if [ 225 ] 

 XXXIX. Proceedings of Learned Societies* 



KOYAL SOCIETV. 



JL HEmeetings on the ist, 8th, and 15th of March were oc- 

 cupied in reading Dr. Herschers supplementary remarks 

 and illustrations to his former papers on the nature of co- 

 loured concentric rings seen between object-glasses. The 

 details were so unconnected in themselves, and referring so 

 intimately to his preceding observations and the objections 

 which have been made to them, that it is not possible to ton- 

 vey^ any just idea of the author's experiments in an abstract, 

 March 22, The right honourable President in the chair. 

 A letter to the president from Mr. Knight was read, on the 

 functions of the leaves of trees. In this short letter Mr. 

 Knight merely confirmed the opinions and observations 

 which he made on this subject several years ago, namely : 

 that the leaves of trees perform the same functions as the 

 lungs of animals ; that grafts of trees perish as soon as the 

 parent stock, from the inability of the leaves to perform 

 their office, and support the increased circulation of a young 

 and healthy stock; and that consequently a rich soil, and 

 augmented ^lourishment to the roots of such trees, only tend 

 to accelerate their decay instead of increasing their vigour, 

 as more sap by such means is propelled to the branches than 

 can be digested by the leaves. This theory of the perishable 

 natura of grafts, which has met with much opposition, Mr. 

 Knight now considers as sufficiently established on the sure 

 basis of physical demonstration. 



N. B. The doses of magnesia administered by Mr. 

 Brande to his calculous patients * varied from 13 to 20 grains 

 night and morning. 



SOCIETY OF ANTiaUARIES. 



An account of the earl of Cumberland's expedition to the 

 Azores in 1589 was read to this society ; but it contained 

 no new facts of particular importance, except so far as it 

 proved the early superiority of the British navy. 



Part of a very accurate description of Rippon minster 

 was also read, in which it was alleged that at least a wing 

 of this church was built prior to the Norman conquest. 



ROYAL INSTITUTION. 



On Saturday, the 3d of March, Mr. Professor Dary began 

 his second course of electro-chemical lectures, with an in- 



* See page 155 of our last Number. 



Vol. 35. No. 143. March 1810. P troductory 



