400 Proceedings of the British Association. 



which lived during so remote an epoch. It would be a new era for 

 paleontology, as he observes, if it could be demonstrated, as it is 

 his belief it may be, that the fish of this period unite, in their par- 

 ticular organization, the characters of reptiles belonging to that class 

 oi animals which only [ippear in great numbers during later times.* 



Several members of the Geological Section, particularly Dr Buck- 

 land, took this opportunity of acknowledging the eminent services 

 rendered to geology by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, in pre- 

 venting the relics of Burdiehouse quarry from being dispersed, and 

 thus lost to science. Nor was it forgotten that the object was main- 

 ly accomplished by the indefatigable and truly scientific exertions 

 of their General Secretary Mr Robison. 



M. Agassiz and Dr Buckland have subsequently urged the im- 

 portance of the Royal Society continuing these exertions in the 

 cause of paleontology ; and it is grateful to think how much this 

 object has been seconded by the co-operation of Mr Torrance, who 

 at present possesses the lease of Burdiehouse quarry. 



A letter'from R. Allan, Esq. inviting members of the Section to 

 inspect liis mineralogical collection, was read. 



The two first numbers of the extensive work of M. Agassiz on 

 Fossil Fishes were exhibited, and were particularly recommended 

 to the attention of the members of the Section by the Chairman 

 and Dr Buckland. 



Section D. — Natural History. 



On the plurality and development of Embryos in the seeds of 

 Coniferae, by Robert Brown, Esq. 



The earliest observations of the author on this subject, were 

 made in the summer of 1826, soon after the publication of his re- 

 marks on the female flower of Cycadea; and Coniferae. He then 

 found that, in several coniferae, namely, Pinus strobus, Abies ex- 

 celsa, and the common larch, the plurality of embryos in the im- 

 pregnated ovulum was equally constant, and their arrangement in 

 the albumen as regular as in cycadeae ; and similar observations, 



• This investigation of Agassiz is confirmatory of the opinion, founded on 

 zoological and geognostical characters, of Professor Jameson, delivered in the 

 Wemerian Society, viz. that the limestone of Burdiehouse, Burntisland, &c., 

 contains the remains of fishes, but none of Saurian animals, and that the 

 strata of these districts are not of fresh-water origin. 



