mem.
S.A. Scot.
24th Nov.—Wotes on the Highland Flora of
Braemar and neighbourhood, », JAMES BREBNER, M.A.
8th Dec.—Watural Rubbish Heaps, - », Dr JAMES GEIKTE, F.R.S., &e., of
H.M. Geological Survey.
», Rev. J. E. SomERVILLE, B.D.
22d Dec.—Mollusca,
1881,
12th Jan.—Some recent additions to ow know-:
ledge of the Morphology of the
Cell, Illustrated with Diagrams, ,, Patrick Guppgs, F.R.S.E.,
Demonstrator in Botany, Uni-
versity of Edinburgh.
26th Jan.—Wote on recent excavations in the
Kames and gravel terraces near
Newport. Illustrated with
Diagrams, - = - » JAMES DurHay, F.G.S.
Do, —Physical Conditions and Man, - », DAVID CunNINGHAM, M. Inst.
C.E,
4
16th Feb.—The Grallatores ( Wading Birds) and
Natatores (Swimming Birds) of the
Estuary of the Tay. The great
decrease in their numbers of late
years; the causes; with sugges-
tive remarks for its mitigation, By Col. H. M. Drummonp Hay,
Cor. Mem. Z.S.
2d Mar.—Crustaceans : their distribution in
time, = - - - ;, Wm. B. Irvine, Vice-President
of the Society.
16th Mar.— Vaccination, - - : » JAMES W. Mutzer, M.D.,
L.R.C.S.E.
30th Mar.—TZhe Scenery of the Northern Counties
of Scotland considered in connec-
tion with their Geological Forma-
tion. Illustrated with Diagrams, ,, Professor M. Foster HEppuz,
M.D., F.R.S.E., St Andrews
University.
13th Apr.—Werves : their origin and environment, ,, GEORGE LEsLiz, Demonstrator in
Natural History, University
of Edinburgh.
Your Council have again pleasure in referring to the successful nature
of these Meetings, and consider that it is most creditable to the Society
that so many Members are willing to bring forward the results of their
study and research with that elaborate care and illustration by Diagrams
and Experiments not unworthy of audiences even much larger than
those which from time to time assemble in the Society’s Lecture Hall.
The paper read by Colonel Drummond Hay, in which he drew attention
to the wanton destruction and partial extermination of the Swimming
and Wading Birds of the Estuary of the Tay, was considered of sufficient
importance to this locality by the Members present at the Meeting that,
in order to lay the matter fully before the general public, it was resolved
to print and publish the paper. These Meetings were all held in the
Mathematical Class Room of the High School, and the Council desire
in this place to record their high sense of the kindness of the Directors
of that Institution in giving the Society the use of a Room so well
adapted in every respect for Lecturing purposes.
II. CoNVERSAZIONE AND EXHIBITION.
On the evening of 9th February last, through the kindness of the
Free Library Board, your Council were enabled to receive Members,
Associates, and their Friends at a Conversazione and Exhibition in the
Albert Institute. The Meeting was of a most pleasant description, the
attendance was very large, and the entire proceedings were most
5
successful. Colonel Drummond Hay, acting for the Council, welcomed
the Company in the Great Hall, and opened the work of the evening
by an address admirably suited to the occasion. Thereafter, Dr W. C.
M‘Intosh, F.R.S., gave an instructive account of some remarkable
“Sponges ;” and the Assembly then dispersed to the various parts of
the building to examine the objects of interest brought together for the
evening. Among these may be noted a phonograph belonging to Mr
Rodger of St Andrews, exhibited and explained by Professor Scott
Lang, a large number of Swan’s electric lamps, very kindly sent by Mr
Swan, and which were hung and lighted with great effect in the Picture
Gallery, the usual display of microscopes and microscopic objects for
which this Society has always been distinguished, and the Society’s now
extensive collection of birds of the Tay valley, as well as a fine collection
of shells exhibited and described by the Rev. Mr Somerville. The
Exhibition was re-opened on the afternoon and evening of Saturday,
when parties not Members of the Society were admitted at a small charge.
With this portion of the Society’s work the Council have also to express
great satisfaction. These annual gatherings are evidently prized by all
Members and Associates, and it may not be too much to say that to
them is due a large amount of the popularity which the Society
enjoys.
III. Excursions.
These were as follows :—
May 19, - Dredging, - Off the Bell Rock.
June 28-30, - Botanical, - Clova and Glen Doll.
July 14, - Dredging, - The Scaup.
August 7, - Botanical, - Lunan Bay and Red Head.
Dige. . Dredging, - Off the Isle of May.
By means of these Members have an opportunity of increasing their
knowledge in various departments of Natural History. All were well
attended, and many interesting specimens were obtained. The Dredging
Excursions are particularly well attended ; indeed, it would almost seem
as if their great popularity would interfere with their scientific value,
Good work has, however, been done ; and, doubtless, as these are con-
tinued year after year, a store of experience in Dredging in all its details
will have been acquired, so that even greater results will be achieved.
In last year’s Report your Council drew attention to the serious
pecuniary loss incurred by the Popular Lectures given under the
auspices of the Society in former years, and recommended their succes-
sors to continue arrangements which they were then making with a view
6
to avoid the great expenditure, and at the same time to increase the
popularity of the Lectures, by an application for the benefits of the
Gilchrist Educational Trust. This recommendation your present Council
gladly adopted and followed out, making a joint application to the
Trustees, along with Lecture Committees or Natural History Societies
in Aberdeen, Brechin, Kirkcaldy, and Perth. The Gilchrist Trustees,
however, found themselves precluded by the state of their finances from
making any grants for Lectures during last session ; and your Council,
under these circumstances, thought it inadvisable to proceed with any
Public Lectures during the year. But they hope that the new Council
may see fit, at the proper time, to renew the application to the Trustees,
in order to secure for Dundee, if at all possible, the benefits of Dr
Gilchrist’s legacy.
During the year the following Works have been added to the
Society’s Library :—
Siluria. By Sir R. I. Murchison, F.R.S.
The Great Ice Age. By Dr James Geikie, F.R.S.
Prehistoric Europe. ” 2” 2
British Mollusca. 5 vols. By Dr Gwyn Jeffreys, F.R.S.
British Zoophytes. 2 vols. By Hincks. .
Journal of the Mineralogical Society. 3 vols,
Report on the Scientific Results of the Challenger Expedition. 2 vols.
The Invertebrate Fauna of the Firth of Forth. By Mr George Leslie and Dr
Herdman. Presented by the Authors.
Papers on Various Subjects. By Mr Patrick Geddes, F.R.S.E. Presented
by the Author.
W. & A. K. Johnston’s Diagram of Invertebrata, Presented by Mr David
Cunningham, C.E.
Mineralogical Chart of the Shetland Isles. Presented by Professor Heddle.
Your Council have to report that the New Catalogue is in the printer’s
hands, and will be issued shortly. In order to give Members greater
facilities in the use of the books, your Council would recommend that
at least one Member of Council should be in attendance in the Society’s
Room every Monday evening during six months of the Session to issue
books.
The following periodicals have been regularly laid upon the Library
Table as issued :—
Weekly—Nature,
Monthly—Science Gossip, the Geological Magazine, and the Journal of Botany.
Quarterly—The Scottish Naturalist.
Tn order to secure the greater comfort of Members visiting the Room,
your Council have during the last year made several important improve-
ments, which they hope may answer that purpose.
7
Additions continue to be steadily made to the Society’s Museum ;
among other things, 25 birds having been added to this interesting
collection during the year. A good deal of work, however, still remains
to be done in the matter of re-arrangement, mounting, naming, and
renewing of specimens. The Council trust that, with the assistance of
Members who are specialists in the different subjects, these will be
materially advanced, if not completed, during the next Session.
During the year the Council have added the following gentlemen to
‘the Society’s list of Corresponding Members :—
Dr M. Foster Heddle, Professor of Chemistry in the University of St Andrews,
Mr Patrick Geddes, F.R.S.E., Demonstrator of Botany, University of Edinburgh.
Mr George Leslie, Demonstrator of Natural History, University of Edinburgh.
| Last year your Council reported as having on the Roll of Member-
ship :—
|
296 Ordinary Members,
154 Associates,
10 Honorary and Corresponding Members :
460
At present we have to report—
323 Ordinary Members,
134 Associates,
13 Honorary and Corresponding Members :
470—a total increase of 10 Members of all classes.
In conclusion, your Council desire to thank you for the confidence
and support given them during their period of office, throughout which
they have met 17 times for the transaction of the Society’s business.
Seeking only its best interests, and the general advancement of Natural
knowledge in Dundee, they believe they have honestly fulfilled the
duties with which you last year entrusted them.
W. M. OGILVIE,
President.
FRANK W. YOUNG,
Hon. Secretary.
TREASURER’S REPORT1880-1881.
ALO WE.
To Balance from 1879-80, . - . : , £19 10 113
,», Subscriptions from 321 Members, : : : 80 5 0
,, Subscriptions from 134 Associates, ; 5 : (AN Nsh (C
,. Proceeds of Conversazione and Exhibition, . ‘ aes)
,, Prints of Col. Drummond Hay’s Lecture sold, Lysine
;, Interest on Bank Account, ; 5 ; c 0 “b.7%3
£191 15 113
Gxpenditure,
By Expenses of Conversazione and Exhibition, . : £83 12 5
;, Amount Expended on Museum, Purchasing and
Preparing Specimens, 3 A : : 23 5 10
5, Books for Library, : : ; - . 13 5 4
», Dredging Apparatus, . : : 3 : 12 a
», Periodicals, - : : : 418 4
», Printing, Stationery, oat Poses, : : ? 2210 43
,, Advertising, : ; : ; : : 11 at 6
», High School Expenses, ; : : : 2 (O10
5, sundry Expenses, : ite ae 0
,, Collector’s Commission, : ; 3) LRG
», Balance in National Bank of Santland: . £138 14 2
», Balance in hands of Treasurer, : Se Owls tl
— 1413 1
£191 15 113
ALEX. SIMPSON,
Hon. Treasurer.
We have examined the Accounts of the Dundee Naturalists’ Society for the year
from May 1880 to May 1881, and find that they are correct, and satisfactorily
vouched.
Wma. N. WALKER.
J, MARTIN WHITE.
DUNDER. - ie
NATURALISTS’ SOCIETY. | |
NINTH
BEING FOR THE YEAR
£66 1. eae
Bat DUNDEE:
‘PRINTED BY JOHN LENG & CO., BANK STREET.
v
~ —
1882.
DUNDEE
NATURALISTS’ SOCIETY.
NINTH
ANNUAL REPORT,
LE a R= ee as
DUNDEE:
- PRINTED BY JOHN LENG & CO., BANK STREET.
1882.
GCOUNCGTE, 1818 2'-'5'3.
Hyesident.
JAMES RORIE, M.D., L.R.C.S.E.
Yice-Presidents.
WM. N. WALKER, F.G.S8.
JAMES DURHAM, F.G.S.
Hon. Greasuyey.
ALEXANDER SIMPSON, Accountant, 104 CommerciaL STREET,
Hon. Secretary,
FRANK. W. YOUNG, F.R.S.E., F.C.S., 4 Arrure TERRACE.
Assistant Secretary.
ROBERT LOW, 12 Forrar Roap.
Gouncillors.
DAVID CUNNINGHAM, M. Inst. C.E., F.M.S.
A. C. LAMB, F.S.A. Sco.
GEO. LOWDON.
ALLAN MATHEWSON, Cor. Mem, S.A. Scoz,
W. M. OGILVIE, F.B.S., F.S.A. Scot.
J. MARTIN WHITE.
Be Ov EF.
Your Council have much pleasure in submitting to you the Ninth
Annual Report of this Society.
It will be remembered that at last Annual Meeting Rule IV. was so
altered that the number of Members of Council was raised from eight
to twelve. This had become in some degree necessary, owing to the
great increase of late years in the membership of the Society, and the
consequent increase of work and responsibility. With the better
apportioning of this, your present Council believe they have been able
to carry on very satisfactorily the duties entrusted to their charge.
In October last, as intimated by the Secretary at one of the Ordinary
Meetings, the Society suffered a loss in the resignation by Mr W. B.
Irvine of the office of Vice-President, on account of other pressing duties
and engagements, and the state of his health. Under the circumstances
your Council felt most reluctantly compelled to accept the resignation,
placing on record their high appreciation of the numerous services
rendered by Mr Irvine to the Society, and their great regret at losing
one of their number who had wrought so long and so successfully with
them as he had done. The Council afterwards appointed one of their
number, Mr W. N. Walker, F.G.S., as Vice-President, and elected Mr
David Cunningham, M. Inst., C.E., to the vacancy in the Council.
In June last year the Excursion Committee made arrangements for
the following Scientific Excursions :—
June 11. Sea Dredging, - - St Andrews Bay.
= 18. Geological and Botanical, - | Fowlis and Balruddery.
July 9. Geological and Botanical, - Red Head,
July 20. Sea Dredging, - - Bell Rock.
August 13 : - : - Kinkel Braes,
» 93l. Sea Dredging, - - Lunan Bay.
The excursion to Kinkel Braes did not take place, owing to the
unfavourable state of the weather. All the others, however, passed off
very successfully, the dredging expeditions in particular being both
numerously attended and enjoyable, many marine specimens being at
the same time obtained for the Society’s Museum.
The work of the Winter Session was very auspiciously inaugurated by
an interesting and eloquent lecture given in the Kinnaird Hall by Dr
Andrew Wilson, F.R.S.E., on “ Some Features of Evolution,” Thirteen
4
other fortnightly meetings were held during the Session, and the follow-
ing communications and lectures read or delivered :-—
19th Oct.—Colours and Colour Blindness.
With Experiments, - - - Davrp Nacgt, M.A.
2d Nov.—Some Chemical Operations in Nature.
With Experiments, - - - Frank W. Youna, F.C.S.
16th Nov.—The Geographical Distrilution of
Animals, - - - Wiiam N, Watker, F.G.S.
30th Nov.—Wotes on the Paris Electrical Exhibi-
tion. With Experiments, - J. Martin WHITE.
14th Dec.—The Metamorphic Rocks of Portsoy, Rev. W. W. Pryton.
11th Jan.—Climatic and Geographical Changes
tn Postglacial Times, - - Dr James Getxin, F.R.S., F.G.S.
&e., of H.M. Geological ‘Survey.
25th Jan.—The Weather and Storms ff Great
Britain, - - - Davip CunnincHaM, M. Inst., C.E.
8th Feb.—Green Animals, - - - - Parriok Greppss, F.R.S.E., Lecturer
on Zoology in the Edinburgh School
of Medicine.
22d Feb.—The ene of Eigg and se Geologi-
History, - - JAMES DurHaM, F.G.S.
8th Mar.—The Degradation of Energy. With
Experiments, - - - RoBerT FULLARTON.
22d Mar.—The Distribution of the Song hilar
in Scotland, - - Epwarp Morr.
5th Apr.—Polarisation of Light (Plane and
Circular). With Experiments, Joun THOMSON.
19th Apr.--Some Chemical Operations in Nature
(a continuation of previous com-
munications). —— Hixperi-
ments, - - Frank W. Youne, F.C.S.
These Meetings last Session were again held in the Mathematical
Class Room of the High School, for the use of which from year to year
the Society is very greatly indebted to the kindness and generosity of
the Directors of that Institution. An extra Meeting was, however, held
in the Society’s Museum on December 27th, Mr Patrick Geddes having
very kindly consented to the expressed desire of the Council to give a
short account of his proposed method for “the Classification of
Statistics,” based upon the preliminary Sciences.
