268 SIR G. STOKES, BART., ON THE PERCEPTION OP COLOUR. 



other gentlemen who have contributed the papers during the 

 last session which have been referred to by the Honorary 

 Secretary. 



The Right Hon. Lord Lister, M.B., F.R.C.S., LL.D., P.R.S.— 

 I have very great pleasure in seconding the vote of thanks. "We 

 leai'n from the Report that various gentlemen have given what 

 no doubt were exceedingly valuable communications in the course 

 of the session, and it would be our desire that the best thanks 

 of the Society should be given to those gentlemen. But we have 

 all of us had the opportunity of listening to this most beautiful 

 discourse. 



Sir George Stokes has appealed to me as to whether T should 

 regard the special hypothesis that he has put forward with regard 

 to the means of the perception of different kinds of colour as 

 heterodox physiology. So far as I am able to judge, merely by 

 listening to his words, there do not occur to me any symptoms of 

 heterodoxy in that hypothesis. 



Of one thing I think we may be sure — that the different 

 sensations we experience do not depend on difference of 

 structure of the individual nerve fibres ; but that certain nerve 

 fibres being called into action by certain stimuli, the result as 

 regards our sensations depends on the pai^t of the sensorium with 

 which each nerve fibre is connected. 



I do not think it is necessary for me at this late hour to detain 

 you with further words, but only to express my own gratification 

 at having been permitted to listen to this discourse, and to second 

 the vote of thanks for it. (Applause.) 



Lord Kelvin, G.C.V.O., then put the resolution to the 

 Meeting and it was carried unanimously. 



The President. — Speaking for myself I should say, as President, 

 it is my duty to acknowledge the vote of thanks which has been 

 passed to all those who have contributed to the business of the 

 Institute by reading or sending papers to be read during the 

 session. For myself I feel very strongly the kind way in which 

 a very imperfect attempt to bring a difiicult and little known 

 subject before the Meeting has been received. 



I am glad to see that I have not been charged by Lord Lister 

 with being altogether heterodox. 



The Meeting was then adjourned. 



