Ranunculus auricomus and Sanicula europæn, and is a favourite resort of the few botanophilists of the neighbouring city, whose enthusiasm is such as not to be overcome by a walk of half-a-dozen miles. Opposite this place is a good deal of Primula veris, a rare plant in the north of Scotland, together with Orchis mascula; and Teesdalia nudicaulis and Arenaria rubra are of frequent occurrence. Fumaria claviculata, Leontodon palustre, and Trientalis europæa, are not rare; and on the heaths Orchis conopsea, 0. bifolia, 0. latifolia, and 0. maculata, are abundant.

As we approach the Bridge of Dee, sylvan vegetation dwindles away to a few miserable alders, and beyond this there is not even a willow to hide the nakedness of the banks; nor along the remaining part of the river do we find that variety of herbaceous vegetation which occurs in many parts of the surrounding country. The more remarkable plants which are seen below the bridge are, Alisma Plantago, Ranunculus sceleratus, Plantago maritima, P. coronopus, and Cochlearia officinalis. The last species brings us to the mud of the harbour of Aberdeen.

At the mouth of the river, we have on the one hand an expanse of sandy shore, stretching along the coast for many miles, and on the other a low rocky shore extending southward to Stonehaven. The former presents nothing of peculiar interest. The latter in its coves and clefts affords a considerable variety of the plants peculiar to such situations, among which Geranium sanguineum and Astragalus hypoglottis are distinguished.

Looking back upon our course, we have the Dee, rapid and clear, flowing in a bed of pebbles, at first enclosed by low rounded eminerices, as far as Upper Banchory, where the hills are more elevated, then appearing in a large irregular plain, and expanding into a broad pebbly channel, or wearing its way into the vast heaps of granitic diluvium, of

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which it often exhibits sections 60 or 80 feet high. Then comes the Pass of Tulloch, by which we enter the truly mountainous district of the river. A long and slightly tortuous valley, bounded by brown, rounded hills, and abundantly wooded with pine and birch, extends to near the sources of the Dee, in search of which we enter the lateral and terminal valleys, destitute of wood, striped with rolled stones and gravel, and ascend the central Grampians, covered with debris, furrowed by rills and torrents, and here and there presenting precipices and corries of great magnificence, in which lie patches of snow, and among which the alpine plants have found a place best fitted for their development. The whole course of the river is comparatively sterile. There are no deep alluvial deposits of clay or mud, nor any extensive fields of rich soil. Heath, pine and birch, are the prevailing plants. Wheat does not thrive even at the mouth of the river. Potatoes, turnips, qats and bigg, are the only plants extensively cultivated. The pastures in the mountainous district are richer than those of the lower part, but they are of small extent, and in the whole course of the river there is not a single hill top or mountain slope covered with verdure. No river in Scotland approaches in its characters to the Dee excepting the Spey, which has a decided resemblance to it.

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A P PE N D I X.

HISTORY

OF THE

SOCIETY.

(Continued from Vol. V. p. 583.)

1826.

.

Robert Bald, Esq. Vice-President, in the chair. There was read Mr Cormack's History of the Geographical Dis. Jan. 14. tribution and Economical Uses of some kinds of Fishes on the banks of Newfoundland, with an account of the great Seal Fishery on that station.—Mr Thomas Buchanan's paper on the Comparative Anatomy of the Organs of Vision and Hearing, illustrated by Drawings, was referred to the following members, as a committee, viz. Dr Barclay, Dr Knox, and Dr Grant.-Dr Robert Knox then read an account of the Anatomy of the Wombat of Flinders. -Dr John Fleming then exhibited a specimen of the Migratory Pigeon of North America, shot in Fife on the 31st of December 1825; and argued, from the perfect state of the plumage, that the animal had not been in confinement, but had probably been wafted across the Atlantic by strong and continued westerly gales.

1826.

Professor Graham, Vice-President, in the chair.-There Jan. 28. was read Mr Blackadder's account of Highland Alluvium,

being the concluding part of his essay on Sand-fields, in which he extended his observations to the summits of primitive mountains.-Professor Jameson then read a communication from a foreign correspondent, on the probability that Meteoric Stones are generated in the atmosphere, and not derived from the moon, nor from any other extramundane source.—The President exhibited specimens of Beryl, which occur, along with rock-crystal, in drusy cavities in the granite of the mountains of Morne in Ireland.

Feb. 11.

David Ritchie, D. D. in the chair.-Prof. Jameson communicated a note of Low Temperatures, observed by Mr Grant, at his seat of Rothiemurchus, in the Highlands of Scotland, during the late severe frost of January; the lowest being 6 below 0, and this extreme cold having continued for several hours — The Professor also gave an account of the occurrence of phosphate of lime, in balls or concretions, in the bituminous shale of the coal formation.-Dr R. E. Grant then read a paper on the structure and nature of the Spongilla friabilis, and exhibited recent specimens from the rocks and stakes on the east side of Lochend, near Edinburgh.—There .was exhibited to the meeting a collection of magnificant specimens of Doubly Refracting Spar from Iceland, the property of Mr Witham, and collected, last summer, by Mr Rose and Mr Brown, from a great vein, about fourteen feet wide, traversing trap-rock of the nature of amygdaloid.

Feb. 25.

Reverend Dr Alexander Brunton, Vice-President, in the chair.— The Secretary read Mr William Scott's Observations on the Climate of Shetland, &c. and laid before the meeting a Meteorological Journal, kept at Unst, by Mr

Scott. He likewise read a notice, communicated by Mr Trevelyan, relative to the numerous Teeth of the Rhinoceros lately discovered in the cave near Kent's Hole, and also regarding the Teeth of an unknown Quadruped found in the same cave.-Professor Jameson then read the first part of a paper, by Professor Esmark of Christiania, entitled, “ Remarks tending to explain the Geological Theory of the Earth."

1826.

Robert Bald, Esq. Vice-President, in the chair.-Profes. March 11 sor Jameson read the concluding part of Professor Esmark's Observations on the Theory of the Earth.—The Secretary read an extract of a letter from Professor Buckland of Oxford, to Mr Jameson, regarding the lately discovered Cave near Torquay, which has been considered as an antediluvian hyena's den. Specimens of the Bones, supposed to have been gnawed by the hyenas, were exhibited; and several members gave it as their opinion, that these bones had been gnawed by some quadruped; while others remarked, that, in some cases, the erosion in the middle of a bone was so great, that it must have snapped through, had such erosion been produced by forcible gnawing. The President exhibited to the meeting several large Flowerbuds of the Rafflesia Arnoldi of Sumatra, with a coloured Engraving representing the Flower when fully expanded.Dr R. E. Grant then opened a small Mummy-Case in presence of the Society: the case was brought from a catacomb in Upper Egypt, and had one end formed into the resemblance of the head of a cat. A few bones only remained; and Dr Grant was of opinion that they might be those of a small domestic cat.

Reverend Dr Brunton, Vice-President, in the chair. - March 25. There was read a paper by the Rev. Dr Fleming of Flisk,