Your Council desire here to record their great obligation to all the
gentlemen mentioned for their valued contribution at these Meetings,
and to express their due appreciation of the evident pains taken in the
proper illustration of the different subjects. It is to be hoped that this
part of the Society’s work will continue to receive a large share of the
attention of the Members and Associates, and that this interest will be
shown more and more, not only by increased attendance at the
fortnightly meetings, but by an augmentation of the number of those
who thus communicate,
5
It is now two years since your Council reported having made their
first effort to obtain the benefits of the Gilchrist Trust in aid of a course
of popular lectures on various branches of Natural Science, and last
year a renewal of the application to the Trustees was strongly urged.
This matter was early considered by your present Council, who agreed
to again ask the Natural Science Societies in Perth, Brechin, Montrose,
and Kirkcaldy, to make a conjoint and strong representation to the
Trustees through Dr Carpenter, the Secretary of the Trust, for a course
of Gilchrist Lectures in Dundee and these other towns. It is hardly
now necessary to state that a very favourable reply was received to this
second application, your Council being soon after deputed to make
arrangements with the Societies or Committees in all the above-named
towns for the delivery of a Course of Lectures as under :—
Professor Batt, LL.D., F.R.S., Astronomer Royal for Ireland,
The Telescope and its uses.
Wm. Lant Carpenter, Esq., B.A., B.Sc., F.C.S.,
Electrical Storage of Energy, Illustrated with Experiments.
Wm. Lantt CARPENTER, Esq., B.A., B.Sc., F.C.S.,
Transmission of Power by Electricity, Illustrated with Experiments.
Dr ANDREW Wixsoy, F.R.S.E., F.L.S.,
Corals and Coral Islands.
Dr James GEIKIE, F.R.S., F.R.S.E., F.G.S., &c., of H.M. Geological Survey.
The Ice Age in Scotland.
The Rev. W. H. Datutncer. F.R.S., &c., Professor of Natural Science, and
Governor of Wesley College, Sheffield,
An Hour with the Microscope,
With special reference to the least and lowest forms of life.
In Dundee the Lectures were delivered in the Kinnaird Hall, which
was crowded every evening with intelligent and appreciative audiences.
In every respect the course may be considered a complete success, and
it is gratifying to note that not only was this the case in Dundee, but
in Perth, Brechin, Montrose, and Kirkcaldy also—one remarkable
feature in the audiences, noticed by the Lecturers as well as by your
Council, being the great preponderance of our working classes, for
whom the Lectures were mainly instituted.
Your Council have already taken occasion to record and transmit an
expression of their great indebtedness to the Gilchrist Trustees, for their
goodness in providing eminent scientific men to deliver so interesting
and varied a course. To Dr W. B. Carpenter, C.B., F.R.S., your Council
feel more especially indebted, for much kindness and courtesy while
carrying out, along with him, all the arrangements.
The labours necessarily involved in this matter, and in consideration
of the fact that the Art Exhibition in the Albert Institute was open
during the winter months of this year, and that in connection with it
6
there were several evening meetings, your Council deemed it advisable
not to hold a Conversazione of the Members and Associates of this -
Society until the beginning of another Session, when the new Council
could better arrange for a successful scientific gathering.
Since the issue of the Library Catalogue in the autumn of last year,
a number of valuable additions have been made to the Society’s
Scientific Works.
The following may be noted here :—
U.S. Geological Survey of the 40th Parallel. Vol. VII. Odontornithes. By
Prof. O. GC. Marsh. Presented by the U.S. Government, per Consul
M‘Dougall.
‘‘The Classification of Statistics,” and other Scientific Papers. By Mr Patrick
Geddes, F.R.S.E. Presented by the Author.
14 Vols. of British Association Reports, 1867-1860. Presented by
13 Vols. Jardine’s Naturalists’ Library, with Plates. Mr A. C. Lamb.
2 Vols. Balfour’s ‘‘Comparative Embryology.” Presented by Mr W, N.
Walker, F.G.S. : :
Bell’s “British Reptiles.” Presented by Mr J. Martin White.
Journal of Quekett Microscopical Club. Presented by the Club.
“© Flora of Arbroath and Neighbourhood.” Presented by the Compilers.
Official Report of the Challenger Expedition. Vol. III.
Flower’s ‘‘ Osteology of the Mammalia.”
Huxley’s “‘ Anatomy of the Invertebrated Animals.”
Huxley’s ‘* Anatomy of the Vertebrated Animals.”
6 Vols. W. Saville Kent’s ‘‘ Manual of the Infusoria.”
Green’s ‘‘ Manual of the Protozoa.”
Gosse’s ‘* British Sea Anemones and Corals.”
Forbes’ ‘‘ British Star Fishes, Sea Urchins, and Sea Cucumbers.”
2 Vols. Bate and Westwood’s “ British Sessile-Eyed Crustacea.”
Murray’s ‘‘ Aptera.”
Newman’s “ British Butterflies and Moths.”
Heddle’s ‘‘ Geological Map of Sutherland.”
The books enumerated in the Catalogue which was issued, and those
mentioned here, will be sufficient to show that there is in the possession
of the Society a goodly store of valuable works for the use of the
Scientific student or specialist.
In order to give greater facilities for their use, the Museum Com-
mittee of the Council have now arranged for the attendance of a boy in
the Society’s Library at all hours of the day during which the Free
Library is open.
The following Periodicals have been regularly laid upon the Museum
table throughout the year :—
Weekly—Nature.
Monthly—Science Gossip, the Geological Magazine, and the Journal of Botany.
Quarterly—The Scottish Naturalist.
In the Museum Department some progress has been made, both in
the collecting and arranging of specimens. It may be mentioned that
the Society’s valuable collection of birds of the Tay Valley now numbers
167 specimens, representative of 113 species.
?
:
7
There has lately been added some few mammals, reptiles, and fishes,
including a magnificent specimen of the Sun Fish, caught in the Tay,
and presented to the Society by Mr David Cunningham.
The best thanks of the Society are due to Mr Brebner for his having
during the year undertaken the great trouble of arranging the Society’s
Herbarium, at the same time adding many specimens in order to make
it more complete, Considering the rapid growth of the Society’s
collections, your Council found it was necessary in the autumn of last
year to agree toa recommendation from the Museum Committee to
enlarge the room. Having obtained the kind sanction of the Free
Library Board, for which they are grateful, a comparatively large
adjoining room was added to the Museum, and a glass case or two fitted
up to cover the extra wall space, which it is expected may provide
for the wants of the Museum Committee for some time to come.
Since the last annual meeting, the following have been elected
Honorary Members of the Society :—Dr Anprew Wuson, F R.S.E.,
F.L.S.; and Mr Patrick Geppss, F.R.S.E, Inthe opinion of your Council,
these gentlemen have not only very specially distinguished themselves
in science, either by the satisfactory dissemination of its truths or by
valuable research, but have furthered the interests of this Society by
personal and willing efforts on its behalf. ;
On our Roll of Membership we have at present
346 Ordinary Members,
119 Associates,
14 Honorary and Corresponding Members :
a total of 473 Members,
Last year we had—
323 Ordinary Members,
134 Associates,
13 Honorary and Corresponding Members :
470 in all, showing an increase of 3 Members,
In concluding this Report, which it is hoped may be deemed a
favourable one, your Council desire here most sincerely to thank all
who have in any capacity aided them in carrying on the work of the
Society. More especially would they record their indebtedness to the
following gentlemen for presiding on the occasion of the Gilchrist
Lectures :—Ex Provost Robertson ; John Leng, Esq.; Ex-Bailie
Robertson ; Sheriff Cheyne; Dean of Guild Henderson, and William
Hay, Esq.
Your Council also thank the Members of the Society for the con-
fidence and Support extended to them during their term of office,
W. M. OGILVIE, President.
FRANK W. YOUN G, Hon. Secretary.
TREASURER’S REPORT—1881-188 2,
ALO We,
To Balance from 1880-81, . ; : : : £1413 1
», Subscriptions from 325 Members, ¢ : : 81 5 0
,», Subscriptions from 119 Associates, 5 : : 63 10 6
»» Proceeds of Lectures, . : : ; - 106 15 11
», Interest on Bank Account, c ¢ ‘ : O11 2
£266 15 8
Gependitnre.
By Expenses of Lectures, 5 £91 0 10
», Amount Expended on Niteatiea, Porchneas and
Preparing Specimens, p : ‘ : 38 11 9
5, Books for Library, 5 ‘ ‘ : : 12 8 2%
», Dredging Apparatus, . : . : 4 7 410
», Periodicals, 5 ; : : 214 1
», Printing, Stationery, a Postage, . . : 20 4 04
», Advertising, 4 : - : : 9 811
», High School Expenses, : 2 2 ‘ 20 0
>, Sundry Expenses, : é ; : : 012 0
», Collector’s Commission, 5 : 3.5 0
»» Balance in National Bank of Scetand.: ‘ ; 79 6 0
£266 15. 8
LSS
May 15, 1882.—We have examined the Accounts of the Dundee Naturalists’
Society for the year from May 1881 to May 1882, and find that they are correct
and satisfactorily vouched.
J. DICKSON DODDS.
A. IMPER.
Be.
OO DODO ODO DO LOO DODO DODO LODO DO DOT ODO DS:
*
D undec Daturalists’ Society.
— Mundee aturalists’ Society,
ftic
a
eG au Reh ea a a
ANNUAL REPORT,
BEING FOR THE YEAR
DUNDEE:
PRINTED BY JOHN LENG & CO., BANK STREET.
—
1883.
COUN CULL, 1,843 '3'- 64:
resident,
JAMES RORIE, M.D., L.R.C.S.E
Vice- Presidents.
WM. N. WALKER, F.G.S
JAMES DURHAM, F.G:S.
Hon, Treasurer.
ALEXANDER SIMPSON, Accountant, 104 CoMMERCIAL STREET.
How. Secretary.
FRANK W. YOUNG, F.R.S.E., F.C.S., 4 Arrtin TERRACE.
Assistant Secretary.
JAMES CORR, 202 HawKkui 1.
Councillors.
DAVID CUNNINGHAM, M. Inst. C.E., F.MLS.
A. C. LAMB, F.S.A. Scor.
GEO. LOWDON.
ALLAN MATHEWSON, Cor. Mem. S.A. Scor.
W. M. OGILVIE, F.B.S., F.S.A. Scor.
J. MARTIN WHITE.
Mere bipeok Cy ey “Ee
Inpresenting the Tenth Annual Report of this Society your Council
would cordially congratulate the Members on the very satisfactory
completion of the first decade of the Society’s existence. When
ten years ago it was organised by a few enthusiastic Naturalists
it was, we dare say, little thought that such a Society would
erow to its present proportions, or occupy the position it now
does in Dundee.
During the past year the proceedings have been both profitable and
agreeable to all those concerned in them.
There were in all five Summer Excursions arranged for last year,
as under :—
May 24. Sea Dredging, = - St Andrews Bay.
June 24, Botanical, - - - Clova and Glen Dole.
July 20. np - - - Tent’s Muir.
Aug. 2. Sea Dredging, - - Bell Rock.
Aug. 19. Botanical, - - - Tealing.
All of these came off very satisfactorily—many marine and other
specimens being obtained, and there is good reason to believe that,
apart from special work in this direction, the quiet observation of
Nature, and the mutual aid in the better understanding of natural
objects afforded by these Excursions, leads to a considerable amount
of profitable enjoyment. It is, therefore, to be hoped that the
expeditions will continue to remain popular, and that increased
numbers will take advantage of their many benefits.
The work of the Winter Session was inaugurated by a Conversa-
zione of Members and their friends in the Picture Galleries of the
Albert Institute. Although it was not the aim of the Council,
as in some previous years, to bring together a very large special
collection either of scientific apparatus or Natural History objects
for exhibition, yet, thanks to the local Telephone Company, the
Northern Electric Light Company, Mr Lowdon, and others, a
goodly number of scientific novelties were exhibited; and the
Society’s Museum in the upper rooms of the Institute having,
after last year’s extensions and alterations, been again got into
order, was brilliantly lighted by incandescent electric lamps, and
4
proved a very attractive resort throughout the evening. - Here
also Mr P. Geddes, F.R.S.E., gave a short but very interesting
discourse on “Some Results of the Study of Biology,” and Colonel
H. M. Drummond Hay followed with an instructive lecture on some
of the local birds in the Society’s collection.
An excellent concert of orchestral and vocal music in the Great
Hall of the Institute added very much to the harmony of the meeting.
The best thanks of the Society are due to W. Ogilvy Dalgleish,
Esq., who ably presided on the occasion, to Colonel Drummond Hay
and Mr Geddes for their lectures, to Mr T. Murdoch, who so efficiently
conducted the concert, and all who exhibited specimens or apparatus,
for their kindly interest in the wellbeing of the Society. Your
Council feel again compelled to make mention of one of their number,
Mr A. C. Lamb, upon whom falls the bulk of the work of organising
these Conversaziones. It is not too much to say that any success
which may attend them is in great measure due to Mr Lamb’s energy
and foresight.
The ordinary Meetings during the last Session have been held in
the Museum and Library of the Society. This was rendered neces-
sary owing to a resolution of the High School Directors, after the
extensive alterations made in the School last summer, “ that the High
School buildings and grounds shall be exclusively set apart for the
purposes of the School,” thereby rendering it needless to apply for the
use of the very suitable room so long kindly granted by the Directors.
The Meetings held throughout the Bee the subjects of communi-
cations, &c., were as follows:—
Noy. 8th.—Wotes on Orchidacee, - - - Apex. Hurron, F.B.S., F-MS.,
Arbroath.
Nov. 22nd.—On Some Poisonous Plants, - - J. 8. Cricuton, M.D., Arbroath.
Dec. 6th.—The Teeth of Fishes, - = - - Wm. M. Fisuer, L.D.S. R.C.S. Eng.
Dec. 20th.—Plants and their Physical Conditions, FRANK W. Youne, F.R.S.E., F.C.S.
Jan. 24th.—The Diffraction Spectrum, - - JOHN THOMSON.
Feb. 7th.—The Scientific Results of the nid uise of
H.M.S. Challenger, - - FRANK E. BEDDARD, B.A., F.R.S.E.,
Naturalist to the “ Challenger”
Expedition Commission.
Feb. 21st.—Some Points of Interest in the Geo-
graphical Distribution of Plants, Guo, G. CHISHOLM, ae A., Epi.
March 7th.—The Tides, - - - - - Wm. DuruaM, F.R.S
March 21st.—Cyclones and Tornadoes, - - Davip Consvenam, a Inst. C.E.
April 4th.—Botany, Geology, and Archeology of
the Killin District, - - - JAMES BREBNER, M. A., Dundee, and
D. HAGGART, Killin.
April 18th. —Fertilisation of hewn ung a loral
Defences, - - JOHN STEWART, Arbroath,
5
Your Council desire here to record their warmest thanks to the
gentlemen who so very ably contributed the papers and lectures
at the different Meetings, more particularly to those who, coming
from a distance, so favoured the Society.
The attendance at the ordinary Meetings has on the whole been
very good, but necessarily limited by the size of our Museum, which
on two or three occasions was very inconveniently crowded. This,
however, your Council hope may be remedied ere another Session
opens, by the securing of a more commodious and somewhat more
convenient meeting-room.
