204 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 



of the mountain limestone, to have been warmer than at present, as 

 derived from its contained organic remains, was defective, since the 

 organisms compared did not belong to individuals of the same species, 

 but to species of similar genera. 



2. On the principle of Vital Affinity, as illustrated by recent 

 Observations in Organic Chemistry. Part I. By Dr 

 Alison. Published in the present Number of the Edin- 

 burgh New Philosophical Journal. 



Monday, 16th March 1846. 

 The Right Rev. BiSHOP Terrot, Vice-President, in the Chair. 

 The following Communications were read : — • 



1. On the Personal Nomenclature of the Romans, with an 



especial reference to the Nomen of Caius Verres. By 

 the Rev. J. W. Donaldson, Author of the New Cratylus. 

 Communicated by Bishop Terrot. 



2. On the appearance of the Great Comet of 1843, at the 



Cape of Good Hope, with illustrative Drawings. By 

 Professor C. P. Smyth. Communicated by the Secre- 

 tary. 



3. On the Existence of Fluorine in the Bones from Arthur's 



Seat. By Dr G. Wilson. 



4. On the Composition of the Bones from Arthur's Seat. By 



Dr Christison. 



The author found that the bones of animals lately disinterred in 

 the course of the new drive, contained ^ (A' the quantity of gelatine 

 common in recent bones. 



Monday, Qth April 1846. 

 Sir Thomas M. Brisbane, Bart., President, in the Chair. 

 The following Communications were read : — 



1. On the Description of Oval Curves, and those having a 



plurality of Foci. By Mr Clerk Maxwell junior ; with 

 Remarks by Professor Forbes. Communicated by Pro- 

 fessor Forbes. 



2. On the Influence of Contractions of Muscles on the Circu- 

 lation of the Blood. By Dr Wardrop. 



In this paper, Dr Wardrope states that he has endeavoured to 

 shew, by a series of observations and experiments, that the muscles, 



