Proceedings of Societus!'^ " ^ 365 



exclusively tropical. Hypncea and Acanthophora belong also rather to the 

 tropical tlian the neighbouring zones. It is worthy of notice, that com- 

 paratively speaking, the southern temperate zone contains much fewer 

 FlorideoB than the northern ; a fact that Lamouroux thinks may be ac- 

 counted for by the inferior extent of the temperate zone in that hemis- 

 phere. 



" From the number of species known to Lamouroux, he calculated 

 that the Floridew predominate greatly over the Fucoideae ; the latter over 

 the UlvacecE, and these last again over the DictyotecE, He estimated the 

 number of species known to botanists (including the articulated Algw,^ to 

 be 1600, which is certainly considerably exaggerated. The total amount 

 of species supposed to exist was conjectured by the same author to be at 

 least five or six thousand. If this be an approximation to the truth, we 

 cannot be said to be well acquainted with a fifth part of the subaqueous 

 vegetation of the globe." 



We conclude with strongly recommending Dr Greville's work to the at- 

 tention of British botanists. The accuracy of his descriptions, and the 

 beautiful plates by which the generic characters are exemplified, leave no- 

 thing to be wished for in these respects. Our only regret is, that the price of 

 the book, perhaps necessary to cover the unavoidable expence of the colour- 

 ed figures, had not been somewhat lower; for it i^ one of the evils of high 

 priced books, that they are thus placed within the reach of few, and these 

 not always the best qualified to appreciate their value ; while thousands, to 

 whom fortune has not been equally kind, are by this means deprived of 

 the opportunity of cultivating intellectual pursuits, and thus practically 

 interdicted from many of the noblest enjoyments of rational beings. To 

 this cause chiefly may be attributed the slow progress of the natural 

 sciences in this division of the kingdom. 



Art. XXV.— proceedings OF SOCIETIES. 



1. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 



December 7, 1829. — The following Gentlemen were duly elected ordi- 

 nary Members of the Society : — 

 James Walker, Esq. W. S. 

 William Bald, Esq. M. R. I. A. 

 Whitelaw Ainslie, M. D., &c. 

 December 21. The following communications were read : 



1. Remarks on the Osteology and Dentition of the Dungong. By Dr 

 Knox. 



2. A notice regarding some observed Anomalies in the Phenomena of 

 the Atmosphere. By Sir George S. Mackenzie, Bart. '^ 



Tb.e following objects of Natural History, formerly presented to the 

 society by Mr Swinton, and prepared by Dr Knox, were exhibited : 

 Cranium of the Dungong and cast of do. 

 Skeleton of the long-armed Gibbon, Boa, and Iguana. 

 Two lizurds and an alligator from the Irawaddy. 

 NEW SERIES. VOL. II. NO. II. APRIL 1830. A a 



