Proceedings of (he "Royal Society, 197 



Tho uniaxal system of rings is negative, as in calcareous spar. 

 The light left at tho polarising angle is blue and pink. 



Professor Forbes, after reading the foregoing communication, re- 

 marked that the uniaxal structure of Greenockite was ascertained 

 by himself with the aid of concentrated gas-light, and that his notice 

 on the subject was published in the Philosophical Magazine for 

 July 1840.* 



3. On the Results of the most recent Experiments on the 

 Conducting Power for Heat of different Soils. By Pro- 

 fessor Forbes. 



January 3. 1842.— Dr Hope, V.P., in the Chair. 



1. On the Cultivation of the Sugar-Cane in Spain. By Dr 



Traill. (Published in this Journal, vol. xxxii. p. 256.) 



2. On the Theory of the Parallel Roads in the Glens of 



Lochaber. By Sir G. S. Mackenzie, Bart. 



3. On the Results obtained with different forms of Rain- 



Gauges. By Joseph Atkinson, Esq. Communicated by 

 David Milne, Esq. 



Proceedings of the Wemerian Natural History Society. 



(Continued from vol. xxxii. p. 400.) 



April 2. 1842. — Professor Jameson, President, in the Chair. 



Mr John Goodsir read a paper by Mr H. D. S. Goodsir, on the 

 development of the egg, and on the metamorphoses of Caligus, &c. 

 (published in this No. p. 174). Dr Neill communicated Mr Seton's 

 reading of the ancient Runic inscription on the block of gneiss pre- 

 served on the north bank of the Castle Hill. This stone was brought 

 from Lapland in Sweden about half a century ago by the late Sir 

 Alexander Seton of Preston ; and the literal translation of the in- 

 scription is •' Ari caused engrave this stone to the memory of Hialm 

 his father, God help his soul !" It bears tho mark of the cross, but 

 is undoubtedly much more than a thousand years old, 



* William Nicol, Esq., F.R.S.E., was, we believe, the first who ascer- 

 tained the uniaxal structure of Greenockite See this Journal, vol. xxi\. 

 p. nb.—Edit. 



