Vol 5 - Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian ...

12 Transactions.the rebellion of 1745. Mr J. M'Andrew presented four specimensof parmelia, and a specimen of the dwarf bircli (Behdanana). Mr J. M'Lellan Arnott presented one of the hand-billswhich had been issued in 1820 offering a reward for the capture,and a description, of the notorious criminal, David Haggart.Exhibits.—The Chairman exhibited two bottles of volcanicdust collected on board ship, about 500 miles from the coast ofNew Zealand, which had evidently been ei'upted dui'ing therecent great volcanic disturbances in that island. Dr Griersonalso exhibited a specimen of the " Galloway Flail," and with itfor comparison an ordinary flail. The Galloway flail had beenformerly used by the peasantry of the South of Scotland as aweapon of war in "the killing times." The handle of the oneexhibited was made of ash and measured Ave feet, to which wasattached the " souple," or the iron portion of the flail, consistingof three joints, each a foot in length. Dr Grierson remarkedthat he could obtain very little information about this weaponfurther than it was mentioned by the Rev. Mr Grierson ofSanquhar, in his " Gleanings among the Mountains," as havingbeen used by the Covenanters, and that Sir Walter Scott, in" Tlie Talisman," described a military flail similar to this one.Communications.I. A Plant of Sphagnum. By Mr J. M'Andrew.In this paper the author described the structure and lifehistory of a plant of sphagnum, and remarked that no observantperson could walk tlirough or alongside any bog or moss, such asthe Lochar Moss, without noting the variegated and beautiful tintsof the sphagnum, or peat mosses, fllling the pools, and concealingoften the treacherous depths. The oi'der Sj^hagnaceai containsonly one genus, spluigiiv/m, with about 60 species, one-third ofwhich are tropical, and only 15 or 16 are British. Of the latterthe author has collected in the district of the Glenkens all thespecies except S. Lindbergii, and all the varieties except >S'. Acutifoliicm,var. gracile ; S. strictum, var. squarrosuhwi ; S. squarrosiom,vars. laxum and imhricattmi ; S. intermediiim, var.pulchrum ; S. lariciniim, var. platyjyhylJum,; and »S'. tenellum,var. lo')hgifoliuin. In conclusion Mr M'Andrew remarked thatthe nature of the soil does not seem to have any effect onthe number of species and vai'ieties. A diy or a wet season,