THE CRYPTOGAMIC SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND.

Mr. James Menzies then gave the following report of the recent meeting in Perth of the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland :

"One of the most interesting events in the history of our society this year was the visit of the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland to Perth. This Association was formed about twenty-nine years ago by a number of enthusiastic students of the Cryptogamia. Amongst these the Perthshire Society of Natural Science was well represented, as Sir Thomas Moncreiffe was President; Dr. Buchanan White, Secretary; and Colonel Drummond a Member of Council.

The object of the Society was to popularise this branch of Natural Science by holding a regular Annual Conference and Exhibition of Fungi in different parts of the kingdom.

The first Conference and Exhibition was held in Perth on September, 29, 30, and October 1, 1875, and it may be of interest to recall some of the leading events of that great meeting. Dr. M. C. Cooke, Mr. Worthington G. Smith, and other prominent English Cryptogamic botanists came to Perth to assist the young Society in its first venture. Papers dealing with various phases of the subject were read by Dr. M. C. Cooke, the Rev. Dr. Stevenson, and others. A public dinner took place under the auspices of the Society, at which many of the leading citizens of the town were present. At the dinner many species of fungi, cooked for the table, formed an important and novel item of the menu. Excursion parties explored the woods of Scone, Moncreiffe, and Dupplin, in search of specimens.

The great event of the meeting, however, was the exhibition of fungi in the City Hall. Preparations for this had been begun months before. The officials of the Society, assisted by many members of our own Society, organised parties throughout the county to collect specimens. Many rare and curious species were sent by private individuals, not only at home, but from other parts of Scotland, as well as England and Wales. There were besides several exotic collections. Mr. Worthington G. Smith showed his original drawings, illustrating his discoveries in the history of the fungus which causes the potato disease. There was also a collection of preserved fungi, a collection of ergotised grasses, and a fine collection of water-colour drawings of fungi. The area in the hall covered by mosses, fungi, and lichens was nearly 3000 square feet, and the total number of specimens was estimated at above 150,000. This exhibition was pronounced by competent authorities to have been the most com. prehensive ever brought together.

This year the members of the Cryptogamic Society, through their Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Paul, expressed a desire to hold once again their annual meeting at Perth, and the Council of our Society at once extended to them a cordial invitation, placing our lecture room and premises at their disposal, and at the same time arranged for a series of excursions on their behalf to places in the neighbourhood likely to prove rich in fungi. The meeting was held on September 29, 30, and October 1, and amongst the members of the Society who attended this meeting were the Rev. Dr. Paul, Mr. W. C. Crawford, and Dr.

Watson, Edinburgh; Mr. Carleton Rea, Secretary of the British Mycological Society, and Mrs. Carleton Rea, Worcester; Mr. James Clark, Mr. J. A. Macgregor, and Mr. T. A. Rennison, Paisley; Mr. Duncan MacKenzie, Glasgow; Colonel R. E. S. Harrington Stuart of Torrance; and Mr. Angus Grant, Drumnadrochit.

The first excursion of the series was to Kinnoull Hill. The weather unfortunately was not favourable, heavy showers falling during all the early part of the day. This, however, was not allowed to interfere with the business on hand, and the greater part of the hill, with the Kinfauns Wood adjoining, was thoroughly searched. Though, perhaps, not so abundant as in some recent years, yet a great many species of fungi were found to be more or less common. The best finds of the day were Armillaria bulbiger, A. & S.; Hypholoma lachrymabundus, Bull.; Psathyra gossypina, Bull.; Helvella elastica, Bull. These were all new to the locality, and fall to be added to the already long list of fungi found on Kinnoull.

The second day was devoted to the exploration of the woods and grounds of Invermay, by the kind permission of the proprietor, Mr. John Fraser. Miss M. L. Miles acted as guide, and the party was joined by Mr. Dow, Longforgan, and Mr. Pitcaithley, forester, Scone. This proved a most delightful excursion. The day was fine, and everyone was charmed with the beauty of the locality. Fungi were abundant, and work was begun almost within the gate. From the bole of a beech tree Armillaria mucida, Schrad., was gathered. This is a pure white, almost transparent fungus, rare in the vicinity of Perth. Under some birch trees was found Clavaria Ardenia, Sow., a very rare fungus, first discovered near Epsom by Lady Arden, whose name it bears. By her it was sent to Sowerby, who faithfully reproduced it in his illustrations. of English fungi, published in 1797. Amongst the other finds of the day were Craterellus cornucopioides, Pers.; Hygrophorus calyptræformis, B. & Br., a rare species of this genus; Tricholoma portentosus, Fr.; Cortinarius triumphans, Fr.; Polyporus fragilis, Fr.; Peziza leporina, Batch.; Peziza onotica, Pers.; Ombrophila sarcoides, Jacq.; and Chlorosplenium aeruginosum, Jacq. Before leaving, the party was kindly entertained to tea by Mrs. Fraser in Invermay House, and a pleasant hour was spent in that hospitable mansion. A walk back to Forteviot Station in the dusk brought this most enjoyable excursion to a close.

