( 3874 ) 
Proceedings of the Wernerian Natural History Society. 
On 23d Noy. 1844 this Society commenced its thirty- 
eighth session, and appointed office-bearers for 1845. Pro- 
fessor Jameson was re-elected president; Professor Traill, 
Dr Greville, and Dr Brunton, were elected vice-presidents ; 
Dr C. Anderson, W. Copland, Esq., Harry D. 8. Goodsir, 
Esq., and Dr Coldstream, were chosen of the Council; Dr 
Neill, and T. J. Torrie, Esq., joint-secretaries; and the 
other office-bearers, were re-elected. 
Jan. 25,—Professor Jameson, P., in the Chair. A communica- 
tion from Dr John Dayy on the Nature and Qualities of Guano 
was read; and also a paper by Mr Rhind on the Transport of 
Erratic Blocks. Numerous donations to the Society’s library were 
announced. 
Feb. 8.—Professor Jameson, P,, in the Chair. Dr Traill read 
the first part of a paper on the Characters and Classification of 
Serpents. At the same meeting Mr John Goodsir gave a particu- 
lar descriptive account of a minute entozoon infesting the spinal 
nerves of the Gadidz ; and which he exhibited in a recent specimen 
of haddock. As the cells of this parasite had long ago been 
figured by Dr Monro secundus, in his great work on the Nervous 
System, Mr Goodsir proposed to name the animal Neuronoia 
Monroii. 
Feb. 22.—Dr C. Anderson in the chair. Dr Traill communi- 
cated the second part of his paper on Serpents, illustrating the fa- 
milies, genera, and species, by an extensive series of well pre- 
served specimens. 
Mar. 15.—Dr W. Macdonald in the chair. Professor Jameson 
read a paper on the Supposed Stratification of Primitive Rocks and 
their alleged Mechanical Origin. Dr Neill, secretary, then read (1.) a 
communication from William Baker, Esq., endeavouring to establish 
the identity of the Salmon with the Common Trout; (2.) An account 
by M. Guerin of Geneva, of the Rock-nose of Whalers, being either 
a marked variety of the Balena mysticetus or a distinct species ; 
(8.) Notes made during a visit to Ichaboe, and the adjoining coast 
of Africa, in 1844, by Mr P. Gillespie, commander of the barque 
Drummore of Leith, with his meteorological journal ; (4.) Notice 
regarding a specimen of the Frog-shaped South American Lizard, 
called Phrynosoma cornuta, which had been kept alive for some 
months in a hothouse at Canonmills. 
