14 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



to natural history, Mr Andrew Murray, who has enriched our 

 Proceedings by his Zoological papers, and particularly his 

 contributions on the Coleoptera of Calabar, and the Ma- 

 lapterurus beninensis. To Dr Cleland we owe some valuable 

 anatomical papers, especially on the structure of Malapterurus ; 

 and we also owe our thanks to Dr M'Bain, and Mr Peach, 

 and to Dr John Alex. Smith, our indefatigable Secretary, for 

 their excellent papers. 



We have to lament the want of the contributions to Geo- 

 logy which used to come to us from the pens of Fleming and 

 Miller, and we have not been able during last session to in- 

 duce other geologists, such as Mr Chambers, to favour us with 

 papers. 



We may hope that this session will be characterized by 

 greater vigour in all departments. 



For myself I must plead guilty to having done little for the 

 Society, chiefly because my botanical efforts are made in con- 

 nection with the kindred Botanical Society. 



I would desire to urge upon all the members the importance 

 of bringing before the Society communications, however short, 

 on the departments of Natural and Physical Science to which 

 they are attached. There are few indeed who cannot contri- 

 bute something. It is impossible for a careful observer, when 

 he examines natural phenomena, not to detect some point of 

 interest which has been overlooked. Brief notices are always 

 useful, and no one should be deterred from coming forward by 

 an idea that what he has to state is not of much importance. 

 Let the young naturalist begin at once to record his observa- 

 tions,— let him get into the habit of noting facts as they 

 occur, — and he will find the benefit of this mode of procedure 

 in his after career. 



We have before us a noble and inexhaustible subject of 

 study. None is better fitted for mental training, and none 

 exercises a more beneficial effect on the observing powers. 



At the present day natural history is assuming a higher 

 position in our courses of study, and as a Society we are called 

 upon to aid in promoting such a system of education as shall 

 render our Edinburgh school famous in the annals of science. 

 The phenomena presented by the material world around us 