The work in the Museum continues to progress most satisfactorily,
under the active supervision of our earnest Librarian and Curator (Mr
Martin White). Several new cases have been added, and some of
our Natural History collections largely augmented, Our extensive
collection of local birds is now nearly complete, and the eggs
have very recently been classified and named by Mr R. N. Kerr.
A number of species of reptiles and mammals have been added, and
Dr Buchanan White, F.L.S., has very generously undertaken to
arrange for the Society a typical series of insects (excluding
the Butterflies and Moths, our collection of which is already
complete).
The very laborious task of putting our Herbarium in order has been
finished by Mr Brebner during the past year, and our large Botanical
collection is now in a most efficient condition—every plant being placed
in its order and class in neat and easily accessible portfolios.
Your Council have already minuted and conveyed to Mr Brebner
their cordial thanks for his good services, but they feel that he has
single-handedly accomplished that which entitles him to the gratitude
of every Naturalist in the Society. Mr Martin White has very
Kindly given, for the use of Members in the Museum, a valuable
microscope, and which it is to be hoped will be largely taken advantage
of by those for whom it is intended.
The plaster casts of the fine fossil Pterygotus Anglicus found some
years ago in the quarries at Carmyllie, have, in reply to requests, been
distributed and duly acknowledged, as follows :—
(1.) To the Museum of the Royal School of Mines, pro. Prof. Huxley—sent in
year 1879,
(2.) To the Zoological Museum at Marischal College, Aberdeen (1879).
(8.) To the Natural History Museum (British Museum), South Kensington.
(4.) To the Natural History Museum, Edinburgh.
(5.) To the Natural History and Antiquarian Museum, Montrose.
(6.) To the Natural History Museum of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science,
6
Early in the autumn of last year there was issued a Supplement to
the previously existing Library Catalogue of the Society. Since
then, however, a number of important volumes have been added—
amongst others the following :—
Official Report of the Challenger Expedition—Narrative. Vol. IT.
Do. The Petrels, Deep Sea Meduse and Holothurians. Vol. IV.
Do. Ophiuroidex, &e. Vol. V.
Do. Actinaria and Tunicata. Vol. VI.
18 Volumes of British Association Reports, 1834—1863. Presented by the
Committee of the British Association,
List of British Birds.
Hibberd’s Marine Aquarium
Nature. Vols. XX VI. and qd XXVIL.
As in previous years the following Periodicals have been regularly
obtained :—
Weekly—Nature.
Monthly—Science Gossip, the Geological Magazine, and the Journal of Botany.
Quarterly—The Scottish Naturalist.
The Membership of the Society at the present time consists of —
11 Hon. Members,
9 Corresponding Members,
320 Ordinary Members, and
112 Associates.
452. in all,
In January the Council sustained a loss in the death of Mr Robert
Low, the late active and intelligent Assistant Secretary, and his
colleagues desire here to record their grateful sense of the many and
important services rendered by Mr Low to the Society, and their very
deep regret at the early removal of one so amiable as a friend, so
promising as a student of science, and so useful a member of the
Society.
In completing this Report, your Council beg to express their grati-
tude to all who have aided them in carrying on the work of the
Society, and to thank the members generally for the confidence and
support given them during their term of office.
JAMES RORIE, President.
FRANK W. YOUNG, Hon. Secretary.
TREASURER’S REPORT—1882-1883.
et Pate
aAvcome,
To Balance from 1881-82, . : : ; . £79) 60
, Subscriptions from 296 Members, : ‘ j FA O10
», Subscriptions from 108 Associates, - : : 57 15 O
;; Tickets for Conversazione Sold, . : : : 210 0
», Interest on Bank Account, c - : ; Is1Gaeb
£2165 7 5
Gxpenditnre,
By Expenses of Conversazione, 5 ; £5617 8
», Amount Expended on Museum, . ‘ 22 9 Ik
5, Books for Library, : : - 20 7 3
>, Periodicals, : : : . 3.5 0
», Dredging Apparatus, : - O11 4
», Printing, Stationery, and Bests; : 16 2 10
;, Advertising, . : : : 814 6
», Collector’s Commission, . ; : 3.0 0
», Sundry Expenses, : i it te)
», Balance in National Bank of
Scotland, Limited, : . £83 8 4
Less—Balance due to Treasurer, 0 8 7}
— 8219 8}
— £215 7 5
ALEX. SIMPSON, Hon. Treasurer.
17th May 1883.—We have examined the Accounts of the Dundee Naturalists’
Society from May 1882 to May 1883, and find that they are correct, and satis-
factorily vouched.
JOHN THOMSON.
JOHN NELSON.
LIST OF ASSOCIATES.
Adamson, John, Exchange Place.
Air, David, 7 King Street.
Alexander, A., St Andrews Street,
Alston, C., Dundee Prison.
Anderson, Peter, Lindsay Street.
Baxter, George W., King Street.
Bell, J. W., Belmont.
Bell, Thomas, Windsor Street.
Boase, G. W., Royal Bank, Castle Street.
Boase, Henry 8., Magdalen Place.
Bradford, J. 8., Albany Terrace.
Brown, P. S., Exchange Street.
Bruce, J. D., 116 Seagate.
Butchart, John, 14 Panmure Street.
Camphell, Dr A., 15 Airlie Place.
Cargill, David, Longhaugh.
Carmichael, D., 10 Dudhope Terrace.
Carmichael, G., 11 Dudhope Terrace.
Carmichael, J. 8., Springhill.
Carmichael, P. (Baxter Bros. & Co.)
Charles, J. B., M.A., High School.
Cheyne, Sheriff, Airlie Place.
Colville, John, National Bank, Reform
Street.
Connell, Rev. A. B., Lochee.
Coupar, James O., 30 Princes Street.
Cox, Edward, 18 Windsor Street.
Cox, James, Clement Park, Lochee.
Crighton, James, Mains, Inchture.
Dalgleish, W. O., Mayfield, Ferry Road.
Dixon, H. G., 41 High Street.
Doctor, William, Meadowside.
Dott, George, High School.
Douglas, William, Panmure Street.
Esplin, A., 8 Cowgate.
Fleming, R., Northern Assurance Build-
ings.
Gellatly, Wm., Royal Exchange Place.
Gourlay, Gershom, Dundee Foundry.
Gourlay, Henry, Balgay House.
Gourlay, H. G., Dundee Foundry,
Greig, Dr, Tay Street.
Grimond, A. D., Dunmore.
Hatschek, Louis, Cowgate.
Hay, William, ‘own House.
Hean, Peter, Rosemount, Constitution
Koad.
Henderson, Alexander, West Park.
Henderson, Frank, M.P., Clarendon
Terrace.
Henderson, William, Park Place.
Henderson, Richard, Nethergate.
Treland, James, 81 Murraygate.
Johnstone, James, Murraygate.
Keiller, John M., Binrock.
Kennedy, R. G., 10 Panmure Street.
Kerr, Charles, Nethergate.
Laing, Robert, Greenfield Place.
Laing, Rev. Mr, 8 Panmure Terrace.
Lawson, J. B., Lindsay Street.
Lindsay, William, 8 Dudhope Terrace.
Low, David., Royal Exchange Place.
Low, James F., Seaview, Monifieth.
Luis, J. H., Cidhmore, Perth Road.
Macdonald, D., Thomson Street,
Mackay, J. H., Castle Street.
Mackenzie, George, Royal Bank, Castle
Street.
Macrae, Rev. David, Tayview House,
Newport.
Martin, W. Y. Blyth, Blyth House,
Newport.
Mathewson, A., Union Terrace.
Methven, T. E., Broughty Ferry.
Millar, Dr J. W., ‘Tay Street.
Miller, R. A., Westfield Place,
Moir, William, Bank of Scotland,
Reform Street.
Moon, Dr Steel, King Street,
Moon, Dr Charles, Tay Street.
Murdoch, Thomas, St Andrews Street.
M‘Grady, H., Seymour Lodge, Perth
Road.
M‘Kenzie, M., Murraygate.
Nagel, Henry, Tay Street.
Nucator, P., Meadowside.
Orchar, J. G., Angus Lodge, West Ferry.
Pattullo, James, Bank Street.
Paul, G. Brodie, Springfield.
Powrie, James, Reswallie, by Forfar.
Reid, J. C., B. L. Bank, Murraygate.
Reoch, James, Grenada Villa, Newport.
Rhind, H. S., Bain Square.
Rhind, John, Bain Square.
Rickard, Joseph, British Hotel,
Ritchie, William, Elmslea.
Ritchie, William, Jr., Elmslea,
Robertson, Charles, Castle Street.
Robertson, John, Craigie Works.
Robertson, T. S., Bank Street.
Robertson, William, Balmore, Newport.
Rollo, George, Victoria Foundry,
Lochee.
Scrimgeour, John, Nethergate.
Shepherd, W., Union Mount.
Sidey, D., Clydesdale Bank.
Small, W. J., Bank Street.
Small, J. M., Gray House.
Smith, Thomas, Ashwood, Harecraig.
Smith, Allan, Newport.
Speed, A., 82 High Street.
Spence, G. C., 10 Springfield.
Stevenson, James, 1 Woodville Place,
Maryfield.
Strong, William, Dock Street.
Thomson, W., Euclid Crescent.
Thomson, J. W., Bank Street.
Todd, Charles E., Royal Exchange Place.
Unna, J., Meadowside.
Urquhart. W. W., Blackness Foundry.
Walker, Harry, Westwood, Newport.
Walker, J. H., Woodburn Villa,
Newport.
Walker, P. G., 2 Airlie Place.
Watson, J. 5., 76 Seagate.
Weinberg, J. J., Fernbrae.
White, James F., Balruddery. -
Wilson, W. &., Balgillo Terrace,
Broughty Ferry.
Young, W. Ii. R., 7 Ward Road.
BS 7.0 FoM-E MSS ERs.
THos—E MARKED * ARE HonorARY MEMBERS.
THOSE MARKED + ARE CORRESPONDING MEMBERS.
Aimer, J. D., Viewbank ‘Terrace,
Provost Road.
Allan, Robert, Cherryfield House, Black-
ness Road.
Allen, Leonard, Trinity House.
Anderson, A. B., Princes Street.
Anderson, James, Hill Street, Broughty
Ferry.
Anderson, James F., 8 Panmure Street.
Anderson, Wm., 8 South Lindsay Street.
neue, Thomas, Argyle House, Broughty
erry.
Arnold, John P., High School.
Baxter, Charles, Horse Wynd.
Baxter, R. L., Eden Lodge.
Baxter, Henry, Alma Terrace, Newport.
Baxter, Stephen, I’den Lodge, Arbroath
Road.
+Beddard, Frank E., B.A., F.R.S.E.,
Challenger Office, Edinburgh.
Begg, David, 50 Reform Street.
Begg, Frank, Somerville Place.
Bell, E. Weston, Belmont.
Bell, George J., Belmont.
Bell, J. F., Somerville Place.
Berg, Robert, ‘he Elms,
Broughty Ferry.
Berry, ‘Thomas, 53 Cowgate.
Boswell, David, 31 Crescent Street.
Brown, David, Bloomfield, East New-
port.
Brown, Robert, 246 Perth Read.
Brown, William, Clarendon Terrace.
Brown, John, 13 Osborne Place.
Seafield,
Brebner, J., M.A., Tay Square.
Brew, William, Nethergate.
Buchan, Miss, Nethergate.
Burgess, ‘Thomas F., 25 Windsor Street.
Butchart, W. P., 9 Wellington Street.
Campbell, Walter S., Tay Street.
Campbell, W., ‘lay Street.
Campbell, R., 4 Victoria Place, Broughty
Ferry.
Carnelley, Professor T., D.Sc., F.C.8.,
University College.
Chalmers, Robt., 91 Arbroath Road.
+Chisholm, George G., M.A., B.Sc, 9
Rillbank Terrace, Edinburgh.
Christie, John W., High School.
Clapperton, Rev. R., 150 Nethergate.
Clark, George, M.A., West knd
Academy.
Colquhoun, D., Carnoustie.
Comar, Louis, ‘layview, Newport.
*Cooke, Stephen, F.C.8., Veterinary
College, Glasgow.
Cooper, George P., 2 Hunter Place,
Broughty Ferry.
Corr, James, 202 Hawkhill.
Couper, Charles, Dudhope House.
Couper, ‘homas, Dudhope House.
Cowan, Wm.C., L.R.C.S.E., Tay Street.
Cowe, Geo., Balhousie, Carnoustie.
Cowie, John, Renny Place, West Ferry.
Cox, James D., Panmure Street.
Crabbe, David, 7 Somerville Place.
Crabbe, Miss Idith, 16 Gardner’s Lane,
+Crichton, Dr J. 8., Arbroath,
Cruickshank, Rev. Robert, Castle Hill
House.
Cunningham, D., M. C.E.,
Harbour Chambers.
Cunningham, James, Jr., Royal Ex-
change.
Cunningham, James, Douglas House,
West Ferry.
t+Daniell, Alfred, School of Medicine,
Minto House, Edinburgh.
Dewar, Dr J. A., Hill Terrace, Arbroath.
Dingwall, William, Strathmartine Road.
Dodds, James D., Lochee.
Donaldson, John, Meadow Street.
Donaldson, J. B.. Crescent Bank, Hast
Newport.
*Drummond-Hay, Colonel, C.M.Z.S.,
Seggieden, Perth.
Duncan, John, Craigie
Duncan, Dr A. J., 144 Nethergate.
Durham, James, F'.G.8., High Street.
;Durham, Wm., F.R.S.E., Seaforth
House, Portobello.
Ewan, Alexander, West Port.
Eadie, James, 3 Alma Terrace, West
Newport.
Inst.
Fairweather, James, 7 Union Terrace.
Fairweather, Joseph, Arbroath Road.
Farquharson, ‘Thomas, Dock Street.
Feathers, Peter, Somerville House,
Broughty Ferry.
Feathers, James, Dock Street.
Ferguson, Thomas, Bell Street.
Fisher, W. M., L.D.S., R.C.S., Eng.,
Nethergate.
Fleming, A. D., Nelson Street.
Fleming, James, 31 Yeaman Shore.
Fleming, James, Jr., Somerville Place.
Fleming, John, Jr., West Dock Street.
Beara J.R., D., P., & L. Shipping
0.
Fleming, R. E., 31 Yeaman Shore.
Forbes, Miss, West Newport.
Frain, William, Castle Street.
Freeland, William, Bank of Scotland,
Reform Street.
Fullarton, Robert, Chemical Works,
Carnoustie.
Galloway, Rev. S., Lochee.
Galt, J. M., Earl Villa, Lochee.
*Geikie, Professor James, LL. D., F.B.S.,
&e., University of Kdinburgh.
George, Rev. James, Nelson Street.
*Geddes, Patrick, F.R.S.E., 814 Princes
Street, Edinburgh.
Gibb, James, 22 Lilybank Road.
Gibb, William, Post Office.
Grant, Hugh, 18 Louise
Broughty Ferry.
Grant, John, Manse, Perth Road.
Graham, James, Sea View, Carnoustie.
Gray, Baxter, Fort Street, Broughty
Ferry,
Terrace,
10
Gray, D. J. T., 10 Victoria Chambers.
Greig, D. M., 'l'ay Street.
Grieve, David N., 151 Victoria Road.
*Grothe, Albert, Tharsis Mines, Spain.
