164 Botanical Section. 



January 22, 1851. — Tfie Vice-President iti the Chair. 



Messrs. Archibald M'Lahen and William M'Adam were admitted 

 members. 



Dr. Robert D. Thomson stated that the council had this evening had 

 under consideration a proposal which it agreed to recommend to the 

 Society, namely, that the Society shovdd submit to the Town Council the 

 propriety of a weekly or monthly publication of the bills of mortality, and 

 returns of the state of disease in the city, in conjunction with meteoro- 

 logical reports for the periods embraced in the returns. He moved that 

 the Society shall respectfully recommend the proposal to the Town 

 Council. 



Dr. Walker Arnott seconded the motion, and proposed that a com- 

 mittee of the Society shall be appointed to communicate the suggestion 

 to the Town Council, the committee to consist of Dr. R. D. Thomson, 

 convener, Dr. Strang the city chamberlain, Mr. William Murray, chair- 

 man of the Statistical Section, and Mr. Keddie, one of the Secretaries. 

 Which motion was unanimously agreed to. 



A letter from the Secretary to the Royal Scottish Society of Arts was 

 read, acknowledging receipt of the last Part of the printed proceedings of 

 the Society. 



Professor William Thomson read a paper on the question, " Is Heat 

 Matter?" maintaining the negative opinion of the subject. 



Professor William Thomson afterwards exhibited and described a series 

 of Magnets, of which the magnetism was latent. 



February 5th, 1851. — The Vice-President in the Chair. 



Mr. William Murray reported that the Town Council had favourably 

 entertained the proposal submitted by this Society, for a more frequent 

 publication of the bills of mortality and the vital statistics of the city. 



The following report was received from the Botanical Section : — 



Botanical Section. 



The Botanical Section met on the evening of Wednesday the 29th 

 January, and elected its office-bearers for the year, viz. : — 



President Dr. Walker Arxott. 



Vice-President Me. Wm. Gourlie. | Secretary Mr. W. Keddle. 



C«ratoro///er6ar/)/ni..MR.F.ADAMsoN. | Treasurer Mr. John Alexander. 



Mr. Gourlie exhibited a specimen of Isonandra Gutta, the Gutta 

 Percha plant, from Singapore. 

 The following paper was read: — 



