PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

ROYAL PHYSICAL SOCIETY

OF

EDINBURGH.

1859-1862.

VOL. II.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY BY NEILL AND COMPANY.

MDCCCLXIII.

CONTENTS.

SESSION 1858-59.

November 24, 1858.

PAGE

Balfour (Professor), Opening Address (Historical Sketch of

the Wernerian Society, &c.),

1

I. Murray (Andrew), Contributions to the Natural History of

the Hudson's Bay Company's Territories, Part II., Mam-

malia-(continued),

II. Wright (T. Strethill), M.D., on New Protozoa : (1.) Lago-

tia producta; (2.) Zooteirea religata; (3.) Corethria Ser-

tulariæ; (4.) on Stentor Mülleri, and Stentor castaneus

(Plate II.),

III. Wright (T. Strethill), M.D., Observations on British Zoo-

phytes (1.) on the Reproduction of Turris neglecta;

(2.) on the Development of Hippocrene Britannica from

Atractylis ramosa; (3.) on the Development of Hydra

tuba from Chrysaora (Plate III.),

IV. Smith (John Alex.) M D., Exhibited Specimens of the Lan-

tern-Fly of British Honduras,

15

26

34

36

V. Smith (John Alex.), M.D., Notes of Fossils from the Old

Red Sandstone of the South of Scotland,

36

December 22, 1858.

Office-bearers Elected,

I. Rhind (William), Exhibited a Specimen of Lepidodendron,
with Lepidostrobus attached, found by Mr R. H. Tra-
quair near Colinton,

II. Wright (T. Strethill), M.D., on the Cnidæ, or Thread-cells

of the Eolidæ,

III. Smith (John Alex.), M.D., Notice of a Skull of the Troglo-

dytes niger, the Chimpanzee, found in a "Devil-house,"

Old Calabar, Africa,

38

38

38

41

IV. Smith (John Alex.), M.D., Notes of some of our Rarer Birds

-Tetrao medius, a Hybrid between the Capercailzie

and Blackcock; Lanius excubitor, the Great Grey Shrike;

Dafila caudacuta, the Pintail Duck; Buteo lagopus,

the Rough-legged Buzzard,

.

V. Stirling (Archibald), Notice of a Pike (Esox lucius), in

whose Stomach a Water-hen and Water-ouzel were

found,

January 26, 1859.

I. Murray (Andrew), Contributions to the Natural History of

the Hudson's Bay Company's Territories. Aves. Part I.

(Plate I.),

II. Jardine (Sir William), Bart., Observations on some of the

Birds received from the Hudson's Bay Company's Terri-

tories,

III. Smith (John Alex.), M.D., on the Hen Pheasant assuming

Male Plumage,

IV. Wright (T. Strethill), M.D., Observations on British Zoo-
phytes: (1.) Coryne implexa; (2.) Coryne (margarica
mihi) implexa; (3.) Bimeria véstita; (4.) Garveia nutans
(Plates III. and IV.),

V. Peach (Charles W.), on some Peculiar Forms of Spines on

two Species of Star-fishes (Gen. Ophiocoma), .

VI. Smith (John Alex.), M.D., Notice of the Ukpam, a Large

Species (probably new) of Sting Ray (Trygon, Cuv.),

found in the Old Calabar River, Africa, .

VII. Smith (John Alex.), M.D., Notice of the Passer montanus,

the Tree Sparrow, shot near Dunbar,

64

69

February 23, 1859.

I. Turner (William), M.B., on some Fossil Bovine Remains
found in Britain,

II. Wright (T. Strethill), M.D., on Goodsirea mirabilis, an

undescribed Gymnopthalmatous Medusa,

71

(Dr Wright also exhibited Specimens of Gromia oviformis),

III. Gätke (W. H.), (communicated by Professor Balfour), No-

tice of some Birds observed in the Island of Heligoland,

IV. Bryson (Alex.), on the Danger of Hasty Generalization in

Geology,.

V. Stewart (John Alex.), Notes on some Points in the Natural

History of the West Coast of Ross-shire,

VI. Murray (Andrew), a beautiful series of varieties (in plum-

age) of the Common Pheasant were Exhibited, the Pro-

perty of Walter May, Esq.,

PAGE

86

87

March 23, 1859.

I. Lowe (W. H.), M.D., Extract of Letter from the Rev. Hugh

Goldie, Old Calabar, to Dr Greville, respecting some sin-

gular Silk "Bags" formed by Insects in Africa,

II. Murray (Andrew), a Series of recently discovered Eyeless

Beetles, from the Caves of Carniola and Hungary were

Exhibited,

III. Bryson (Alex.), Notice of the Tenacity of Life in Buccinum

coronatum and Helix virgata,

IV. Wright (T. Strethill), M.D., Observations on British Zoo-

phytes-Kionistes retiformis (with figure),

V. Cleland (John), M.D., on the Vomer in Man and the Mam-

malia, and on the Sphenoidal Spongy Bones (Plate V.),

VI. Peach (Charles W.), on the Discovery of Nullipores (cal-

careous plants) and Sponges in the Boulder Clay of

Caithness,

April 27, 1859.

I. Kelaart (E.F.) M.D., (communicated by Dr R. K. Greville),

Report on the Pearl Banks of Arippo, Ceylon, for Season

1858,

98

101

II. Banks (James), (communicated by Dr J. A. Smith), Note on
the Luminosity of the Lantern-fly of Honduras,

III. (1.) M'Bain (James), M.D., R.N., Notice of a Fossil Nau-

tilus from the Isle of Sheppey,

102

103

(2.) M'Bain (James), M.D., R.N., Notice of the Nucula

decussata, found in the so-called Raised Sea-beach Bed

at Leith, .

105

107

107

108

IV. Bryson (Alex.), Contribution to a Monograph of Iceland

Spar (Part I.),

V. Wright (T. Strethill), M.D., on a Method of Constructing

Polarizing Prisms of Nitrate of Potash,

VI. Carruthers (William), Notes on the Geology of Swellendam,