Fresident's Address. 7 



liim for his highly interesting communication, and it was 

 remarked by Mr Scot-Skirving, that the thanks of all natur- 

 alists were justly due to Mr Edmonston, as the preserver on 

 his estate in Shetland, of one of the few breeding places still 

 remaining in Britain, of the skua gull or Bonxie, the Cata- 

 ractes vulgaris of Fleming. 



Early History of the Society. — The Eoyal Physical Society 

 now enters on the 104th year of its existence. It was founded 

 in 1771, under the auspices and with the aid of a number of 

 celebrated men, many of whom were Professors in the 

 University of Edinburgh, among which appear the distin- 

 guished names of Black, CuUen, Monro, Hope, Gregory, 

 Home, etc. 



The object of the Society was for the cultivation of the 

 Natural and Physical Sciences, and to promote and inspire a 

 taste for Natural History amongst the advanced students of 

 the University, under whose fostering wing it continued to 

 flourish for more than half-a-century. The number of mem- 

 bers admitted during the first year appears to have been only 

 eighteen, and the average number admitted during the next 

 ten years about the same in each year. During the first 

 decade many eminent men. Professors of home and foreign 

 Universities, statesmen, and others (one name being more 

 especially notable, viz., Benjamin Eranklin), were elected 

 honorary members. It seems, indeed, to have been the 

 practice from time to time to inscribe on the honorary roll 

 of membership the names of most men of the age who had 

 especially devoted themselves to science. Thus, we have the 

 names of Sir Joseph Banks, John Hunter, Lavoisier, BerthoUet, 

 Fourcroy, Zimmerman, CHne, Sir Astley Cooper, Spurzheim, 

 Pallas, Thunberg, Earl of Bute, Earl of Buchan, Lord Garden- 

 stone, Dawson Turner, Humphrey Davy, and many others. 

 In 1782, the Society received an accession of strength by its 

 union with the Chirurgo-Medical Society. On 5th of May 

 1778, a Eoyal Charter was obtained, which gave a status and 

 importance to the Society most desirable and flattering to its 

 members, and whose learning is therein lauded, the fame of 

 which (says the Charter) extended over Europe and America. 



