446 Proceedings of the British Associatimi. 



The Rev. Vernon Harcourt, general secretary, stated the re- 

 sults of the proceedings of the general committee on the sub- 

 jects brought before them for consideration by the sectional 

 committees, as to grants of money, requests for reports on the 

 progress of science, and recommendations of special subjects of 

 scientific inquiry. They had authorised the appropriation of 

 part of the funds of the Association for the purpose of prosecut- 

 ing particular researches in physical, chemical, geological, zoo- 

 logical, botanical, and medical science, to the extent of L.830. 

 They had authorised the application for the continuation of 

 reports on various branches of science to Rev. G. Peacock, Rev. 

 J. Challis, Rev. R. Willis, Mr George Rennie, Professor Ro- 

 gers, and Mr Stevenson ; for a report on the application of ma- 

 thematical science to the phenomena of heat, electricity, and 

 magnetism, — on electro-chemistry and electro-magnetism to Dr 

 Roget, — on the zoology of North America to Dr Richardson, 

 — on the botany of North America to Professor Hooker, — on 

 the geographical distribution of plants to Professor Henslow, — 

 on the geographical distribution of insects to Mr J. Wilson, — 

 on the pathology of the nervous system to Dr C. Henry, — and 

 on the effect of circumstances of vegetation on the medicinal 

 virtues of plants to Dr Christison. 



Various recommendations of special subjects for inquiry were 

 sanctioned by the general committee, and ordered to be printed 

 in the next volume of the publication of the Association. 



Dr Buckland then rose to propose the thanks of the Associa- 

 tion to the patrons and officers of the University, for the hand- 

 some and liberal way in which they had given up to them the 

 use of the rooms in the University. He said that throughout 

 the week they had been received in the metropolis of Scotland, 

 in a way which was worthy of the far-famed hospitality of the 

 nation. They had been welcomed to the houses and to the 

 tables of the inhabitants— nay, the very rocks of the country 

 had welcomed them by opening before them their valuable 

 treasures; they had seen that the Grampians had formerly 

 had spices waving on their tops, while at their bases the croco- 

 dile swam ; a!hd a thousand fishes had started from their rocky 

 sepulchre, to bid welcome to the members of the British Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Science. After some farther 