Guthrie, Alexander, Hope Park,
Broughty Ferry.
Guthrie, Alfred, Lindsay Street.
Guthrie, Mrs A., 11 Lindsay Street.
+Hagegart, D., Bank of Scotland, Killin.
Halley, William, 4 Blackness Terrace.
Hamilton, George, 36 Tait’s Lane.
Hamilton, James, 36 Tait’s Lane.
Harcourt, Arthur F., 10 Victoria
Chambers.
Hardie, R. A., Panmure Street.
Hardie, James, 73 Nethergate.
Hardie, James, Jr., 68 High Street.
Hay, George, Perth Road.
Hay, William, Jr., Montpeiier.
+Heddle, Professor M, F.,
University of St Andrews.
Henderson, James, Downiemount, Tay-
port.
Frearensat: J. H. F., 5S. George Street.
Henderson, John, National Bank.
Henderson, Joseph J., 61 Reform Street.
Henderson P., Tally Street.
Henderson, William, West Park.
Hill, Howard, Ladywell Calender.
Hill, 4. W., Ladywell Calender.
Hood, John, Dalltield Walk.
Hood, James, Gladstone Terrace, Bro.
Ferry.
Hodge, D. S., 4 Laurence Street.
Hodge, Dr James, Tay Street.
Hodge, Miss, Constitution Terrace.
Howe, Charles, Woodside, East Newport.
Hunter, Wm. C. S., M.A., Dundee
Institution.
Hutcheson, Alexander, Reform Street.
Hutcheson, Henry, Nethergate.
Hutcheson, William, Advertiser Office.
Hutton, Alexander, Royal Bank,
Arbroath. ;
Hynd, James, Dock Street.
Imper, Albert, 17 Tay Street.
Inglis, J. T., Dock Street.
Treland, David, Commercial Street.
Treland, David, Jr., Rockhill, Broughty
Ferry.
Irvine, W. B., F.R.G.S., Tay Street.
Isles, James, Blairgowrie.
Israel, Gottfried, 10 Victoria Chambers.
Johnstone, J. J., Bank Street.
Johnston, Miss Etta, Hast Newport.
M.D.,
Keir, R. B., High Street, Lochee.
Kennedy, William (W. & H. Scott, Mid
Wynd).
Kennedy, John, Riversdale, Perth Road.
Kerr, J. 5., Forebank.
Kerr, P., Jr., Forebank.
Kerr, R. N., King Street.
Kidd, William, Nethergate.
are ee oe
mF
a
Kidd, John, Lansdowne Place.
Kidd, John, Jr., Lansdowne Place.
Kidd, John, Drummond Villa, Broughty
Ferry.
King, David 145 Princes Street.
Kinnison, Mrs, Newport.
*Knight, Professor, University of St
Andrews,
Kyd, Thomas, 36 Thomson Street.
Lamb, A. C., F.S.A. Scot., Reform Street.
Lamb, Mrs A. C., Reform Street.
Lamb, Miss, Reform Street.
Lamb, James, Reform Street.
Lang, Rev. Robert, 1 Tay Square.
Leake, Kenneth, 10 Douglas Terrace.
+Leslie, Dr George, F.R.S.E., Falkirk.
Lindsay, Wm. R., 2 Graham Place.
Low, Wm., Seaview, Monifieth.
Lowden, Ernest, 1 Constitution Terrace.
Low, William, Bank Street.
Lowden, William, Constitution Terrace.
Lowdon, George, Reform Street.
Lowdon, J. W., Reform Street.
Lowdon, Edward, Reform Street.
Lowson, J. J. F., Ph.D., Gray Bank.
Lundie, Robert, 75 Nethergate.
Macgregor, Thomas, 14 Fleuchar Street.
Mackay, D., 2 Union Street.
Mackay, Alexander, 104 Commercial
Street.
Mackenzie, George, 26 Garland Place.
Mackenzie, W. L., Craiglee, West Ferry.
Mackness, Rev. Dr, Parsonage, Broughty
Ferry.
Macnamara, Rev. Henry, Castle Hill
House.
Macrae, John, Gas Works, Dock Street.
Macveigh, W. A., Tay View, Newport.
Malcolm, George, Inverlaw.
Malcolm Alexander, Marrbank.
Martin, James H., 53 West Port.
Mathewson, Allan, C.M.S.A. Scot., 26
Seagate.
Mathewson, John, 26 Seagate.
Mathewson, Miss, Union Terrace.
_ Mathewson, A. P., Union Terrace.
Matthew, .Alexander, Jr., 61 Princes
Street.
Melville, W. S., Airlie Terrace.
Millar, Miss, 2 Alma Terrace, Newport.
Miller, Andrew S., M.A., High School.
Miller, A. H., Advertiser Office.
Miller, Thomas S., Broughty Ferry.
Milne, Robert, Beach, West Ferry.
Mills, Rev. J., 10 Somerville Place.
‘Mitchell, T. E., 228 on Road.
Mitchell, D. K., 0.
Mitchell, D. R., Meadowside.
Mitchell, James, Douglas
Broughty Ferry.
Moir, Edward, 27 Cowgate.
Moffat, James, 8 Cleghorn Street.
Morris, George, 72 High Street.
Morrison, W. B., 30 Cowgate.
Murray, Peter, 1 Nelson Street,
Terrace,
11
Murray, Miss M., 1 Graham Place.
Mudie, John, 17 William St., Forebank.
Myles, A. B., Bramble:Bank,' Campbill,
Broughty Ferry.
Myles, Andrew,{9 Nelson Street.
M‘Culloch, A., Euclid Crescent.
M‘Culloch, John, Nethergate.
M‘Farlane, John, 6 Craigie Street.
M‘Glashan, James, South , Dudhope
Works.
M‘Gregor, John, 34 Lindsay Street.
M‘TInlay, James, 8 Lawrence Street.
*M‘Intosh, Prof. W. C., M.D., F.R.S.,
&c., University of St Andrews.
M‘Tntyre, D., 84 Con:mercial Street.
M‘Kay, William, Inglewood Terrace.
M‘Kechnie, James, Union Bank, Lochee.
M‘Kelvie, W. R., Euclid Crescent.
M‘Laren, D., 2 Strawberry Bank.
M‘Millan, John, Tay Bridge Station.
*M ‘Nicoll, Walter, Tealing.
Nagel, Albert, 10,Tay Square.
Nagel, David, 10 Tay Square.
Nairn, Boswell L., (W. B.’) Ritchie’s,
Commercial Street).
Nairn, John M., Maryfield.
Nelson, John, 7 King Street.
Nicholson, James, Carnoustie.
*Nicholson, Prof. H. A., F.R.8.E., &c.,
University, Aberdeen.
Nicoll, G. H., Bank Street.
Nicoll, John, Cemetery, Arbroath.
Nicoll,’ Thomas, Monifieth.
Noble, David, Lochee Road.
Ogilvie, W. M., F.B.S., ‘F.S8.A.’ Scot.,
Royal Bank, Lochee.
Ogilvie, Mrs W. M.,'Lochee.
Cgilvie, William, Jr., Royal Bank,
Castle Street.
| Orchar, James, West Ferry.
| Orchar, Robert, Madeira Street.
Ower, Stephen, 87 High Street.1
Ower, Leslie, C.E., Commercial Street.
Paterson, James, Magdalen Yard Road.
Patrick, William, 13 Mid Wynd.
Patterson, Peter, 50 Ferry Road.
Peyton, Rev. W. W., Broughty Ferry.
Plenderleath, H., 1 Commercial_Street.
Powrie, George, Airlie Place.
Pyott,'D. W., 22 Victoria’ Street.
Ramsay, David, 3 Balfour Street.
Ramsay, Wm., 13 ParkyWynd,
Rattray, Richard, Balfour Street.
Rattray, Robert, Constitution Road.
Reid, R. C., National Bank, Hilltown.
Reid, W.'P., 68 St Andrews Street.
Robb, Wm., 246°Perth Road.
Robertson, David,’ 9 Ure Street.
Robertson, James,'106 Annfield Road.
Robertson, John, Millar’s Wynd.
Robertson,’ John,'Balmore,! Newport.
Robertson, Robert, 202 Overgate.
Robertson, Robert, Blairgowrie.
Robertson, R. C., High School.
Roger, James, 11 Rosefield Street.
Rollo, Silvester, 2 India Buildings.
Rorie, Dr, Royal Lunatic Asylum,
West Green, Liff.
Salmond, William, Commercial Street.
Scott, Andrew, Forgan.
Scott, David, 26 Euclid Crescent.
Scott, Richard, 8 Airlie Terrace.
Scott, Thomas, 13 Union Street.
Scrimgeour, Andrew, 51 Victoria Road.
Scroggie, David, Paradise Road.
Scroggie, W., Viewbank, Blackness
Road.
Shearer, William, 7 King Street.
Shepherd, Robert, 4 Maryfield Terrace.
Sime, George, King Street, Dundee.
Simpson, Alexander, Woodriffe Terrace,
Newport.
Simpson, G. B., Seafield, Bro. Ferry.
Simpson, Geo. Buchan, Jr., do.
Simson, W. B., Eastern Club.
Sinclair, Andrew, 73 Nethergate.
Smieton, James, Panmure Villa, Bro.
Ferry.
Smith, Charles, 69 Cowgate.
Smith, Mitchell, 15 West Dock Street.
Smith, Robert, Meadowside.
Smith, W. R., 1 Rustic Place.
Smith, William, Addison Place,
Arbroath.
Smith, Thomas H., M.A., Harecraigs,
Somerville, Rev. J. E., Broughty Ferry.
Speakman, James, 4 Craigie Bank
Terrace.
Steggall, Prof. J. E. A.,, M.A,
University College.
Stephenson, George, Meadow Entry.
Stevenson, F., Nelson Street.
eierenson, G., Woodville Place, Mary-
eld.
Stewart, Rev. Alexander, M.A., The
Manse, Mains.
Stewart, David, 109 Nethergate.
Stewart, John, Letham Mill, Arbroath.
Sturrock, James, Bank Street.
Sturrock, John, F.S.A. Scot., Rustic
Place.
9
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1
Sturrock, William, 2 Lawrence Street.
Tait, Rev. A. D., Strathkinnes.
‘Templeman, Dr, Tay Street.
Tennant, James, Carlogie Road, Car-
noustie.
Thomson, Andrew, M.A., B.Se., Dundee
Institution, Tay Square.
Thomson, David, 24 Bank Street.
Thomson, James, Springbank House,
Springhill.
Thomson, James, Somerville Place.
Thomson, John, Elmbank, Perth Road.
Thomson, Robert, Somerville Place.
Tosh, W. H., Harecraigs, Ferry Road.
Ure, George, Shore Terrace.
Walker, R., 2 Victoria Street.
Walker, W. N., F.G.S., Newport.
Walker, Mrs W. N., Newport.
Watson, James, Shore Dues Office.
Watson, John D., 7 Euclid Street.
Watt, Rev. H. G., M.A., B.D., Windsor
Terrace.
Welch, John, Royal Bank, Castle Street.
Bh ees Buchanan, M.D., F.L.S.,
Perth.
White, J. Martin, Spring Grove.
White, Miss E., Spring Grove.
White, Miss M. H., Spring Grove.
Whyte, George, Loons Road, Lochee.
Williamson, Rev. H., Coupar Street,
Lochee.
Wilson, Adam, M.A., High School.
Wilson, Mrs Alexander, Westfield Place.
Wilson, Alexander, 29 Nethergate.
*Wilson, Dr Andrew, F.R.S.E.,° &.,
Gilmore Place, Edinburgh.
Wilson, John, 29 Nethergate.
Wilson, J. k., 46 Castle Street.
Wilson, Miss, Youngsdale Place, New-
port.
Wilson, James R., 13 Westfield Place.
Wright, Alexander, High Street, Lochee.
Young, Frank W., F.R.S.E., Laboratory,
High School.
Young, William,
Melrose ‘Terrace,
Clepington.
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Aundee Maturalists’ Society,
TOV Er Ber T
ANNUAL RE @oRs|-
BEING FOR THE YEAR
18s4-s85.
DUNDEE:
PRINTED BY JOHN LENG & CO., BANK STREET,
—
1885,
COUNCIL, -1e6:5"e-c..
President.
WM. N. WALKER, F.G.S.
Vice- Presidents.
JAMES DURHAM, F.G.S,
DAVID CUNNINGHAM, M. Inst. C.E., F.R. Mer. Soc,
Hon. Treusurer.
ALEXANDER SIMPSON, 104 Commercial STREET.
How, Secretaries.
FRANK W. YOUNG, F.R.S.E., F.C.S., HicH Scoot or DuNDEE,
J. MARTIN WHITE, F.R.P.S.E., BaLRUDDERY.
Council. ‘
Proressorn THOMAS CARNELLEY, D.Sc., F.C.S.
Prorsssorn D’ARCY W. THOMPSON, B.A., F.R.S.E.
ALEX. C. LAMB, F.S.A. Scor.
GEORGE LOWDON.
ALLAN MATHEWSON, Cor. Mem. §.A. Scor.
JOHN NELSON,
a
Peek OT:
Your Council have much pleasure in laying before you the Twelfth
Annual Report.
At the last Annual Meeting the formation of the East of Scotland
Union of Naturalists’ Societies was announced, and its aims and
methods of work explained. Shortly thereafter, on the 6th of June,
the first General Meeting was held in University College, Dundee.
A suggestive address was delivered by Dr Buchanan White, F.L.S.,
and preliminary Reports were read, indicating the present state of our
knowledge of the Zoology, Botany, Geology, and Meteorology of this
district, and making suggestions as to the lines of future work. These
have since been printed, and form a most useful and necessary volume
for all interested in the Natural History of the East of Scotland.
On the evening of the Meeting a Conversazione was given in the
Albert Institute by your Society, to which the Members of the Union
and others were invited. The attendance was very large, many workers
in the neighbouring Societies embracing the opportunity afforded of
meeting one another. They were welcomed by your President, and
several admirable addresses were given on Scientific subjects by dis-
tinguished Naturalists. Goodly collections of Chemical and Physical
Apparatus, and of Biological and Geological specimens, were exhibited,
Members of the Society taking much trouble, not only in arranging but
in describing or explaining, throughout the evening. The music,
orchestral and vocal, was evidently much appreciated, and added greatly
to the harmony of the meeting.
Your Council desire here to express their great indebtedness to all
who aided them in the work connected with this Conversazione ; and
again they feel compelled to remind you of the great pains taken by Mr
A. C. Lamb in the very successful organization and carrying out of all
4
the arrangements of the evening. The Society, indeed, owes Mr Lamb
a deep debt of gratitude for this as for similar and previous labours on
their behalf.
On the day following the Meeting two excursions were made by
. Members—one a Dredging Expedition to the Bell Rock and St Andrews
Bay, under the direction of Drs Buchanan White and Rorie ; the other,
Botanical and Geological, to the Lochs of Rescobie and Reswallie, with
Professor Trail and Mr Graham as leaders. Though rather early in the
season, yet each excursion was fruitful of a considerable number of
interesting forms, which were exhibited in the Society’s Museum in the
evening. To the Botanical and Geological party Mr Powrie of Reswallie
very kindly showed his splendid and unique collection of old red sand-
stone fossils, and further earned the gratitude of the excursionists by
placing boats on Rescobie Loch at their disposal. The two days’
meetings, your Council has every reason to believe, were enjoyed by all
who took a part in them, and will have, it is to be hoped, a lasting
influence on the Scientific work of the whole district.