The following day Scone Woods were visited, by the kind permission of the Earl of Mansfield, Mr. Pitcaithley acting as guide. The woods were entered at New Scone, and worked as far as Longedge plantation. The first find of the day fell to Mr. Carleton. Rea. This was Cordyceps ophioglossoides, Tul., growing parasitically upon a species of truffle, Elaphomyces muricatus, Fr., and further on this was found to be fairly abundant. Another species of the same genus was found by Miss Thomas. This proved to be Cordyceps capitata, Fr., parasitic on another truffle, Elaphomyces granulatus, Alb. & Schw.; only two specimens of this were found. The next find of importance was Polyporus Schweinitzii, Fr., an uncommon species of this genus, formerly recorded by Dr. Buchanan White as occurring at Rannoch. Here also were found the green earth tongue,

Leptoglossum viride, Pers., and Geoglossum hirsutum, Pers. In the old sawpit at Longedge plantation was found Tremellodon gelatinosum, Pers. This is a curious gelatinous fungus furnished with spines allied to the Hydnei. It had not appeared in the locality for some years, but since this excursion it has been found on Kinnoull and at Inver. From Longedge the party made their way to the grounds in the immediate vicinity of the Palace. Here one of the prizes of the mycologist was found. This was Pholiota aurea, Matt., which appears here year after year, growing in a pit used for the disposal of fallen leaves. It was found in fine form, some of the specimens measuring 11 inches across. The visitors were greatly pleased with this rare and beautiful fungus, many of them seeing it for the first time, and a few samples were secured by Mr. Carleton Rea for the meeting of the British Mycological Society at Marlborough the following week. A further exploration of the grounds having produced nothing of any consequence, the party took leave of their genial guide, who had been most assiduous on their behalf, and then walked back to Perth.

During the three days 304 species were found. Each evening the visitors met in the lecture room in an informal way, when the finds of the day were gone over and discussed, and a small collection of named fungi was laid out for exhibition. This was further enriched by a few rare species sent by Mr. Charles M'Intosh from Inver, who, it may be mentioned, was also an exhibitor at the last meeting in Perth 29 years ago. The collection, though small, was far from being devoid of interest, and contained many types of this wonderfully diversified family. The whole proceedings were characterised by the utmost harmony and friendly feeling. On my own behalf, and I think I may venture to speak for those members of our own Society who were privileged to take part in the proceedings, I may say that the visit of the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland was not only a pleasant experience, but that it helped greatly to increase our knowledge of those humble denizens of our woods and fields, the Cryptogamia."

The following papers were read :

I. "The Rocks and Minerals of the Crieff District." "The Amoeboid Agates of Monzie near Crieff."

2.

3.

"A Preliminary List of the Minera's of Perthshire."

All three papers by Walter Kerr, M.A., late Mathematical Master, Morrison's Academy, Crieff. (See Transactions, Vo'. IV., Part I. page 1.)

10th December, 1903.

HENRY COATES, F.R.S.E., President, in the Chair.

Mr. R. Dow, Longforgan, sent for exhibition a considerable number of specimens of "Flowering Plants from an English Herbarium." Mr. Arthur Reid, M.A. (Cantab), F.G.S., as Delegate of the Society to the British Association for the Advancement of Science,

sent a report of the meetings of the Association at Southport, which was read by the President. Mr. Reid dealt chiefly with the meetings of the Delegates of Corresponding Societies of the British Association. A lucid account was given of the papers read and the topics discussed. Special mention was made of certain proposals put forward by Sir Norman Lockyer, embodied in the following Resolution, which the delegates unanimously agreed to, viz. :-"That, as urged by the President, it is desirable that scientific workers, and persons interested in science, be so organised that they may exert a permanent influence on public opinion, in order the more effectively to carry out the third object of the British Association, originally laid down by the Founders, viz., to obtain a more general attention to the objects of science and the removal of any disadvantages of a public kind which impede its progress, and that the Council of the British Association be asked to take steps to promote such organisations." Mr. Reid's report concluded as follows:

