Proce edings of the Royal Society. 425 



In consequence of having been elected President pro tempore 

 by the council,) the chair having been vacated some weeks 

 previous to the general election,) the duties of the office were 

 performed by Mr. Gilbert, on occasion of the present anni- 

 versary. After having read over the hst of members admitted, 

 and of those deceased during the last year, he proceeded to 

 announce the disposal of the Royal and Copley Medals, as 

 awarded by the votes of the council. 



Of the Royal Medals, one was awarded to Sir H. Davy, 

 and the other to Professor Struve. Of the Copley Medals, 

 one was given to Dr. Prout, and another to Lieutenant Forster. 

 On this occasion Mr. Gilbert pronounced an eulogium upon 

 the respective receivers of the medals ; and, in adverting to the 

 labours of the several individuals, he justified the decision 

 of the council, in bestowing upon them these marks of dis- 

 tinction, in a learned and eloquent discourse. 



Proceedings of the Horticultural Society, 



September 4th» 



A PAPER by Mr. Lindley was read upon the new hardy plants 

 which had flowered in the Society's garden ; among them a 

 number of new shrubs were mentioned, which appeared likely 

 to prove acquisitions to the public. A thermometer was ex- 

 hibited by Mr.Bregazzi, of Derby, for ascertaining the tempera- 

 ture of bark-beds. It consisted of a thermometer enclosed in a 

 shaft of copper with a wooden handle, and a door in its side, 

 by which the temperature can be ascertained with precision. 

 It is needless to point out the superiority of this plan, over the 

 common mode of determining this very essential point, by 

 feeling of a stick previously stuck in the bed ; the sensation of 

 heat Avhen the stick is grasped in the hand will obviously 

 depend in a great degree upon the temperature of the hand 

 itself. As usual, there was an extensive display of all the 

 choicest flowers and fruit of the season. One hundred and 

 seventy-two subjects of this description were placed upon the 

 table. Among the flowers, the most remarkable was a new 

 hardy climber from Mexico, with deep purple blossoms studded 



