1832.] Proceedings of Societies. 79 



table in the Appendix : to which is annexed a table of experiments made at Bombay 

 by Dr. Maxwell. The whole of these appear to have been conducted with great care 

 and attention. The general results of a series of experiments conducted by the 

 author are corroborative of the accuracy of the tables alluded to in this paper. 



At the conclusion of the Meeting, some splendid drawings of Medicinal Plants 

 were placed on the table by Mr. Royle. 



3. — Societe d' Histoire Naturelle of the Mauritius. 

 8th March and \2th April, 1831. 



The Secretary presented to the Society, the Baron Cuvier's Analyses des Travaux 

 de VAcademie des Sciences de Paris, for 1822, 25, 26, 27 — in the name of the illus- 

 trious author. 



M. Rob. Lyell, M. D. read a note on the subject of the astronomical observa- 

 tions made by him at Tannanarivou, capital of the kingdom of the Ovas, in Mada- 

 gascar, whence the latitude of the place was found to be 18° 56' 20" S. and the 

 longitude 47 l> 57' 46" E. of Greenwich. 



The same member also described two plants, met with in Madagascar by M. W. 

 Bojer. One is the Euphorbia splendens, boj. now become common in the gardens 

 of the Mauritius, but of which Dr. L. made known a variety with a yellow flower. 

 The other is the Poinciana Regia, boj. now also naturalized in the island. Both 

 are figured in the last numbers published by Professor Hooker of Glasgow, a cor- 

 responding member of the Society. 



M. Li^nard Pe>e read an account of a fish of this island, belonging to the genus 

 Pleuronecte, and remarkable for certain rays on the pectoral fins, extending the 

 whole length of the animal ; a drawing accompanied- The islanders rank this fish 

 among the soles. 



M. J. Desjardins continued his analysis of Zoologie du Voyage de F Uranie, 

 chiefly adverting to the Polypi, which play so important a part in the natural histo- 

 ry of the island. 



The Secretary also described the hail, which fell in the storm of 8th February, 

 at the Camp de Masque, as of the size of small peas, proving destructive to 

 tender plants. 



Many letters of correspondents were communicated. One from M. Quoy, of 

 Paris, stated, that M. le Baron G. Cuvier had yielded to the desire of the Society, 

 to become possessed of his bust. The following paragraph added weight to M. 

 Desjardin's observations. " Detruisez done cette opinion populaire du corail qui 

 entre en fleur, vous insulaires, vous aurez pour cela plus de facilite et de prepon- 

 derance que nous autres qui ne faisons que passer." 



A letter from Dr. Smith, of Algoa Bay, announced his intention of publishing 

 the Society's proceedings in the South African Quarterly Journal. 



M. Mn. Sauzier, of Bourbon, wrote that the volcano of that island had several 

 violent eruptions in November, December, and January, from two distinct craters. 

 There was no flow of lava, as had been reported at St. Dennis. 



The president communicated the notes of M. J. Cameron, of Madagascar, rela- 

 tive to some minerals, particularly to an aerolite which fell on the Mozambique 

 coast. Mr. C. announced that the Queen of the Ovas, Ranavalon Manzaka, had 

 bestowed an annual donation of £60 towards the expence of a practical course of 

 chemical lectures, which many of her subjects are already sufficiently educated to 

 understand and appreciate. 



M. Bernard, Proviseur du College Royal, and M. J. N. Casanova, D. C. M. 

 were admitted honorary members of the Society. The latter presented his work 

 entitled " Examen de las Aguas minerals de San Pedro, &c. 1827." 