It has now been arranged that the second Annual Meeting of the
Union be held in Kirkcaldy on the 4th September next, and it is to be
hoped that the Members of the Dundee Naturalists’ Society will show
their interest in its work by their attendance on this occasion.
Of the other excursions advertised for last summer that to Inver-
gowrie Bay did not come off, the Perthshire Society having fixed on a
very unsuitable day—that on which the Liberal Demonstration was held
in Dundee. The expedition to Ben Lawers and Ben More, although not
so large in point of numbers as it might have been, was still a most
successful one. Many rare plants were found, and a district was
explored which hitherto has been but little investigated.
It having been felt by many that the Ordinary Meetings were suffering
in the matter of attendance through not being held in a room very
suitable for the purpose, your Council applied to the authorities of
University College, through Principal Peterson, for permission to use
one of their class-rooms. This they very readily gave, placing the
Mathematical class-room at the disposal of the Society ; and to them,
as also to Professor Steggall, whose excellent class-room we used, your
Council feels greatly indebted. The increased attendance, especially
towards the end of our session, when Members became aware of the
great advantages of our new meeting place, may be taken as sufficient
proof of the desirability of the change.
5
The following communications were made to the Society during the
Session :—
Oct. 22nd.—*‘ Excursions in 1884,” . . Mr JAmers Brepner, M.A.
oe
By 3a Soils: their For mation and sedi Mr Anprew Tomson, M.A., B.Sc.
fication,” .
Mr Tuomas Rep, Assistant in the
Engineering Department, Uni-
versity College.
Mr Ws. M. Fisuer, L.D.S.R.C.S.,
Eng.
Mr J. W. Carstick, B.A., B.Sc.
Noy. 5th.—‘‘ The Storage of Ene ee (Zllustr Ge
with Experiments), .
Nov. 22nd.—‘‘ The Teeth of Reptiles and Birds,”
Dec. 3rd.—‘* The Ether” (Illustrated with Ex-
periments),
Dec. 17th.—‘‘ Votes on the Geology e Western
Sutherlandshire,”
Mr W. N. WaAtKER, F.G.S., Presi-
dent of the Society.
Mr James Duruam, F.G.S., Vice-
President of the Society.
Mr Joun Ratrray, M.A., B.Sc.,
Botanist to the Marine Station,
Granton.
Professor J. W. H. Tnratt, F.L.S.,
Aberdeen University.
Mr R. J. Harvey Gipson, M.A.,,
Assistant Lecturer in Biology,
University College, Liverpool.
Pare J. T. CunnIncHAM, B.A.,
Jan. 14th.—‘‘ Diatoms,”
Jan, 28th.—‘‘ Microscopic Fungi,”
Feb. 11th.—‘‘ The Relationship of ea ie
to Biology,’
\
j
» 3» ~~ “Notes on Two Volcanoes,”
oo)
sg
Feb, 25th. —“‘ Marine Zoology,” . Superintendent of the Marine
Station, Granton.
ear D’Arcy W. THOMPSON,
Mar. llth.—‘‘ Modern Methods i ae
B.A., University College, Dundee.
Study,”
Bap, = ” Mr Davin CunnincHAm, M. Inst.
Mar. 25th.—‘‘ Weather Observations, - { G.E., F.R. Met. Soc.”
To the contributors of these papers the Members of Council tender
their warmest thanks; but more especially do they feel their indebtedness
to several who came a considerable distance to read their communications
to the Society.
The foundation of a Chair of Biology in University College, and
the appointment of Professor D’Arcy Thompson as its occupant, must
be a matter of much interest.and congratulation to many of the Members
of the Society. Your Council trust that the increased facility for the
study of Natural Science thus afforded, together with the influence
exercised by the other Scientific Chairs in the College, will greatly
promote the usefulness and activity of the Society.
The following Periodicals continue to be laid on the Library table :—
Weekly—Nature.
Monthly—Science Gossip, the Geological Magazine, and the Journal of Botany.
Quarterly—The Scottish Naturalist.
Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science.
6
The additions to the Library have not been so numerous as in some
former years, yet several very important works have been purchased,
amongst others—
6 Vols. of the Challenger Reports.
Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, Jan. 1883 to April 1884 ; presented
by Mr D, Cunningham.
Mineralogical Magazine. Vols. XXII., XXIII., and XXIV.
Although the Society’s Library now contains many valuable volumes,
there is reason to believe it is not, in its present position, taken
advantage of to the extent that could be wished. - Your Council, there-
fore, contemplate its removal to the Biological Department of University
College, which will undoubtedly secure a greater usefulness for it,
with some advantages to the Members of the Society.
The Museum continues to have additions made to it, the Society’s
collection of local birds in particular being added to constantly. Your
Council are, however, very desirous to see a greater interest taken by the
Members in this part of the Society’s work.
During the year the following gentlemen were elected Corresponding
Members of the Society :—
Professor J. H. W. Trait, M.D., F.L.S.
Mr J. T. Cunnincuaw, B.A., Director of the Scottish Marine Station.
Mr R. J. Harvey Gipson, M.A., Demonstrator in Biology at University
College, Liverpool.
Mr Joun Rattray, M.A., B.Sc., Botanist to the Scottish Marine Station.
On the Membership Roll at present there are—
11 Hon. Members,
14 Corresponding Members,
305 Ordinary Members, and
78 Associates.
408 in all.
showing the Society to be in a very prosperous condition.
Your Council, in conclusion, thank all who have aided them in
furthering the interests of the Society.
WM. N. WALKER, President.
FRANK W. YOUNG
)
: ¢ Hon. Secretaries.
J. MARTIN WHITE,
a
TREASURER’S REPORT-—1884-85.
et 1 ed
Arco ne.
To Balance from 1883-84, . : ¢ : : £156 5 2
,, Subscriptions from 264 Members, , : : 66 0 0
», Subscriptions from 77 Associates, : ; c 40 8 6
»y Interest on Bank Account, : : ; : 3.4 9
£265 18 5
Expenditure
By Expenses connected with Conversazione, £74 4 Gf
», Amount Expended on Museum, . : 316 1
», Books for Library, : : : 18 3 9
», Periodicals, : : 214 3
», Advertising, Printing, Stationery, and Postages, 21 0 7
», Dredging Expenses, : 6 27 4
», Collector’s Commission, . 210 6
», Subscription to East of Scotland nioh of
Naturalists, . : A : 914 0
», Sundry Expenses, 29 6
», Cash in National Bank of Scotlzad, Taaed =
On Deposit Receipt, . . £120 0 0
On Current Account, - 6 14 10
126 14 10
», Balance in hands of Treasurer, . ; 2 3 0
— £26518 5
ALEX. SIMPSON, Hon. Treasurer.
Dunne, 21st May 1885.—Examined and found correct,
A. B. MYLES.
JOHN THOMSON,
1&8 FEB We2LaQ
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Dundee Maturalistsr Society, ed
ROA ES see K lb
THE GRALLATORES AND NATATORES
OF THE
ESTUARY OF THE TAY:
“THE GREAT DECREASE IN THEIR NUMBERS OF LATE
YEARS; THE CAUSES; WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR
‘ITS MITIGATION,
aPae cE JAD EE SER,
READ BY
COLONEL DRUMMOND HAY, CME, Sc
OF SEGGIEDEN, “Aa
Ar an Orpinary Meetine or tas Dunpee Naturanists’ Sociery
Wepnespay, 16TH Frsruary 1881.
PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY.
Price SIXPENCE.
) DUNDEE:
PRINTED BY JOHN LENG & CO., BANK STREET,
1881.
eee
tot
THE GRALLATORES (WADERS) AND NATATORES (SWIMMING
BIRDS) OF THE ESTUARY OF THE TAY.
In the remarks I am about to make to you this evening on the
Waders and Swimming Birds of the Estuary of the Tay, their great
decrease, and the causes of the same, it will be necessary for me to go
somewhat further than our own immediate neighbourhood on the Tay,
and bring before you some instances of the cruel and wanton destruction
which went on all along our coasts during the breeding season some
few years ago, causing the interference of the Legislature, and no doubt
in a measure influencing our own particular district. This, again, will
lead me to make some comments on Bird protection, and the alleged
- injury said to be done in consequence to our Fisheries—one of the
questions of the hour. In the year 1868 the slaughter of Sea Birds
was found to be so great that it ended in the passing in the following
year of “ The Sea Birds’ Protection Act,” and subsequently the passing
of two other Acts, for the better preservation of our Waders and Land
Birds not included in the first Act, entitled respectively the ‘ Wild
Fowl,” and the ‘“ Wild Birds’ Protection Acts.” These several Acts,
all very confusing, have during the last session very wisely been
amalgamated and amended, under the title of the ‘“‘ Wild Birds’ Protec-
tion Amended Act, 1880,” a law which I trust, though it may have its
_ defects, all lovers of natural objects, especially of our birds, in which
such Societies as our Natural History Societies stand conspicuous—and
T believe I am safe in saying none more so than the Society I am now
addressing—will unanimously support. It is, therefore, with a feeling of
confidence that I look forward to the Naturalists of Dundee joining
with the Naturalists of Banff, who I am happy to say have taken the
“initiative in advocating protection, It is the more especially necessary
at a time like this that efforts should be made by all N atural History
Societies to unite in the defence of our birds, when, as I regret to say,
‘so strong a feeling—I may almost call it of prejudice—prevails against all
protection, especially with regard to our Sea Birds, as seems to be the
ase, when we see in the public prints the name of one of H.M. Com-
Missioners on the Scottish Salmon Fisheries, Mr Henry Gordon
|
:
J
+
Cumming, mentioned as taking an active part in getting, if possible,
what he calls “that mistaken piece of legislation, the Sea Birds’
Preservation Act” altogether repealed, on the plea of the serious
damage caused by it to our Fisheries, both as regards salmon and
herring—a subject on which I hope to be able to show there is little
cause of apprehension, and that the fears entertained are in a great
measure perfectly groundless, at least as far as concerns the Tay, and I
firmly believe the same will be found equally to apply to all other
districts. I must, therefore, crave your indulgence if I dilate hereafter
upon it somewhat fully. But to proceed to my subject. The Estuary
of the Tay may properly be said to commence at the mouth of the
Earn ; but taking a bit of the river four miles higher up from Kinfauns,
which, though narrower, is so much of the same character as to induce
me to include it, we have a total distance from the above place to
Buddonness, at the mouth, of 28 miles, varying from a quarter of a
mile at high water to 3 and 34 at the widest parts about Powgavie and
Invergowrie, a distance of 5 miles or so between, where, with its
numerous sandbanks uncovered for many hours each tide, its intricate
channels, and its deep oozy shores stretching for miles along the
northern bank, fringed with dense massive reed-brakes and wide marshy
muddy tracts, covered with what is commonly called salt grass—a
mixture of reed meadow grass (Pou Maritima) and reed canary grass
(Digraphis Arundinacea), interspersed with sea club rush (Scirpus
Maritimus) and glaucous bull rush, (Scirpus Tabernemontani), where
snipe, teal, and duck loved to have their home, and on the roots of which
wild geese and other birds of the duck tribe were wont to feed—while
on the southern side the island of Mugdrum, extending at low water
for a couple of miles or more, surrounded with its thick reeds and deep
mud banks clothed with the same kind of vegetation, renders this
upper part of the Estuary, especially from its position, running, as it
does, at the foot of the rich alluvial deposits of the Carse of Gowrie,
a peculiarly favourite resort for wild-fowl, affording the best of
feeding, with shelter and retirement. Again, lower down on the
salt water, it is well adapted for the harbouring of many sea
birds which frequent the neighbouring coasts, margined as it is
by the extensive flats and sandhills of Barry and Tents-muir—in
former days the great breeding district and very paradise for the various
waders and web-footed birds, which once unmolested were there enabled
to rear their young in peace and safety ; but now, alas! a different
story must be told, both as regards Tents-muir and every other part of
the Tay. It is not, however, impossible but that with a little care and
solicitude on the part of those who will interest themselves, and are in
5
the position to do so, the wholesale destruction that has been going on
with impunity for some years past may be very materially lessened, and
our birds in a great measure again restored—but more of this anon.
Though the ranks of both waders and swimming birds are so sadly
thinned to what they were forty or fifty years ago, yet Iam happy to
say representatives of most of the species of former years still exist,
and when taken as a whole exhibit a goodly number, as will appear
when I mention that there are in all 77 species which are to be found
either as resident, migratory, or occasional on the Estuary. Of this
number 23 are waders and 54 swimmers, or, more properly speaking,
web-footed birds, as some of the Grallatores are by no means indifferent
_ swimmers, such as the Waterhen, Coot, Phalarope, and some others. Of
the resident birds, or those which remain with us generally the whole
season, excepting perhaps in severe winters, or retiring for a short time
in the breeding season, there are 24—11 being waders. Of the
migratory birds—in all 30—the larger proportion are winter visitants,
amounting to 24, all being swimmers with the exception of 6, leaving
only 5 swimmers and 1 wader coming to us in summer. Of the
occasional visitants we have 23, if we include the Mute Swan and
the Egyptian Wild Goose, The former, though known to be wild in
Denmark and north-eastern Europe, is not usually considered so in this
country, and may, along with the latter—both of which are occasionally
seen in severe winters on the estuary and other parts of the Tay—be
merely frozen-out domesticated birds. Of this last section, 5 only of
which are waders, I now propose treating ; but not to be too tedious, or
to take up your time unnecessarily, I will merely give you their names,
and as I go along touch only on those I may consider to be the more
interesting. Of occasionals, then, we have—
1. Bittern. 9. Shoveller. 17. Puffin.
2. Whimbrel. 10. Pintailed Duck. _ 18. Glaucous Gull.
3. Sanderling. 1l. King Duck. 19. Iceland Gull.
*4, Turnstone. 12. Smew. 20. Pomatorhine Skua.
5, Great Snipe. 13. Great Crested Grebe. 21. Richardson’s Skua.
_ 6. Whooperor WildSwan 14, Horned Grebe. 22. Fulmar Petrel.
7. Mute Swan. 15. Black Guillemot. 23. Storm Petrel.
8. Egyptian Goose. 16. Little Auk.
The first of these, the Bittern, one of the Ardeide or Heron tribe, a
very fine specimen of which was shot in the spring of 1864 on the
Gutterhole fishing, near Newburgh, is now at Carpow House, where it
_*Ttis interesting to record that the young chicks of this species, a rare breeder
‘in this country, have been noticed at the mouth of the ‘lay by Mr Henderson, of
. dee, but he has not as yet had the good fortune to fall in with the eggs.
6
is preserved. This bird was probably one of a very large flight
mentioned by Mr Gould as having reached our shores in that year, when
examples were killed in every part of the country, from the northmost
part of Scotland to the extreme west of Cornwall. It is now a very
rare and accidental visitor, not only on the Tay, but in all those parts
of Great Britain where it was once very common, and most probably
was the same in these parts at the time when the Carse of Gowrie, no
farther back than the middle of last century, was for the most part
covered with reeds (some of which still exist), swamps, and marshes,
the remains of what was once a portion of the estuary itself, then “ the
land of fever and ague,” where, no doubt, on many a night its strange
booming noise was often heard, but—being a strictly nocturnal bird,
stealthily hiding itself all day in some secure spot among the thick
reeds, feeding only at night on whatever it might pick up, whether
a passing fish, frog, or water rail—seldom seen. Passing over the
‘Whimbrel, Sanderling, and others, we come to the King Duck, which
is worthy of note as being seldom met with on British shores, yet not
unfrequently seen off the mouth of the Tay, and in the year 1879
recorded as being pretty plentiful as high up even as Dundee.
