212 Geological Society. 



cent particles, to explain the phenomena of continued sound arising 

 from a prolonged succession of vibrations. 



" A Theory of the Tides, including a Theory of the Formation and 

 Propagation of Waves." By the same. 



The author applies the principle announced in his paper on the 

 Theory of Sound, namely, that of a continual transfer of state, between 

 the adjacent atoms of a medium, to the case of oscillating columns of 

 fluid, constituting waves and tides. 



" On the Influence of the Respiratory Organs in regulating the 

 Quantity of Blood within the Heart." By James Wardrop, Esq. 

 Communicated by the Hon. Captain De Roos, R.N., F.R.S. 



The author observes that the act of inspiration tends not only to 

 favour the passage of the blood into the vena? cava?, but also to detain 

 it in the pulmonary vessels, — in consequence of the expansion of the 

 lungs allowing of its more ready ingress into the pulmonary arteries, 

 and impeding its exit by the veins — and thus retards its return to the 

 heart. On the other hand, the collapse both of the lungs and of the 

 parietes of the chest, during expiration, assists the transmission of 

 arterial blood from the lungs into the left cavities of the heart, and 

 promotes its passage into the aorta. Thus he considers inspiration 

 as an auxiliary to the venous, and expiration to the arterial, circula- 

 tion j the first acting like a sucking, and the latter like a forcing pump, 

 in aiding the power of the heart. On this principle he explains the 

 influence exerted on the circulation and on the action of the heart by 

 various modes of respiration, whether voluntary or involuntary, in 

 different circumstances. Laughter, crying, weeping, sobbing and 

 sighing, &c, he considers as efforts made with a view to effect certain 

 alterations in the quantity of blood in the lungs and heart, when the 

 circulation has been disturbed by mental emotions. 



The Society then adjourned over the long vacation, to meet again 

 on the 19th of November next. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



{Address of the President, G. B. Greenough, Esq., F.R.S., at the Annual 

 Meeting, 20th February, — continuedfrom p. 1 52, and concluded.) 



Two Communications have been presented to us, one from the 

 pen of Mr. Babbage, the other of Captain Basil Hall, R.N., on the 

 Temple of Serapis at Puzzuoli, one of the most extraordinary build- 

 ings in Europe ; beautiful as a work of art, interesting as an object 

 of antiquity, but to the geologist more especially valuable, as ex- 

 hibiting a variety of complex natural phenomena, which, though 

 they have taken place in times comparatively modern, it is exceed- 

 ingly difficult to explain according to the known laws of nature. 



Of the solutions which have been proposed by different authors*, 

 not fewer than twenty in number, and most of them authors of emi- 

 nence, it is impossible to give even a summary within the time al- 



* Among these may be mentioned Barthelemy, Boue, Brieslak, Brocchi, 

 Cochin, Billiard, Daubeny, Desmarest, Desnoyers, Forbes, Goethe, Hoff, 

 De Jorio, Lyell, Pini, Prevost, Nicolini, Raspe, and Dr. Robertson. 



