38* LiniKJsan Society. — Geological Society. 



LINN^AN SOCIETY. 



March 17th. — ^The reading of Mr. David Don's Descriptions of the 

 new genera and species of the class CompositcE, belonging to the 

 Floras of Peru, Chili, and Mexico, was resumed and concluded. 



The extensive herbaria formed by Ruiz and Pavon, in Peru and 

 Chili, and those collected in Mexico by Sesse and Mocino, having 

 fortunately for science come into the possession of A. B. Lambert, 

 Esq. V.P.L.S. it is Mr. Don's intention in this paper to give descrip- 

 tions of the plants belonging to the class Compositce, amounting to 

 1000 species, and which constitute an important part of these collec- 

 tions, the greater portion of which still remain unpublished, notwith- 

 standing the important labours of Humboldt and Bonpland, and 

 other botanists, who have treated of the plants of the late Spanish 

 possessions in America. The author has given a general view of the 

 structure and affinities of the Compositce, numerous remarks on the 

 various groups and families of which this extensive class is composed ; 

 and also some observations on their general geographical distribution. 



April 7. — Mr. Brookes exhibited a living specimen of Lacerta 

 ocellata from St. Michael's. 



Read a communication from the Rev. P. Keith, On the Origin of 

 Buds. 



April 21. — A further portion was read of the paper intitled, A 

 Catalogueof Sicilian Plants ; by John Hogg, Esq. M.A. F.L.S.j which 

 consisted of some observations on the geology of Sicily. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Jan. 1 6. — An Appendix was read to Mr. De la Beche's paper, on the 

 Geology of Nice, by the Rev. W. Buckland, D.D. &c. &c. &c. 



After bearing testimony to the correctness of the description given 

 by Mr. De la Beche of the immediate neighbourhood of Nice, the 

 author communicates his own observations made along the high road 

 from that city to the Col de Tende, for the distance of about fifty miles. 



The hill on the south of Scarena, twelve miles N.E. of Nice, pre- 

 sents a section of the green-sand formation, with nummulites, turri- 

 lites, and its other usual fossils, alternately with compact gray-lime- 

 stone destitute of fossils. At Mont Brause the same beds of green- 

 sand occur loaded with ammonites and belemnites. 



On the descent to Sospello are found, in a regular descending se- 

 ries, green-sand. Jura, oolitic (or younger Alpine) limestone, lias, red- 

 marle, and older Alpine limestone or dolomite, abounding in rauch- 

 wacke, and with vast beds of gypsum ; on the N. of Brais mountain, 

 is a similar section, at least 1500 feet in thickness. 



In approaching the primitive chain we find in the vale of the Roya 

 various beds of the nevv-red-sandstone formation, loaded, near Scorglio, 

 with pebbles, (rothe-todte-liegende) ; and three miles beyond, at La 

 Fontana, this conglomerate rests on a coarse red micaceous grau- 

 wacke, which is succeeded by primitive rocks. 



From hence the author infers, that the lower part of the calcareous 



deposit 



