4/0 Royal Society. 



rather be chemical products tliaii educts. The artificial ex- 

 istence of tannin favours his conjectures, which he proposed, 

 however, with gieat diffidence, as things yet to be investigated. 



A short paper by Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.R.S. was read, 

 detailing some observations on the ori>ans of respiration in lam- 

 preys and other analogous genera of fishes. 



June 8. A mathematical paper by Mr. Babage was laid be- 

 fore the Society, On the Calculus of Functions; but its contents 

 were of a nature not to be read. 



Dr. Hersche! furnished a long and very elaborate paper on 

 the satellites of the Georgian planet. The Doctor has ascertained 

 the existence and general laws of seven different satellites to this 

 remote body ; but he acknowledges that their extreme distance, 

 and the numerous dithculties which arise in observing them, 

 render him very cautious in determining any thing dogmatically , 

 on the subject. The introduction to the paper contained some 

 interesting observations on telescopes in general, and the means 

 b2st adapted to observe such distant objects. The structure and 

 management of telescopes being the author's most familiar de- 

 partment, his directions are the more valuable. He observes that 

 no glass under 20 feet is fit for viewing the satellites of the Geor- 

 gian planet ; that his principal observations have been made 

 with one 25 feet; but that his great 40-feet telescope re- 

 quiring so many persons to manage it, and being incapable of 

 acting at all times with sufficient rapidity, when the light and 

 atmosphere suit, he has very rarely succeeded in using it when 

 viewing these satellites. He next speaks of the necessity of 

 having sufficient light on the reflecting mirrors, which cannot 

 always be obtained, and many orher difficulties which impede 

 the progress of our knowledge of these heavenly bodies. Lastly, 

 he related his observations on the different satellites which he has 

 already noticed around the planet in question, and stated the 

 probability that some more might still be discovered as our in- 

 struments improve. ^ 



A short letter from Dr. Ere^vster to the President was read, 

 stating some further experiments on the multiplying powers of 

 Iceland spar. These powers he found to depend on the surfaces 

 of the spar, and he can uoav imitate them at pleasure. 



June 15. A paper on the lamprey and echineis, by Sir E. 

 Home, was read. The author considered these genera as herma- 

 phrodites, and forming a link between fishes and vermes. Sir E. 

 stated the appearances on dissection, and also his observations 

 on the living animals, which justified him in his conclusions. 



A curious paper by A. Carlisle, Esq. was read, on vascular 

 and extravascular parts of organized bodies. He described the 

 process of the formation of shells, particularly those of snails and 



fishes : 



