II.— STATEMENT OP PKOCEEDINGS. 



The Treasurer's statement for the past year shows a balance against the Society 

 of £8 123 lOd. 



The number of members on the roll is 154, being an increase of 10 on the 

 number of last year. 124 tickets were sold to Ladies and youths, being an increase 

 of 6 on the number issued during the previous Session. 



The following Papers and Lectures were delivered during the Session : — 

 Subjects in Science. — " On the Study of Organic Nature," by Professor 

 Allen Thomson, M.D. ; " The Commercial History of Iron," by Professor Archer, 

 F.R.S.E. ; " The Western Coasts and Islands of Scotland," by Mr Dugald Bell ; 

 " On Hydrogenium : The Last Work of the late Thomas Graham, Master of the 

 Mint," by Professor Dewar, F.R.S E. ; " On the General Principles of the 

 Science of Heat," (Two Lectures) by Professor Dewar ; " On the Vegetation of the 

 Coal Period," by Mr William CarrutVers. 



In Belles-Lettres, History and Art. — " The Topography of Rome in relation to 

 its Ancient History," by the Rev. William Laughton ; Readings from Sir Walter 

 Scott's " Heart of Mid Lothian," " Antiquary," and " Bride of Lammermoor," 

 by Mr Allan Park Paton ; "The Mediterranean," by the Rev. Peter Richardson, 

 M.A. ; " With the Germans in France," by Mr Archibald Forbes ; '' On the Ice- 

 landic Language and its similarity to English : The Literature of Iceland Old and 

 Modern," by Mr Jon A. Hjaltalin ; " On the Folklore and Popular Superstitions of 

 Iceland," by Mr Jon A. Hjaltalin; "The Early Christian Church," by the 

 Rev. W. W. Tulloch, B.D.; " Buddhism." by the Rev. John Caird, D.D. ; " Notes 

 of Alpine Travel," by the Rev. John Nelson, D.D. 



The Session was opened by Dr Allen Thomson, Professor of Anatomy in the 

 University of Glasgow, with a Paper on " The Study of Organic Nature." The 

 Watt Lecture was delivered by Professor Thomas Archer, F.R.S.E., Director of 

 the Museum of Science and Art. The subject was the " Commercial History of 

 Iron." 



At the conclusion of the opening lecture, Dr Thomson suggested to the Society 

 the propriety of having a systematic course of lectures upon a scientific subject. 

 This suggestion was the more readily acted upon from the fact that the course of 

 lectures on English Literature had been so successfully carried through during 

 the previous Session, and after due consideration the Committee resolved to 

 arrange for a course of lectures upon Physiology. Dr. A. M. Buchanan, Demon- 

 strator in Anatomy to Dr. Thomson, was kind enough to comply with the Com- 

 mittee's request that he should undertake the course, and it has been a great 

 source of satisfaction to the Committee to find that these lectures have been ex- 

 ceedingly well attended, and very highly appreciated. To those who have had 

 the opportunity of hearing the lectures, the Committee feel assured that it is un- 

 necessary to say one word in commendatiou of Dr. Buchanan, or his peculiar 

 excellencies as a teacher of Science. 



The success of the lectures warrants the Committee in again recommending, 

 as they did last year, that a systematic course of lectures upon a given subject 

 should hereafter be a prominent feature of the Society's proceedings. 



The other lectures forming the Society's ordinary course have all been of 

 great merit. 



T he special thanks of the Society are due to Dr. John Caird, Dr Nelson, the 

 Rev. William Laughton, and the Rev. W. W. Tulloch, f«r the admirable papers 

 eontribnted by them. 



