10 KEroRT — 1869. 



1. A Sassafras (Sassafras Ferretianum), closely allied to the North- American 

 species. This species I had obtained from Mcnat in Prance, and it also 

 occurs at Sonegaglia. 



2. The fruit of a Ni/ssa, like a species from Bovej and from Salzhausen. 



3. A Ycrjr perfect leaf of a Snowball (Viburnum Whyniperi, Hr.). 



4. Leatherj'^ leaves of a plant which probably belongs to the AraUas (Aralia 

 Broivniana, Hr.). 



5. A new species of Cornns and a new Crattecius. 



Important though the discovery of these new species is as extending our 

 knowledge of the Miocene Flora, it is not more so than the additional 

 information as to known Arctic forms Avhich has been afforded by tliis expe- 

 dition, as tending to correct, or rather to confirm their identifications. 



Among these wo should name a very beautiful Fern (Hcmitellites ToreJlii), 

 which differs widely from all those of the temperate zone ; the leaf-part of 

 a Salisburia, wliieh in its form approaches very closely to the Japanese 

 species ; a perfect leaf of Quercus LjieUii, Hr. ; the loaf of a Vine ( Vitis 

 arctiea, Hr.) ; several fragments of leaves of nut-trees, and of Magnolia 

 Inrflefieldi ; and the fruit of Menijantlies, which species I have already 

 identified by means of the leaves. 



On the whole the collection contains sixty-seven species, of which twenty- 

 two are new to Greenland, and are accordingly additions to our knowledge 

 of the Ibssil flora of the Arctic Zone. 



To these maj' be added three specimens of the fauna, two insects and a 

 bivalve. One of the insects exhibits elytra in very good preservation, and 

 belongs to the Colcoptera, the other to the Heraiptera. The bivalve is a 

 freshwater species (Oydas), and confirms the view that the deposit of Ata- 

 nekerdluk, which contains so many plants, is a freshwater formation. 



Report of a Committee, consisting o/Mr. C. W. MEHRiriELD, F.R.S., 

 Mr. G. P. Bidder, Captain Dougla.s Galton, F.R.S., Mr. F. 

 Galton, F.R.S., Professor Ranking, F.R.S., and Mr. W. Froude, 

 appointed to report on the state of existiny knowledge on the Sta- 

 bility, Propulsion, and Sea-going Qualities of Ships, ajid as to the 

 application which it may be desirable to make to Her Majesty's 

 Government on these subjects. Prepared for the Committee by C. 

 W. Merrifield, F.R.S. 



The subject referred to us is a very large one, and having regard both to 

 the space which a complete report on such a matter would require and to 

 the time at our disposal for making it, we have thought it best to lay before 

 the present Meeting a First lleport, in which we confine ourselves to the 

 resistance luhich ships offer to propulsion, and to their behaviour in 7'espect of 

 rolling. These are, in their several directions, the preliminary subjects neces- 

 sary to the inquiry committed to us ; and they are also the parts of naval 

 science on which exact experiment appears to be most urgently needed, both 

 for the direct knowledge of these branches, and also as a foundation for ex- 

 periments on propulsion and the other applications which depend upon them. 

 Knowledge of the work to be done should precede the selection of the tool 

 with which it is to be performed. 



