376 Zoological Society. 



cies of this Cyperaceous genus is characterized by the sharp edges 

 of its leaves, which inflict wounds on the unwary traveller who 

 happens to pass the plant hastily. 



WERNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



The 32nd Session of this Society commenced last week, when the 

 following gentlemen were elected oflice-bearers for 1839 : 



President. 

 Robert Jameson, Esq., F.R.SS.L. and E , Professor of Natural History in 

 the University of Edinburgh. 



Vice-Presidents. 

 Dr. Charles Anderson, M.R.C.S. I Dr. R. K. Greville, F.R.S.E. 

 William Copland, Esq., F.R.S.E. | John Sligo, Esq., F.R.S.E. 



Secretary,-— Dv. Pat. Neill, F.R.S.E. 



Assistant-Secretary, — T. J. Torrie, Esq., F.R.S.E. 



Treasurer, — A. G. Ellis, Esq. 



Librarian, — James Wilson, Esq., F.R.S.E. 



Painter, — P. Syme, Esq. 



Assistant, — W. H. Townsend, Esq. 

 Council. 



Dr. Walter Adam, F.R.C.P. 



Dr. William Macdouald, F.R.S.E. 



Dr. Martin Barry, F.R.S.E. 



Rob. James Hay Cunningham, Esq. 



W. A. Cadell, Esq., F.R.SS.L. & E. 

 Dr. Robert Hamilton, F.R.S.E. 

 Dr. Robert Graham, F.R.S.E. 

 Sir William Newbigging, F.R.S.E. 



The seventh volume of the Society's Memoirs has just been pub- 

 lished by Messrs. Black, containing the Essays by Mr. R. J. H. Cun- 

 ningham and Dr. Parnell, for which honorary premiums were lately 

 awarded ; the former on the geology of the Lothians, illustrated by 

 thirty-five coloured sections and a geological map, and the latter on 

 the Ichthyology of the Forth District, illustrated by sixty-seven en- 

 graved figures. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



April 10, 1838.— Rev. John Barlow in the Chair. 



ITie first communication laid before the meeting was a description 

 by Mr. Owen of the organs of deglutition in the Giraffe, being a 

 supplementary note to his former memoir on the anatomy of that 

 animal *. 



Mr. Owen observes that since the Girafi^es have been at the Gar- 

 dens, they have not been known to utter vocal sounds, except once, 

 at the time of coition, when the male uttered a cry like that of the 

 Deer ; and the incapacity of the species in this respect would seem 

 to be indicated by the structure of the glottis, the rima of which 



* [The abstract of the former memoir will be found at p. 227. — Edit.] 



