Linnean Society.— Astronomical Society. 451 
Read also, a paper by the Secretary, J. E. Bicheno, Esq., On 
Methods and Systems in Natural History; wherein the author 
endeavoured to show the different uses to which they should 
respectively be applied. The chief object of the Artificial 
system, he insisted, was to analyse; that of the Natural system, 
to synthesise. The business of the one is to enable us to as- 
certain particulars; and of the other, to combine those parti- 
culars so as to assist the mind to reason generally. Systema- 
tists in general, he contended, have confounded these two di- 
stinct objects, and have attempted to employ their natural 
systems equally with a view to determine species as to com- 
bine them, while their chief object should have been to find 
resemblances and common characters. The state of science 
seems to require that the work of combination should be more 
studied; and that instead of breaking down the productions 
of nature into the smallest particulars, we should act more 
philosophically if we endeavoured to discover the common 
characters of her groups, and to unite species; and thus 
furnish the ordinary reader with materials of knowledge, 
relieve his memory, and abridge his labour. This seems to 
-be the more necessary in the present day, when the num- 
ber of birds amounts to 5000, of insects to 100,000, and of 
flowering plants to 50,000. 
June 20.— The following papers were read: Concise notice 
of a species of Ursus from Nipal, a skin of which has been 
presented to the Linnzean Society by H. T. Colebrooke, Esq. 
&e. &c.; by Thomas Horsfield, M.D. F.L.S. Dr. Horsfield 
characterizes this animal as follows: “ Ursus sordidé fulvus 
nitore isabellino, pilis collo dorsoque elongatis, molliusculis, 
crispatis; ad latera rigidis adpressis; unguibus brevibus, 
rectis, obtusis.” It seems to agree with the European rather 
than with the Asiatic bears. 
Description of a new British Freshwater Helix; by the 
Rev. Revett Sheppard, M.A. F.L.S. 
Of the term Oj/stros or Oestron of the ancients, and of the 
real insect intended by them in this expression ; by Bracy Clark, 
F.L.S. Foreign Member of the Academy of Sciences of Paris,’ 
and of the Naturforchender Freunde Society of Berlin, &c. 
It is affirmed in this paper that the Gstrus Linn., and not 
the Tabanus as Mr. W. MacLeay contends, is the real Gistrus 
of the Greeks, and Aszlus of the Romans. 
ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
May 12.—A paper, by the Astronomer Royal, was read, 
containing an explanation of the method of observing with the 
two mural circles, as practised at present at the Royal Obser- 
vatory. The principal object of the method explained in this 
8 L?2 , paper 
