Proceedings, &c., for 1887. 191 



same stream draining a much larger area, has one of only 8000. 

 How are these reconcilable 1 



The further discussion of the subject was postponed. 



Dr. Jamieson read a paper on " Some Experiments on the 

 Range of Action of Digestive Ferments." (See Trans., Art. XV.) 



In reply to Mr. Ellery, Dr. Jamieson said an experiment was 

 made as to whether it was good to have food given in a digested 

 form. Young animals seemed not to thrive so well on it as on 

 raw material. Bat there is no doubt that persons may be kept 

 alive with digested food who could not get on with undigested 

 food. Injections of digested food do better than those of un- 

 digested. 



Dr. PvUDALL said that the new digestive ferment papain had a 

 power of digestion greatly in excess of that of pepsine, and that 

 promised to be a useful discovery. 



In leply to Mr. White, Dr. Jamieson said that a small amount 

 of common salt was useful, and the President said that in New 

 Guinea it appeared to be a specific for the cure of native ailments. 



ANNUAL CONVERSAZIONE. 



k. Conversazione was given by the Council of the Royal Society, 

 in the Athenaeum Hall, on Friday, the 9th December, 1887, and 

 was attended by a large gathering of ladies and gentlemen. 



The large hall was reserved for the display of exhibits, and the 

 hall on the first floor was seated for the audience to hear the 

 President's address, which he delivered at eight o'clock, and will 

 be found prefixed to part 2 of this volume. 



Professor W. Baldwin Spencer then gave an address on 

 the subject of Megascolides Australis, illustrated with a number of 

 specimens and large diagrams on screens. (See Transactions, 

 Art. XVI.) 



The following is a list of the exhibits shown in the large hall : — 



1. Sectional Models of Steam Engines, and other Models of 



Machinery. Exhibited by Professor W. C. Kernot. 



2. Seismograph, Thermograph and Barograph. By R. L. J. 



Ellery, Esq., F.R.S. 



3. Two Microscopes and Microscopic Slides, Hydrostatic 



Balance, New Mercurial Vacuum Pumps, Spiral 

 Balance for taking the Specific Gravity of Solids. 

 By Mr. C. R. Blackett, F.C.S. 



4. Winshurst Electrical Machine. By Professor H. M. 



Andrew, M.A. 



