172 Proceedings of the 



Since our last season, death has deprived us of an active and 

 useful member in Mr J. Barlow, of the Edinburgh Veterinary 

 College, and of a distinguished one in Mr James Wilson. On 

 the long-continued, diligent researches of the latter — his many 

 excellent writings on insects, birds, and other branches of 

 zoology — and his universally appreciated personal character, I 

 could here enlarge ; but it would only be to remind you of 

 what you all know and feel, and have probably been express- 

 ing repeatedly since his lamented death. 



I think it may now be held as demonstrated, that, whatever 

 may be the case with other scientific societies in Edinburgh, 

 there is a place and a function for the Physical. It is per- 

 fectly evident that a number of gentlemen engaged in the 

 study of Natural Philosophy, and a still greater number de- 

 voted to the various departments of Natural History, have 

 found here a convenient point of rendezvous, where they might 

 review, in the light of each other's judgment, the facts and 

 results they had arrived at, and obtain that serviceable encour- 

 agement in their pursuits which is naturally to be derived 

 from association. It is not in the least necessary to consider 

 this Society as the rival of any other, or as weakening any 

 other. Its range of objects is indeed the same as that of the 

 Royal Society of Edinburgh, regarded in its scientific as apart 

 from its literary department. But I contemplate this Society 

 as more calculated to feed and strengthen the Royal Society 

 than to do it harm. There is another Society of respectable 

 name, to which I can scarcely forbear making allusion on the 

 present occasion, as a proposal to it to unite with our own has 

 recently been under consideration. It is perfectly clear that 

 to the Wernerian we can do no kind of damage, if it be true, 

 as I am informed, that it has had no meetings for several 

 years. As the Physical, however, has in the interval come 

 to serve the purpose which the Wernerian formerly served, of 

 being a rallying point for the pursuit of Natural History in 

 Edinburgh, we may well fear that some injury would accrue 

 to us, if the Wernerian were again in activity, For this rea- 

 son, and as the union of funds, library, &c, would be mutually 

 advantageous, I would hope that ere long the two bodies may 

 be resolved into one. It has been suggested that the Physical, 



