4.94 APPENDIX. 



in the Torricellian vacuum by galvanic electricity ; illustrating 

 them by experiment. 



Professor Jameson, President, in the chair. — The Secretary 

 read Dr Parnell's account of the occurrence of the Whitebait, 

 Clupea alba, in the Firth of Forth in considerable abundance ; 

 and also his description of the Sprat or Garvey-herring, Clupea 

 sprattus ; both papers being illustrated by beautifully preserved 

 specimens and drawings. 



David Falconar, Esq., formerly Vice-President, in the chair. 

 — The Secretary read Dr Parnell's account of the Tadpole fish, 

 Raniceps trifurcatus, and of the Sea-snail, Cyclopteris liparis, 

 observed by him in the Firth of Forth, and specimens of both 

 were exhibited. — Mr Wilson, for the Secretary, then read re- 

 marks on the Vitality of the Toad, communicated by the Rev. 

 Edward Stanley of Alderley Rectory. — Dr Thomas Aitken gave 

 an account of the anatomy of a specimen of the Ursine Sloth, 

 Ursus labiatus, which died a short time ago in a travelling me- 

 nagerie while at Edinburgh, demonstrating the peculiarities of 

 the organs of respiration and digestion. The stuffed specimen 

 of the animal was also exhibited. — Professor Jameson exhibited 

 a series of birds from Northern India, collected by Mr Hamil- 

 ton Stirling, which, he remarked, was remarkably interesting, 

 as presenting many species which were not known to exist in 

 that quarter. Mr William Jameson pointed out several of these ; 

 of the rapacious order he noticed the Milvus govinda and Ac- 

 cipiter dukhunensis, the former of which was considered to be 

 probably the young of the Falco Cheela. With regard to the 

 geographic distribution of the genus Milvus, it was stated, that 

 it occurs in all the different continents of the Old World and 

 New Holland, but that it has not as yet been detected in the 

 New World, its place being there supplied by the genus Nau- 

 clerus. Specimens of the Gypaetos barbatus were again laid be-- 



