52 Db. Macticae's Adaptation of the Philosophy of 



abounding in those older rocks in which this metal is usually found ; and 

 therefore any new instance of its occurrence is marked with a peculiar 

 interest. Its development in this locality seems intimately connected 

 with the intrusion of igneous rocks ; and yet Arran, which abounds 

 with rocks of this class of almost every age, is entirely destitute, so far 

 as we yet know, of any repository of metallic ores. 



Dr. Scouler exhibited and described the Remains of the Dinornis and 

 Palapteryx, from New Zealand. 



January 14, 1857. — The Peesident in the Chair. 



Mr. Robert Ness and Mr. Alexander M'Casland were elected 

 members. 



Dr. Scouler exhibited, from Mr. Colin Brown, the Jaw of the Palseo- 

 therium from the Isle of Sheppy. 



Mr. Bryce read a paper " On the Geology and Physical Geography, 

 Natural Resources, and late material Progress of India ; with notices of 

 its Means of Defence against foreign invasion." 



January 28, 1857.— The Peesident in the Chair. 



The following gentlemen were elected members : — Dr. John Scouler, 

 75 Bath Street ; Mr. Robert Hutcheson, 60 Abbotsford Place ; Mr. 

 Thomas Fleming, 73 James Watt Street; Mr. Robert P. Wright, 

 9 Bath Street. 



The Rev. Dr. Maevicar of Moffat, read a paper on " An Adaptation of 

 the Philosophy of Newton, Leibnitz, and Boscovich to the Atomic 

 Theory of Dalton. ' ' 



An Adaptation of the Philosophy of Newton, Leibnitz, and Boscovich to 

 the Atomic Theory. By John G. Macticae, D.D. 



Philosophy, which, in the following pages, is invoked to explain the 

 atomic weights and the physical and chemical functions generally of 

 the simplest forms of matter, has been viewed in all ages as consisting 

 in an inquiry into causes. Nor this without good reason. For philo- 

 sophy is nothing else but the science of reflection, nothing but the 

 spontaneous effort of the intellect to satisfy Cm-iosity ; and about 

 nothing is Curiosity more alive than about the causes of things. Every 

 child, as well as every full-grown man, in the very degree that he is 



