Eight summer excursions were arranged, of which seven were carried out, the attendance being fairly good. One of the largest excursions we ever had was one on 4th June to Den of Airlie and Loch of Lintrathen. The Council take this opportunity of again thanking those proprietors who gave permission for some of these excursions. The subject of last year's Children's Essay Competition was "The Land and Fresh Water Shells of Perthshire," and 99 essays have been sent in. The essays are being examined, and the prizes are to be presented by Professor J, Arthur Thomson, M.A., F.R.S.E., on Saturday, 30th March. The subject of essay for this year's competition is "Four objects in the Perthshire Natural History Museum that interest me most." Death has greatly thinned our ranks during the past year, claiming many who had long been connected with the Society. We have lost two ladies who took a deep interest in the Society, namely, Mrs. Coates and Mrs. Atholl MacGregor, and three life members, namely, the Earl of Mansfield, Mr. C. L. Wood of Freeland, and Sir Alex. Moncrieff, Bart., of Bandirran. The two former were contributors of many specimens to the Museum. We have also to deplore the loss of Mr. John M'Gregor, who was Treasurer from 1877 to 1884; and that of Mr. Goodchild, a Corresponding Member, who on various occasions gave us lectures, and otherwise assisted the Society. The use of the Lecture Room has again been granted to various Societies of an educational character. The Museum has been visited during the year by 15,632. REPORT OF TREASURER. (See Balance-Sheet, page clxviii.) REPORT OF LIBRARIAN. I beg to report that during the past year 129 volumes have been presented to the Library, and purchases have been made to the extent of 63 volumes. This brings the total number of books up to 2,811; and in consequence of the steady increase, the problem of accommodation becomes each year more acute. The number of readers during the year has been 58, and the books borrowed 302, as against 257 last year. The aim of the Books Committee in their purchase of new books has always been to ensure thorough efficiency as a reference library by adding the best works in every department, and also to make the Lending Library of the greatest helpfulness and interest to the general reader. Opportunity is again taken to express the gratitude of the Society to all those who have generously made donations to the Library. REPORT OF EDITOR. The Third Part of Vol. IV. of the Transactions and Proceedings of the Society has been published and issued to members during the year. Copies of it have been sent to Institutions (British and Foreign), and in exchange we have received valuable additions to the Library. The following Office-Bearers were elected : President-Henry Coates, F.R.S. E. - Vice-Presidents-Thomas B. Young, Rev. G. A. Frank Knight, M.A., F.R.S.E., Robert H. Meldrum, William Whyte. Secretary-S. T. Ellison. Treasurer-Alfred W. Brown. Treasurer of Museum Fund--Jas. Morison. Librarian-James Coates. Editor-William Barclay. Curator-Alex. M. Rodger. Councillors-Major Mercer, J. S. Grant, W. Steuart Fotheringham, James Craigie. The following papers were read :— 1. "Some Speculations relating to the Fourth Dimension." By D. M. Y. Somerville, M.A., D.Sc., St. Andrews. The paper was illustrated by lantern slides and models. 2. "The Archæology of Tentsmuir." By A. Hutcheson, F.S.A. (Scot.), Broughty-Ferry. (See Transactions, Vol. IV., Part IV., page 174.) 11th April, 1907. HENRY COATES, F.R.S.E., President, in the Chair. Mr. A. M. Rodger exhibited various donations to the Library. The following papers were read :— I. "Half a day on Tentsmuir." By William Whyte. (See Transactions, Vol. IV., Part IV., page 200.) 2. "The Microscopic Structure of some Igneous Rocks," Part II. By George F. Bates, B.A., B.Sc. The paper was illustrated by a series of lantern slides. (See Transactions, Vol. IV., Part IV., page 189.) SUMMER SESSION, 1907. The following Excursions were arranged : 1. Monday, 20th May. Loch Voil. Leader-Mr. H. Coates. 2. Saturday, 8th June. Murthly Castle Grounds. Charles M'Intosh. Leader-Mr. 3. Saturday, 22nd June. Glen Turret. Leader--Mr. Barclay. 4. Saturday, 6th July. Meal Ghaordie (3407 ft.). Leader-Mr. Meldrum. Meeting of Mountain Club at 2 p.m. 5. Saturday, 20th July. Ben-y-Vrackie. Leader-Mr. Grant. 6. Saturday, 27th July. Muir of Thorn, Murthly to Bankfoot. Leader-Mr. Rodger. 