5\4 



5 



PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



LINN.EAN SOCIETY. 



April 18. — A. B. Lambert, Esq., V.P., in the chair. — The chairman exhibited 

 specimens of the Calumba root, from the Botanic Garden of the Mauritius, which 

 were sent over by Mr. Newman, in order to ascertain its commercial availabili- 

 ties as compared with that from Zankebar. A paper was read from R. H. Schom- 

 burgk, Esq., of Demerara, descriptive of Trigonocephalies Guyanensis, a 

 poisonous Snake, commonly called the " Bushmaster." Like other poisonous 

 Snakes, it retires into the back- woods as cultivation advances, from whence it 

 comes out to injure travellers, death almost invariably following its bite ; the 

 teeth are said, we know not how justly, to break off and remain in the wound ; 

 this probably, must depend upon circumstances ; at least that is the case with 

 many other species. The remedy supposed to be most successful is to apply a 

 common wine-glass, heated, as a cupping-glass, over the injury. When this 

 treatment was adopted sufficiently early after the infliction of the wound, it was, 

 according to the testimony of one medical man, invariably attended with the 

 most happy results, and we are even informed that, under those circumstances, 

 not a single death occurred. The continuation of a paper from the Rev. P. Keith, 

 " On the evolution of leaves in the bud," was read. 



ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 



J. R. Gowen, Esq., in the chair. — After an interesting paper — not, however 

 bearing upon Natural History — had been read, it was announced, that Dr. 

 Andrew Smith, the leader of the expedition for exploring in Southern Africa, had 

 just arrived in London from the Cape of Good Hope, bringing with him a large 

 collection in Natural History, including a new species of Rhinoceros, &c, a 

 splendid set of drawings, and various specimens of the arts and manufactures, 

 illustrating the state of civilization among the different tribes Dr. Smith had 

 visited in his late journey, of about 3,000 miles. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



April 6. — Captain Bowles, R. N., in the chair. — The report of the Council 

 stated the receipts of the last month to amount to £l,063 6s. 6d., and the dis- 

 bursements to £1,525 7s. Hd., being £l,021 16s. to the menagerie, £237 Is. 

 lid. to the museum, and £86 10s. to the general establishment. £6 13s. was 

 received from the visitors to the museum, 511 in number, last month. The 

 number of visitors to the gardens were 5,985, from whom £157 19s. was re- 

 ceived. The specimens in the menagerie are 308 mammalia, 698 birds, and 17 

 reptiles, making, altogether, 1023. — Various donations to the museum were 

 announced, among which were the body of a Tinnamor, from the Earl of 