For those not familiar with the King Duck, I may mention that
this very beautiful bird in appearance very much resembles the Eider
Duck, but in vividness of colour and beauty of plumage it very far
surpasses it—the females, however, are somewhat difficult to distinguish
except in size, the King Duck being always the smaller of the two.
The next I will notice is the Little Auk, another of our occasional
visitors, which sometimes appears suddenly on our coasts in large
numbers, driven in by severe gales and heavy weather, an instance of
which occurred in December 1878, when a wonderful irruption of these
birds took place, spreading themselves from the mouth of the Tay
upwards, many of them having been picked up dead far inland.
Another similar case is that of the Skua Gulls. The Pomatorhine,
or as it is more commonly called the Pomarine Skua, and Richardson’s
or Arctic Skua, visited the Tay and many other parts of the coast, both
in England and Scotland, in uncountable numbers, in October and
November 1879, when the former was especially abundant, which is
generally considered the rarer of the two, and many of both species
were shot on the Tay, in all their various stages of plumage. The
Skua, more like a Hawk than a Gull, is entirely predatory in his habits.
Always on the watch, he will suddenly swoop down on some unsus-
pecting Gull or Tern, just having captured its prey, and, making it
disgorge, catch the prize before it has time to touch the water, and
like some pirate of the sea, which he quite represents, hasten off to
a
7
secure some fresh booty. An instance of this is very amusingly
described’ by the late Dr Saxby, in his account of the birds of Shetland,
in which, talking of the smaller Skua, Richardson’s, or the Shooi, as it
is there called, he says—“‘To watch the bird among the Gulls is a
continual source of amusement—the robber sails smoothly about on the
look-out for a meal, and at last sees a poor, industrious Gull carrying
home a dinner or a supper to his family, and at once gives chase. No
wings begin to beat with more than their customary rapidity; the
Shooi glides after him like an arrow, and the Gull finding his enemy
close upon him, drops suddenly for a yard or so. This causes the other
to overshoot his mark, and as he turns back the Gull reascends, and
the Shooi passes under him. In this way they continue for some litle
time, the Gull jabbering all the while, but presently Shooi gets
impatient. He goes straight at the Gull—all is confusion, there is a
squall from the big stupid Gull, and down goes the fish, and down
goes little Shooi after it, snapping it up long, long, before it reaches the
sooner does the Gull perceive that he is the object of attention, than his
ground or the water, and making off with it in triumph, and almost
winking at you as he passes. The great blundering Gull flaps sulkily
away, uttering discontented and rueful notes, which would try the
‘gravity of a judge; its queer gruntings and croakings seeming almost
to shape themselves into an aspiration that the fish may do anything
but agree with the stomach of the new proprietor.”
We will now take the resident birds, which are as follows :—
1. Heron. 9. Common Snipe. 17. Guillemot.
_ 2. Lapwing. 10. Coot. 18. Cormorant.
3. Golden Plover. 11. Water-Hen. 19. Great Black-backed Gull.
4, Ring Plover. 12. Shieldrake. 20. Lesser Black-backed Gull.
5, Oyster Catcher. 13. Wild Duck. 21. Herring Gull.
6. Curlew. 14. Teal. 22. Common Gull.
7. Redshank. 15. Hider Duck. 23. Kittiwake.
8. Dunlin. 16. Razorbill. 24, Black-headed Gull.
ee
e first on the list, the Heron, though a bird well known, is so hand-
some an ornament, and feature in the landscape, as he stands motionless
on the water side, that I feel I cannot pass over him without saying a
_ word in his favour. The Heron, I am glad to say, is in a measure still
preserved to us, not being a marketable bird, and there being also
_ several breeding-places or heronries in ‘the upper districts, though none
of them of very great extent, where they are permitted to rear their
_ young, in safety ; namely in Athole, an island on Loch Lydoch, where
_ they migrated, as was supposed, a few years since—their favourite trees at
the head of Loch Rannoch having been blown down ; at Strowan, near
8
Crieff, Glendochart, and some other places ; and, though not so plentiful
as formerly, being a good deal kept under by gamekeepers, on'the accu-
sation of taking a trout or two from some preserve, they are still to be
seen on the estuary about Mugdrum, and lower down; there congregating
during the Autumn months in pretty considerable numbers, where I
have counted from twenty to thirty at a time, scattered in various direc-
tions over the mud banks
choice spot of his own, either near the water’s edge, or sometimes nearly
knee-deep in one of the numerous little watercourses which intersect
the banks, anxiously awaiting the flowing tide. With eye intent, and
position fixed, he watches the arrival of the small fish, as they unsus-
piciously come up as the water rises, when, quick as lightning, and with
each taking up his solitary stand in some
unerring stroke, the head is darted forward, anda fluke or a wriggling eel
is the result, which, if of a proper size, is immediately devoured, head
foremost. At these times it is highly interesting to watch their motions
with a powerful glass, as near as may be without being perceived, and
witness the admirable and expert manner in which they will throw a
fish into the air, giving it a certain cant, and invariably catching it head
downwards. On one occasion, while thus watching, I observed a dab
that had been secured, but wasfound to betoo broad to swallow, and it was
not till after repeated trials and tossings that at last it was so caught as to
be doubled in some way, and finally to disappear, but not without several
convulsive efforts on the part of the Heron to get it down. But it is not
always they are so fortunate, becoming sometimes victims to their own
voracity, by being choked in endeavouring to swallow what has proved
to be too big for them. On this subject the late Mr Yarrell relates a
very singular instance of the death of a Heron by striking its sharp beak
through the head of an eel, piercing both the eyes. The eel thus held
had coiled itself so tightly round the neck of the Heron as to stop the
bird’s respiration, and both were thus found dead. As the banks get
covered and the fishing ceases, these birds betake themselves to some of
the old stone dykes which jut out into the river, where, with head
drawn back between the shoulders, and perhaps standing on one leg,
six or seven may be seen in a row, patiently waiting, if not disturbed,
till it be time to resume fishing operations. Should it, however, be late
tide, they retire for the night, either singly or in twos and threes, when,
from high up in the air, their unmusical “quanck” will sometimes
suddenly strike the ear in the gloaming with startling effect, as they
otherwise silently wing their way to some distant pine wood to roost.
Though a fish feeder, he is not particular as to diet, as frogs, mice, rats,
water hens, or anything else that may come in his way, even to a
young wild duck, is not refused. Though a Heron may do a certain
9
amount of mischief among trout in a preserve, yet he is easily scared.
His favourite food, when he can get it, seems to be the eel. I have
known a heronry adjoining a trout stream, but I never heard any par-
ticular complaints ; and on examining underneath the trees where they
nested, I never found more than the remains of eels. This is not to say
that he would not clear a pond of gold fish at a single morning’s meal, as
' he has been known to do when getting the chance. At the same time, he
is a bird which I trust may long be an ornament to our waters, and not
ruthlessly shot, in season and out of season, by every fellow with a gun,
because he is a big bird and affords an easy shot. The Lapwing, which
comes next, though widely dispersed over the country, is nowhere so
abundant as formerly, especially on the estuary and its immediate neich-
bourhood, where, forty or fifty years ago, on the banks, as also on the
adjoining fields in autumn and early winter, it was to be seen in flocks
of many hundreds. In the consumption of slugs, particularly on the
strong clay lands of the Carse of Gowrie, their presence was most bene-
ficial, so much so, that since their great diminution, I have known in
some of the late wet seasons whole fields of autumn wheat after beans,
=
,
so’ utterly destroyed by slug, that they have had to be resown with some
: other grain in the following spring ; and this I attribute entirely to the
absence of the Peesweep or Toughet, as it was commonly called in
those days. The decrease of these birds I think may be traced
to three causes. First, and mainly, from the presence on our
waters of punt gunners, which dates back to somewhere between the
years 1830 and 1840, before which time they were unknown. Driven
off from the Fens of Lincolnshire, which had then begun to be drained,
several English fowlers made their appearance, with their punts and
_ heavy swivel guns, weighing, some of them, as much as 200 lbs., carry-
ing a charge from one to two pounds of shot, according to size, and
making sad havoc among the Wild Geese and various kinds of Wild
Duck which then abounded ; but as these began to lessen in number,
and the survivors to become cautious, and more difficult to obtain,
many a heavy shot was made instead among the unsuspecting Peewits,
when lingering on some spit still uncovered by the rising tide, hundreds
of which during a season were killed, and sold to the dealers for what
would now be considered a mere trifle—if I recollect right, fourpence a
pair. The Englishmen have long since gone, but not the punts or
canoes, as I believe they are now called. Increased twenty to thirty-fold,
they are in the season continually to be seen here and there, stealthily
gliding out from behind some thicket of reeds, or silently, and, to the
birds invisibly, creeping through some of the deeper channels along the
banks, so get within shot. The present canoe being smaller in size, as
10
is also the calibre of gun, which is now commonly used from the
shoulder, the professional on the Tay of the present day is not so
particular as to what he shoots at, be it Sandpiper, Duck, or Peewit,
as long as it will sell in the market ; consequently there is such a con-
tinual firing and persecution going on daily and nightly as the tide
suits, that the birds, finding no rest, are fairly driven off the water,
Where, may be asked, are the large flocks of Dunlin, Redshank, Knots,
Peewits, Golden Plover, &¢., which previous to the time mentioned
might be seen in hundreds busily occupied on the mudbanks ir
scattered parties in search of food, or perhaps sweeping over them in
countless masses performing the most intricate evolutions—at one time
glancing like a sheet of silver in the sun, as they show their snowy
breasts, in the next instant, as if by magic, darkening the sky, as they
simultaneously turn and display their dark-coloured backs? The
question is easily answered—“ Nowhere.” I may be thought to be
drawing too glowing a picture, but any one who may have been well
acquainted with the lower Tay at the time I speak, were he an observer
of birds, will, I am sure, bear me out. Another cause is the great
destruction of eggs during the breeding season, but more of this here-
after. Thirdly, in addition to all this, drainage and high farming have
been much against them. There being now no fallows, where frequently
they had their eggs, and the ploughed lands being worked much earlier
than formerly, many a sitting of eges, if not otherwise discovered and
robbed, are either turned up and harrowed over, or crushed by the
clod-breaking roller as it heavily and loudly grates along, whereas, in
olden times, these would have been safe, and the young birds batched
and able to take care of themselves by the time farming operations
commenced. Its congener the Golden Plover, the next on the list,
breeds on the moors and heathy places, and at that season, unlike the
gregarious Lapwing, is only found in solitary pairs, consequently it
might be supposed to be pretty safe as regards its eggs, but not so, as
I shall afterwards show to be the case, at least in this neighbourhood.
Of all the hordes of Golden Plover which used to assemble every
autumn on our fields, as well as on the tidal banks, only comparatively
a few years back, there is now not one for every hundred there was
then ; indeed, so scarce have they become within the past three or four
years, they may be said to have almost entirely disappeared, at least on
the upper parts of the estuary. This is to be attributed much to some
of the causes that have occasioned the great decrease of the Lapwing ;
the continued firing and persecution with which they meet, and, being
the more valuable of the two for the market, they are the more eagerly
sought after, and have consequently fared the worse. Another of our
11
resident waders which has greatly decreased of late years is the
common Snipe, which mostly at all seasons was to be found on the
sedgy banks, and though, from the rise and fall of ‘the tide not always
actually breeding there, but doing so on many spots in the
vicinity and on the hills around. The young birds, therefore, as also
those of the wild duck and teal, were always to be seen pretty
plentifully in the months of July and August, all of them receiving
large accessions in September and October, when at times the former
were often very numerous, but then were seldom disturbed, except
occasionally by some legitimate sportsman, snipe not being thought
worthy of wasting powder or shot upon by the } ivfessional punt-gunner.
Within the last four or five years, however, their numbers have been
getting less and less, and they seem now to be gradually disappearing
altogether. One, and perhaps the chief cause of this, is that the birds
get no rest. What with cheap guns and breech-loaders, amateur
shooters, to use a mild term, from the various towns and villages, have
enormously increased within the last few years, claiming as they do
the right of shooting all the foreshores without let or hindrance. They
come from up or down, as it may be, with boats im large parties of six or
eight guns, scouring the river from shore to shore, and especially so on
Saturdays, and not always very particular as to whether it be in season
or out of season. On the other hand, the professional, to his own
interest, I believe, rigidly keeps the close time. I only wish I could
say the same for the other, of whose utter disregard of all law of
protection I will just give one instance out of many, and this though to
my knowledge notices of the existence of the Act had been posted up
within the three counties adjoining the river, so that ignorance could
scarcely be pleaded. On the 7th of April last year (1880) I observed a
considerable number of duck swimming and diving quite unsuspiciously
close up to the salmon fishers while at work, and a beautiful sight it
was, showing what a little rest and quiet will effect. Next day, the 8th,
was the Perth Fast-day, when, I am grieved to say, though upwards of
seven weeks after the close time (the 15th of February being then the
day fixed), the river was covered with amateur shooters from early
morning till long after sunset, ransacking all the marshes, and driving
every bird off the water, and this at a time when many had nests. The
great sufferers on these occasions are the Snipe, Redshank, Peewit,
Water Hen, Duck, Teal and Black-headed Gull, all birds mentioned
under the Act. To give some idea of the number of shooters on the
lower Tay, in two parishes alone, Perth (not including Kinnoul) and
Errol, there were 127 who took out gun licenses last year, and were we
to count Abernethy, Newburgh, Dundee, and all other places contiguous
12
to the river from Perth downwards where gun licenses have been issued,
we should have a goodly regiment, even supposing two-thirds only shot
on the Tay, and that a mere tithe of these did so out of season, still
there would be sufficient left to do the most serious damage. It is
these abuses which do so much harm, and which I would like to see
every Natural History Society, as well as all promoters of the welfare
of our birds, make common cause to suppress. Why should not something
be got up like our Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,
by raising a small fund to enforce, if possible, prosecution in such cases?
What more cruel or heedless than to shoot a bird off its nest and allow
the young to die of starvation ? and yet this is frequently done, and with
impunity. I will now proceed to some of our resident swimming
birds. The first is the Shieldrake, formerly abundant on all the lower
parts of the estuary, breeding in the rabbit burrows on Tents-muir and
Barry. In autumn and early winter I have seen them assembled in
considerable flocks, coming up and returning with the tide, but seldom
ascending much farther than the head of Mugdrum Island. Being a
worthless bird for the table, it is seldom sought after excepting for the
beauty of its plumage, the wild fowl shooter easily distinguishing it
from other ducks, even on the darkest night, by its peculiar croak.
