72 Roi/al InstiliUion of Great BritaiJi. 



For many years a large portion of these vegetable riches were 

 stored on the shelves of the India House, without any one suffi- 

 ciently conversant in Indian Botany to arrange and render them 

 subservient to the cause of science. On the arrival in this country 

 of Dr.Wallich, the distinguished superintendant of the Company's 

 Garden at Calcutta, in the year 1828, — who brought with him an 

 immense accession to the Herbarium from various parts of India, 

 especially Nipal and the Burmese Empire, — the Court of Directors 

 instructed him to make a Catalogue of the aggregate collection, 

 and to distribute duplicate specimens to the more eminent Societies 

 and naturalists throughout Europe and America. 



This immense labour has occupied Dr.Wallich for the last four 

 years; and it is the chief selection from these various Herbaria, 

 destined for the museum of the India House, which the Court of 

 Directors have, with princely munificence, presented to the Linnaan 

 Society. 



The liberality of the East India Company has been duly appre- 

 ciated throughout the wide circle of science. It has been acknow- 

 ledged by letters and addresses from the different Societies and 

 individuals honoured by their patronage ; and this last act of their 

 bounty will endear them still mere to the promoters of Botany, by 

 placing the treasures they possessed along with those of Linna:us 

 and Smith. 



The Linnaean Society purchased, two years ago, at an expense 

 of 8000/., the collections of Linnaeus and of the late excellent Sir 

 J. E. Smith ; and since that the Herbarium of the Society has been 

 further enriched by the treasures of the East, it forms collectively 

 one of the most interesting and important in Europe. 



The East India Company have set an example of a wise and 

 liberal policy, which will be followed throughout the world, not 

 only by Societies, but by those enterprising individuals who have, 

 to their own honour, made large collections of the objects of natural 

 history; and it is a source of national congratulation that at this 

 moment the naturalists of Europe feel indebted to this country for 

 the most extensive contribution that was ever made to their botani- 

 cal collections. We owe this general feeling of respect towards us 

 to the enlightened conduct of the Court of Directors, who have 

 done more to diff"use a knowledge of Botany than was ever done by 

 any Government or association of persons on the globe. 



A deputation from the Council of the Linnfean Society, headed 

 bv the President Lord Stanley, waited on the Chairman of the 

 Court of Directors, on the 26th instant, with an address expressive 

 of the high sense the Society entertains of the honour conferred 

 upon it by the liberality of the East India Company. 



FRIDAY-EVENING PROCEEDINGS AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION 

 OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



April 13. — Dr. Marshall Hall on the Laws which govern the mu- 

 t.ual relation of Respiration ai.d Imtability. 



The object of this lecture was briefly to present the results of an 



