78 ROYAL PHYSICAL SOCIETY. 



founded by Knox in 1833 and for a time in abeyance, 

 was resuscitated in the session 1840-1 ; Goodsir 

 resumed his membership in the society and became 

 president in 1841-2. He made several communica- 

 tions to the society of minor interest, and in April 

 1842 for the first time gave his views on the structure 

 of the liver and kidney. 



He became a member of the Royal Physical Society 

 in December 1841, and in the spring of 1842 read 

 papers on the Development of the Skeleton in the 

 series of invertebrate animals — the skeleton of the 

 Radiata he illustrated by various preparations and 

 diagrams. He also gave an account of the medusa, 

 its method of producing its kind, both by its polypes 

 and perfect forms. On the 12th December 1849 he 

 was elected one of the three presidents of the " Royal 

 Physical," and remained in office for three years — until 

 November 13, 1852. He should have delivered the 

 opening address in November 1851, but was prevented 

 by indisposition. His paper on the structure and 

 economy of the " Compound Tunicata," his exhibiting 

 a specimen of a new genus Syntethys from the Hebrides 

 in March 1851, and giving a few anatomical details 

 of the new species of Malapterunis in April 1855, 

 constituted, with the essays mentioned above, the 

 whole of his contributions to the Royal Physical 

 Society. 



The appointment of Mr. Macgillivray * to the chair 



* There were several applicants for the Aberdeen chair, and much pressure 

 brought to bear upon the Government. Macgillivray modestly contented him- 

 self with sending copies of his works on birds and natural history, along with 



