344 Proceedings of the 



Society. In acquaintance with the natural history of Scot- 

 land generally, Dr Fleming has probably never been surpassed. 

 His works on the " Philosophy of Zoology" and his Geological 

 Papers are proofs of his taste and capacity for generalization ; 

 while his " British Animals" shows at once his talent for de- 

 scription and his scrupulous regard to truth. This love of 

 truth, for its own sake, occasionally led him into earnest con- 

 tendings, in which he displayed no less self-mastery than skill, 

 and as much generosity as straightforward honesty of purpose. 

 Each member of the Society feels that, in Professor Fleming's 

 lamented decease, he has lost a very dear and a much respected 

 friend, father, and counsellor. His accessibility, his unvary- 

 ing courtesy, and unvarnished kindness of manner, encouraged 

 all who wished to consult him, while the fulness of his science, 

 and his liberality in imparting it, rendered such an intercourse 

 with him most satisfactory. In his capacity as Professor of 

 Natural Science in the New College, it is believed that Dr 

 Fleming has been eminently successful in imparting much of 

 his own healthy spirit to the many students who have listened 

 to his prelections, while his own full testimony to the compati- 

 bility of a sincere belief in revealed truth with acceptance of 

 the facts and views of modern science, must have helped not 

 a little to stem the torrent of speculative infidelity which 

 threatened not long since to break forth in our land. 



The Secretary was instructed to forward copies of this mi- 

 nute to Mrs Fleming, and to his son, Dr Andrew Fleming, 

 H.E.I.C.S., as an expression, on the part of the Society, of 

 sincere sympathy with them in their bereavement. 



I. The President then delivered the Opening Address. 



Dr Lowe, the President who retires, delivered an address 

 bearing on the present state and prospects of the Society in 

 those branches of science more particularly cultivated by its 

 members. In doing this, he alluded to the annual addresses 

 already delivered from that chair by Hugh Miller, and, alas ! 

 as he was now compelled to say, by "the late" Professor 

 Fleming, as well as those by Dr Greville, Dr Coldstream, Mr 

 Chambers, and others. He then briefly alluded to the alter- 

 nate eras of prosperity and depression which have been the lot 



