158 



TWELFTH ORDINARY MEETING. 



Royal Institution, 19th April, 1858. 

 DR. INMAN, President, in the Chair. 



The resignation of Mr. J. P. G. Smith was received. 



James Yates, Esq., F.R.S., informed the Society of the 

 progress of the movement for introducing a decimal inter- 

 national system of weiglits and measures, and stated that 

 the National Association had unanimously resolved to 

 advise the adoption of the metre as the unit of length, 

 but they had not yet decided on the unit of capacity and 

 ^veight. 



The Rev. H. H. Higgins exhibited a brooch made from 

 the Pohjporus saligna by an inmate of the Lunatic Asylum 

 at York. It was much admired. 



Mr. Duckworth exhibited a fine specimen of the 

 Echinus mammillatus dredged in the Red Sea. 



Mr. Marrat exhibited a number of lichens from South 

 America, which illustrated the general diffusion of that 

 class of plants, few of them differing from European 

 species. 



Mr. HiGGiNSON drew attention to the phenomenon of 

 complementary colours as found in printed matter, where 

 black was used on green. Dr. Thomson had noticed the 

 same some years ago. 



Dr. Ihne suggested an emendation in a passage of 

 Julius Gcesar. It was that in which Cassius said to Brutus, 

 when trpng to persuade him to pronounce for liberty — 



Were I a common laugher, or did use 

 To stale with ordinary oaths my love 

 To every new pi'otester ; if you know 

 That I do fawn nn men, and hug them hard, 