From the Shieldrake never changing its plumage like other ducks after
it has come to maturity, but retaining its beautiful colours at all seasons,
it has always been a special favourite—the more so as it stands confine-
ment well and is easily domesticated, thus becoming a very attractive
addition either to the poultry-yard or the pond. The eggs, therefore,
being in demand for this purpose, the birds suffer much in consequence,
but more especially do they do so from reckless robbery from mere
wantonness. Passing over the Wild Duck and Teal, already alluded
to, which, like the rest, from continual firing and egg-robbery, have
become greatly reduced and scared from their former haunts, we come
to what may be considered, with the exception of the Blackheaded Gull,
to be more truly sea birds, especially the Guillemot and Razorbill, found
only on the salt water, in the lower parts of the estuary, and at
the mouth of the river. Both these birds have also very materially
decreased of late years, not only here, but all along our line
of coast; and where I can recollect them in hundreds, such as
at St Abb’s Head and Flamborough, comparatively few are now to be
seen, and the numerous flocks which then frequented the mouth of the
Tay have now, with few exceptions, nearly disappeared. For the
reasons we have not far to go :—the wholesale destruction which every-
where took place without check or hindrance. Not to dwell too long
on these, I pass to the Gulls, of which we have six resident
ee
—— To
13
—the Greater Blackbacked, the Lesser Blackbacked, Herring Gull,
Common Gull, Kittiwake, and Blackheaded—all of which, found more or
less in the estuary at all seasons, are included in the present Wild
Birds Protection Act, with the exception of the first. The Greater
Blackbacked (a veritable black sheep among Gulls), now excluded,
and especially mentioned as such—and perhaps rightly so, from his
carnivorous and plundering disposition—is a large and powerful bird,
with a stretch of wing of over five feet from tip to tip, and is not
particular as he roams along the hillside near his breeding grounds as
to what he takes—whether it be a bit of dead sheep or a live lamh,
which he will at once attack and devour. His propensities, also,
in these expeditions for young hares, rabbits, and grouse, as well as
their eggs, make him no friend’ of the gamekeeper. He is, however,
during nesting time too far removed from us to do much injury in that
respect, his nearest breeding grounds to the Tay being the Isle of May
and the Bass. By far the commonest of our Tay Gulls is the Black-
headed, which is more of an inland species, nesting in large colonies
on our lochs and marshes, choosing some unapproachable spot for the
purpose, accessible only to the egg-gatherer by means of a boat; and
this being under the control of the proprietor, the birds, after a limited
gathering, are eventually allowed to hatch out their brood in peace.
Hence its numbers. Could only a regulation of this sort be established
for other species, in which a limited number of the first sittings alone
should be taken, and a certain date fixed after which the birds should
be left unmolested, we should have plenty of eggs, minus the complaints
we now hear. Though, as I have said, the Blackheaded Gull breeds
with us more commonly inland, he is also found to be occasionally
doing so nearer the sea, as Mr Henderson, of Dundee—to whom I am
indebted and have to thank for much interesting and valuable in-
formation as to the breeding of our birds on the Links of Barry and the
lower parts of the Tay—informs me of a few nesting there every season.
The little Kittiwake, again, one of the most lovely of our Gulls, is a
decided marine species. Though common on the lower parts of the
estuary, abounding in our harbours, and assuming the part of a most
useful scavenger, he seldom leaves the salt water, formerly nesting in
prodigious numbers, as I hope he may do again, on all our higher
maritime cliffs (but now much thinned), his nearest breeding-places to
us being the Isle of May, the Bass, and the Red-Head. About the
years 1867 and 1868, so great was their destruction at breeding-time,
when in their finest plumage, and so great was the demand for them in
that state, owing to the unhappy and then universal practice of wearing
birds’ wings in ladies’ hats, that the attention of the public was at last
14
aroused, by the appearance in the papers of such heartrending articles
as the following, which I do not hesitate quoting and bringing back to
your memory at a time like this, when so strong a feeling as I have
before mentioned is on foot for the purpose of getting this very wise
measure of protecting our sea birds reversed, for, if it were, “‘ What
took place before, would take place again.” The journal of Land and
Water, Aug. 29, 1868, embodying a letter in the Zimes, thus remarks :
— ‘No words can convey any adequate idea of the wanton, wicked
cruelty perpetrated by these ruthless slayers of unoffending birds.
Broken-winged birds are abandoned, and drift away to perish by slow
degrees ; badly wounded birds are allowed to flutter and struggle
in the bottom of the boat, their suffermgs unheeded and un-
cared-for ; while many, fearfully hurt, manage to reach the shore
to die in lingering agony ; and, lamentable to say, this butchery
is committed for no good purpose. We find a letter in the
Times headed ‘A Plea for the Kittiwake,’ im which it is
remarked, ‘Some months ago a contributor to a public journal of natural
history, writing from Lincolnshire, disclosed the fact that London and
provincial dealers now gave one shilling per head for every white Gull*
forwarded ; that one man (a stranger, drawn thither for profitable occu-
pation) boasted of having last year killed with his own gun at Flam-
borough-Head four thousand ; and that another sea-fowl shooter had an
order from a London house for 10,000, all for the plume trade. During
the present summer (that was 1868), it is added, one of the Plumassiers
has visited various breeding stations in Scotland, and laid his plans for
having supplies of birds sent to him. At Ailsa Craig he gave an order
for one thousand Gulls per week, and there stated that he was prepared
to take any quantity more. To meet this demand, the tacksman of the
Rock spread his nets while the birds were sitting on their newly hatched
young, which were left in hundreds to perish on the ledges.” Again, in
the Guardian of 18th November 1868 the following paragraph appears :
—“On a strip of coast 18 miles long near Flamborough Head, 107,250
sea birds were destroyed by pleasure parties in four months—12,000 by
men who shoot them for their feathers to adorn women’s hats, and
79,500 young birds died of starvation in emptied nests. Commander
Knocker, R.N., there stationed, who reports these facts, saw two boats
loaded above the gunwales with dead birds, and one party of eight guns
killed eleven hundred in a week. Besides these instances, it is a well-
known fact that the Londoners during the breeding season (for their
Saturday outing) used to go down to the Isle of Wight for what they
* The dealers’ name for the Kittiwake in full plumage,
15
called a day’s wild fowl shooting—that is, destroying the unhappy birds
off their nests, and leaving their young to starve, and, as recorded by an
eye-witness, piling them up afterwards on the sea shore, merely for the
pleasure of seeing them washed away by the rising tide. Notonly the
Kittiwake, butamong the Guillemots, Razorbills, Puftins, and every species
of Rockbird, did this fearful and sinful destruction go on. One instance
is mentioned by Mr Gray, in his “ Birds of the West of Scotland,” of the
Tacksman on Ailsa Craig on one occasion undertaking for a wager to
kill 80 dozen of Puffins (a little less than a thousand birds) with a pole
in one day, striking them down as they flew past him, and actually
accomplished the cruel feat. The late Captain M‘Donald, then in
charge of the Fisheries, and who had long experience on the Northern
and Western Coasts of Scotland, where he was stationed, also bears
testimony to the enormous destruction and great decrease of sea birds
all along the Islands and Western Coast. It is a well-known fact that
sea birds are of the greatest value in pointing out the whereabouts of
fish, as without their assistance the fishermen would often labour in
vain, and their catch of herring would depend chiefly on mere chance.
No wonder, then, that Government interfered, and in the end
established a close time for sea birds, not only in England, but also for
Scotland, and that not a bit too soon, for had such a measure not been
carried out, it is not too much to say that for many of our sea birds a
similar fate was impending to that of the Great Auk, now extinct from
precisely the same cause—reckless persecution. We will now proceed
to the migratory birds, of which by far the larger proportion are to be
found, as previously explained, in winter, a few, however, not always
staying, such as the Green Shank, Water Rail, and Spotted Crake.
These, together with the Godwit, Knot, Jack Snipe, and Common
Sandpiper or Summer Snipe, which visits us in spring, complete the
list of migratory waders. I may mention that the Woodcock and
_Land-rail, both belonging to the family of waders, are not included, as,
though an individual or two may occasionally be found along shore,
they cannot be considered truly as birds of the estuary. The remaining
winter birds are all swimmers or web-footed, such as—
Wild or Grey Goose. Tufted Duck. Long-tailed Duck.
Bean Goose. Widgeon. Goosander.
Pink-footed Goose. Seaup Duck. Red-breasted Mergunter.
White-fronted Goose. Common Scoter. Great Northern Diver.
Brent Goose. — Velvet Scoter. Red-Throated Diver.
Pochard. Golden Eye. Black-throated Diver.
This last, however, does not always remain. Of the above, the
principal and most worthy of notice are the Wild Geese, which, with
16
the exception of the Brent, more partial to the salt water—its favourite
food being the grass-like zostera marina, on the roots of which it greedily
feeds—have from time immemorial assembled in countless hordes on the
upper parts of the estuary and the adjoining lands of the Carse of
Gowrie, moving, according to the tide, to and fro in marshalled and
V shaped flights, collecting, after much wheeling and close inspection, on
some wheat or clover field in flocks of many hundreds. <A few still
occupy the same haunts, but in very greatly reduced numbers, and these
are now confined almost entirely to the Grey and Pink-footed kinds—the
latter being the more common of the two, the Bean and White-fronted
being now scarcely or ever seen. Not only have punt guns, before-
mentioned, the setting of steel traps on the mud banks, and the per-
petual firing that now goes on, had to do with this, but also the great
change under which the Carse has gone within the last thirty-five years,
by the construction of the railway right through the very best and heart
of their feeding grounds, and the consequent increase of buildings”
which have sprung up on every side, together with steam mills, then
unknown to the Carse, have greatly effected it. It is a curious fact, and
worth mentioning, that it is only since the year 1833 that the difference
between the Pink-footed and the Bean Goose was known to naturalists,
and that it should be left to a French naturalist, M. Baillon, at
Abbeville, to find it out, who at that date, for the first time, had them
separated ; and yet, long before this, both species were well known, and
considered perfectly distinct, by every wild goose shooter in the Carse
—the Pink-footed under the name of the ‘ Little Black-nebbed,” and
the Bean, under that of the ‘“ Big Black-nebbed,” both having the nail
of the beak black, whereas in the Grey Goose and the White-
fronted it is white ; besides which, the pink feet of the one and
the yellow legs of the other were at all times sufficient to dis-
tinguish them. As time presses, I will now pass over the
remainder of this section, and come to the summer migrants,
in which, as above stated, we have only one wader, the little Summer
Snipe, with his cheery piping note as the month of May arrives, the
five remaining being all web-footed species. The first of these, the
Gannet, brings me to a subject into which it will be necessary for me
to enter somewhat fully, as chiefly to this bird is ascribed the great
mischief and damage said to be done to our Fisheries, but which, after
all, seems to me to be very much of a “ mare’s nest”—as, though the
number of Gannets in Scotland is certainly very large, and their con-
sumption of herring enormous, still the supply of fish food, as I will
show, is so great as believed to be more than sufficient both for man
and bird. In the Report of the Commissioners on the Scotland
17
Herring Fisheries, dated 1st March 1878, it is stated that there are five
Scottish breeding places for the Gannet, and Captain M‘Donald, in a
letter to Lord Caithness, in Appendix No. Il. of the Report, p. 171,
estimates the numbers annually breeding on the several stations to be
as follows (and from his long experience he is probably pretty correct) :-—
Ailsa Craig, 12,000 ; Bass Rock, 12,000 ; St Kilda, 50,000 ; the Stack,
off Cape Wrath, 50,000 ; and Sula Sgeir, 40 miles north-east of the
Butt of Lewis, 200,000—in all, 324,000. Though no evidence appears
on the face of the Report as to Captain M‘Donald having considered
the supply of fish on the Scottish coasts as in no way diminishing from
the superabundance of sea birds, still I know it to have been his
opinion, and this is borne out in the letter above alluded to, in which he
thus remarks :—“ The Gulls, Cormorants, Hawks, Guillemots, Puffins,
and other birds prey upon the herring at every stage of their growth,
and must take a very large quantity, of which no one can pretend to
form an estimate, and I consider that the quantity taken both by men
and birds forms a very small proportion of what is destroyed in the
shape of spawn, herring fry, and full grown herrings by fish of all
kinds. I have, therefore, no fear about the herrings being fished-up
on the Caithness Coast, or any other part of the coast they visit ;” and
in continuation, he gives expression of his being favourable to sea bird
protection, owing to “ their marked decrease going on year after year ;”
and the late Mr Buckland, as one of the Commissioners, in his Natural
History of the Herring, in the same Appendix No. II. of the Report,
makes the following apt remark—“ It is finally to be observed that, in
spite of all the enemies which are continually preying on them, and
the enormous losses which they must suffer, Nature holds in her hand
the balance of compensation, resulting in the fact that annual fecundity
exceeds the total sum of the annual destruction.” Lastly, in the
summary of the general conclusions arrived at by the Commissioners,
they state in conclusion No. 1 :—“ The Herring Fishery on the coasts
of Scotland, as a whole, has increased and is increasing ;’ and in con-
clusion No. 3—“ Nothing that man has yet done, and nothing that
man is likely to do, has diminished oy is likely to dinvinish the general
stock of herrings in the sea.” Is it not, therefore, somewhat surprising
that in the last of the conclusions, No. 13 (though there is nothing in
any of the previous ones shewing the birds to be so detrimental to the
fisheries as to require it, but rather an inference to the contrary)
the Commissioners should recommend the repeal of the Act in so
far as applies to Scotland? This naturally attracted the attention of
the Close Time Committee appointed by the British Association, in
which they gave it as their decided opinion—
18
‘¢That conclusion No, 13 seems to have been arrived at from exaggerated or
incorrect information, as will appear from the following considerations :—The
number of gannets on Ailsa is estimated (Report, p. xi.) at 10,000, and a yearly
consumption of 21,600,000 herrings is assigned to them ; while the Commissioners
assume that there are ‘50 gannets in the rest of Scotland for every one on Ailsa,’
and on that assumption declare that the total destruction of herrings by Scottish
gannets is more than 1,110,000,000 per annum. This is evidently a miscalcula-
tion, for, on the premises, this last number should be 1,101,000,000—a difference
of more than 8,000,000.
‘* But, more than this, supposing the figures at the outset are right, it appears
to the Close Time Committee that the succeeding assumption of the Commis-
sioners must be altogether wrong ; at any rate there is no evidence adduced in
its support, and some that is contradictory of it.
“The number of breeding-places of the gannet in the Scottish seas has long
been known to be five only, as, indeed, is admitted by one of the Commissioners
(Appendix No. 2, p. 171); and the evidence of Captain M‘Donald, which is
quoted in a note to the same passage, while estimating the Ailsa gannets at
12,000 in 1869 (not 1859, as printed), puts the whole number of Scottish gannets
at 324,000, instead of 510,000, which there would be at the rate of 5U in the rest
of Scotland for one on Ailsa, according to the Commissioners’ assumption.
“ Moreover, 50,000 of these 324,000 birds, or nearly one-sixth, are admitted by
this same Commissioner to be ‘ of great value to the inhabitants’ of St Kilda ;
and, indeed, they are of far greater value to them than any number of herrings,
since it is perfectly well known that the people of St Kilda could hardly live
without their birds ; therefore this 50,000 must be omitted from any estimate
of detriment. Deducting, then, 50,000 from Captain M‘Donald’s 324,000, we
have 274,000, and these, at the Commissioners’ estimate, would consume
600,060,000 herrings, instead of the 1,110,000,000 alleged by the Report, and,
therefore, nearly 200,000,000 fewer than the Commissioners’ estimate of the
annual take of the Scottish fisheries (800,000,000) —25 per cent. less, instead of
37 per cent. more.”
But the British Association Committee further shewed that, not
to exaggerate the case, assuming the birds to frequent the waters
seven months instead of twelve months in the year, this would
make only 350,350,000 herring consumed, as against eleven hundred
and ten millions as estimated by the Commissioners, being a less
consumption by nearly 700,000,000, or much less than one-third.