7. Wednesday, 28th August. Loch Ard. Leader-Mr. S. T. Ellison. 8. End of September. Fungi Excursion. Glen Lednoch. LeaderMr. Menzies. LIST OF DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY. SESSION 1906-7. I. GIFTS FROM INSTITUTIONS. Belfast, Naturalists' Field Club, Annual Report and Proceedings, 1905-6—The Berwickshire, Naturalists' Field Club, Vol. XIX., Part 2, 1904 - The Club. The Museum and Art Gallery, 1772-1906-The Museum. Brooklyn, Institute of Arts and Science, The Museum News, 1905, 1906-The Museum. Cincinnati, Mycological Notes, Nos. 21, 22, 23, 1906—J. W. and C. G. Lloyd. Dumfries-shire and Galloway, Natural History and Antiquarian Society, The Transactions and Journal of Proceedings, 1878-80, 1890-98, 1900-05. Edinburgh, Field Naturalists' and Microscopical Society, Transactions, Vol. V., Part 4, 1905-6-The Society. 24th Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland, Parts II., III., Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society, Vol. XVI., Nos. 4, 5, 6-The The Royal Scottish Museum, Report for 1905-The Director. Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. Some Meteorologial Results-R. C. Mossman. Report on the Work. The Area of Unknown Antarctic Regions. Antarctic Botany-R. N. Rudmose Brown. Contribution towards the Botany of Ascension-R. N. Rudmose Halifax, The Proceedings and Transactions of the Nova Scotian Institute, Vol. XI., Part 2, 1903-4-The Society. Hull, Scientific and Field Naturalists' Club, Transactions, 1906-The Club. Lima, Bolatin del Cuerpo de Ingenieros de Minas del Peru, Nos. 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36-The Department. London, British Museum-The Glossopteris Flora. Catalogue of Madreporaria, Vol. V. Catalogue of Birds' Eggs, Vols. I., II., III., IV. Cicadida. Fossil Vertebrata of the Fayum, 1906. Guide to the Reptilia and Amphibia, 1906-The Trustees. Report of the British Association, South Africa, 1905-The Association. Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, Leaflets, Nos. 144, 160-168, 171-175, 177-179, 185-The Board. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, Nos. 246 249-The Society. Proceedings of the S. L. Entomological and Natural History Society, 1905-06-The Society. Manchester, Museum, Owen's College, Report, 1905-06-The Director. Mexico, Paregones del Instituto Geologico, Tomo I., No. 10-The Depart ment. Millport, Marine Biological Association of the West of Scotland, Annual Report, 1905-The Director. New York, The American Museum of Natural History-Annual Report, 1905The Trustees; Memoir, Vol. IX., Part 2, 3. Northants, Journal of the Natural History Society and Field Club, Vol. XIII., Nos. 101-104-The Society. Nottingham. Naturalists' Society, Annual Report and Transactions, 1905-06-The Society. Ottawa, Geological Survey of Canada, Annual Report, 1901-2-3, Nos. 923, 928, 939, 947, 959-The Department. Perth, Health Report, City of Perth, 1905-The Medical Officer. Annual Report of the County Sanitary Inspector, 1905-The Sanitary Sandeman Public Library, 8th Annual Report, 1906-The Librarian. Pittsburg, Carnegie Museum, Annual Report, 1906-The Trustees. Philadelphia, Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science, Vol. LVII., Part 3; LVIII., Part 1, 2-The Academy. Southport, Society of Natural Science, Report, 1904-5, 1905-6-The Society. Stirling, Natural History and Archaeological Society, Transactions, 1897-1900, 1905-6--The Society. Stratford, The Essex Naturalist, Vol. XIV., Parts 5, 6-The Society. Sydney, Records of the Australian Museum, Vol. VI., Nos. 3, 9-The Trustees. St. Louis, Mo., Missouri Botanical Gardens, 17th Annual Report, 1906-The Director. Washington, Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution, 1904. U.S. Department of Agriculture-Annual Report, 1905. Bureau of Soils, Bulletin Nos. 31, 33. Division of Forestry, Bulletin No. 17. Bureau of Entomology, Tech. Series, Nos. 13, 14. Bureau of Biological Survey, Tech. Ser., No. 26-U.S. Department of York, Philosophical Society, Annual Report, 1905—The Society. II. GIFTS FROM PERSONS. Brown, J. A. Harvie, A Fauna of the Tay Basin and Strathmore, 1906. British Rainfall, 1905. The Historians of Perth. Proceedings of the Royal Craigie, James, Game of British Columbia, Official Bulletin, No. 17. A Catalogue of the Aburi Gardens. Ellison, S. T., Photography, 1905, 1906. Entomologist, 1906. Evans, Miss, The Story of our Museum, and what it taught us. |