"In conclusion, I will put three special points before you-

I. As in duty bound, I must ask you to consider Sir Norman Lockyer's proposal, and discuss the best means of aiding it under your special circumstances. And here I may say that the Society seems to me to have already taken some steps towards carrying out one of the proposals, i.e., educating the boy in the street' by the system of essay prizes which it has inaugurated. But, as you will gather from my report of the first Conference, there are other means and methods to be discussed.

2. I would call your attention, more especially the photographers and geologists of you, to the report of the Committee on geological photographs Looking at page 3, which gives the number of photographs of geological interest contributed by each county of Scotland, you will see that Inverness stands first with 136, while Perthshire, the big county, is fourth with 47. The large number registered from Inverness is due to the fact that personally I have spent three summers on the island of Eigg, making a complete photographic geological survey of that island, and out of some 200 negatives made, a large number of prints have been sent to the national collection. Again, I believe, I am personally responsible for the greater part of the Perthshire set, but surely a Society like the P.S.N.S., which includes a most flourishing and energetic photographic section, might do some very valuable-permanently valuable-work, if, by its cameras, it would place on record the leading features of the geology and physical geography of the county. I feel sure your President, who is a fellow-committee man of mine on this Committee (geological photographs), will bear me out when I say that the work is of incalculable importance, considering the ephemeral character of some of the features recorded. Moreover, we have been during the last two years, and are now publishing portfolios of typical photographs from the collection of 3,771 geological photographs, and the list of subscribers shows the world-wide appreciation of this step.

3 Finally, I would call your attention to the work of the similar Committee on botanical photographs. Perthshire is a county of fine trees; the Society has skilled botanists and photographers among its

members, and there has been up till now but a small part done in recording permanently the valuable facts that come under the headings of plant life, plant diseases, etc., etc. Moreover, some of our indigenous plants are, I believe, threatened with destruction at the hands of the unscrupulous collector or the herbarium fiend, who preys on Nature's beautiful children, that he may gloat over their dead and mummied bodies, crushed between the jaws of his botanical press. Photographic records of such plants in their natural habitats, ere the destroyer works his wicked will on them, will hereafter be of incalculable value."

The Rev. J. M. Strachan, B.D., Kilspindie, read the following "Notes on a Former Course of the Tay below Perth."

"The Tay below Perth runs to-day along the south side of the Carse of Gowrie. The following notes prove that formerly for a time its course lay to the north.

Near Perth, Kinnoull Hill on the north, and Moncreiffe Hill on the south, fix the course of the Tay so firmly that it would require a considerable convulsion of natural forces to make any change. But below this point the country is so level that the difference of only a few feet of unheaval or of depression would change the course of the river. Once begun, the effects of this change might be continued for several miles, and apparently this has happened once within comparatively recent historical times.

About six miles down the river from Perth lies Pitfour estate, and it is said that one of the oldest charters of the estate describes it as bounded on the north by the Tay I do not know the date of that charter, but certainly to-day the Tay flows not on the north but on the south; so that, if the charter is correct, the course of the river has changed since the charter was written.

About four miles further down, following the base of the Sidlaws, lies Rait. The camp from which Rait (Gaelic, a camp) takes its name lies just above the edge of the Carse, and is defended by lines of earthworks only on its north side. The three other sides had at one time been defended by deep water, either of the Tay or of the tides. To day, both the Tay and the sea are more than three miles distant as the crow flies.

Here the burn is

Half a mile east from Rait lies Fingask estate. so small that a boy could easily jump across it. Yet I am told that to this day the estate pays to King James VI. Hospital a yearly rent for what was originally a salmon fishing.

Immediately to the east rise the rocks of Flawcraig. There is a local tradition that there used to be iron rings in the rocks for anchoring boats to. No one that I have met ever saw one of these rings; but it is worthy of notice that on the left bank of the burn there are hollows built of stone, and near them a slope carefully built of stones; and the upper surface of the stones is worn and scraped as though by the dragging of heavy weights like boats up and down the slope. There are, I think, other evidences also that this burnside, now so completely deserted, was in prehistoric times a populous place.