268 Notices and Proeeedrngs of Scientific Societies, 



dinod at the Crown and Anchor, the newly elected President, Mr Murchi- 

 son, in the chair. 



The party afterwards adjourned to the society's apartments at Somerset 

 House, where the Ex- President, Professor Sedgwick, delivered his annual 

 oration on the present state of geology, and its progress during the previous 

 year. 



Linncean Society. — Jan. 18, 1851. Edward Forster, Esq. in the chair. 

 The paper read was entitled, A Notice of several recent Discoveries in the 



Structure and Economy of Spiders; by John Blackwall, Esq. F.L. S 



The object of the author's particular investigation was the Clubiona atrox, of 

 whose habits, and mode of fabricating its residence and its sniare, he gave a 

 detailed and curious account. 



Feb. 1. A. B. Lambert, Esq. in the chair. A communication from 

 John Blackwall, Esq. F.L.S. was read, entitled. Remarks on the Pulvilli 

 of Insects. In this paper the writer controverts the statement of Dr 

 Derham in his Physico- Theology, supported by Sir E. Home, and generally 

 adopted by naturalists, that the feet of flies and other insects are furnished 

 with " skinny palms," which enable them to stick on glass, &c. by means of 

 the pressure of the atmosphere. Mr Blackwall states that he found that 

 minute hairs, very closely set, and directed downwards, so completely cover 

 the inferior surface of the expanded membranes, improperly called suckers, 

 with which the terminal joint of the tarsi is provided, that it cannot possibly 

 be brought into contact with the objects on Avhich these insects move. He 

 concludes, from observation and experiment, that the insects traverse the 

 vertical sides of smooth bodies, by means strictly mechanical, as Dr Hooke 

 had suggested. 



Feb. 15. The reading of Mr Blaokwall's paper on spiders was concluded. 



FOREIGN. 



Geographical Society of Paris Oct. 1. 1830. M. Jullien introduced 



Mr Buckingham to the meeting. Mr Buckingham submitted to the society 

 a sketch of his plan for a voyage round the world, by the way of India, 

 China, and the islands of the Pacific Ocean, having in view the combined 

 objects of discovery, civilization, and commerce. A special commission 

 was appointed to examine this project. 



M. Jomard announced that M. Paul- E mile Botta, son of the author of 

 the History of the United States, &c. and already known for a voyage in 

 the Pacific, was at that time at Beyront, and had commenced to explore 

 Mount Lebanon. He then read a letter from Captain Gourbeyre to Count 

 Chabrol de Volvic, on the subject of the French expedition to Madagascar. 



Oct. 15. M. Bianchi read a letter from M. Cardin, interpreter to the 

 French consulate in Egypt, mentioning that a complete set of the journal 

 published in Cairo, in Turkish and Arabic, was on its way to the society. 

 M. Jomard stated, that the first number had been laid upon the table last 

 year, and that it contained much interesting information connected with 

 geography. 



M. Warden communicated some information on the opening of the 

 Canal of the Chesapeake and Delaware, and on the subdivision of Upper 

 and Lower California into four districts. 



M. de la Roquette announced that M. — had desired him to com- 

 municate the results of his travels in the Sandwich Isles and in California; 

 which he would take an early opportunity of doing. 



M. Barbie du Bocage presented from M. Stanhope four plans of the 

 Greek towns of Megalopolis, Tanagra, Aulis, and Eretria. 



Nov. 5. M. Jomard communicated to the society a letter which he had 

 received from Prince Christian of Denmark, containing details on Captain 



