Werncrian Natural History Society. 2.51 



square surfaces, which were laminous, and could be me- 

 chanically detached from the other metals. The specimen, 

 which Dr. W. received was too small to admit of his ascer- 

 taining the exact proportions of native palladium, gold, and 

 platina it contained: hut on examining the palladium apart, 

 and dissolving it, some sensible traces of iridium were dis- 

 covered ; and the Doctor supposes that, when sufficiently 

 large specimens of the Braziliau platina are received, it will 

 be found 10 contain not only palladium and gold, but also 

 iridium and osmium, like the Peruvian platina. 



WF.RNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



' At the meeting of this Society on the 11th of February, 

 Professor Jameson read a short account of the oryctognostic 

 characters and geognostic relations of the mineral named 

 cryolite, from West Greenland. 



Mr. P. Ncill read a description of a rare species of whale 

 stranded near Alloa, in the Frith of Forth, in the end of 

 October last. It was 43 feet long; had a small dorsal fin 

 verv low down the back ; longitudinal folds in the skin of 

 the thorax; short whalebone (fanons) in the upper jaw ; 

 the under jaw somewhat wider, and a very little longer than 

 the upper ; both jaws rather acuminated, the under one end- 

 ing in a sharp point proceeding from a twisted bony ridge 

 on the lower side. From these characters he considered it 

 as evident that it was the Baleinoptera acuto-rostrata of La 

 Gepede, and that that author had fallen into an error ia 

 saying that this species never exceeds from 26 to 29 feet in 

 length. 



At the same meeting, the Secretary laid before the Society 

 several interesting communications. 1. Copies of the affi- 

 davits made before the justices of the peace at Kirkwall, in 

 Orkney, by several persons who saw and examined the car- 

 case of the great sea snake (Halsydrus Pontoppidani) cast 

 ashore in Stronsa in October last; with remarks illustrative 

 of the meaning of some passages in these affidavits. — 2. An 

 account of the discovery of a living animal resembling a 

 toad, inclosed in a bed of clay, (in a cavity suited to its size, 

 and which retained its shape,) at the depth of fifty-seven 

 *~ fathoms, 



