Miscellaneous. 73 HERBACEOUS PLANTS. Deg. Deg. Deg. China Aster 28-30 Marigold 3840 Lupin ... 40*44 Antirrhinum 28*30 Rose Willow ... 30-35 Phlox ... 40-48 Ten-week Stock 35-38 Zinnia 23-25 Poppy ... 20-25 Xeranthemum lucidum 18-20 Fuchsia 60 Verbena . 35-38 Solidago Virgaurea 30 Valerian 25 Columbine 25 ' 28 Clarkia elegans 36-40 Salvia (red) ... 35 Mallow . . . 36-38 Queen of the Meadow 30-35 Pentstemon ...38 Alonsoa ... 38-40 Wild Geranium 50*64 In the leaves of many trees the small veins come off at a wider angle than the large veins. But it may be observed that in several trees, the small branches come off at a wider angle than the large branches, as in the oak for instance. What woodmen in this part of the country call spray i seems in the tree to correspond to the small veins in the leaf. 4. "On Fossil Woods from Antigua and Australia," by Mr. R. Bryson. The author made some remarks on the process of silicifi-cation, and pointed out the difference of appearance presented by the woods. Some were completely opalized and hard throughout ; others had portions either external or internal which were less completely silicified, and in a friable state. MISCELLANEOUS. Notice of the Occurrence of the Black Terrty Sterna nigra, Linn., near Coldstream. By John Alexander Smith, M.D.* The specimen of the black tern. Sterna nigra, Linn., which I now exhibit to the Society was killed in the beginning of July last, near Wark boat-housQ on the river Tweed, about two miles or so above the town of Coldstream ; the person who shot it informed me that it was flying in company with several other birds apparently of the same kind, but the bird itself was quite unknown to him. It is easily distinguished from the other terns by the dark character of its plumage, and its tail being only slightly forked; some naturalists indeed, from this last character, and other slighter peculiarities, are inclined to separate it into a distinct genus. In this individual the bill, head and neck are black ; the upper parts of the body and tail of a dingy bluish gray, very slightly tinged with brown ; outer web of first quill nearly black, rest of quills grayish black, their shafts like those of the tail-feathers white ; throat, breast, sides and abdomen of a grayish black ; lower wing-coverts white, with a slight brownish tinge ; vent and lower tail-coverts white ; legs and feet dark reddish brown, and feet less webbed than other terns. The bird is about 9^ inches in length, and the length of wing from carpal joint to extremity of first primary is about 8^ inches. The male and female are said to be alike in their plumage ; and the young have the forehead, cheeks, throat and whole of the under surface pure white, and the colours of the * Read to the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh, Dec. 3, 1851.
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