This opinion. was forwarded by the British Association to the
Home Secretary, when it was duly acknowledged, but never
disputed, and the Act was amended, but not repealed. In a
recent publication, ‘The Sea,” we read— It has been computed, so
fecund is the herring, that, assuming the British waters to contain sixty
millions of female herrings, each depositing the moderate estimate of
20,000, it follows that the total number of eggs which, but for natural
and artificial checks, would come to maturity is twelve hundred millions
of millions—an expression which is easy to put on paper, but which the
mind can no more comprehend than it can grasp the idea of eternity :
enough that these countless hordes, were they to do so, if compressed by
five hundreds into foot cubes, would build a wail round the earth 200
feet broad and 100 feet high.” The inference is, from such astounding.
figures, that man’s destructiveness, or that of birds either, can do but
little harm. All fish, it is true, are not so prolific as the herring, but
19
the argument applies to each kind in its degree. I think sufficient has
now been said to shew, with regard to the Gannet or other sea birds, the
herring at all events can hold its own. We will now turn to the salmon,
on account of which Mr Gordon Cumming, as appears in the Lnverness
Courier of 26th October 1880, urges, in a letter of his to the Clerks of
the Inverness District Fishery Board, the necessity of taking steps to have
the Sea Birds Preservation Act repealed as regards Scotland, in conse-
quence of the destruction now known to be wrought among par and
smolts by Gannets, Gulls, and other birds, now fostered by that mis-
taken piece of legislation. This, it is added, has strongly been recom-
mended by the Herring Fishery Commissioners in their Report of 1878,
but nothing has been done in consequence. Yes, but it must be recollected
when the Commissioners penned that resolution No. 13, which I have
already alluded to, it was entirely in regard to the herring fishery and
not the salmon—a resolution, besides, which was shewn by the British
Association to be founded on exaggerated evidence, which was forwarded,
as already mentioned, to the Home Secretary, and was never refuted
(that I am aware of), but tacitly, as it were, approved of, by the very
fact (which Mr Gordon Cumming mentions) of the non-repealing of
the Act. As to the great destruction wrought among pars and smolts,
is there any evidence to show that there has been so enormous a con-
sumption by these birds as actually to have impoverished the fishings,
or that the real injury from which the salmon fisheries are said to be
suffering is done by these birds alone? This is the point; and if there
is no real substantiated proof to this effect, which I have certainly failed
to find, then let the birds in all justice have the benefit until this has
been thoroughly sifted. What we want to get at is the truth. Ihave
- taken some pains to investigate these accusations, and have been in com-
munication with the principal Tacksmen on the Tay, Cromarty Frith,
and Dornoch Frith, in the neighbourhood of the injuries alleged. In
the Tay, and the adjoining shores in the Tay District, the opinion is
that the sea birds have not been in any way injurious. In the Cromarty
Frith, the Tacksman who holds the fishings from Cromarty to Dingwall,
at a rent of £1200 a-year, also the fishings of the Dornoch on both sides,
at a rental of £1600, assures me that any real injury done by sea birds
to the fishery is mere talk; that the Gannet seldom molests them, and
that the bird which is more destructive to smolts than any other, both
in the Cromarty and the Dornoch Friths, is the Golden Eye Duck,
appearing in large flocks at the beginning of April, just as the smolts
descend, and that he has shot them with three and four smolts in
them; and this no doubt is the same in the Moray and Beauly Friths.
Now these birds are not in the Act at all, or ever were, and may be shot
20
with impunity at all times. They are birds of passage, and are mostly
all off to their breeding grounds in the northern regions by the third or
. fourth week of April ; so, after all, the damage they can do cannot be very
much, and they can be kept in check by shooting. Of course no one would
dispute that a Gannet or a Gull would not devour a par or a smolt if it
came across it, but there is no proof here to show that any serious injury
is being done by them to the fishery. I have seen plenty of articles
on the subject in the public journals, but not one of them proving what
they try to show. What one asserts another takes up, and a third,
perhaps shooting a bird with some salmon roe in its stomach, wildly
jumps to a conclusion without any further investigation ; and, as an in-
stance of this, lately an anonymous writer from the Tweed, to change
the subject from par and smolts to salmon spawn, calculates in some
marvellous way that there is from sea birds alone an annual loss of
£100,000 to the Tacksmen by the destruction of ova, and mentions
among a few. birds that have been shot in winter from twenty to one
hundred ova having been found in the stomach of each ; and to prove
it he names the following as being so destructive to the spawning beds
(mind, our friend is talking of salmon) :—The Auk, Diver, Eider Duck,
Gannet (be it remarked, Gannets are not found in winter), Guillemot,
Kingfisher, Marrot, and Wild Duck. Granted salmon ova was found
in.the stomach of each of these birds, Gannet included, it does not in
the least follow that this was obtained from off the spawning beds.
Now, it is a well-known fact, at least I never heard to the contrary,
and I am sure every naturalist here present will bear me out when I
say, that salmon proceed up our rivers and streams for the purpose of
spawning in fresh water, and never do so in salt, Again, that the
whole of the birds mentioned, with the exception of the Kingfisher and
common Wild Duck, which I presume him to mean, are sea birds,
never found in fresh water except by the mere accident of having been
driven there by some great storm, when, if they do not manage to get
back, they perish. It is not the habit of the Mallard to dive under
water, and it would be quite impossible in the usual way, by turning a
somersault with his head down, to hold his own on the fords in the rapid
water where the spawn is deposited, much less to gather it. The King-
fisher, a singularly rare bird in Scotland, supposing him to dash into
the water and drive his pointed bill through some inches of rough
gravel and reach the spawn—which I doubt his ability to do, or his
attempting it a second time if he did—from the paucity of their
numbers could not add much to the £100,000 annual loss. Another
common accepted fact is, that the common whiting is a sea fish, and not
a fresh water one. Would the anonymous writer, I wonder (as was
ne
LS
tt en
21
remarked in a famous trial), be surprised to hear that the whiting has
been caught in the lower part of the estuary of Tay with no less than
300 impregnated ova in its stomach ? But such is the case. The whiting,
therefore, with as much justice, should be proscribed as well as the
birds. But you will ask, ‘How was this?’ It is not difficult to
explain. During spawning time, what with the numbers of male fish
on the beds, the fighting and routing up of newly deposited spawn’ that
goes on from overcrowding, the washing away of it by floods, the
scouring of the beds by ice, and consequent disturbance of the ova,
which, if not devoured by pike and trout, ever on the watch for it,
finally finds its way down to the sea, where it becomes the prey of both
sea fish and sea bird ; but these ova were lost to all chance of ever
coming to maturity long before it ever reached them. But it is said
the fish are getting scarcer. Is this, however, really the fact? I do
not dispute the comparatively few salmon or grilse which now ascend
our rivers during the fishing season, especially in the months of May
and June, and even at the back end, to former times ; not because there
are fewer of them from destruction by birds, but because within the
last few years, from sheep-farm draining in all the bogs and marshy
spots on the higher hills, which acted like so many sponges, the whole
character of the river has become changed ; for after the disappearance
of snow, instead of the water being emitted gradually, giving a steady
rise and fall during the June or July and August rains, keeping the
river up for two or three weeks together, with fish running the whole
time, we have now a three days’ rush of turbid water, when not a fin will
stir, and in the next few days a corresponding sudden fall, reducing the
river to as low a state as ever, which, with the additional drawback of
pollution—saw-mills, potato-mills, paper-mills, bleach-works, dye-works,
sewerage, all uniting in one common result of absolute poison, render
the bottom one fcetid and foul mass of corruption, not only preventing
the fish lying, but effectually stopping any run of fish when the water
is low ; and consequently, in a dry season such as the last, the fish are
kept back so late as to cause the most serious loss to the Tacks-
man. The fish not getting up till after the season is over, as was
the case this year, and even then, as was reported, requiring two or three
rises of water, from its running out so rapidly, before the fish could
reach their ground—lI believe to be one of the great and chief causes
of detriment to the fisheries, and not the birds. This destruction of
_our salmon rivers by pollution is no overdrawn picture. Look at the
Clyde. What is it now? <A seething mass; once one of the most
beautiful salmon rivers in Scotland, and if we do not take care we
shall have the same one day applying to the Tay. To say that there
22
are fewer salmon now than there were before the passing of the Bird
Act is a statement by no means borne out by facts, for the reports from
the upper waters shew that this year—and it has been the same for-
several years past—the fish are as abundant on the spawning beds as
ever they were, if not fully more so, crowding and interfering with each
other in some of the fords so much as to be doing more harm than good.
The late Mr Stoddart, than whom, perhaps, there was no better authority,
calculated that 150,000,000 of salmon ova are annually deposited on
the Tay, of which only 50,000,000, or one-third, ever come to life,
leaving 100,000,000 ova either to be dried up by the partial falling in
of the water, or washed away by the floods, to be devoured by any
roving fish or sea bird which may chance to come across them. I
cannot quit this subject without saying one word in favour of a bird,
though not under consideration in this paper, which is most unjustly
accused of destroying salmon spawn on the beds, and in its case, just
what I said before, a conclusion is jumped at without further inquiry,
and this unfortunate bird is shot down without scruple or conscience.
This is the little Water Ouzel, or Water Crow. Now, it is an incon-
testable fact, of which I have had frequent proof, that the Water
Ouzel, though continually on the beds during spawning time, plunging
and tumbling about under water in the midst of the most rapid stream,
devours not the spawn, but the very creatures which prey upon it—the
larvee of water beetles and small fresh water crustaceans, with which
the gizzard will be found crammed, but not one single ovum. In justice,
therefore, not only to this bird, but to all, let the saddle be put on the
right horse. I now come to the last birds on the list—the Terns or
Sea Swallows, of which there are four species which come to us, the
Sandwich, the Arctic, Lesser and Common (by no means, however, a very
common bird), all of which, with the exception of the Sandwich, used
to breed in large numbers on the sand hill at Buddonness and
round about on Barry, now much reduced in numbers, a
spot which I had understood them to have altogether deserted ; but
Mr Henderson assures me that they breed there still, though in small
parties, but are much interfered with by the Volunteer Artillery
practice, the shot passing over their favourite station, to the great dis-
comfiture of the birds, which have in consequence been driven off and
shifted their ground. The three latter all breed at the mouth of the
Tay. The former, however, as Mr Henderson tells me, though seen at
the beginning of the season, do not breed there, but do so on an island
on the Firth of Forth, and make their appearance again later or in the
season in company with their young. This leads me to what was
casually alluded to in the beginning of this paper, and which, in the
a
i ee
23
concluding remarks, would not be perfect were I silent on the subject,
namely, the wicked and deplorable plunder of eggs that now goes on
spring after spring on Tents-muir, at one time the great nursery of a
and I do so in the hope that in
large proportion of our Tay birds
thus bringing it publicly before you, and exposing the iniquity that goes
on there, it may be the means in some way of helping to check it ; but
I should not have felt justified in doing this, for, with the exception of
the actual sea shore, the whole ground in question is private property,
had it not been for the cordial support of two of the proprietors—one of
whom I am happy to see here present to-night—A dmiral-Maitland Dougal
of Scotscraig, and Mr Speedy, proprietor of Kinshaldy, also tenant, on
long lease, of the remaining portion on the estate of KEarlshall, who has
promised every assistance in getting, if possible, this abominable practice
put down, both on his own property and that of the adjoining, as long
as he holds it. I therefore make no further apology, but proceed to
deseribe this fine breeding station, consisting of the whole of that sandy
tract known as Tents-muir, stretching for a distance of several miles,
from the Tay to the Eden, with a width of some two or three miles,
which is most wonderfully adapted for breeding purposes, and therefore
the choice spot of many of our birds—sixteen species of which, not count-
ing land birds, are to be found nesting there. This arises not only from its
isolated and retired position along this part of the sea coast, but from
the great extent of heath, marsh, and rushy ground with which it is
clothed, together with the interspersion of sand hillocks, wood, and
arable land. Along the shores are exclusively to be found, in small
patches, the Terns, each species by itself, together with the little Ring
Plover, or Ring Dotterel ; further back, on the higher flats, large colonies
of Dunlin were formerly to be seen, but now terribly diminished. Mov-
ing on through heath, marsh, and woody spots would be found in abund-
ance Eider, Peewit, Snipe, Redshank, Duck, and Teal ; while from many
a knoll the plaintive note of the Golden Plover, or the trilling cry of the
Curlew would be heard; and further inland again, among the old sand
hills, deep down in some deserted rabbit burrow, at a depth perhaps of
some ten or twelve feet, lay the soft nest of the Shieldrake, lined, like the
Eider, with its own down, and tenanted with its twelve or sixteen eggs.
These, together with the egys of, every other species, have for several
past years, in thousands, either been collected for profit, or destroyed in
mere wantonness. Over three hundred eggs have been known to be
collected by one party alone in a single day, consisting of Tern, Peewit,
Plover, Surlew, besides considerable numbers of Eider, Teal, and other
Ducks. But the principal mischief is done by boys and lads from Dun-
dee, St Andrews, Leuchars, &c., especially on Sundays ; and I have been
told by an eye-witness that he has seen them frequently with caps full of
the eggs of Terns, Peewits, Golden Plover, Ring Plover, and other kinds. —
Sometimes these were blown in mass, or pelted at each other, until they
were all smashed and scattered in every direction. Again, by the same
authority, when walking with a friend along the main drain, dozens of
eggs of all kinds were seen, evidently quite fresh, ruthlessly smashed and
scattered along the banks, some lying whole at the bottom of the water,
evidently the scene of some egg-fight the night before. Many a visit —
is made before daylight, and seventy or eighty eggs secured in
sufficient time to admit of a man getting back to Tayport or
elsewhere before his work began at six. The salmon fishers on the
coast also, during their slack time, gather large quantities of Ring
Plover, Arctic and Lesser Tern in their immediate vicinity along the
shore, which they either sell or use for food ; and from incessant perse-
cution the birds are getting altogether driven off the ground. The
Lesser Tern lays only two egys, consequently, if this goes on much
longer, very little more will extirpate them altogether. Not only do the
Terns suffer from all these depredations, but also from natural causes. —
Numbers of young birds are often destroyed wholesale by high north-
west winds causing sand drift, especially in dry weather. To a person
not accustomed to see one of these storms, it is something extraordinary ;
and Mr Henderson tells me he has seen Terns from one to eight days
old perfectly annihilated, and not only buried, but the poor soft downy
little things rolled over and over as they were hurled swiftly along like
so many pieces of tow, quite dead, and never stopping till held by some
bit of drift wood. This is one among the many provisions of Nature to
keep the proper balance. A severe winter comes, or some great storm
arises, When hundreds of our sea birds perish, and our coasts have been —
strewn for miles with their dead bodies, the Gannet among the rest,
showing that with protection and all, we need not fear to be overrun.
It must be borne in mind that sea birds were far more numerous eighty
or a hundred years ago than at the present date, and that at a time
when our fisheries were not even protected as they are now, and there
never was any complaint of the want of either salmon or herring—on
the contrary, they both abounded ; nor has there since the passing of
the Act, ten or twelve yearsago, been any undue increase. _ It is, there-
fore, to be hoped that not only the integrity of.the Act will be main-
tained, but that the destruction of eggs and the shooting of birds in
close time will be discountenanced in future, for we should ever recollect
that all things which a beneficent Creator has put under our charge
and vouchsafed to give us, are for our use, and not our abuse.
18 FEB iggs
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