PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 371 



It is not the physiologist's business to devote attention merely 

 to the higher forms of life, and there can be no doubt that in 

 the far-off future there will be a comparative physiology — one 

 of every species of plant and animal — and then we shall be 

 able to deduce the great laws of vital action as we cannot do at 

 present. Therefore, while I congratulate you on the splendid 

 work which the Society has done, I do so specially because you 

 have made the Catalogue of the Plants and Animals of the 

 Basin of the Clyde almost complete. 



To study the works of Nature is not only a great delight, 

 but gives a kind of certificate of sincerity to character that 

 nothing else can communicate. If we approach the study of 

 natural history in a true spirit, we shall do the ordinary work 

 of the world far better than would otherwise be the case. Let 

 me once again congratulate you on the success of your Society. 

 I hope it will continue to prosper, and that new fields will open 

 up for it as time goes on. 



The Chairman next said — This Society is not a body that 

 can confer degrees, but there is one thing that is left to us to 

 do, and the Council have authorised that it shall be done to- 

 night — and that is, to elect a small group of ladies and gentle- 

 men to the honorary membership cf the Society; and you are 

 asked to approve of the Council's proposal that the several 

 names I put before you shall be added to the roll of members 

 of the Natural History Society of Glasgow. The names are — 

 Mr. Samuel Chisholm, LL.D. (the Hon. the Lord Provost of 

 Glasgow); Professor John Cleland, M.D., F.R.S.; Professor 

 J. W. H. Trail, M.D., F.R.S. ; Mr. J. A. Harvie-Brown, F.R.S.E., 

 F.Z.S., M.B.O.U, ; Mrs. Robertson, widow of Dr. David Robertson, 

 the "Naturalist of Cumbrae;" Mrs. Robert Gray, widow of the 

 author of "The Birds of the West of Scotland' and Outer 

 Hebrides;" and Mr. Andrew Carnegie, LL.D. 



The proposal was most cordially received, and the names were 

 added to the roll of Honorary Members. 



At this stage the Chairman drew attention to various volumes 

 on an adjoining table, which had been received in gifts by the 

 Society in recent years. These included (1) several volumes 

 representing the forty volumes of the " Challenger " Reports, 

 presented by Government — a very valuable series. The Society 



