10 



yitae," the root of the palm, cocoa palm, tamarind, &0. 

 Mr. Turner expressed his opinion that in Antigua, and no 

 doubt in the neighbouring islands, where similar specimens 

 are obtained, the process is still going forward, as he has 

 himself seen specimens of wood in various stages of petri- 

 faction ; and the same phenomenon may be noticed 

 occasionally in a single specimen. The fact applies both 

 to dicotyledonous plants, and to monocotyledonous ones. 



Dr. Dickinson exhibited the fruit of the Acacia Cor- 

 nigera, Linn., also those of the Nelumbium Speciosum, 

 and several specimens of Martynia. Bignonia, Palms, dec, 

 and explained their peculiar adaptation for the preservation 

 or dispersion of their seeds. 



The President exhibited a specimen of the Otis Undu- 

 latus, in the first year of its plumage. 



Mr. Johnson exhibited a specimen of Coal, with coni- 

 form points, which interlaced with each other. 



Mr. Mc Andrew handed round some very rare specimens 

 of Marine Zoology, of which he gave the following account : 

 In laying before the Society a few specimens of British 

 Marine Zoology, I shall avail myself of the opportunity to 

 give, very briefly, some particulars of my proceedings in 

 the pursuit of that branch of Natural History, during the past 

 summer. My exdhrsions have extended to the south as far as 

 Scilly, and northward to Zetland. My dredge has been used 

 at all depths, from the shallowest to nearly 150 fathoms ; 

 and I noted such facts touching the distribution of animal 

 life, and the nature of the sea bottom, as may possess 

 interest on account of their bearing upon geology-. 



In Zetland I was joined by Professor E. Forbes, and it 

 is to him that natural history will be mainly indebted for 

 the results of our joint labours, which I flatter myself will 

 not be considered unimportant. 



During the time that he was with me, about a month, he 

 described and figured from life, not fewer than a hundred 

 animals, the greater proportion of which are entirely new, 

 and the remainder had been only imperfectly or erroneously 

 described before. Of the species new, at least to Britain, 

 about thirty consist of Medusa and the allied genera. Of 

 Mollusca provided with shells we have added about fifteen 

 species to the British Fauna, beside procuring alive several 

 of extreme rarity, and of which the animals were previously 

 unknown. We have likewise discovered numerous Zoo- 

 pbites, including at least two genera new to our seas ; two 

 or three Echinodermata, with probably some Crustacea? and. 

 Worms which have not yet undergone examination. 



